More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
A school is switching to remote learning for all pupils following positive Covid-19 cases.
On Monday, the head of King's School in Rochester - the second oldest school in the world - asked several year groups to learn from home for three days after a pupil and a teacher tested positive for the virus.
Now, principal Ben Charles has revealed that all pupils and staff will be staying home from tomorrow (December 3) until the end of term next week.
A statement reads: "This week has presented us with some extreme challenges and I, together with my fellow Heads, our Senior Teams and Governors, have been faced with some very difficult decisions to ensure the continued safety of our pupils and staff.
"From Thursday, December 3, all sections of King’s Rochester will move to the King's Remote Learning Programme, until the end of term on Friday, December 11."
The school added that by relaunching the remote-learning programme it will "enable pupils to make continued progress during the last remaining days of term".
The statement said "pupils are well-versed in the use of Google Classroom" and that this will remain the medium by which lessons are taught.
The school said it is "mindful" of screentime, and that days will still be punctuated by regular breaks, equivalent to those in the normal school day.
A statement from King's adds: "Clearly, it is disappointing that pupils and teachers cannot enjoy the special days that characterise the run up to Christmas, but Remote-Learning will afford on-going teaching, structure and contact."
Earlier in the week, Mr Charles said: "The number of cases in the Medway region has risen sharply over the last few weeks and this has contributed to a heavily increased number of staff absences due to self-isolation, often initiated through the NHS track and trace app.
"This is in addition to the usual absences through illness that this time of year brings.
"The health, safety and wellbeing of our pupils, staff, families and the community are at the forefront of the decisions we make at King's."
King's, a private school, dates back to 604AD and is located in the Cathedral precinct.
