A head teacher has defended her decision to ask teachers to go into school to hold their virtual lessons, despite a government plea to work from home.

Staff at Highsted Grammar School in Sittingbourne have been told they will be required to come onto the school premises in Highsted Road to host their online sessions with pupils, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

One anonymous teacher told KentOnline: "The head is insisting all staff travel to the school to sit in empty classrooms to deliver remote learning rather than work from home as required by the government.

"Teachers will be travelling across the county to reach the school where they must remain in their classrooms during all lesson, break and lunchtimes.

"Many will be forced to send their own children in school as key worker children putting them at risk for no reason whatsoever.

"It is another callous disregard for staff safety and wellbeing."

However, head teacher Anne Kelly hit back and defended the school's decision.

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She said: “Highsted Grammar School, like the majority of schools in the country, has been open throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, for vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers during the strictest periods of lockdown and for all pupils at all other times.

"In this way all schools have played their part in supporting their communities by allowing key workers to remain in employment and by protecting some of the most vulnerable members of society.

"Schools remaining fully or partially open means teaching and support staff will sometimes be required onsite to deliver both face to face and remote learning and all our staff are aware of this.

"The health, safety and well-being of our staff, and pupils, is of paramount importance and we take all necessary measures to protect every member of the school community.

“Remote learning is delivered from the school site, using the school’s IT network and teachers’ approved accounts, to ensure the online safety of both staff and pupils as well as to guarantee network reliability.

"Senior colleagues and I carry out regular employee risk assessments, which staff are consulted on, and all staff have regular access to Lateral Flow Tests onsite so they can regularly test for COVID-19.

"Staff members who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable are not in school at the moment and I have liaised with them throughout the pandemic with individual risk assessments being carried out for each one.

“Staff are always able to raise any concerns they may have and they will be supported and their requests dealt with sympathetically.”

On Monday Prime Minister Boris Johnson made sent the country into a national lockdown just one day after schools were reopened and children were allowed back in.

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