A SCHOOL in rural Herefordshire has said it will be remaining cautious after a spike in Covid cases among pupils.

Fairfield High School in Peterchurch, in the Golden Valley, said at the beginning of the month that cases were spread across year groups with a "large number" of children were at home and a "number of staff" were also off.

 

"This is very disappointing because we have tried so hard as a school community to support each other since the beginning of the pandemic by wearing masks indoors, hand sanitising and cleaning classrooms at the end of each lesson and keeping students in year group bubbles," headteacher Sue Gaston said in a letter to parents on Feburary 1.

"The majority of our staff and students followed these rules even when the government made them optional, and until now this has helped to ensure that our case numbers have been low."

In an update to parents on Friday (February 11), Mrs Gaston said cases had now dropped, standing at a quarter of what they were last week.

"Whilst we appreciate that there are still many concerns and anxieties around Covid, it is really important that all students are in school as much as possible," she said.

"We are not able to authorise absence for students who are at home because another member of the family has covid, or is medically vulnerable unless there are exceptional circumstances which have been discussed with us in advance.

"If recent media reports are correct, we anticipate a lifting of covid restrictions after half term. Until this is confirmed, we will maintain our current cautious approach.

"Once we have definite information from the DfE [Department for Education], we will let you know."