Covid: School moves to remote learning until January

A secondary school in North Ayrshire has moved to remote learning after a Covid outbreak.

Pupils at St Matthew's Academy in Saltcoats will not return to classrooms until January.

From Monday until the end of term on 23 December teaching will be conducted remotely.

The Roman Catholic high school has more than 1,000 pupils from towns across North Ayrshire.

The school is believed to be one of the few in Scotland currently closed because of Covid, though a number of other schools have introduced similar measures in the past for short periods.

A statement from the council said: "Due to a further increase in the number of positive Covid-19 cases at the school and following discussions between North Ayrshire Council, NHS Ayrshire & Arran's Health Protection Team and Scottish government, a decision has been taken to introduce home learning through to the end of this term

"Pupils will return to the school campus on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, following the festive break.

"In the meantime, pupils will be expected to continue with their lessons remotely."

NHS Ayrshire and Arran said the situation was being classed as an outbreak, but said it would not confirm how many cases there had been at the school to protect confidentiality.

The health board said a risk assessment had been carried out to identify anyone who may have had contact with the confirmed cases.

The Scottish government said the decision was taken because "absence levels are high due to confirmed cases, pupils self-isolating and other reasons".

A letter has gone out to parents informing them that contact tracing is currently taking place after a number of confirmed cases of Covid-19.

Close contacts are being told to self-isolate at home for 10 days in line with the latest guidance.

The letter continued: "We appreciate this is a very worrying time. However, we would like to assure you that every measure is being taken to protect pupils, their families and staff."

Teaching unions have previously called for pupils across Scotland to be taught remotely in the last few days of term - but Education Secretary John Swinney rejected this, saying such a move could increase infection rates.

A spokesman for Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, said it had consistently called for schools in areas with higher infection rates to be allowed to move to blended or remote learning.

He added: "With the Christmas break approaching, the EIS continues to believe that all schools should be permitted to move to remote learning in the final week before the holiday to minimise the risk of the virus spreading as families gather to celebrate over the festive season."

Mr Swinney, however, said he had been advised by public health experts that risks were lower in controlled classroom settings, and that such a move could lead to more young people mingling out of school.

First Minister Nichola Sturgeon was questioned at her daily coronavirus briefing earlier on Friday about the Welsh government's decision to move all classes online from Monday.

Ms Sturgeon said Covid infection rates were significantly higher in Wales and that it was not deemed appropriate to take similar nationwide action in Scotland.