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Around 100 students will have to self-isolate for 14 days after a confirmed case of coronavirus at their school.
The JCB Academy in Rocester closed today as a ‘precaution’ and parents were informed in an email last night.
Staff have been working around the clock to track down anyone who has been in contact with the person.
Now, newly appointed principal Jenny McGuirk has confirmed that 100 students will be asked to stay home.
The school, which welcomes students from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, will reopen for the remaining 700 children as usual on Monday.
It has not been revealed whether it is a child, teacher or staff member who tested positive for coronavirus.
Ms. McGuirk said: “The JCB Academy was closed on Friday as a precautionary measure after a single student tested positive for COVID-19.
“The academy has followed the advice of Public Health England and the Staffordshire COVID-19 response team to mitigate the risk of this isolated confirmed case.
“Through track and trace, academy staff have worked around the clock to communicate with the families of students who are believed to have been in contact with the person who tested positive.
“As a result, about 100 students have now been asked to self-isolate for the next 14 days.
“We have taken swift and decisive action to mitigate any risk and the actions we have taken go beyond the advice given to us by Public Health England.
“Meanwhile, the JCB Academy will reopen Monday for the remaining 700 students.
“Those who isolate themselves will be able to access learning in Google Classroom for their lessons.
“Before the start of the new period, robust measures were implemented, including mandatory hand disinfection, the use of face masks between classrooms, and the creation of class and year group bubbles.”
JCB Academy was one of the first schools in England to reopen last month.
All students are required to wear masks in common areas to help protect students.
Other measures introduced include:
- Hand sanitizer to place outside of each classroom
- The three main groups of the year will be isolated from each other on the three floors of the academy
- Groups throughout the year to have different rest and lunch times.
- Ride buses to and from the academy sitting in their respective annual groups
- Wearing masks on buses
- Mandatory hand hygiene when disembarking from buses
- Bus boarding and disembarking will be staggered to allow for greater social distancing
The £ 22 million JCB Academy, the brainchild of Lord Bamford, teaches 13-19 year olds with a primary focus on engineering.
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