Over 50 Wigan schools reporting COVID cases
In total 55 schools, 3 colleges and 2 nurseries reported COVID cases amongst their pupils last week
Last updated 2nd Jul 2021
Dozens of schools in Wigan are now reporting COVID cases amongst their pupils.
Data from Wigan's Health Protection Team shows nearly 60 different educational establishments across Wigan Borough reported COVID cases in the week from 16th - 22nd June.
This included 41 primary schools and 14 secondary schools.
See the full list below:
Primary Schools
All Saints RC Primary School, Golborne
All Saints Primary School, Hindley
Bickershaw CE Primary School
Britannia Bridge Primary School, Ince
Canon Sharples Primary School
Garrett Hall Primary School
Golborne Community Primary School
Hindley Junior & Infant School
Leigh Central Primary School
Leigh CE Primary School
Lowton J & I Primary School
Lowton St Mary's CE Primary School
Lowton West Primary School
Marus Bridge CP School
Meadowbank Primary School
Nicol Mere Primary School
Orrell Lamberhead Green Academy
Platt Bridge Community Primary School
Sacred Heart RC Primary School, Beech Hill
Sacred Heart RC Primary School, Leigh
St Aidan's Catholic Primary School
St Ambrose Catholic Primary School
St Andrews CE Primary School
St Catharine's CE Primary School, Wigan
St Cuthbert's RC Primary School, Wigan
St George's Primary School
St John's CE Primary School, Hindley Green
St John's CE Primary School, Leigh
St John's Primary School, Pemberton
St Joseph’s Primary School, Leigh
St Mark's CE Primary School
St Michael's CE Primary School
St Oswald's RC Primary School
St Peter's CE Primary School, Hindley
St Richard's RC Primary School, Atherton
St Thomas J&I Primary School, Golborne
St Thomas' CE Primary School, Leigh
St William's Catholic Primary School
Tyldesley Primary School
Westfield Community Primary School
Woodfield Primary School
Secondary Schools
Bedford High School
Byrchall High School
Dean Trust (Wigan)
Fred Longworth High School
Golborne High School
Hawkley Hall High School
Hindley High School
Lowton C of E High
Shevington High School
St Edmund Arrowsmith High School
St John Fisher Catholic High
St Mary's Catholic High, Tyldesley
St Peter's Catholic High
The Westleigh School
Colleges
St John Rigby College
Wigan & Leigh College
Winstanley College
Early Years
Squirrels Montessori School
Nursery
Douglas Valley Nursery
First Steps Nursery (at Cansfield)
Special Educational Needs
Newbridge Learning Community
"We're sending pupils home to isolate every single day."
A classroom assistant from one of the above schools, who wished to remain anonymous told us:
"We've had a number of children off daily and rarely see a full class."
"Every day we hear concerns about more bubbles closing and are having to send several children home every single day because of having COVID symptoms."
"We have a lot of safety measures in place to protect staff and students but there is always that underlying concern of catching it."
"Previously, we hadn't had any bubbles close since September but in the past few weeks we've seen several 'pop'."
"I think the problem's going to stay the same, we only have about three weeks left until the term ends."
"Obviously with the football now, we're worried about those out celebrating England, passing it to their kids and then bringing it into schools."
1% of 5-19-year-olds now testing positive in Wigan
COVID rates in Wigan are continuing to climb with 442 in every 100,000 people now testing positive.
However, among school-age children, this figure is significantly higher with more than 1 in every 100 5-19-year-olds testing positive.
Wigan also has the 8th highest coronavirus rate in the country and the third-highest in Greater Manchester.
Wigan's director of Public Health, Professor Kate Ardern has called for vaccinations for school children to help solve the problem. She said:
"Several Directors of Public Health, including some within Greater Manchester and beyond are very much in favour of vaccinating teenagers."
"I think there's every justification for doing that."
"We've heard people like Professor john Edmondson, say that from SAGE so a number of us are advocating for that and I am very supportive of teenagers having the vaccine."
"The Pfizer has been licenced for teenagers and we understand that the risks of long COVID are more of an issue for younger people so why wouldn't we be doing that?"
"Obviously, that is a decision for the JVCI but I personally strongly support it."