East Suffolk primary school shut after Covid outbreak
Parents have received a letter about the 'circuit breaker' closure
Edgar Sewter Primary School in Halesworth has confirmed it'll remain closed until Thursday 6th May following a number of positive Covid-19 cases amongst pupils.
The Headteacher wrote to parents at the weekend confirming that a 10-day 'circuit breaker' closure was going to be used to try and reduce transmission of the virus.
In the letter, Mrs Milk confirmed that nine positive tests had been reported on Friday 23rd April, but this had risen to 17 over the weekend.
She said "a significant number of those cases are in Year 3/4", adding that close contacts were already isolating for 10 days.
Mrs Milk went on to say that due to siblings within households, a positive case had also been found in the Reception year.
The letter continued: "As COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in school, I have sought further advice and have taken the decision to close the school for 10 days, with all children returning to school on Thursday 6th May.
"This closure is known as a ‘circuit breaker’ in order to reduce transmission in school. As a school community this needs to be treated as a lockdown.
"Those children who have been identified as close contacts will need to isolate until the 10 days have been completed.
"If we have spoken to you this weekend a letter will be sent to you stating the end date of isolation. If we asked you to isolate last week, please follow the isolation date provided. For everyone else, mainly Year 1 /2 and Year 5 /6 children, I am recommending that this circuit break is treated as an isolation for you too.
"We need to come together as a school community and break this transmission as soon as possible."
The Headteacher confirmed that the school would be fully shut with no provision for key worker children, but that they would be providing hampers for families eligible for free school meals.