Littlehampton school sends home more students following new coronavirus cases

All Year 11 students at The Littlehampton Academy are currently self-isolating after one of their classmates tested positive for Covid-19.

On Saturday, all parents received a letter from principal Morgan Thomas, telling them two further students had the virus: one in Year 8 and one in Year 10.

The majority of Year 8 was able to come back in today (October 19) – but all Year 10s were told to self-isolate at home until October 27, two weeks after the point of contact.

In the letter, Mr Thomas said: “I do understand how inconvenient, frustrating and upsetting this must be for our young people but this decision has been taken with their best interests at heart.”

All year groups are separated into their own ‘bubbles’ as part of social distancing measures. This means they cannot mingle with other year groups while at school, in Fitzalan Road.

When the school found out about the latest coronavirus cases, work was done to track down staff and students who had come into contact with the infected young people.

In the letter, Mr Thomas said they identified 20 close contacts of the Year 8 pupil during lessons and social time. They have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days from the point of contact.

More than 50 close contacts during lessons were found for the Year 10 pupil. But the search revealed many more in social time, albeit outside, which the school could not identify precisely.

Mr Thomas sought to reassure parents, carers and students of the school’s ‘intensive cleaning programme’. In the letter, he said: “This happens all day, every day whether we have an identified case or not.

“The academy received an enhanced clean at the end of Friday, as it does every day without fail.”

Parents have praised the school for its decisive action so far.