Northumberland school closes and three more in partial shut down due to low staffing levels

The Dales School, which operates from sites in Ashington and Blyth, is closed due to unsafe staffing levels.

Cambois Primary School is partially closed due to staffing ratios.

Seaton Sluice First School has closed its nursery, reception and Year 1 classes.

Hexham Priory School is partially closed but plans to close from Friday due to unsafe staffing levels.

All other schools remain open, although reduced attendance levels have been reported.

A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said: “Public Health England advises Directors of Public Health of all confirmed cases of COVID-19, this includes cases reported to them from Health Protection Teams in Scotland. To date, we have not been advised of any confirmed cases in children living in Northumberland. “We expect that children will continue to attend school as normal unless their circumstances are such that they should be isolated at home as per current guidance.“We strongly encourage families to become familiar with the Government guidance to prevent further spread of the illness and limit the numbers affected.

“The best ways of protecting ourselves and our families are to sneeze or cough into a tissue and then bin it; wash your hands frequently; and don’t touch your face unless you’ve just washed your hands.

“In the vast majority of cases, particularly in children, this is a relatively mild illness but we obviously need to protect those who are most vulnerable to serious illness such as older people and those with long term health conditions.”