By Gavin Mackintosh-
Four schools in Norfolk, Uk have been shut down due to coronavirus cases.
Cliff Park Ormiston Academy in Gorleston, near Great Yarmouth, Hemblington Primary School at Blofield Heath, John Grant School, Caister-on-sea and Kenninghall Primary School, have all closed their doors dues to coronavirus cases, The Eye Of Media.Com has heard.
Cliff Park Ormiston school said it was closing until further notice to protect the safety of its staff and pupils. Six positive cases in 2 weeks at John Grant school sparked the closures there, while several others await test results. The school said they took the decision to close for a week and will keep in contact with the Norfolk Outbreak Management Centre in relation to developments on the closures.
Hemblington Primary school closed after two confirmed cases of COVID-19 among staff. Pupils at Hemblington Primary School had been sent home indefinitely while a plan is put in place to deal with the outbreak. The school said it has prepared regular online work for its pupils to do while at home.
More Closures
The school closures could be the first of many more schools across the Uk if others follow suit in similar circumstances. The law does not compel schools to shut down in the event of pupils or staff testing positive. Pupils or teaching staff who test positive are expected to isolate if they contract the virus, however schools have the power to shut down due to their own discretion.
Research shows that primary school children in many Uk schools dropped in standard following the lockdown earlier in the year. School closures puts pressure on parents to provide care for them, which can also affect their work plans.
The real challenge facing schools and parents is how they ensure pupils ordered to stay at home can still develop academically instead of their educational levels dropping further. Primary pupils without private tutors or supporting parents tend to go backwards academically during lockdown periods.
Some pupils from good and inspiring schools, naturally make the most of the time they have at home. Not many primary schools have successfully established motivated pupils who can be trusted to work at home on their own.
Academic Unions called for grade inflation next summer because of the effects on the education from the first lockdown in March. Requests to make the summer exams later have also been made. If school closures continue over COVID-19 inspections, the calls for more flexibility in the next summer exams will rise.
Honouring such requests could reduce the true standard of education in the Uk.