Entire Wigan secondary school closes after Covid-19 outbreak

Dean Trust Wigan has told parents to keep their children at home this week, following an outbreak of the virus among a "significant number" of employees at the Orrell school, which was formerly Abraham Guest Academy.

Pupils are being told to stay at home from today, Monday September 28, up to and including next Friday, October 2. The school is expected to reopen next week, Monday October 5.

Pupils in Year 9 had already been sent home to self-isolate following an outbreak in its year group. But parents were reassured that the rest of the school would not need to quarantine during their week off.

In a letter to parents and carers, Dean Trust's Operations Director, Andrew Shakos, wrote: "It is with regret that we are writing to inform you that we must temporarily close the school to staff and pupils. This is due to a significant number of staff having very recently tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).

"As you are aware, Wigan is now considered a high risk area by the government and the increase in staff testing positive for COVID-19 seemed to have coincided with the increase in infections in the area."

The letter goes on: "Unless you are a pupil in year 9, who are already self-isolating, this decision does not mean that pupils in the other year groups, or their families, are required to self-isolate."

The short break will used to give the school facilities a deep clean and review its health and safety practices. The school also said that pupils will have access to remote learning tools and online teaching facilities.

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