Wigan school partially closes due to staff illness and a shortage of toilet rolls and soap in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak

In a message to parents, the headteacher of The Deanery High, Martin Wood, said that as of Wednesday this week, years 8, 9 and 10 students would be staying at home and have work set for them.

Year 7s and those preparing for GCSEs in Year 11 plus those in the Frog Lane school's sixth form, have been asked to continue to come to school.

Toiletries are in short-supply across the country due to panic-buying during the Covid-19 pandemic. Supermarkets say the bulk buys are not necessary and many are now rationing items.

Mr Wood wrote on Tuesday night: "After considerable thought and discussion, and with the support of the chair of governors, I have decided to enact a partial closure of the school starting tomorrow.

"As will always be the case, decisions will be taken in the best interests of the safety, education and wellbeing of pupils in mind.

"You may be aware that the government has not given any direction to schools over this matter. I have therefore decided to act and have informed the local authority accordingly.

"From Wednesday March 18 and until further notice, Years 7, 11, 12 and 13 will remain in school for normal lessons and a normal school day. Years 8, 9 and 10 will not be in school but will have work set for them."

Mr Wood gave three main reasons:

1. "In common with most schools, we have a significant number of staff absent due to the virus, either directly or because they are self-isolating due to a member of their household falling ill.

"This is in accordance with the government guidance of March 16. We are a much bigger school than most other schools and the impact is therefore much greater.

"We have a significant number of staff absent today and are working on the basis that this number will be higher still tomorrow.

"As it stands we will not be able to staff classes across the whole school. We will not be able to staff classes with supply teachers as these workers are also in very short supply.

"We are already experiencing issues with vital supports staff absence, eg catering and site staff."

2. We are under severe pressure in terms of resources such as hand sanitiser, soap and toilet rolls, even though we have had stocks on order for several weeks."

3. "The nature of our school buildings here is different from other schools - we have almost 1,500 pupils and over 150 staff in one main building, whereas many schools have a number of separate buildings. This means that pupils are in constant close proximity to each other and to a staff in a way that may not be the case in other schools."

Mr Wood said that by having only the youngest pupils and those facing external GCSE and A-level exams, he hoped to maintain the safety and educational provision for those year groups and ensure that lessons can still take place.

The letter says that parents of years 8, 9 and 10 children who are frontline workers in the NHS, emergency services and military can still send them to school if they wish and the school will look after, feed and educate them "as best we can."

This also applies to youngsters in that age group who might be deemed vulnerable at home.

Mr Wood apologised for the shortness of notice of the measures.