Four staff members remain off Northampton school with coronavirus as new term starts

Four staff members from Northampton International Academy are still recovering from coronavirus, as the school reopens today (Tuesday).

The school shut three days early, before the planned half-term break, as a "small number of people" tested positive for Covid while others had to self-isolate due to the track and trace system.

The school did not disclose how many staff and students had tested positive with the virus when the school shut.

All year 9 students and all sixth form pupils were sent home at the end of the school day, the day before the school closed, on Monday (October 19).

On Friday, October 30, Public Health Northants director Lucy Wightman said there were 76 coronavirus patients being treated in Northamptonshire’s two acute hospitals, with 12 requiring ventilatation.

The situation in the county has seen children worst-affected by the virus in the past month.

Between September 28 and October 25, 649 children aged between 10 and 19 years old tested positive for covid, which was put down to high levels of social interaction.

The school has said key stage zoning is in place, as well as year group bubble arrangements, the use of face masks between lessons, hand sanitiser throughout the day, and social distancing of staff, all in line with the Government guidelines.

On October 7, a tutor group and friendship group were sent home on Wednesday to self-isolate following a confirmed positive case. It was known to the Chronicle & Echo in September that two members of staff were also sent home to self-isolate after recieving positive test results.