Two entire year groups told to stay away from Flint High School following ‘number’ of positive Covid tests

 

Two entire year groups at Flint High School are self-isolating following a “number of positive PCR tests.”

The confirmed cases mean that Year’s 8 and 12 and a “very small number” of pupils from Year 10’s are now self-isolating.

In an update to parents and carers today, Headteacher Jim Connelly said: “Over the past few hours we have been informed of a number of positive PCR tests in year 8.”

“As a result, Year 8 pupils will be asked to remain at home next week.”

“The isolation period ends on 3/7/21. I am currently asking staff to ensure all online learning is ready for Monday 9.00 am.”

He added: “All of Year 12 are self-isolating until Monday 5th July.”

“​A very small number of Y10 students are self-isolating until Monday 5th July.”

​​“All other year groups and the majority of Y10 are to attend school as normal.”

An awards ceremony to celebrate the achievements of year 11 pupils at Flint High School was cancelled on Thursday following a ‘directive’ from Public Health Wales and Flintshire County Council.

The school was also forced to cancel its 6th Form Transition Days as cases rise within the Flint community.

Mr Connelly said he was “devastated” the awards ceremony will not take place.

The latest figures from Public Health Wales show that Flintshire recorded a further 36 Covid cases in the past 24 hours.

The rolling seven-day case rate per 100,000 population in Flintshire is now the highest in Wales at 110, double that of neighbouring Wrexham.

• Coronavirus cases rising fastest in under 25s with early optimism vaccines are “slowing the spread” of the virus in other age groups

Data shows there has been a 102 per cent increase in Covid cases amongst the under 25 age group in Flintshire in the last seven days.

Flintshire’s Test, Trace and Protect team has said it has “noted a growing number of Coronavirus cases in the Flint area.”

Additional testing capacity is being drafted into Flint from Monday with a walk-in and drive-through testing centre opening at Chapel Street Car Park, Castle Heights.

Despite the sharp rise in cases within schools, first minister Mark Drakeford has said there are no plans to move schools to distance learning as has been the case in the past.

Speaking at today’s Welsh Government coronavirus briefing he said: “We don’t have any active plans to restrict learning.”

“There are only a small number of weeks left in this school term.”

“Schools are – because of everything we have learnt together – very carefully run and organised to keep the virus at bay.”

“Unlike like in England we haven’t removed mask wearing in schools, despite the discomfort that I know that that causes to people have to wear them all day long.”

“We have thousands of lateral flow tests being used every week now in the schools to try to minimise disruption and unfortunately where it is necessary we are having to send people home for self isolation and that number has risen in schools in Wales over the last couple of weeks.”

“Keeping children in education has been a top priority for this government in the last term, and in this term too, because we know of the strongly disadvantageous impact that further disruption to children’s education will pose to them.”

“We continue to do everything to find ways of keeping our schools open and our children being offered the education that they need and which will stand them in the best stead as they go into the new autumn term.”