Admiral Lord Nelson School Shuts Doors Amid COVID Surge
Admiral Lord Nelson School has announced a temporary closure for most students, switching to remote learning for the next two days. The move comes after a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases among pupils and staff. Despite ramped-up cleaning, mask mandates, and regular testing, infections have spiralled out of control over the past week.
Sickness Hits Staff and Students Hard
- 17 education and teaching staff off sick, mostly due to COVID-19 isolation
- 161 students currently isolating after testing positive
- Recent measures failed to curb virus spread
With half-term just days away, the school hoped to ride out the outbreak until the break. But growing numbers mean they can’t safely operate at normal capacity. The priority now is maintaining education and safety standards, which is impossible with so many off sick.
Remote Learning and Emergency Onsite Provision
Students should log into Google Classroom for all timetabled lessons and cover the exact same content from home. For parents struggling with childcare, the school will stay open on Thursday and Friday for:
- Year 7 and 8 students who cannot be safely supervised at home
- Some Year 9, 10, and 11 students receiving extra support (parents will be individually contacted)
Those attending school during closure will learn remotely using Chromebooks in separate classrooms to minimise risk.
Free School Meals & Parental Guidance
Free school meals will be available for collection daily between 12:15 and 1 pm. Parents must email [email protected] with their child’s name and year group to confirm collection.
The school urges parents to keep their children at home if possible, as this is the safest way to reduce virus transmission. The two closure days, plus the imminent half-term break, should help curb infections so normal teaching can resume soon.
“Thank you for your support,” the school said. “We’ve taken this decision in the best interests of staff and students’ health and safety.”
