Coronavirus: Melton schools stay open for dozens of students from ‘key worker’ families

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told schools to close at the end of last week as part of the social distancing campaign which has also affected businesses and leisure venues.

But schools must still look after those students in families where parents are key workers, such as the emergency services, NHS and food delivery drivers.

Mowbray Education Trust, which manages John Ferneley College in Melton and Ab Kettleby, Brownlow, The Grove, Sherard and Somerby Primary Schools, says just under 100 students are still in school today. A further 19 are still studying at Long Field Academy in Melton.

Chris Haggett, principal at Long Field Academy, told the Melton Times today (Monday): “We have 19 students in school today out of 720.

“The message is that students should stay at home unless there is no childcare provision for them there.

“We have a skeleton staff on duty in school today.”

Pupils are being set work so they continue to learn whether they are at home or in school.

Mr Haggett added: “We have set work for the students to do online at home and the students in school will also be studing in this way.

Christine Stansfield, CEO of Mowbray Education Trust, told the Melton Times: “In these unprecedented times of challenge, we are grateful to have been able to work across the trust to keep open key sites.

“This means that parents who are directly involved in critical work on the frontline - across all of our schools have been given childcare places. “Currently, just under 100 pupils have places in one of our settings.

“Plans have been put in place very quickly and I need to thank parents for their understanding in helping us to prioritise places for those in greatest need.

“Everyone has come together with a single aim: to save lives.

“My thank you to every one of our parents, staff and community.”