Covid-19: Cambridgeshire's Cottenham Primary School closes due to self-isolation 'havoc'

A phased return of pupils is planned to begin next Tuesday

A head teacher said Covid-19 has caused "havoc" in his school which has had to close because of the number of staff needing to self-isolate.

Cottenham Primary near Cambridge has shut down because the level of self-isolating staff "means that children can't be cared for safely".

Cambridgeshire County Council said the school would offer home learning.

There are plans for a phased return for "at least some different year group or class bubbles" in a week's time.

The council said parents and carers of the school's 543 pupils were told of the closure on Tuesday morning.

James Kilsby, head teacher, said: "I am devastated by the decision to have to deny face to face education for our wonderful children, but the havoc that this virus has wrecked - despite our best efforts - leaves me with no choice other than to temporarily close the school."

It added "appropriate support is being put in place to help those who need it - for instance with laptops or those who access free school meals".

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Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's director of education, Jon Lewis, added they were "disappointed to have to take this course of action".

"But it is a decision made with the safety of pupils, staff and the wider community in mind," he added.

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