Coronavirus: Lisnagarvey High shuts down as staff isolate

A County Antrim secondary school has moved to remote learning for the rest of the school term.

The BBC understands Lisnagarvey High School in Lisburn is the first in Northern Ireland to go almost entirely online until Christmas.

The school had two separate Covid cases and shut on Wednesday.

In a letter to parents, principal Jim Sheerin said "large numbers" of staff have had to self isolate.

He said the cases involve a Year 9 class and the Special Educational Needs department.

All those who had direct contact have been notified.

Mr Sheerin said GCSE and A Levels pupils sitting January exams would be invited to come to school at specific times with a diminished timetable. He said these classes would be offered to students on a voluntary basis.

"These interventions to support senior students whereby they attend vitally important in-school examination classes may be on a voluntary basis and I can assure you that all procedures and undertakings will be in the safest possible conditions," the letter said.

UUP MLA for Lagan Valley Robbie Butler is a past pupil of Lisnagarvey High. He called on Education Minister Peter Weir to offer "clarity and comfort".

Mr Weir has repeatedly said that there are no plans to close schools early for the Christmas break.

In a reply to that tweet, Michael Allen, principal of Lisneal College, Londonderry, said he empathised with staff and pupils at the school.

"I have tried to make the point re exams and fairness for months," he said.

Meanwhile, four year groups at one of Northern Ireland's biggest schools, Methodist College in Belfast, are learning remotely following 35 positive coronavirus cases being reported in one week.

Those were recorded among the sixth form year group, which will continue to learn from home until the end of the term.

'Remote learning'

Earlier this week, five schools in Northern Ireland said pupils would not be marked absent if they did schoolwork at home in the final week of term.

Principals at Ebrington and Lisnagelvin primaries in Derry said they would be "annoyed if families could not enjoy the Christmas period like they had hoped".

Those schools have been joined by others in Belfast and Newry.

St Ronan's in Newry and Braniel Primary School in Belfast have also decided to offer parents the chance to have their children educated remotely from 11 December.

Glengormley High was the first post-primary school to offer parents the choice of remote or in-school learning for their children from next week.

Education Minister Peter Weir has repeatedly said there are no plans to close schools early for the Christmas break

Northern Ireland is approaching the end of a two-week coronavirus circuit breaker, which has shut all non-essential retail and close-contact services, while hospitality businesses can only operate takeaway services.

Unlike the first lockdown in the spring, schools have remained open.

Most schools end term on Friday, 18 December, but some will continue until early the following week.