Ballakermeen: Hundreds of pupils study at home due to staff sickness

Students in years nine and 10 were last told to learn from home in early January

About 550 pupils at a secondary school in Douglas have been told to stay at home for the rest of the week due to staff shortages.

Pupils in years nine and 10 at Ballakermeen High School have been given online learning material because 20% of the teachers are off sick.

Head teacher Adrienne Burnett said 23 staff were absent due to coronavirus and other winter illnesses.

The island's Covid rates have risen sharply, with over 1,600 active cases.

Eight people are receiving treatment at Noble's Hospital.

In a letter to parents, Ms Burnett said the absences, coupled with a lack of available supply teachers, meant she could not "see attendance rates improving quickly".

She said the school had been managing to avoid sending pupils home despite high levels of absences and it had "tried to do everything to avoid this scenario".

Pupils were last told to learn from home in January.