Coronavirus: School head announces closure for "a number of weeks"

Paul Silvester, headteacher at Newman School, said he had taken the “extremely difficult” decision to close the school from today for pupils and at 4pm for staff tomorrow.

The East Bawtry Road school educates more than 130 young people aged three to 19 who have special educational needs.

Mr Silvester said: “We have many pupils who have significant health issues and high levels of anxiety and some who have been told to self-isolate from the weekend, it is simply not sensible to remain open, particularly as a large number of parents have taken the precautionary principle to keep their children off school. 

“The anxiety of closing is now much less than then the increasing fear and worry about remaining open. With the advice given out last night by the Government, we are looking at a closure potentially lasting a number of weeks.”

Teachers will be posting a curriculum offer via the school website, he added, and home educating has been encouraged.