Schools forced to close as teachers and children hit by flu outbreak

One school told parents it would move to remote learning due to rising flu cases

Flu outbreaks are severely impacting schools across the UK, leading to significant drops in pupil attendance and critical staffing shortages, a leading union has warned.

The widespread illness has already forced some institutions to close their doors.

One school in Cornwall recently shut down due to "unprecedented and increasing incidences" of both flu and strep, following several similar reports of closures over recent weeks.

This comes amidst a national surge in influenza cases, which have jumped by 55 per cent in just one week. The Health Secretary has cautioned about a "tidal wave of flu" currently overwhelming hospitals.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, stated: "We have seen flu outbreaks in schools having an impact on both pupil attendance and staffing levels."

He added that while schools are striving to minimise infection spread, closures remain a last resort, despite "some isolated cases" already occurring.

Budehaven Community School in Cornwall said it would move to remote learning over Thursday and Friday due to rising flu cases (Google)

In a letter to parents on Wednesday, Budehaven Community School in Cornwall said it would move to remote learning over Thursday and Friday because of “the current unprecedented and increasing incidences of Influenza (Flu) and Group A Streptococcus infection amongst our pupil, Sixth Form student, and staff populations.”

The schools said it was hoped closing would reduce the spread of illness, and confirmed on Friday it planned to reopen as normal on Monday.

Meanwhile, Radwinter Church of England Primary School in Essex is closed Friday and Monday due to a norovirus outbreak, the county council website says.

It was reported last week St Martin’s School in Caerphilly had closed after more than 250 pupils and members of staff fell ill.

Congleton High School in Cheshire shut temporarily in November, it was reported, for a deep clean after several cases of illness.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged Britons to take their last chance to be vaccinated against flu in time for Christmas (Alamy/PA)

NHS figures released on Thursday show the number of people in hospital in England with flu remained at a record level for this time of year and has jumped by 55 per cent in a week.

Meanwhile, in the last week of November, 107 new incidents of acute respiratory illness were reported in education settings, a large increase on the previous week, the latest UK Health Security Agency figures show.

Earlier this week, Simon Kidwell, headteacher at Hartford Manor Primary School and Nursery in Cheshire told BBC Breakfast combatting flu had been a “real challenge”.

“The winter bugs spread really easily in schools,” he told the show on Monday.

“We do know that we can do things to make sure that it’s safer in schools.

“But we’ve seen schools close to us in Cheshire close for three days, so it has been a real challenge this year.”