Third-year pupils at Lochgelly High School have been told to work from home next Monday as the school deals with “significant” staff absences linked to Covid.
A message to parents seen by The Courier says pupils in S3 at the Fife school would be given “appropriate work” to undertake at home during the day on Monday.
Pupils with additional support needs in S3 have been told to attend school as normal.
It is expected that all Lochgelly High pupils will be able to return to class from Tuesday March 22.
Shelagh McLean, Fife Council’s head of service for education, said the local authority is trying to manage the high number of staff absences linked to Covid so schools can remain open.
Blended learning
“Like many areas at the moment, some of our schools have a high number of staff absences,” she said.
“We are currently managing those within all our schools and across our staff body to make sure that our schools can remain open.
“We are all agreed that it is better for children and their parents if our children can continue to be taught within school buildings.”
Ms McLean said that where any return to blended learning became necessary, the council would work to minimise the numbers impacted.
She added: “So far none of our schools have returned to blended learning for the whole school.
“However, over the next two weeks, where a staffing situation in a school or an area is critical, we will work to minimise the numbers impacted by any move to blended learning as we have done throughout the pandemic.
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Scotland has risen sharply over the last week, with Health Secretary Humza Yousaf claiming the period had been the “toughest” yet for the NHS since the pandemic began.
Fife’s tally of cases rose by 1,145 on Friday, while 310 and 337 new cases were reported in Dundee and Angus respectively.
A total of 455 new cases were reported in Perth and Kinross.
