KGS to partly close due to staff illness

Kirkwall Grammar School (KGS) will be partially closed this Thursday and Friday after winter bugs and viruses have created severe staff shortages.

In order to limit the impact, the school has restricted the closure to one year group each day:

• S3 pupils should not attend school on Thursday, December 11.
• S2 pupils should not attend school on Friday, December 12. 

As far as possible, the school will provide work online for affected pupils.

James Wylie, Orkney Island Council’s director of education, communities and housing, said: “We fully appreciate the impact this has on both pupils’ education and on family arrangements and would like to assure you that this decision has been taken as a matter of last resort.

“We would take this opportunity to remind families that keeping young people who have been sick off school for 48 hours after symptoms subside is an important means of reducing transmission.” 

The situation at other schools in Orkney is being monitored closely.