WELLINGTON School closed its doors on Friday because of the Coronavirus crisis but says it is very much business as usual for staff and pupils.

The school will deliver lessons via online platforms to ensure continuous educational provision and pastoral care. The primary learning platform will be Firefly but teachers will also be using Microsoft Stream to film lessons and Microsoft Teams for live online chat and teleconferencing.

A comprehensive remote learning guide has been created and distributed to parents and pupils.

Pupils will be expected to log-on and have a tutor meeting every day at 8.30am. Tasks will be set and teachers will be online and following their normal timetable alongside students.

Headmaster Eugene du Toit said: “Wherever possible, the timetable and curriculum will remain unchanged, just a little flexible. The intended outcome is that the learning of our students progresses with as little interruption as possible. Where they have a PE lesson, they should be out in the garden kicking a football, where they have music, they continue to practice as normal.

“The learning environment is robust and our IT systems are in place to support the ongoing academic development of all our children. There will be parental access to Firefly so that parents are able to monitor tasks set for pupils.”

The school will be open for all children of key workers – teams are being put in place to provide 8am-6pm care and education for all such students.

Mr du Toit said: “We are committed to ensuring we support the community and enable these crucial workers to carry on as normal. We are looking at continuing our bus services to bring these children into school to enable their parents to work as required. This will include crucial holiday periods and not be restricted to term-time sessions.”

Mr du Toit added: “I am grateful for the support from parents, pupils and staff with this unprecedented situation. We will keep the school community fully engaged, informed and motivated. We remain committed to ensuring that every measure is taken to protect the welfare of the Wellington community and the ongoing education and care of our pupils.

“Wellington School is not defined by whether or not we are all in one place at the same time. We are defined by our sense of community, the lengths we go to in supporting one another, our indefatigable spirit in rising to a challenge. We are in this together and we will get through this together.”