A HEADTEACHER has spoken out about the "difficult time" faced by his school after it was forced to close due to rising coronavirus cases.

Kingstone High School was plunged into a so-called "firebreak" closure to stop the spread of Covid after cases were said to be "high and rising".

The school shut on September 23, but will reopen on Monday with cases dropping.

David Bennett, executive headteacher at the school near Hereford, which has around 400 pupils, thanked students for taking part in remote learning during the temporary closure.

In a letter to parents on Thursday he outlined new Covid rules at the school, and also said some students would still be at home self-isolating when the school reopened on Monday (October 4).

"First of all, may I thank everyone for the positive engagement with online learning this week," Mr Bennett said.

"It has been a difficult time for many of you and we appreciate every effort made by the staff, students and parents to make the learning as beneficial as possible.

"The figures for positive PCRs have now significantly subsided and, despite a small number still needing to isolate at the beginning of next week, we are intending to reopen as previously planned on Monday, October 4."

Up until half-term, around three weeks away, he said face masks would need to be work in areas such as corridors, the dining room and school buses where children mix.

He also encouraged children to keep using hand sanitiser, obey timed entry into the dining room at lunch time and asking them to go to school in their PE kits when they have PE.

Regular tests should also continue for those children who have not had Covid as people should not use the lateral flow kits for 90 days after recovery, he said.

The school announced the firebreak closure on September 23, with Mr Bennett saying it was due to the "high and rising numbers of positive PCR tests" affecting staffing and the proportion of children in school.