A CRADLEY HEATH school which couldn't get a key to open after its site manager tested positive for COVID-19 will now open tomorrow (Thursday) despite a teacher now testing positive.
Temple Meadow Primary had been due to stay closed all week but now says it has found a way to open up before half term begins.
All year groups - except year five which is isolating after a staff member in the year five bubble tested positive for COVID-19 - will return to the school.
The school has sent a letter to parents about the staff member who tested positive.
Headteacher Cathy Walsh said: “We have a complex site at Temple Meadow but I am delighted to say we have found solutions to the issues that have arisen.
"We are now in a position to reopen to all year groups – apart from Year 5 – tomorrow Thursday (October 22).
"Year 5 is currently closed due to a separate and unrelated positive COVID-19 case in our school community.
“The safety of our staff and pupils on our school site is always our top priority.
“We work closely with public health professionals and continue to follow all the advice and guidance to keep our staff and pupils safe.
“COVID-19 provides many challenges for schools to manage but at Temple Meadow we are proud of our track record with regards opening since the national lockdown in March.
"Staff have worked through holidays to ensure we served the needs of our community.
"We ensured key workers and vulnerable family needs were well met.
"When we were required to open further bubbles in the summer term, we went above and beyond even getting some Year 5 pupils back.
"Since our return in September, we have successfully remained open for seven weeks with only this week having an interruption to school life.
“I am lucky to have such a supportive parent community that have already fed back to me this term in a questionnaire just how well they think my staff team are doing in meeting such difficult challenges. My staff team are amazing and they have worked hard with me on all aspects of running a school with a proportionate risk assessment that is very safety minded.”
Lisa McNally, Sandwell's director of public health, said: “We are pleased the team at Temple Meadow Primary have found a solution to reopen this week.
“Parents and carers can be assured that schools have good infection control measures in place.
“We are continuing to do all we can, working with schools, to keep children and young people safely back in education.”
The school sent a letter to parents, some of whom were upset over the closure, informing them of the reopening.
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