Senior pupils at three Glasgow secondary schools in the south side have been asked to stay at home amid the rising covid rates in the area.
Bellahouston Academy, Holyrood Secondary and Shawlands Academy, in the G41 and G42 areas, have all instructed pupils in S4 to S6 to remain at from May 24 to June 11, unless they have assessments during this time.
It comes as Covid-19 cases in Glasgow have continued to rise dramatically in recent days. The city's seven-day rate of infection from May 10 to May 16 is 109.9, with the outbreak centred in the south side.
A letter sent to parents from Bellahouston Academy reads: "As you will be aware, our local area has recently experienced a rise in positive cases of Covid-19; this has obviously impacted on our school, and other nearby schools.
"Those who have tested positive for Covid-19, and those who have been in close contact with anyone who has recently tested positive for Covid-19, must self-isolate for a period of 10 days.
"This has meant that some of our pupils have missed time at school; I know that this will have caused worry and uncertainty, particularly for those in S4-S6 who are currently undertaking assessments relevant to their SQA qualifications.
"Some of our pupils and their parents have communicated concerns that - should they miss a significant amount of days at school because of the need for self-isolation at this important time - young people may experience difficulties in producing assessment evidence which reflects their best work.
"In agreement with Education Directorate, it has been decided that our S4-S6 Senior Phase pupils (and Senior Phase pupils from some other local Secondary Schools) will, from Monday the 24th of May until Friday the 11th of June, learn from home."
The school confirmed that pupils will only attend school when they are scheduled for an assessment, if they are invited by their teacher for a supported study session in preparation for an assessment, or if they are invited to complete unfinished coursework.
A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “Senior phase pupils in the three schools have been offered study leave ahead of their assessments over the next couple of weeks and are still free to come into school to see teachers and to study but this will also help reduce numbers in the school while there’s an increase in community cases and reduce the risk of pupils being identified as close contacts.
“Other schools in the city have senior pupils off on study leave at the moment as would have been the norm pre-pandemic.”
