Mountjoy School, Beaminster is celebrating after receiving different awards during the latest lockdown period. In February, Mountjoy became the first special school in the South West to be granted the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Gold Award. The gold award is the highest level and is granted to schools that organisers believe have fully embedded the principles of the UN Convention on the rights of the child into their ethos and curriculum. The accreditation is then valid for three years. During a Rights Respecting School accreditation meeting in February, pupils were very enthusiastic talking about their rights, to the accreditors, for example the right to have a voice and be listened to and the right to an education. They spoke about fundraising activities, to enable others to enjoy their rights.
Hundreds of vulnerable youngsters and children of key workers are self-isolating due to cases of coronavirus in schools in this part of Dorset, as well as the Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole council area. Despite schools being closed to most pupils due to the lockdown, they must remain open for pupils in both categories. The Dorset Echo is providing a list of those who have pupils and/or staff affected by coronavirus in January and February. The list gives the name of the school and the date that pupils went into the 14-day self-isolation period.
Schools affected are listed, followed by the dates that cases were recorded.
Schools have remained open to children of key workers. Picture: PA NINE schools in Dorset have confirmed cases of coronavirus since classrooms reopened last week, with students and staff self-isolating as a result. Despite schools being closed to most pupils, they must remain open for children of key workers and vulnerable pupils. Since the start of term on Monday, January 4, nine schools in Dorset Council area have reported cases of Covid-19. Sam Crowe, director of Public Health for Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Councils confirmed that a number of schools in Dorset have reported single cases of COVID-19. He said: “These schools are working closely with Public Health Dorset, Dorset Council and Public Health England South West to ensure that all necessary measures are being met.