A flu outbreak has forced the shutdown of a second school in Southampton after an “unprecedented level” of staff fell ill.
Oasis Academy Mayfield, which has 900 students and 75 staff, will be closed for two days and will reopen on Monday February 4.
Headteacher Claire Taylor said in a letter to parents: “Following an unprecedented level of staff absence that is continuing to rise, I have made the difficult decision to close the academy to students.”
She said she was following advice from Public Health England and by closing the school they could ensure it was deep-cleaned and break the cycle of infection.
Redbridge Community School on the other side of the city was forced to close on January 20 for three days, after half of its staff and a third of its 1,000 high school pupils fell ill.
According to Public Health England, there were 14 flu outbreaks across the country in the week ending on January 20, up from eight the week before.
The watchdog added overall flu levels were lower than this time last year.
Southampton City Council confirmed the school was closed and recommended people follow Public Health England’s advice on how to avoid catching the virus.