Local News Tuesday 31st January

Children at schools across Somerset are being told to study at home tomorrow as teachers go on strike for the day. NHS Somerset says it wants to hear people's views on plans to centralise emergency stroke care in the county. A new evening bus service connecting Chard with Taunton has started running from this week. Natwest is to close its branch in Ilminster on May 18th... and more.

Children at schools across Somerset are being told to study at home tomorrow as teachers go on strike for the day. Tomorrow is the first of four days of industrial action called by the NEU union in their row over pay. Apart from tomorrow, teacher will also strike on March 2nd, 15th and 16th. 

HERE'S A FULL LIST OF SOMERSET SCHOOLS PLANS FOR WEDNESDAY;

ANSFORD ACADEMY: Partially closed. The academy will be open for Year 11 and a small group of pre-identified students only. The academy will be closed to Years 7 to 10 who will be provided with work for the day.

ASHLANDS FIRST SCHOOL: Fully closed.

AVANTI PARK SCHOOL: Partially closed.

BALTONSBOROUGH PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. The nursery will remain unaffected but all four classes need to be closed.

BIRCHFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. School will be closed to classes RAE, 1KW, 2JR, 2LA, 3PW, 4DG, 4GM. School will remain open to classes RFG, 1JW, 3SS, 5TM, 5ZD, 6GQ, 6WL, 6NL.

BISHOP HENERSON PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. One class will remain open and support vulnerable learners, SEND children and key workers.

BOWLISH INFANTS SCHOOL: Partially closed. School is closed for Robin Class only.

BUCKLER'S MEAD ACADEMY: Partially closed. Year 7, Year 8 and Year 11 students should attend the academy as normal. Year 9 and Year 10 students will remain at home and access lessons remotely. They will be expected to complete the work set on Google Classroom. It is the school's intention to continually review this and if we can have more students in the academy we will.

BUTLEIGH PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Falcon, Kestrel and Kite classes will be closed all day. Owl class will be open and vulnerable children will be invited in.

CHARLTON MACKRELL CofE PRIMARY SCHOOL: Fully closed..

FAIRMEAD SCHOOL: Fully closed.

FIVEWAYS SPECIAL SCHOOL: Partially closed. The 6th Form will be fully open. The parents of the pupils from the lower and upper school who will continue to attend school will be contacted directly.

FROME COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Open only to children of key workers and vulnerable children.

HATCH BEAUCHAMP PRIMARY SCHOOL: Fully closed.

HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL, TAUNTON: Partially closed. It will be open to children in Stars (Reception) and Everest (Year 6). It will also be partly open to a select group of vulnerable children.

HUGH SEXEY MIDDLE SCHOOL: Open only to children of key workers and vulnerable children.

HUISH EPISCOPI ACADEMY: Partially closed. The academy will be closed to Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 and open to Years 11, 12 and 13.

HUISH PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Classes 2, 5, 10 and 11 only will be closed to students on Wednesday. All other classes remain open.

ILCHESTER COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Partially closed. The school will only be open to children receiving free school meals (benefit related) and their siblings or children in receipt of an EHCP.

KINGSMEAD SCHOOL, WIVELISCOMBE: Partially closed. Students in Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 should remain at home on Wednesday and complete remote learning. Year 11, given the proximity to their final exams, will be expected to attend school as normal. Looked after children and those in receipt of an EHCP will also be individually invited to attend school on this date.

KINGSTON ST MARY PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. School closed to children in Owl Class. School open as normal to children in Buzzard, Robins and Woodpecker Classes.

KINGHTS TEMPLAR COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Two classes are open, five classes are closed.

MARTOCK PRIMARY SCHOOL: Only open to vulnerable children.

MINEHEAD FIRST SCHOOL: Partially closed. Pre School remaining open. Years R-4 are closed.

NORTON ST PHILIP FIRST SCHOOL: Partially closed. Reception Class only to be closed.

OAKFIELD ACADEMY: Partially closed. Fully open to Years 5 and 6. Open to all FSM, vulnerable and key worker pupils from Years 7 and 8.

OAKLANDS PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed.

SELWORTHY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Following a risk assessment regarding strike action, both sites will be partially closed. Open classes: Juniper, Dill, Fennel, Sage, Rosemary, Lavender, Lyme, Dunster, Bossington, Porlock, Kilve, The Cove (in line with Court Fields). Closed classes: Tarragon, Basil, Mint, Chive, Parsley, Woolacombe, Saunton, Exmouth, Croyde, Minehead, Grove 1, Grove 2 and Grove 

SKY COLLEGE: Fully closed. Welfare visits will take place on this day to most vulnerable students.

ST CUTHBERT'S ACADEMY INFANTS AND PRE-SCHOOL: Partially closed. The school will be open for vulnerable pupils only but not for key worker pupils because of the staffing ratio.

ST DUNSTAN'S SCHOOL ACADEMY TRUST: Partially closed. The school will be open for year 10 and year 11 students only.

ST MARGARET'S SCHOOL: Partially closed. One class will be closed all day and one other year group will be affected in the morning only.

STANCHESTER ACADEMY: Partially closed. Stanchester will be open for Years 10 and 11 only.

TATWORTH PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Reception class closed except for key worker children.

THE BLUE SCHOOL: Partially closed. Campus closed to Y7, Y8, Y9 and Y10 - remote learning. Campus open to Y11, Y12 and Y13 only.

THE KING ALFRED SCHOOL: Open to Years 7 & 13. Years 8, 9, 10 & 11 to remain home. Canteen will open at lunchtime for FSM provision for all years

THE TAUNTON ACADEMY: Only Years 11 and 7 will be attending school. Years 8, 9 and 10 will be set work on class charts.

VALLIS FIRST SCHOOL: Partially closed. The following classes will be closed for the day: Apollo - Year 1/2; Neptune - Year 1/2; Saturn - Year 1/2; Voyager - Year 3. All other classes are open as usual.

WADHAM COMMUNITY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Open to Year 11 Students (normal curriculum timetable). Open to Sixth Form Students (self-study warm space). Open to Vulnerable Children and children of Critical Workers (drop-down day - bespoke curriculum). All other Year Groups (7-10) will be provided with work to complete at home.

WELLSPRINGS PRIMARY SCHOOL: Partially closed. Four classes open. The school is also open to pupils with identified vulnerable needs.

NHS Somerset says it wants to hear people's views on plans to centralise emergency stroke care in the county. The proposals, which could see stroke patients in South Somerset taken to Taunton's Musgrove Park hospital instead of Yeovil, are out for public consultation until the 24th of April. 

A new evening bus service connecting Chard with Taunton has started running from this week. The service operates up to 10.30 pm.

Natwest is to close its branch in Ilminster on May 18th. The bank says customer numbers have dropped substantially with more and more customers using mobile and online banking.

Yeovil Town are back in action tonight. The Glovers take on Wealdstone in a National League fixture at Huish Park, kick off 7.45 pm.