Swine flu outbreak closes school

Some children are being cared for in the boarding school health centre

A swine flu outbreak affecting more than 100 pupils has closed a public school and the number of sick people is expected to double by Monday.

Staff at Christ's Hospital Boarding School in West Sussex have also been struck down, parents read in a letter.

Headmaster John Franklin posted a statement on the school's website, which said the school in Horsham would be closed until next Sunday.

Some children are being cared for in the school's health centre.

Mr Franklin said: "Pupils who are too sick to travel at present will be cared for by the health centre until they are sufficiently well to make their way home.

We have no choice but to close John Franklin

"Teachers will be setting pupils work for the coming week and will be available for consultation on academic matters by e-mail if necessary."

His letter to parents and guardians said about 100 pupils had the bug and the school medical officer had predicted the figure would double by Monday.

It said there was also an increasing number of house parents and teaching staff who were also unwell.

The letter added: "The school regrets any inconvenience that this will cause parents or guardians, but under the circumstances, we have no choice but to close for the week."

The closure started at 1330 GMT on Saturday and pupils were expected to have left the site by midday on Sunday.

Mr Franklin said healthy pupils would be expected to return to school on 22 November, but any with flu symptoms should not to return until they had fully recovered.

The school, which takes children aged 11 to 18, has been in existence for 450 years.