Mountview performing arts school reopens after six-month pandemic closure

Mountview performing arts school has reopened to students after being closed for nearly six months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pupils at the school, in Peckham, south London, took part in socially distanced lessons on their first day back.

A number of safety measures have been introduced, the school said, including the development of an app to track and monitor the health of anyone entering the building, as well as for staff and students before they leave home.

A queuing system has been set up outside the building and a one-way system has been established inside.

The drama school is delivering “blended learning” to small groups to limit the number of people who need to travel, while students and staff will only enter the building when they have timetabled lessons.

Sarah Preece, the school’s executive director, said: “It’s been a very involved process. The safety of our students, staff and the local community is our number one priority, and we’ve been working hard to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable.”

She added: “It’s been incredibly difficult being away from our home base in Peckham, but we’re so proud of how our staff and students have taken these challenging circumstances in their stride, continued to create incredible work during lockdown and worked to ensure the building is safe for students to return.

“We can’t wait to be back in the heart of Peckham again.”

Millions of pupils across England and Wales have returned to school this month following an unprecedented shut down caused by the pandemic.