The principal of Maldon's Plume Academy has spoken of his surprise at the Government's decision to bring all secondary school students back at once, the mammoth task of testing ahead - and of his delight at the prospect of seeing everyone again.

Principal Carl Wakefield said: "Work has already begun in earnest devising the many necessary plans to bring all 2000-plus students and staff back into both of our campuses in less than two weeks' time.

"This includes continuing to sift through and extract what is deemed necessary from the many detailed and lengthy Government documents school leaders receive each and every day.

"However, by far the most demanding task to plan for and adequately implement will be the mass testing of students three times during their first fortnight back in the academy. Whilst this will move to a form of twice weekly home testing from Monday 22 March, it will still require the academy's staff to organise the collation of over a thousand lateral flow testing kits every week until further notice, in addition to arranging several hundred for the academy's team of staff to test at home twice weekly, too."

Mr Wakefield was full of praise for the efforts of students, parents and staff during the unprecedented disruption to school life that the past 12 months have brought, adding: "Whilst my colleagues and I were extremely surprised by the Government's decision to bring all students back at once on Monday 8 March, we will be absolutely delighted to see them nonetheless as we've missed them greatly after yet another lengthy national lockdown.

"Still, they've been absolutely brilliant, as they have been throughout the entire pandemic period, over the last seven weeks or so and in terms of how they have applied themselves to their full remote education programme.

"The same can be said of their staff of course who have also continued to work exceptionally hard, often outside of the regular working day, to ensure our students and their families' needs have been fully catered for – not that they deserve anything less!"

Mr Wakefield also spoke of his hopes for the future as students return to school once more, with the continued challenges and uncertainty ahead that the pandemic inevitably brings.

He said: "Regardless as to what challenges we have had to face up to and invariably will need to face up to in the future, I have every confidence that once again, the Plume Family will not only successfully achieve what is required of them, but grow stronger and more united as we continue to safely and carefully navigate our way through these ongoing turbulent times. That is why I remain massively proud of them all and why it continues to be an honour working for, as well as alongside them."