Around 25 foreign students are in quarantine as the new term gets under way at King William’s College.

The youngsters are sharing a ’bubble’ in one of the school houses on the site, along with two staff.

They arrived at the Castletown-based private school shortly before the lockdown began last Thursday.

As the college, which has 380 students in total, launched its new term on Monday with a full programme of remote learning, the principal Joss Buchanan said he was expecting exams would be able to take place later this year.

Mr Buchanan said around half the college’s international boarders, particularly those from further afield such as China, chose to stay on island for Christmas and they are now out in the community with host families in homes in the island.

He said the other half , around 25 students, arrived last week and they are quarantining on site with a couple of staff and that appears to have worked smoothly. They are mainly sixth formers and are aged 15, 16, and 17.

Mr Buchanan said: ’These are boarders coming in from the likes of Germany, Russia and France and the great hope had been that they will be coming back into a Covid-free community.

’We very much hope that will be the reality once again, and fairly soon.’

Mr Buchanan said morale among the isolating boarders was good and the college was ensuring they were being well fed thanks to a local chef.

He said that since 8.30 am on Monday when term began they have been fully taking part in online lessons ’and so they are busy and interaction is taking place’.

He added that staff all got back before lockdown - hardly any went off the island for Christmas.

’The key thing is that when we had the first lockdown last year the whole school community, teachers, and all the support staff worked as a team supporting the students and that’s where we are again now.’

Mr Buchanan added that a ’handful’ of new students were from families that had recently relocated across to the island.

He said: ’Our hearts go out to them because to be joining the school in this situation is not easy. They had relocated to the island to escape covid. We are reaching out to them and making sure they become part of the community.’

Exams wise the college has the International Baccalaureate for sixth formers and IGSCSEs (international GCSEs)

’Our understanding is that we think both the IBs and the IGCSEs will take place.’

He said it was his understanding that the two exam boards that operate the IGCSEs will be able to run the exams in the Isle of Man even if they are not taking place in the UK, because it is an international qualification.

Mr Buchanan said generally the college was doing all it could to support its students studying from home.

’Families are being super supportive but it’s not normal.

’They miss their friends and some students find the situation more challenging than others.’

The school put this message out on Twitter yesterday: ’Welcome back to all our pupils, and a big hello to our new starters. It is a shame that we are coming back via remote learning rather than in person but look forward to catching up with you all!’