Two schools forced to close as teachers test positive for Covid-19 and a year has to self-isolate

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Two schools have been forced to close just days after reopening last week as members of staff test positive for coronavirus, while an entire year group is forced to self-isolate at another school.

One school in Suffolk and another in Norfolk have both closed just days after reopening for the autumn term after staff members tested positive for coronavirus.

And all year seven students at a Manchester secondary school have been forced to self-isolate after just one positive coronavirus case. 

Old Buckenham High School, near Attleborough, has been forced to close after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

Parents were given only a few hours’ notice and had to hastily make plans for keeping their children at home after the Norfolk school announced the closure on its website on Sunday night.

Some parents planning to head back to work today had to contact their boss at the 11th hour to say they couldn’t come in. 

Old Buckenham said: ‘Due to a member of staff testing positive for Covid 19, Old Buckenham High School will be closed on Monday 7th.

‘We apologise for the late delivery of this information, however, we have only very recently become aware of the situation. More information to follow.’

The co-ed school, with 530 students aged 11 to 16, had only re-opened for the autumn term on Friday. 

The news came hours before the majority of pupils in Norfolk will return to school, many of them for the first time in several months.

Head teacher Andrew Fell added: ‘While it is regrettable to close the school on Monday, this incident has shown that systems are in place and working to quickly deal with any issues related to Covid-19.

‘The school will be deep cleaned on Monday and decisions about re-opening conveyed to parents/careers as soon as practicable.’

Government guidance doesn’t specify that schools should automatically close if a member of staff contracts the virus.

But if a staff member tests positive, the class or group ‘within their childcare or education setting’ should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days. 

CEO of the Sapientia Education Trust Jonathan Taylor said: ‘Whilst we regret the further disruption we are working with colleagues in Public Health England to take all necessary steps to plan the re-opening of the school.’ 

This comes as an entire year group at Buile Hill Academy in Pendleton, Salford, have been forced to self-isolate until September 18. 

Pupils had only returned for three days after the academy opened last Wednesday to Year 7 students.

Head teacher James Inman sent a letter to parents yesterday saying one person in the ‘Year 7 bubble’ had tested positive for Covid-19, adding that parents of affected children would be contacted by telephone.

Mr Inman wrote: ‘The school is working closely with Salford’s Public Health England team to reduce the risk of infection for your children and our staff.’

The pupils at the Manchester school, which is undergoing a deep clean, will be able to return after September 18 if they are not displaying any symptoms. 

Mr Inman said all ‘household members’ of the positive case will be self-isolating, adding that children cannot leave their homes or be visited by others during the isolation period.

He added: ‘Comprehensive remote learning will be available for all Year 7 pupils during this time and further details of how your child can access this will be made available tomorrow. 

‘Only your child needs to self-isolate, other members of the contact’s household do not need to self-isolate.’ 

It has not been confirmed whether the case refers to a pupil or a member of staff.

In a separate letter sent to parents of Year 8, 9, 10 and 11 pupils, the school said Public Health England had advised it would not need to close with all other students being told to go to school as normal.

Another school has also shut today after five teachers tested positive for coronavirus – with more members of staff awaiting test results.

Pupils had started to return to the Samuel Ward Academy in Haverhill, Suffolk, last Thursday – but classes in years nine and 11 were due for their first day back today. 

The school said in a statement that the closure was a ‘precautionary measure’ and it hoped to reopen on Tuesday.

Headteacher Andy Hunter said: ‘The safety of pupils and all those who work at the school is my biggest priority.

‘Obviously this is a huge disappointment after working so hard to get the school back up and running.

‘I will be looking closely at the systems we put in place to try to understand how the transmission occurred and to make sure we do everything possible to limit the chances of the same thing happening again.

‘I am very disappointed by this disrupted start to the school term.

‘We have taken very extensive precautions.

‘We were delighted that term had started so well last week and were looking forward to the final two year groups starting (on Monday).

‘But I have had excellent support from Public Health England, Public Health Suffolk and Suffolk County Council.

‘We are determined to do all we can to stop the further spread of the virus and agree with the precautionary action to close the school (on Monday).’

A deep clean is to take place at the school.

Anyone who has been in close contact with infected staff has been contacted and asked to self-isolate for 14 days, the school said.

Further contact tracing will continue and additional pupils and staff may be asked to self-isolate.

Stuart Keeble, director of public health at Suffolk County Council, said: ‘Understandably, this news may worry parents across Suffolk, but it is important to remember that the risk of children contracting Covid-19 is still very small.

‘Evidence suggests that children are more likely to contract Covid-19 at home.’