MORE THAN 600 SCHOOL PUPILS SELF-ISOLATING ACROSS THE COUNTY

CLAIMS THE HIGH NUMBERS ARE THE RESULT OF LACK OF ACCESS TO LOCAL TESTING

MORE than 600 schoolchildren across Warwickshire are currently self-isolating.

The Telegraph has seen figures that say that, earlier this week, there were 633 schoolchildren across the county self-isolating.

Claims have been made that the figure is so high due to the lack of access to local testing.

It is no secret that some schools across the county have had to send pupils homes to due to students testing positive for coronavirus.

In Nuneaton, several schools have been impacted and in Warwick, there was a confirmed Covid-19 case.

We asked Warwickshire County Council for clarification on the numbers and what the coronavirus protocol is in regards to schools.

The county council provided a statement from Dr Shade Agboola, director of public health at Shire Hall, which said it is appreciated that it is a frustrating for families.

“I would like to reassure parents, and the public, that our schools are working hard to remain open for as many children as is safely possible,” the statement reads.

“In line with national guidance, we have instructed schools that groups of children should be sent home if there is a suspicion of Covid-19 symptoms within their bubble or group of close contacts. This means that we can avoid having to close the entire school. “We fully appreciate how frustrating this must be for families who want their children back in full time education. However, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are in a pandemic and we have to make public health our number one priority. “We are very grateful to all school staff, pupils and their families for doing the right thing for Warwickshire by self-isolating and ensuring we stick to the rules to continue to prevent the virus from spreading further.

“For those children who are having to self-isolate, the council has worked with schools to identify appropriate online learning resources in line with the curriculum so that they can continue with their learning.”

For those children who are having to self-isolate, the council has worked with schools to identify appropriate online learning resources