78 STUDENTS IN SELF-ISOLATION AFTER TEACHERS AND STUDENTS AT ACADEMIES TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
SEVENTY-EIGHT TEST POSITIVE ACROSS TWO ACADEMIES
A TOTAL of 78 students are in self-isolation after teachers and students at Tollbar and Cleethorpes Academies tested positive for Covid-19.
The Tollbar Multi-Academy Trust, which runs both Tollbar Academy and Cleethorpes Academy, have confirmed a teacher and a student at each school has tested positive.
This has resulted in 54 students in years seven and nine being told to selfisolate at home at Cleethorpes Academy, and 24 in Year 11 at Tollbar. Teachers and other staff members at the school follow a strict 2 metre social distancing rule, so if they test positive, students are not usually affected, while students are sorted into class bubbles, which have to isolate when one of them tests positive.
Letters have been sent out to parents explaining the positive tests, and explaining any children in the same classes as the students involved will have to self-isolate for 14 days. Parents were also told that the schools remain open, and all children not contacted and who remain well should still be attending school unless told otherwise.
A spokesperson for the Tollbar MultiAcademy Trust said: “A teacher and a student at Tollbar Academy have tested positive for Covid-19 and are now in self-isolation.
“Staff have identified students who have come into close contact with the affected student. Parents/carers of the students who have been affected have been contacted.
“These students are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days as a precaution. The site and all areas have been thoroughly deep-cleaned in line with national guidance.”
Caroline Yates, Principal of Tollbar Academy, said: “We want to reassure parents that we have followed advice from Public Health England and the DfE in responding to this matter immediately.
“We have followed, to the letter, national public health guidance around preventing the spread of coronavirus in school.
“Social distancing, frequent hand washing, and regular cleaning is being rigorously practised right across the Academy, and we have robust risk assessment processes in place. “However, I urge all staff and students to remain vigilant at all times and to continue to follow the guidelines to ensure that we can keep each other as safe as possible during this difficult time. We wish our colleague and the student involved a very speedy recovery.”
The Trust spokesman said: “A staff member and a Year 9 student at Cleethorpes Academy have tested positive for Covid-19 and are now in selfisolation.
“A class bubble of students in Year 9 is now in self-isolation for 14 days, and a Year 7 class bubble has also been asked to isolate as a precautionary measure. This involves 54 students in total.
Janice Hornby, Cleethorpes Academy Principal, said the Academy has undertaken a detailed risk assessment
with a member of the regional Public Health England and North East Lincolnshire Council team.
“This has resulted in the decision to ask both the Year 9 class and Year 7 students to isolate to ensure the health and safety of all students taught by the teacher within 48 hours of her positive Covid-19 test.
Mrs Hornby explained: “The teacher concerned remained within her twometre teaching zone in line with all recommendations.
“However, because she taught the students involved for an hour and 40 minutes within 48 hours of her positive test, we have taken the decision to ask the Year 7 students to self-isolate for 14 days as an added precaution.
“The classrooms involved have been thoroughly deep-cleaned with enhanced cleaning of all areas, in line with national guidance. “Letters of guidance from Public Health England have been sent to all parents and members of staff, and parents can be assured that every measure has been taken to ensure the safety of their children and we have very robust risk assessment processes in place. “We wish our colleague and the student involved a very speedy recovery.”
■ Meanwhile, Grimsby’s Ormiston Maritime Academy has had to send pupils home after a student tested positive for coronavirus.
A statement released yesterday revealed one pupil had tested positive, but an undisclosed number of students at the Westward Ho site had also been asked to self-isolate due to the risk of spreading the disease.
No details have been released of whether staff have also been affected by the measure.
A statement from the Trust which runs the academy said: “We can confirm that one pupil has tested positive for Covid-19. Following consultation with Public Health England, a number of students are now self-isolating as a precaution.
“These pupils are now accessing remote learning from home, to limit any disruption to their education. “There are robust safety measures in place at the school, which means it is safe for it to remain open to all other pupils. Our absolute priority continues to be the health, safety and wellbeing of our whole school community and we will carry on working closely with Public Health England to ensure we are taking all the necessary precautions.” The statement came after several other schools had sent pupils home to self-isolate following positive testing. Signhills Infants Academy sent home 28 pupils after a staff member and a pupil gave positive tests last week. Phoenix House confirmed seven staff members had tested positive last week at its sites in Harold Street and at Park House.
Year Two students at Middlethorpe Primary Academy, also in Cleethorpes were sent home and advised to self isolate for 14 days after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.
The school remains open to all other pupils.
Bursar Academy also had a member of staff test positive and the Rowan class of Year 1 and 2 were advised to self isolate.