Parent’s concern about staff procedures at Covid-hit school

A SCHOOL parent has voiced their concern after a whole year group was sent home when a pupil tested positive for coronavirus – but only after it is claimed they were all made to stand together with staff in one room.

It was confirmed on Thursday that a Year 11 pupil had tested positive for Covid-19 at Ysgol Bae Baglan in Port Talbot. The entire year was sent home and told to self-isolate.

In a text message sent to parents and guardians shortly before 9am on

Thursday, the school said: “We have a confirmed Covid-19 case in Year 11.

“The pupil is not in school but Year 11 will now have to self-isolate. Pupils are being kept separate from other year groups, but will need to be collected from school.”

Neath Port Talbot Council said the school acted in line with its risk assessment strategy.

However, according to one parent, pupils were told to leave their separate classrooms and head to the school hall while they waited to be picked up.

While there, they were supervised by members of staff, some of whom, according to the parent, have remained at the school to teach.

“Different classes were sent into the hall, so there would have been around 200 students waiting to be picked up,” said the parent, who did not want to be named.

“Some members of staff had to stay with them and wait for them to be picked up, but those staff members have not been told to self-isolate. Surely if the children have to self-isolate then those staff members should too?

“It seems crazy to me for teachers who were with them to then be put in front of other students later that day and the following day.”

The school, which remains open, has not confirmed how many pupils in total have to selfisolate and for how long, but it’s understood that Year 11 have been told to stay off school for two weeks.