Children self-isolate after primary school pupil tests positive for coronavirus

A ‘bubble’ of up to 15 students have been sent home from Exning Primary School in Newmarket after a child tested positive for Covid-19.

The primary school in Oxford Street had a confirmed case of coronavirus in one of its students last week, forcing the head teacher Mr James Clark to send a number of pupils and staff home immediately.

Mr Clark said: “Last week we had a child who was confirmed to have coronavirus and as soon as the school found out we followed our risk assessment which laid out all the procedures for what happens when a staff member or student tests positive.”

There are eight ‘protective bubbles’ at the school, including children from a Reception class, Year 1 and Year 6. There are also bubbles for the children of key workers who have been continuing to go into the school since the lockdown was introduced.

Mr Clark said the bubble was shut down immediately and students were sent home to self-isolate for 14 days, with parents coming to collect their children.

A note was also sent to all parents at the school notifying them of the positive test result, allowing them to make a decision of whether to send their children to school.

Mr Clark said all parents chose to send their children to school the following day.

Public Health England was also contacted to allow it to begin its track and trace programme, while parts of the school were given a deep-clean.

Mr Clark said: “The bubble was really confined to one classroom, an outside space, and a nearby corridor.

“These areas were deep-cleaned as soon as the children were sent home.”

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