Coronavirus: Hundreds of pupils self-isolating after positive tests at Somerset school

‘I fully appreciate the magnitude of this decision but the school is acting upon the advice of Public Health England’

Bishop Fox's school in Taunton, where two year groups have been told to self-isolate after separate coronavirus cases (Google Maps)

Two entire year groups at a secondary school in Somerset have been sent home and told to self-isolate after separate coronavirus cases were detected.  

Last week, a Year 7 pupil tested positive for Covid-19, prompting Bishop Fox’s School in Taunton to tell every other student in the same year they must stay home for 14 days.  

At the time, the four other year groups were permitted to return but on Monday a second pupil, this time from Year 11, also was confirmed to have been infected.  

In a letter to parents, acting headteacher Nic Blunsum said although the second case was not believed to be connected to the first, everyone in Year 11 would also be barred from the school for 14 days while they self-isolated at home.  

Bishop Fox’s takes in just under 200 pupils a year, meaning the two quarantines have resulted in almost 400 youngsters not allowed to attend school for a fortnight.  

In the letter sent home, Mr Blunsum said he realised the impact this would have but insisted the school had no choice but to follow the guidelines.  

“I fully appreciate the magnitude of this decision but the school is acting upon the advice of Public Health England,” he wrote.  

“We are asking you to do this to reduce the further spread of COVID 19 to others in the community.”

Staff would put the school facilities through a deep clean in any area used by Year 11 pupils.  

If a child who is self-isolating does not develop any symptoms of coronavirus, their parents, siblings and anyone else in their household does not also have to stay at home.  

Parents were also told not to book a test if their children have no symptoms.  

However, if they do become unwell, the entire household must also begin self-isolating for 14 days, even if they have no visible signs of having caught the virus.  

The three remaining year groups – 8, 9 and 10 – were still encouraged to continue coming in each day for classes while Year 7 and Year 11 self-isolate.  

“Whilst I fully understand this will cause anxiety amongst the school community, I can assure you all necessary steps are being taken to minimise risk to others,” Mr Blunsum said in a separate letter to parents of those pupils.  

“The school will again be deep cleaned before Tuesday 15th September and we will continue to follow our procedures to minimise contacts between different year groups within school.”

There was no ongoing outbreak at the school, he added, reporting that local public health authorities believe each pupil caught the virus in the community.

“These two cases are believed to be sporadic cases in the same locality and the source of both cases is not linked to Bishop Fox’s School,” he wrote.  

A nursery just 1.5 miles away in Taunton was also closed down on Monday after a toddler tested positive for of Covid-19, the Somerset County-Gazette reported. 

A Year 6 pupil in a nearby primary school has also tested positive in recent days, but the cases are not believed to be related.  

As of Monday, Somerset West and Taunton district, had 488 confirmed coronavirus cases, with five new people identified in the previous 24 hours.