A NORTH-EAST primary school has taken swift and decisive action after a member of staff tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend.

The staff member went home from Hemlington Hall Academy, in Middlesbrough, on Friday, with suspected Covid-19 symptoms, and positive test results were confirmed yesterday (Sunday).

The school will be closed to reception and nursery pupils from this morning (Monday) to allow pupils and relevant staff to self-isolate for 14 days.

Any parent who attended transition meetings with reception children will also be required to self-isolate, in accordance with Public Health England regulations.

The affected areas of the school will reopen on September 21. In the meantime, all other year groups will continue to operate normally.

Nick Blackburn, chief executive of Lingfield Education Trust, which includes Hemlington Hall Academy, said: “We are completely confident that all procedures have been followed, in accordance with all our pre-planning and risk assessments, carried out in accordance with Public Health England guidelines.”

Head teacher, Karen Edmenson, added: “Safety is our top priority, and we will continue to take all steps necessary to protect everyone connected with the school – pupils, parents and staff.

“Pupils have been kept in bubbles, so it is business as usual for all other year groups, and the school will also continue to provide high-quality home learning for those children who are self-isolating.”

Parents were informed of the confirmed case, and the school’s response, through an established internal communication system yesterday afternoon.

Middlesbrough Mayor, Andy Preston, warned last week that Middlesbrough was “on the fringe of a local lockdown” after several coronavirus outbreaks across the town.