The first mass testing of an entire school in Wales will take place tomorrow (Friday, November 27).
Hundreds of pupils and staff are self isolating after a number of cases of coronavirus at Ysgol Y Deri special school in Penarth.
Headteacher Chris Britten said they were doing all they could to keep the school open and the testing is part of that.
He has also written to First Minister Mark Drakeford asking that special schools are treated in the same way as care comes in regards to coronavirus testing. His pupils include those with severe as well as moderate learning difficulties and disabilities.
A spokesman for the Cardiff and Vale Test Trace Protect service said: “All staff and pupils at Ysgol Y Deri are being tested for Covid-19 on a precautionary basis.
"The decision to do so was taken by the regional Test, Trace, Protect Incident Management Team in response to a small number of positive cases already recorded amongst pupils and staff.
“The Cardiff and Vale Test, Trace, Protect programme is jointly led and delivered by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Vale of Glamorgan Council and Cardiff Council, and is working closely with Public Health Wales to support the school, its staff, pupils and their parents with appropriate advice and guidance.”
It is understood that more than 80 staff and several entire year groups are self isolating, but the Vale of Glamorgan Council would not confirm numbers.
Ysgol Y Deri opened in 2014 after the amalgamation of three schools that previously served pupils in the Vale and beyond with special educational needs.
Pupils, aged from three to 19 all have statements of special educational needs for severe to moderate learning difficulties or are on the autistic spectrum.
