An entire year group from a high school in Wigan is having to self-isolate following a confirmed case of coronavirus.
Year 8 pupils at Dean Trust in Wigan were sent home on Monday morning in line with Public Health England guidelines.
A pupil tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend and now every child from that year group must stay home until Monday, September 21.
The school says the pupils sent home - understood to be around 200 - will now undertake home learning, while all other year groups will continue to operate normally.
Public Health England have also instructed that immediate family of the self-isolating pupils do not need to self-isolate and siblings of those in Year 8 can attend school as normal.
James Haseldine, executive headteacher of Dean Trust Wigan, 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.
"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.”
Chief executive Tarun Kapur said: “It is hugely disappointing that we are having to send children home so soon after re-opening. However, we will always follow Public Health England’s advice to keep our school community safe. We hope that this is an isolated incident.”
It comes after a number of other schools across Greater Manchester have sent classes and year groups home following their own confirmed cases of Covid-19.
