Coronavirus case at Corby primary school

A person who was part of keyworker provision at a Corby primary school has tested positive for coronavirus.

Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Primary School headteacher Maire Hayes informed parents of the case by letter this week.

The person involved had been isolating for ten days before the positive test and is believed to have caught the virus from a family member who had not been at the school. The last time they attended school was May 14 and they had no symptoms at that time.

Two weeks on from that date, there has been no evidence of any transmission to any other people via the school.

Mrs Hayes contacted Public Health England and the Department for Education after being informed of the case who told her that because the person had not been in school in recent days, they did not have to close their doors to the small cohort of keyworker youngsters who had been attending.

The authorities also said that those who had been in the keyworker provision at Our Lady's did not have to self-isolate, although from Monday that advice will be different and anyone who has come into contact with a positive case will have to isolate for 14 days.

Mrs Hayes said: "Because a significant amount of time had passed since the person had attended school and nobody else had developed symptons in school, PHE said that we didn't have to self-isolate.

"The person involved and their family members are OK.

"We are doing the best we can to socially-distance in school, in particular when children are inside classrooms, and we have handwashing gel dispensers outside every room of the building.

"We have a brilliant relationship with our parents and through this pandemic they have been so supportive for which we're incredibly grateful."

There will be a scheduled deep clean at the Occupation Road school this week in preparation for the return of year six on Thursday, and year one and reception children will return on Monday, June 8.