Calderdale school sends every child home for a week because of coronavirus

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, on Portland Road in Halifax, is closed until Tuesday, July 20, with children learning from home.

The school told the Courier: “Due to the number of children and staff being required to isolate, and in line with current Government guidance, we took the difficult decision to close St Joseph’s Catholic Primary from July 13 until July 20.

“Parents have been updated on the situation and we’ve provided guidance to pupils to enable them to continue their education remotely.”

The Courier reported last week how there were, as of the end of last Tuesday, 55 schools in the borough that had sent children home because of coronavirus - 40 primary schools, 12 secondary schools and three special schools.

Six nurseries and one post-16 setting had also been hit.

The week before, that number was 45 - 12 secondary schools, 31 primaries and two special schools - along with two nurseries.

Current rules state that children have to self-isolate for 10 days if another pupil in their bubble - which can be up to a whole year group in secondary schools - tests positive for coronavirus.

The Government announced last week that from August 16, children will only need to self-isolate if they have tested positive for Covid-19.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson also said schools could scrap the bubble system after the move to Step 4 of the Government's roadmap to recovery on July 19.

Calderdale Council is understood to have advised the borough's schools to continue with bubbles for the last week of term to avoid disruption.