Every South Yorkshire school with Covid-19 outbreaks so far and the emergency plans in place

Sixth formers at Birkdale School, Broomhall, Sheffield, have to self-isolate for 14 days after a fellow student tested positive for the virus.

In a statement released by the private school yesterday, headmaster Peter Harris said: “Our careful preparations for the safe reopening of school included measures for what would happen in this case, and these are being put in place, guided by and working closely with Public Health England.

“Our Sixth Form are in a bubble, which means they only come into close contact with each other, and as such, they will now remain at home for a period of 14 days.

“We will be delivering our full timetable of lessons for these students remotely, something we did successfully before the summer, to ensure there is little impact on their education.”

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Two other Sheffield schools have also announced confirmed cases – Chaucer School and Hillsborough Primary School, which are both run by Tapton School Academy Trust.

Chaucer’s head teacher, Scott Burnside, said one of the ‘bubbles’ of students at the secondary school has been ‘temporarily closed’ as a result of the case.

Children have been grouped into ‘bubbles’ which are kept apart to reduce contact between pupils during the school day.

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At Hillsborough Primary School, pupils and teachers were sent home to self-isolate last week after a confirmed case in the Year 5 bubble.

Children and teachers have also been sent home at Bramley Sunnyside Junior School in Rotherham after a dinner lady tested positive for Covid-19 and notified bosses.

Although there is a protective screen between staff and students in the dining hall, where the dinner lady works, as a precaution all children who were served hot dinners at the school last Thursday have been asked to remain at home for 14 days.

Children will not be allowed to return to school until Friday, September 18.

A decision is due to be made today on whether the remaining members of the catering team also need to isolate.

Dinners were prepared at another school today.

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