Pupils sent home from Rugby Free Secondary School after testing positive for coronavirus

Some pupils at Rugby Free Secondary School have been sent home for 14-day isolation following a positive case at the school.

On October 12 the school sent parents and carers an email to confirm that pupils were to be sent home.

The email then instructs parents not to share the information publicly so as to avoid any 'undue stress'.

It states: "We have just received notification from a parent that we have a confirmed case of Covid-19 in Year 10.

"Therefore, in accordance with our risk assessment, we will be sending students home at 11.30am this morning for a 14-day isolation period.

"Students in receipt of Free School Meals will be provided with a grab bag.

"Please contact us immediately via telephone if your child is unable to make their own way home and we will support you with alternative arrangements.

"We will be sending more detailed information this afternoon.

"We would ask that you refrain from sharing this on social media whilst we ensure that we have contacted all the relevant people and prepared additional information for circulation.

"This will help to reduce any undue stress that can arise in situations like this."

The Advertiser contacted RFSS for comment on Friday, October 16, and received a response today, October 19, following the publishing of this story.

A spokesperson for RFSS told the Advertiser: "We have had a positive case. The school followed its approved and continually reviewed risk assessment to the letter and the affected ‘bubble’ is self-isolating.

"The Trust is completely comfortable with how the school is managing the current situation and is in regular discussion across both our schools while also engaging with other schools in the town, DfE, PHE, the local authority and other key stakeholders.

"Parents were asked to refrain sharing on social media whilst the school ensured it had contacted the affected families."

"As the first school in the town to publicise a confirmed case back in February 2020, we have seen first-hand how social media can often hamper efforts to deal calmly with these matters

"Over nine in ten of the self-isolating children are accessing their lessons online via MS Teams/ClassCharts software and those who are not are having additional targeted interventions, led by the school’s SLT."

The news comes as Avon Valley School has today, October 19, shut until November 2 after several confirmed coronavirus cases.