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All Year 13 pupils at Maidstone Grammar School told to self-isolate following cases of Covid-19

14:19, 24 September 2020

updated: 14:54, 24 September 2020

A school has ordered an entire year group to self-isolate for 14 days following two positive Covid-19 tests.

All boys in Year 13 at Maidstone Grammar School must stay away after the second case of the coronavirus was identified.

Maidstone Grammar School has two confirmed positive tests for coronavirus. Photo: Google
Maidstone Grammar School has two confirmed positive tests for coronavirus. Photo: Google

Yesterday the school instructed a "small number" of pupils to take the precaution after the first positive result was confirmed. It is understood a number of pupils had been in "direct prolonged contact" with the first of the two confirmed cases.

Confirming the decision to order the entire year to self-isolate, head teacher Mark Tomkins said: "Following a second confirmed case of coronavirus in Year 13 and, after seeking advice from both the DfE and Public Health England, the school has taken the decision to send all year 13 students home to self-isolate for 14 days.

"We have taken this decision to reduce the further spread of Covid-19 to others in the community."

The two-week quarantine for the 149 students in Year 13 comes just three weeks after the school in Barton Road reopened for lessons.

Parents have also been advised that if their child develops symptoms of Covid-19, they must not come to school and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when their symptoms appeared.

Mark Tomkins, head teacher at Maidstone Grammar School
Mark Tomkins, head teacher at Maidstone Grammar School

Pupils at multiple Kent schools have tested positive for the coronavirus since children returned to classrooms.

Aylesford School was closed for two days to allow a deep clean to take place after confirmed cases among pupils, and has since reopened.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone

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