Hope for pupils returning after whole year group at Mortimer Community College in South Shields after Year 11 student tests positive for coronavirus

Mortimer Community College confirmed on Monday, September 14, a pupil in Year 11 had caught COVID-19, prompting the rest of the year group to be sent home.

Contact tracing is currently ongoing, with any youngsters believed to have been in close contact expected to be notified later today.

In a statement, college headteacher Simon Hignett said: “The student has not attended school today.

“As a safety precaution, this morning year 11 remained outside of the school building at all times and was dismissed home for the rest of the day.

“Families of all students at Mortimer have been kept up to date via text and social media.

“We continue to work with the relevant agencies to determine those students who may have been in close contact with the student and will be in touch with them in due course to advise them to stay at home and self-isolate for 14 days after their last contact.”

The case was confirmed as South Tyneside enters its second week on the government’s COVID-19 watch list, following a spike in the number of confirmed cases.

It is not currently thought that any teachers at the school, in Reading Road, have been told to isolate as a result, due to existing social distancing measures.

Bosses at South Tyneside Council have urged parents to follow the school’s advice and to continue following existing guidelines on hygiene, hand washing and face coverings.

Tom Hall, director of public health at South Tyneside Council, said: “We know that this may cause concern among parents and the local community, but the school is taking all necessary steps to help limit the spread of the virus.

“We are working with the school to help them identify and get in touch with those who have been in close contact.

“As a precaution, the school has sent Year 11 home today (Monday, September 14).

“Students should attend the school as normal unless parents are contacted directly to advise that they should self-isolate.

“We can all help minimise the spread of the virus by continuing to follow the rules around social distancing, hand washing and wearing a face covering when expected to do so, unless they are exempt.”

South Tyneside is entering its second week on the government’s COVID-19 watch list, following a spike in the number of confirmed cases.

The borough has been escalated from an ‘area of concern’ to an ‘area of enhanced support’.

Speaking after the announcement on Friday, September 11, director of Public Health, Tom Hall, said: “This really is the last opportunity we have to pull together and slow the spread of the virus.

"If we cannot turn this around then it is likely to lead to more draconian restrictions on our everyday lives and losing the freedoms we have only fairly recently started to enjoy again.”

The borough was joined on the watch list by Sunderland, Newcastle and Gateshead on Friday.

According to the most recent figures, the North East’s total confirmed coronavirus cases stands at 18,395, of which 1,225 have been in South Tyneside.

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