Four Covid cases confirmed at South Tyneside primary school in a week

Jarrow Cross Church of England Primary School remains open, despite a small number of positive cases having been reported over the course of the past seven days.

The school confirmed earlier today that no further Covid cases had been reported since Monday.

Earlier this week, the school contacted parents and guardians to inform them whether their child had come into contact with any of the pupils who had tested positive with the virus.

A deep clean took place at the school’s premises on Monday evening and the school said it ‘continues to work closely with public health teams and Public Health England’.

Headteacher Susan McBeth told The Gazette: “We have been made aware of four confirmed cases of Covid-19 concerning pupils in this school.

"We have carried out a full risk assessment and identified all of those who have been in close contact with the affected cases, and have advised them to stay at home and self-isolate.

"The health and wellbeing remains our priority, as always. We would like to thank parents and carers for their support and co-operation, and would like to once again reassure them that we are following government guidelines.”

Mrs McBeth wrote to parents this week, saying: “All [the positive Covid-19 cases at the school] are isolated cases within their year group and are not connected.”

She advised parents and guardians of pupils at the school to ‘keep your child at home if they show any signs of being unwell’ or if they present with any potential Covid-19 symptoms.

The letter continued: "I am fully aware this is an anxious time for everyone and the understanding of every parent whom we have had to contact has made an extremely difficult time a little easier to bear.

“As we are the largest school in the area with over 300 pupils it is perhaps not surprising we have had positive cases, but this is clearly no compensation to everyone involved.

"We like yourself look forward to a time when life becomes ‘normal again’ and children can attend and experience school life as it should be.”

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