A SCHOOL in Solihull has been closed as ‘a precaution,’ following the return of a group of pupils from Italy.
Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst sent all pupils home shortly after the start of the school day.
On Saturday a group of pupils returned from a ski trip to Tarvisio in north-eastern Italy.
The ski resort is not part of areas currently under quarantine by the Italian authorities, which include towns in the provinces of Lombardy and Veneto.
A spokeswoman for the school said: “Tudor Grange Kingshurst is closed as a precautionary measue due to a small number of people having flu-like symptoms.”
In a letter to parents, headmaster Darren Turner wrote: “We have been monitoring the situation very closely since the ski trip returned from Tarvisio in Italy, and taking regular advice from Public Health England.
“As the region visited was classified as ‘category 2’, the advice received was to keep the school open as normal with the heightened hygiene measures we had
communicated previously.
“Early this morning, we were informed that six pupils who were on the trip are suffering from flu-like symptoms and so they are self-isolating and getting checked. “A teacher who was on the trip is also self-isolating and has been tested. We are awaiting results, which should take approx. 24 hours and so to clarify, at present we have no confirmed cases of Coronavirus and nobody has been hospitalised.
“We will of course continue to liaise closely with these families and also all those who were on the ski trip while the school remains closed. Naturally, we wish all those who are unwell a speedy recovery.
“In order to help protect our school community, we took the difficult decision to close the school. Over the next 24+ hours we will have specialist contractors in to deep-clean the whole school.
“A decision will be made as to when to open the school depending on the results and advice from Public Health England, although parents should prepare for the school not to open until Monday 2nd March.”
