Burnley primary school closed after positive coronavirus test

Worsthorne Primary School in Brownside Road will be closed today and tomorrow as a precautionary measure on the advice of Lancashire’s Health and Safety Team, and Public Health England.

In a letter to parents, headteacher Louise Young said the member of staff, who is part of the cleaning and caretaking team, had not been in contact with children and had limited contact with other staff.

She said it was a "real blow" but served as a timely reminder that the virus was still present in the community.

"No further action was required of us or the families of the children in school and, if the advice remains the same, we hope to reopen to key worker children on Friday," she said.

"To those of you who heard the news yesterday and got in touch to pass on your good wishes to our staff member, thank you.

"Currently, that member of staff is isolating at home and not showing any symptoms, which is good news. I have passed on your kind words.

"After the positive feeling in school on Monday, having received the go ahead to reopen to our Reception Class children, this was a real blow.

"It is a timely reminder that whilst the media push for restrictions to be lifted, shops open and life starts to return to some kind of normal, the virus is still in our community and the risk to health is real. Please, continue to look after yourselves and each other.

Hopefully, we will be back in school on Friday but, should anything change, I will be in touch with the key worker families by Thursday afternoon.

"I sincerely apologise for the inconvenience the closure will have caused them and their employers and hope you can all appreciate that my decision has been taken with the best interests of the staff and children in mind."