A TOTAL of 140 pupils at Tavistock College have been asked to self-isolate at home after a teacher tested positive for Covid-19.

All those taught by the teacher in the two days before they developed symptoms have been asked to stay home for 14 days as a precaution.

They can request a Covid test from the NHS if they develop symptoms.

The school remains open and all other pupils are asked to attend as normal, as principal Sarah Jones sought to reassure parents.

She said: ‘Parents can feel confident that we are able to react quickly. We have followed all the guidelines from Public Health England and the Department for Education and we can respond very quickly if there is a problem. There is no need to shut the school on this occasion.’

She said the member of staff had alerted the school when they developed symptoms at the weekend.

‘We have been advised by the Public Health England helpline to send all the children home that have been in a classroom with the member of staff, they asked us to go back a few days. We have not had any students test positive for Covid, it is just a member of staff.’

She stressed that siblings of those who were self-isolating as a precaution should still attend school, unless the youngster self-isolating developed symptoms.

‘The school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well.’

Her letter to parents today also gives parents advice on what to do if their child should develop symptoms of Covid-19.

These include a new continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss of sense of taste or smell.

Anyone with any of these should remain at home and not leave the house for 14 days. Other members of the household should do the same.

Anyone with symptoms can request a test at via https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. If it comes back negative they are able to return to school.