More than 500 pupils at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham are being sent home to isolate.

The school says it is taking precautionary measures after confirmation of positive Covid-19 test results for one student in Year 13 and one pupil in Year 10.

The school has also agreed to take additional steps with advice from Wiltshire Council’s Public Health Team and ask all Year 12 and Year 13 students, a total of 280 students, to self-isolate up to and including December 17.

All Year 10 pupils, a total of 242 pupils, are to self-isolate up to and including December 18.

The school has already arranged for those students and pupils to continue their learning at home during this time.

Lisa Percy, Headteacher at Hardenhuish, said: “The safety of our whole school community is our primary concern and as a result on the advice of Wiltshire Council’s Public Health Team, we have today written to our parents and confirmed that Year 12 and 13 will self-isolate up to and including 17 December and Year 10 will self-isolate up to and including 18 December. Home learning is already in place and we look forward to supporting our young people with their learning over the next couple of weeks”.

Kate Blackburn, Director of Public Health for Wiltshire, said: “This precautionary action is very important so we can keep the risk of any transmission within the school community as low as possible. We will continue to support the school so their high standard of COVID-19 measures are maintained.

“It is a legal requirement that anyone asked to self-isolate should follow the government information on this and stay at home. If they don’t have symptoms, they do not need to get a test. However, if a member of their household has symptoms and takes a test then they should self-isolate.

“We ask that people regularly wash hands, maintain social distancing and wear face coverings where appropriate – this is the best way to keep you and everyone safe as much as possible.”