Pupils across Wiltshire are self-isolating after a school staff member tested positive for coronavirus.

On October 11, it emerged that a member of staff at Malmesbury School had tested positive for the virus.

Several pupils were sent home to self-isolate for 14 days after the school was informed of the case by Public Health England.

School headteacher Rupert Moreton has promised staff are “working closely” with officials in the wake of the incident.

In a letter to parents and carers, he wrote: “The school remains open and, providing your child remains well, they can continue to attend school as normal. We will keep this under review.”

Yesterday, Wiltshire Council confirmed the numbers of pupils self-isolating are 18 from Castle Mead School; 41 from Dauntseys School; 27 from Luckington Primary; 22 from St Mary's Primary; 42 from Warminster School; 212 from St Laurence School; 66 from Wiltshire College Trowbridge and one pupil from St Josephs Catholic School.

Now, as the October holidays loom, Wiltshire Council have urged those with symptoms to avoid putting others at risk.

Kate Blackburn, director of Public Health for Wiltshire, said: “This has been an incredibly challenging year for all our schools and I want to commend them for their amazing work to support pupils back into education.

“I want to give particular recognition to those schools where there have been positive cases and they have needed to respond quickly. We have worked closely with these schools to support them so their high standards of measures against COVID-19 are maintained. These precautionary actions are very important so we can keep the risk of transmission within school communities as low as possible.

“We would remind all parents to be vigilant during half term and heed the latest government guidance. We all need to ensure we wash hands regularly, wear a face mask, keep two metres distance and follow the Rule of Six.

“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."