Blaenau Gwent school closes due to staff self-isolating

A school has been forced to temporarily close because so many of its staff are self-isolating.

Ystruth Primary School in Blaina, Blaenau Gwent, closed its doors on Tuesday for the next two weeks.

Blaenau Gwent council confirmed there have been two positive cases within the school.

However, it added, the closure was due to the lack of available staff and not because of cases identified within the school itself.

The local authority said the safety and wellbeing of all pupils and staff is of "paramount importance" and the school did not have enough staff to meet Covid-19 regulations.

"Ystruth Primary School has had to consider the safety of continued operations today, due to the self-isolation status of both school and support service staff," the council said in a statement.

"The high level of self-isolation currently being experienced is not due to a significant increase in positive cases within the school."

All learning will now be carried out online with pupils not expected back until 6 October, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council said: "We want to assure [parents] that effective safety measures have been, and continue to be, in place within Ystruth Primary School, which are followed strictly to limit any cross-contamination."

Earlier, First Minister Mark Drakeford said there had been coronavirus cases in 275 schools across Wales since 1 September.