A member of support staff at Sidmouth College has tested positive for Covid-19 – leading to some students and their families having to self-isolate for a week.

The case was picked up through the lateral flow testing that students and staff carry out on Sunday evenings.

Under the risk assessment and guidance from Public Health England, the college was able to identify everyone who had been in contact with the staff member, and the families affected were informed and told to self-isolate until Monday, May 24, with the students returning to college on May 25. In the meantime they will be able to continue their education remotely from home.

The college principal Sarah Parsons said: "As a school with 800 students we have been on high alert for symptoms of Coronavirus and strictly adhering to Government guidelines around mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing and year group bubbles.

"The students that are self-isolating will now be able to access our remote education, and will follow their normal timetable. Students are well equipped and very familiar with remote education and teachers are already preparing and setting work.

"We'll be monitoring the situation closely and hope this will prove to be an isolated case."