TWO schools in the Oldham area have asked year group pupils to stay home after at least two children tested positive for Covid-19.

Year Nine pupils - aged 12 and 13 - at Saddleworth School were quarantined after a child was found to be carrying the coronavirus.

Similarly at The Blue School in Oldham town centre, Year 10 pupils - aged between 14 and 15 - were asked to stay at home today for bosses to conduct a track and trace procedure.

The Blue Coat head Robert Higgins said on the school's website said: "We are working closely with Oldham’s Public Health Team to reduce the risk of infection for your children and our staff.

"If your child is a contact of the case, we will be in touch with you to tell you the next steps.

"Any contact must self-isolate for 14 days. Only the contact needs to self isolate. Other members of the contact’s household do not need to self-isolate.

A contact will be any other student who has met the Public Health England descriptorfor contact.

"One confirmed case does not mean an entire year group/class will need toisolate for 14 days.

"A contact is a child or adult who has been within two metres of the confirmed case for more than 15 minutes, or within one metre for one minute, or who has been face to face during social time, or who in close contact on designated school transport within 48 hours.

"This information is taken from school management information records, timetables, seating plans and staff observation of pupils.

"If your child has not been identified as a contact, they do not need to self-isolate.

"It is important that we are all aware of the symptoms of Covid19 and only well child attend school or childcare settings."

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

· high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)

· new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)

· loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal Most people with coronavirus have at least one of these symptoms. Information about

Covid19 symptoms and management of the virus can be found here, www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/.

Mr Higgins went on: "We will be taking the appropriate action to clean the affected areas across the school.

"If your child is identified as a contact, please try not to worry. For most people Covid-19 is a mild illness.

"If you or your child develops any of the above symptoms or become unwell, please contact NHS111 or your GP.

"Although Covid19 is circulating in the community, usual childhood illnesses are too, and it is important that these are not missed.

"If you have any questions or concerns please refer to our website, www.gov.uk/coronavirus or you can contact school by emailing: studentservices@blue-coat.org."

At Saddleworth School, Year Nines were told to stay at home last week after a positive test for a pupil

A letter went out to parents and carers from the Uppermill school's new head Mike Anderson informing them of the development.

It said: “Unfortunately, a student in Year 9 has tested positive for Covid-19. They attended school on Wednesday (September 9).

“I have taken guidance from Oldham’s Public Health Team and they have recommended that we close school to Year 9 until Thursday, September 24. This will be 14 days from when any contact could have taken place.

“This means that you will need to keep your child at home, and they must self-isolate for 14 days. Only they need to self-isolate, other members of their household do not need to self-isolate.

“It is important that we are all aware of the symptoms of Covid-19 and only well children attend school.

“If you or your child being to show symptoms you must follow the national guidance. For most people, coronavirus will be a mild illness."