A member of staff has tested positive for coronavirus at Hans Price Academy in Weston.

The school says it is continuing to monitor the situation and is working closely with Public Health England (PHE).

PHE carried out its risk assessment and advised the academy that it is safe to open and children should continue to attend school ‘as usual’.

Hans Price, in Marchfields Way, sent a letter to parents on Monday about the confirmed virus case, and the school has since engaged with NHS Test and Trace.

The academy also says it is subject to enhanced cleaning ‘every day, throughout the day’.

Principal Tony Searle, said: “Over the weekend, a member of staff at the academy returned a positive test for COVID-19. Since then, our health and safety team has been in close contact with Public Health England (PHE).

“After assessing the case, the guidance from PHE has been that we are able to open as usual to all pupils, as we were on Tuesday.

“We have been open in our communications and are very grateful for the ongoing support of parents and carers.”

One pupil from Churchill Academy and Sixth Form also tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday and 57 pupils in the same bubble have been told to self-isolate for 14 days.

Mr Searle added: “Pupils’ attendance remains excellent with absence only one per cent higher compared to Monday.

While some families have been in contact to seek reassurance, we are clear events of this kind are not unexpected, as Covid-19 is still present in all our communities, and the need for us to respond swiftly and appropriately to confirmed cases has always been anticipated.

“For our students and children in all schools across the area, school remains the right place to be both educationally and in support of strong mental health.”

The number of coronavirus cases has started to increase in the area and North Somerset now has the highest infection rate in the South West at 20.5 per 100,000 population.

This is slightly above the national average rate of 16 per 100,000 people, and North Somerset Council’s director of public health says it is up to ‘every resident’ to do their bit to prevent the spread of infection.