STUDENTS at a secondary school have been ordered to wear face masks due to "a notable rise" in Covid cases.

Public Health Somerset has placed Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe, on an 'amber' or 'enhanced' management framework.

Measures introduced to help reduce the number of cases include:

  • face coverings to be worn while moving in corridors and communal areas;
  • face coverings to be worn on school transport;
  • assemblies will be held remotely, not in person;
  • external sports fixtures have been cancelled;
  • parents' evenings and non-essential meetings will be conducted remotely;
  • parents/carers of students in one tutor group (7Wr) are being asked to book a PCR test for their child due to "evidence of transmission" in the group;
  • lateral flow tests should continue to be carried out at home twice a week.

In a letter home, headteacher Mark Williams said: "We have been advised by Public Health Somerset that there has been a notable rise in Covid-19 cases within Year 7 specifically, and a smaller but still significant rise within Year 8 and Year 11.

"We are therefore moving to the ‘Amber’ or ‘Enhanced’ Somerset Covid-19 management framework, meaning there is evidence of transmission within our setting."