Covid: Guilsborough Academy pupils return after false positive tests

Measures brought in by government meant pupils in England must have their first Covid test in school.

A school said 37 pupils sent home after testing positive for Covid-19 have returned after an issue was found with the tests.

Guilsborough Academy in Northamptonshire tested its Year Seven pupils on Wednesday with 40 registering positive.

But a mobile testing unit at the school on Thursday retested the pupils, with only three testing positive again.

Principal Simon Frazer said three were now isolating.

He said the school "recognised an issue" with a large number of the lateral flow tests, so retested the pupils who tested positive using a testing unit from Public Health Northamptonshire.

Mr Frazer said those who tested negative on their second test had returned to school.

Guilsborough Academy has more than 1,300 pupils

All school staff and secondary school pupils have been asked to take two lateral flow tests a week.

But new measures brought in by government meant pupils in England must have their first Covid test in school.

Pupils should also wear masks in classrooms for the first three weeks of term.

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The government has suggested classes could be merged and taught together where absences could not be covered.

But unions have expressed reservations about the idea.