Covid: All pupils at one secondary are at home as cases rise

All remaining pupils at Rhyl High School are self-isolating, Denbighshire council says

All remaining pupils at a north Wales secondary school are self-isolating.

Years 7, 8 and 10 at Rhyl High School are self-isolating following positive Covid-19 tests, Denbighshire council confirmed in a statement.

Students in Year 9 are also "voluntarily self-isolating" as they await test results, and year 11 pupils have finished for the academic year.

It comes after councils said more than 3,000 school pupils across north-east Wales were currently isolating.

Denbighshire had a seven-day case rate of 104.5 per 100,000 on Monday - the second-highest in Wales, behind only Flintshire (142.9) - according to Public Health Wales (PHW).

Wales' overall case rate is 53.1 per 100,000.

Wales' education minister says he wants to make sure a "disproportionate" amount of children were having to self-isolate

A Denbighshire council spokesperson said: "The school is working closely with Public Health Wales (PHW), the local authority and NHS Wales Test, Trace and Protect to ensure that all the appropriate measures are in place to protect students, staff and the wider community."

Wales' education minister, Jeremy Miles, said he wanted to make sure a "disproportionate" number of pupils were not having to self-isolate.

Mr Miles also said it would be up to individual schools, collages and universities to decide their own Covid safety rules in future.

Caerphilly school cases

The minister spoke as it was announced that 1,000 pupils from a school in Caerphilly were self-isolating after a "cluster" of Covid cases.

About two-thirds of pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni were also self-isolating as a precaution, the council said.

The school, which has its main Gelli Haf site at Fleur de Lys near Blackwood, and a second Gwyndy site in Caerphilly, is now working with PHW and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to manage the situation, the council said.

There will also be coronavirus testing at the school on Wednesday to help control the spread of the virus.

Self-isolating pupils will be taught remotely.

"At present there are over 30 positive PCR results, resulting in 1,000 pupils from affected 'bubbles' self-isolating as a precaution," said a council official.