Bispham primary school shuts early for Christmas due to suspected norovirus outbreak

Bispham Endowed Primary School will close early today (December 16) due to the infectious virus, which causes sickness and diarrhoea, and will not reopen until after the Christmas holidays, on January 4.

The last day of term was supposed to take place tomorrow - with some children missing out on Christmas parties and a visit from Father Christmas as a result.

In a letter to parents and guardians sent out today, head teacher Michelle Warburton said: "School has been advised to close early today as we have a high percentage of absence due to sickness. This sickness may be norovirus and to reduce the risk of possible transmission school will close today to enable a deep clean to take place.

"Please collect your child from their usual door as soon as possible.

"This was not the end of term that we envisaged for the children as some were yet to have Christmas parties and a visit from Santa, however the safety of our children must come first. Reducing the transmission over the Christmas period is our priority to try to keep everyone well and safe."

On November 30, South Shore Academy on St Anne's Road announced a three day closure due to an outbreak of 'highly infectious' norovirus.

Children who had suffered from sickness and diarrhoea were instructed not to return to school until 48 hours after their symptoms had disappeared, and they had received a negative PCR test result.

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