A SCHOOL was forced to close yesterday after a parent tested positive for coronavirus.

Prince Avenue Academy and Nursery, in Hornby Avenue, Westcliff, closed after its headteacher confirmed that a parent had been taken to hospital with a case of the Covid-19 virus.

The parent had been meeting with staff up until Thursday last week, and the child of the parent had been in school until Monday.

There was initial confusion on Tuesday morning after the school announced its immediate closure, without confirmation as to why.

Parents had been made aware of the closure at around 8am, during the school rush.

A statement from the school, read: “We can confirm that we have been informed by a parent that they have the Covid-19 virus and are currently hospitalised.

“The child of this parent was in school until yesterday and the parent was in school last Thursday meeting staff. The family will now be self-isolating.

“Following Public Health England advice we have cleaned any potentially infected areas this morning as allowed in the time available.

“We planned to remain open and did everything possible to achieve this however operational difficulties presented themselves this morning which meant that we are unable to open today.

“We will use this time to request a professional deep clean and reopen at the earliest opportunity.

“The health and safety of our children and staff are our highest priority and we will continue to seek advice and take any appropriate steps necessary. Updates will be provided on a regular basis via our website and parent communication apps.”

A parent at a Rayleigh Primary School told the Echo that children tried to stop going into school to avoid catching coronavirus.

The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “When I dropped our children off this morning, I witnessed several children clinging to the school gates, sobbing their eyes out and saying they did not want to go in and catch the virus.

“Kids are not as clueless about the world as us adults sometimes think.

“My daughter, who is eight, said she had been told in the playground that the adults want children to get it at school, so they will become immune and help protect old people.

“As horrifying as this sounds to a child’s ears, talk from politicians about ‘herd immunity’ pretty much confirms that this may be exactly what Boris’s science advisors have in mind.”

“With the advice to stay at home if anyone in a household has a cough, I can see many parents keeping their kids away, and teachers phoning in sick.

“So I think schools will inevitably close soon, whatever the Government wants them to do.”

A teaching union wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding schools are closed “at least for some time and at least in some areas”.

The letter from Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, joint general secretaries of the National Education Union, said that they intend to advise all members who are in various vulnerable categories outlined by the Government, or those caring for people in them, to “stop attending schools and colleges from next Monday at the latest.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson later confirmed routine Ofsted inspections for schools and colleges have been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement on Twitter, he said: “We are committed to supporting schools to stay open at this difficult time.

“As part of our measures to help them, we are temporarily suspending routine Ofsted inspections.”

Mr Williamson added he was still committed to schools staying open.

He said: “I know that staff shortages are presenting teachers and headteachers with great challenges and I want to say how deeply grateful I am for their civic and community leadership.

“I also want to remove unnecessary burdens to help schools to cope.”

Mr Williamson added: “Given the pressures on our school leaders and their staff, it is only right that Ofsted temporarily suspends its routine inspection timetable.”