TWO year groups at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf, Whitland have been sent home this morning, Monday June 21, after two positive lateral flow tests within the school community.

The two people are now awaiting PCR tests to confirm, or otherwise, the presence of coronavirus.

In the meantime, pupils from Years 10 and 12, together with a number of staff members, have been told to work from home 'as a precaution'.

This follows last Friday's announcement that Tenby's Greenhill School has shut down until June 28 because of a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases.

In a letter to parents, Dyffryn Taf's headteacher Julian Kennedy said:

"The school has been notified this morning that two individuals have received a positive result on a lateral flow test.

"These individuals will now undertake a PCR test to confirm the result, or otherwise.

"As a precaution, all learners in Years 10 and 12 will be leaving the school site this morning and will need to complete a period o self-isolation.

"This will also apply to a small number of pupils outside those year groups based on bus seating plans, and to staff identified as possible close contacts of the individuals affected.

"We will provide additional bus transport for those pupils to return home and will make individual arrangements for any pupils who are unable to access their home."

A letter from the local education authority, Carmarthenshire County Council, stated: "Pupils in Years 10 and 12 have been identified as potentially coming into close contact with the individuals that have tested positive.

"We are requesting that all pupils in Years 10 and 12, and those staff members who may have been close contacts of the individuals, self-isolate and work from home whilst further investigations are undertaken.

"We, or the TTP Team, will contact you within the next 24/48 hours to confirm whether a period of self-isolation is required for 10 days, or whether pupils and staff can return to school.

"If your child is required to self-isolate, everyone else in the household can continue as normal and go to work/school (however, if your child becomes symptomatic, the whole household would then need to self-isolate).

"This process of testing and contact tracing is part of the ‘new normal’ and where schools follow these guidelines carefully, there is no cause for alarm."

Mr Kennedy added that further information and updates would be provided as soon as available.

He added: "As previously, whilst this is clearly a situation for concern, there is no need to be alarmed.

"The school will work with all relevant agencies to ensure that learners can return to the school site as soon as possible."