Friarswood Primary School, which was closed for deep cleaning on 8th March after 3 pupils were confirmed with E.coli O157, will probably remain closed until after the Easter holidays.

Around 300 samples have now been processed by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) laboratory in Birmingham and the number of people at the school who have tested positive for bacteria has risen to 18. However, it has been more than a week since the last reported illness.

Staffordshire County Council has made arrangements to ensure those who are well can continue with their education. Children in years 4 to 6 will temporarily have lessons at NCHS The Science College, while the deep cleaning of the primary school continues. Start and finish times will be staggered so pupils don't clash with high school children, along with lunchtimes and breaks. Teachers will accompany pupils on a coach from Friarswood every morning and return them in the evening.

Alternative options for the other pupils at the school are presently being considered by the Council.

The HPA is working with the school and local authority, and nobody with evidence of infection will be advised to return to school until they have been assessed as safe to do so by the HPA.

There is still a very small chance that a child, or others in the school or their household contacts, might still develop symptoms associated with E.coli O157 infection in the next fortnight, because it is possible that some individuals may still be incubating the infection.