A SCHOOL'S successful trial to keep children in class even when someone their 'bubble' tests positive for Covid-19 could be the model adopted in September as the Government says it wants to stop children being sent home to isolate.

Westhoughton High School has been part of nationwide trial of daily contact tracing to keep children in school if positive tests emerges.

This mean those in close contact with a person who tested positive would undergo daily testing and if the test was negative, pupils could attend school as usual.

Headteacher described the clinical trial, which came to end this week, as a success for his pupils and staff.

Patrick Ottley-O'Connor said: "The trial ran from March 15 to June 24 .

"It has resulted in 3,500 student learning days being spent in the classroom.

"We had 40 positive cases, but no one in close contact tested positive.

"Like other secondary schools across Bolton we have other measures in place.

"We do not have whole school assemblies, children wear masks in the classroom as well as the corridor and social distancing measures in place."

The school opted to take part in the trial after bubbles were bursting, with some year groups being sent home time after time.

The school saw the distress it was having on pupil and decided to take part in the trial, which initially involved ten schools, before being expanding to include 200 schools nationwide.

Children's parents gave their child consent to take part.

Now the school is hopeful the study will play a vital part in the way schools operate in September to reduce the turbulence caused by self-isolation.

A spokesman for the department for education said:“We are provisionally asking secondary schools to prepare to offer on-site testing when students return for the new academic year."