Frome College has announced that after Christmas it will bring back pupils on different days and offer up coronavirus tests to all.

In a letter to parents and carers, the principal told them that all secondary schools have been asked by Public Health England, to

provide a Lateral Flow test for all students on their return in January. As a result they have planned a staggered start for year groups.

This means:

• Tuesday 4th January. Post 16 lessons are virtual. Year 11 test on site.
• Wednesday 5th January. Year 11 in college. Post 16 test on site.
• Thursday 6th January. Year 11 and post 16 in college. Year 10 test on site.
• Friday 7th January. Year 10, 11 and post 16 in college. Year 9 test on site.
• Monday 10th January. All students in college.

Educational trusts are reported to be considering breaking up early for the Christmas holidays to prevent a continued increase in coronavirus cases. Frome Nub News understands that there is a big spike in positive cases in junior school children in and around Midsomer Norton. However the Education Secretary said last week that the government did not want schools closing earlier than usual for the holidays. In Belgium the government has ordered all primary schools to extend the Christmas holiday in its third attempt to break a Covid-19 wave that's among the worst in Europe. Very few children over there have ended up in hospital due to Covid-19 infections, but they are believed to be a key part of large transmissions to other age groups. Infections are reported to be 2,106 per 100,000, the third highest in Europe behind Slovakia and the Czech Republic.