A SCHOOL in Atherton will be closed tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday for "specialist deep cleaning" after a member of staff was taken to hospital and placed in quarantine.

Atherton St George's CE Primary School on Derby Street will be shut until Wednesday while the cleaning takes place in a precautionary measure to protect pupils and staff against the possibility of them catching coronavirus.

Its parent company The Wings' CE Trust also announced that St Mark's CE Primary School in Newtown will also be closed until Wednesday while cleaning takes place as the same member of staff worked there in the last week too.

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The trust said: "Dear parents/carers, I would like to notify you that the leaders and trustees of The Wings’ CE Trust have made the decision to close school tomorrow for two days for specialist deep cleaning.

"Please note that at this stage, health authorities have not insisted on this closure or the cleaning of school and it is not our intention to cause undue alarm.

"This is our independent decision as a duty of care to our pupils and staff in order to ensure that the health and well-being of our community remains our utmost priority.

"Today (Sunday) we have been notified that a member of staff, who has worked at both Atherton St George’s and St Mark’s CE Primary School within the last week, has been admitted to hospital with flu like symptoms and placed in quarantine in hospital.

"Unless further information becomes available, both schools will reopen on Wednesday March 11.

"I am sure you will join me in wishing the member of staff who is unwell a speedy recovery."

The closures come after Garrett Hall Primary School in Tyldesley was shut on Thursday and Friday for a deep clean.

On Friday the Garrett Lane school said two parents have COVID-19 but both of their children do not have the virus and are self-isolating.

The Tyldesley school is set to reopen tomorrow, Monday.