A headteacher has appealed to parents to help them bring down coronavirus cases after an outbreak in the community.

There has been an increase in cases at Tudor Grange Academy, which has also led to the school being forced to cancel this year's Winter Fayre that had been scheduled to take place at the weekend.

In a letter to parents the school's headteacher David Butler said: "You will be aware that the Worcester Public Health team is embarking on a programme of community testing.

"The cases in the Academy and community remain consistent but as a collective we need to bring these down. The local outreach team has tested some schools and colleges last week and from tomorrow will be testing here between November 30 and December 2.

"This will help us to identify any asymptomatic cases and reduce transmission within our community with minimal disruption to learning.

"The school remains open and, providing your child remains well, they can continue to attend the setting as normal.

"Following this “one off” testing in school it is important that your child continues to carry out home testing every day for seven days."

Mr Butler added they had not had any "confirmed or suspected cases" of the new Omicron variant at school.

"If we are informed of any confirmed cases then we will be required to identify any close contacts and these students and staff would be required to isolate for a 10-day period," he said.

In a statement Dr Kathryn Cobain, director of Public Health for Worcestershire, said: "Worcestershire County Council is working with Public Health to support Tudor Grange Academy in Worcester, following an increase in cases of Covid-19.

"Public Health partners are working closely with the school to ensure prevention measures are in place and we continue to work collectively to monitor the situation and to ensure all necessary action is taken."

READ MORE: 'A lot' of pupils isolating after Covid outbreak at Worcester school

It is the second coronavirus outbreak at the school, in Bilford Road, this year. In JulyCovid bubbles collapsed - just before the summer term - due to students testing positive for Covid-19.