Three pupils from Wycombe Abbey School were unable to join their classmates for the start of term after it was feared they could be infected by the Sars virus.

Pauline Davies, headteacher of the school in Abbey Way, High Wycombe, took the precaution of asking children who had visited areas identified as high-risk by the World Health Organisation to spend at least ten days in an area free of the virus before returning to school.

"I took the decision after consulting with the Boarding Schools Association and speaking to our own school doctor. I had been monitoring the situation since early March and have continued to look at the Government website over the past few weeks."

The problem areas identified by the authorities are Toronto, Singapore, China and Hong Kong.

According to Mrs Davies around two dozen pupils may have had reason to visit these areas but the school took the precaution of informing all the parents about the situation.

The three girls were unable to join their classmates for the start of term last Wednesday, but according to the headteacher were due back during the course of this week.

Lyn Ryan, secretary to the headteacher at Pipers Corner School, in Pipers Lane, Great Kingshill, said they had warned pupils about the dangers and were fortunate that all pupils stayed in the country.

Nick Cousins, deputy head at the Royal Grammar School, in Amersham Road, High Wycombe, said: "We are very fortunate as we don't have any pupils who come from the hot areas. All our pupils are back at school."

April 29, 2003 12:00