Simon Cowell’s former school tells pupils to self-isolate after Italy trip

Pupils and staff at music mogul Simon Cowell’s former school have been asked to self-isolate after four students became unwell following a skiing trip to northern Italy.

A spokesman for LVS Ascot in Berkshire, where fees for boarders are more than £30,000 a year, said the 32 students and five staff have been told to stay home for two weeks.

The group, with pupils from years eight to 13, spent the half-term week at the San Martino di Castrozza resort in Trentino. It is 120 miles from the epicentre of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak in Lombardy, where more than 50,000 people have been quarantined and 11 towns placed in lockdown.

A school spokesman said: “Four of the pupils are currently feeling unwell and took the wise decision to alert the school at the earliest opportunity. As a precaution all four pupils, and those who had been in close contact, are in isolation.” Former pupils also include comedian Tracey Ullman.

Some children and staff from Sydney Russell School in Dagenham have also been told to stay home for 48 hours after an Italian trip. It comes as at least five UK schools shut and more than 15 sent pupils and staff home after ski trips in Italy.

UK medical chiefs say schools face being closed if the virus became a global pandemic.