But a second suspected case involving a fellow pupil has been ruled out as the potentially lethal brain disease.
Amber Jo Joel, nine, died several days after being admitted to hospital in Sheffield and it has now been confirmed she had been sufferin
g from meningitis.
She attended Prince Edward Primary School in City Road, Manor Top, Sheffield, where health officials have worked with staff and parents to explain the situation. Letters and information pamphlets have been circulated among other parents but it has been stressed that Amber's illness was an isolated case and it has been unnecessary to make any alterations to the way the school has been operating.
Weeks before she became ill a male pupil from the same school was admitted to hospital with meningitis-like symptoms and information and advice was circulated among parents as a result.
That case turned out to be an entirely different illness and the child has since made a full recovery and returned to lessons.
Amber's case is the first fatality involving a child of school age in the county for seven years, with the last case involving a girl aged eight.
Dr Rosie McNaught, of the South Yorkshire Health Protection Agency, said some babies and adults have died from the disease in that time, but said cases had subsided considerably over the last few years.
That coincided with a Government decision to introduce vaccination for children against one strain of the disease, which has since been virtually eradicated.
"The first child had a totally different disease," she said. "On admission he was suspected as having meningitis. We were contacted and sent a letter to the school but as his illness developed it became absolutely clear he didn't have meningitis" she said.
School head teacher Bob McGeachie confirmed that they had been told that classes should continue as normal and that there had been no disruption to school work.
The school was hoping to organise a memorial for Amber but was waiting to consult with her parents before making any decisions about what form that would take, although he said they had "some ideas" about what they could do.
