Welcome back Last week was an exciting week for pupils, parents and school staff as children and young people returned to schools and colleges and were reunited with friends and colleagues. We hope you enjoyed welcoming pupils back. Resources to support rapid testing in schools and colleges Tailored information and guidance to support rapid testing in schools and colleges is available on the document sharing platforms for primary schools and secondary schools and colleges. As pupils start to test at home we have step-by-step information to support the transition to home testing step-by-step guide to COVID-19 self-testing on YouTube. Additionally, translated guidance on how to self-test is also available. Please do include the link to translated guidance in any communications you share. We have also regular blogs which provide further information on reducing risk in schools and colleges, including testing for staff, students and families. Regular testing of staff and pupils in schools and colleges over the Easter holiday It is important for staff and students to keep testing through the Easter holidays to manage the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), as part of a regular habit of testing at home every 3-4 days (twice a week). NHS Test and Trace will be supplying sufficient test kits to schools and colleges to enable this to happen. Testing for parents and households of staff and pupils Parents and other adults in households with children or staff at nursery, who do not have symptoms, can now also access regular, rapid coronavirus (COVID-19) testing. This includes childcare and support bubbles. There are different ways for a household, childcare or support bubble to collect or order their test to take at home, twice-weekly. Please share this information with your households and parent networks to help answer any questions they may have. Nurseries, schools and colleges should not give test kits to parents, carers or household members and should not order more test kits for this purpose. Secondary school and college students will continue to access testing through their school or college. Children of primary school age (and below) are not being asked to take regular rapid tests. Testing is voluntary, but strongly recommended to all who are eligible. Alongside the vaccine, washing hands, wearing face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, rapid testing plays a vital role in reducing transmission rates. Getting into the habit of regular testing as part of our everyday lives will help us all to play our part and do what we can to protect each other. |
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