- Testing offered to schools and colleges to minimise cases and
transmission of the virus following return of students after
Christmas
- Supports national priority to keep education open for all,
while keeping schools and colleges safe
- Early years, primary children, exam year groups, vulnerable
and critical workers’ children will all attend school or college
in person from the start of term
- Secondary schools and colleges to offer remote education to
other students during first week of term
The government has today [Thursday 17 December] confirmed that
all secondary schools and colleges in England will be able to
test more of their staff and students in a round of free
coronavirus testing from the first week of January.
This will help to deliver the national priority to keep education
open for all and help fight the spread of the virus, while
keeping schools and colleges safe. Building on the incredible
work schools and colleges have done to be Covid-secure, the round
of testing will help to reassure students, parents and teachers
about returning to school and college.
The testing will also help to tackle the one in three who have
the virus but do not have symptoms, so could be spreading the
disease unknowingly, and minimise disruption during the spring
term by helping identify positive cases when pupils return to
face-to-face education following the Christmas break.
The offer of tests builds on the extensive protective measures
already in place in schools and colleges to make them safe, as
well as the government’s recent announcement that every secondary
school and college in England will have access to rapid testing
from January.
Students in exam year groups, vulnerable children and children of
critical workers will all attend school or college in person from
the start of term, as will all students in primary, special and
alternative provision schools and colleges.
Vocational exams scheduled for the week of 4 January will go
ahead as planned.
Secondary schools and colleges will operate a staggered return,
offering all non-exam year groups full-time remote education, as
close as possible to that which students would get in class,
during the first week of term, with face-to-face education for
all starting on 11 January.
Education Secretary said:
“This targeted testing round will clamp down on the virus as
students return from the Christmas break and help stop the spread
of Covid-19 in the wider community.
“Building on the fantastic actions that schools and colleges have
already taken to be as safe as possible, this additional testing
will catch those who have the virus but are not showing symptoms
to help schools and colleges stay in control of the virus
throughout the spring term.
“The new programme of daily testing for close contacts of those
with confirmed cases of the virus will also mean we can keep more
pupils in school, the best place for their development and
wellbeing. Over the rest of the academic year and in the run up
to exams, it will remain a national priority to keep education
open for all, while keeping schools as safe as possible.”
Health Secretary said:
“Testing in schools is crucial for us to break the chains of
transmission and keep students, staff and their loved ones safe.
That’s why we’re supporting schools and colleges in England to
offer testing at the start of January.
“Rapid testing is a reliable and effective way to identify people
without symptoms that we otherwise wouldn’t know about. By doing
this we can help schools and colleges open safely after the
Christmas break and ensure there is minimal disruption to our
children’s education.”
Schools and colleges will be able to establish testing to offer
students two rapid tests three days apart, with positive results
confirmed by a lab-based PCR test.
Guidance will shortly be provided to schools and colleges on how
to set up and staff the testing sites. Armed forces personnel
will support directly through planning with schools and colleges.
Reasonable workforce costs will be reimbursed.
Those students attending face-to-face education in the first week
of term will be offered the first testing dates.
Testing will be optional but strongly encouraged, particularly in
areas of higher prevalence of the virus. Consent will be required
from the student or parent as appropriate.
Whilst a negative test result can provide reassurance, those
returning to education following a negative result should still
follow all relevant guidance including enhanced hygiene measures
and wearing face coverings where appropriate.
Students who receive positive test results will be required to
self-isolate in line with existing guidance.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- This is in addition to the recently
announced testing programme for every school and college in
England.
- From January all staff in secondary schools and colleges, as
well as special schools and alternative provision, will be
eligible for weekly rapid tests as part of an initial rollout,
and students will be eligible for daily testing for seven days if
they are identified as a close contact of someone who has tested
positive.
