The Department for Education has clarified that schools will only
receive a small amount of personal protective equipment, that
will contain clinical face masks, aprons, gloves, visors and hand
sanitiser and is being provided free of charge by the Department
of Health and Social Care to help build resilience across the
education sector to respond to any suspected cases of coronavirus
(COVID-19) arising in schools and colleges.
Minister for School Standards said:
“All pupils are returning to school for the start of the
autumn term – delivering on our national priority to get all
pupils back to the classroom, which is the best place for their
education, development and wellbeing.
“I have seen first hand the protective measures schools
have put in place ahead of pupils returning, and the lengths they
have gone to so that their pupils and staff are as safe as
possible. This week schools and colleges will begin to receive
their first home testing kits as well as personal protective
equipment to use in the very rare situations in which it may be
required.
“I hope this acts as additional reassurance to parents that
schools are ready to welcome children back to school, adding to
the growing parental confidence shown in recent opinion
polls.”
Further information:
-
Each school and college will receive 10 home test kits
each - they can request more test kits if required. Home test
kits should only be offered to individuals in the exceptional
circumstance that schools and colleges believe an individual
may not be able to access a test elsewhere. The best and
fastest way for students or staff to access a test is to visit
a testing site.
-
Schools and colleges will shortly receive a delivery of a
small amount of personal protective equipment (PPE). This
one-off distribution of PPE will contain clinical face masks,
aprons, gloves, visors and hand sanitiser and is being provided
free of charge by the Department of Health and Social Care to
help build resilience across the education sector to respond to
any suspected cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) arising in
schools and colleges.
