Primary schools have been notified today that they will begin
receiving rapid test kits for their staff from next week.
Guidance will be updated shortly.
Education Secretary
said:
“From next week, rapid test kits will start arriving in primary
schools, delivering on the government’s commitment to rollout
rapid testing to all school and college staff across the country.
“This builds on our existing rapid testing programme already in
place in secondary schools and colleges, helping find the 1 in 3
people who may have the virus without symptoms, breaking chains
of transmission and providing further reassurance to staff and
families.
“The kits we are sending to primary schools are for use at home
at the convenience of staff. They will help reduce cases in
schools and communities, paving the way for the reopening of
education as soon as possible.”
Further info:
- Existing plans for rapid testing of staff and students in
secondary schools and colleges, and staff in primary schools,
remain in place.
- Secondary schools and colleges have setup test sites, and
begun testing staff and students present on site during the
lockdown. They’ll be ready to ramp up testing to support the
wider return of more students when that’s possible.
- Primary schools will begin receiving test kits for their
staff shortly. They will simply need to store these kits and pass
them out to their workforce. All the instructions on how to carry
out the test at home and how an individual should report their
test results will be provided.
- Like in secondary schools, primary schools will receive
enough kits to make regular tests available for all their staff –
teachers and support workers.
- We strongly encourage all schools and colleges to be use this
time to familiarise themselves and fully setup their testing
processes, in preparation for a wider opening of schools after
the February half term, if that is possible.
- Primary schools with attached early years settings will
receive sufficient test kits to test both their primary and early
years staff. Maintained nursery schools will also receive testing
kits to offer to their staff. Private early years providers will
continue to be prioritised for coronavirus
testing through the NHS testing programme.
