Three on-site Covid tests for secondary pupils
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that schools will reopen from 8 March, and that mass Covid-19 testing will be in place to ensure them to do so safely.
Secondary pupils will be tested three times on site and then again once at home in the first two weeks after reopening. They will then be provided with home kits for twice weekly testing.
Primary school children will not be required to have tests, but primary teachers will continue to take 2 rapid COVID-19 tests each week at home, as will secondary school staff.
The DfE says schools and colleges will have discretion on how to test students over that week to enable their return to the classroom. Pupils will only be expected to return following their first negative test result. Schools should use code 'Y' for secondary pupils not expected to attend school for lessons because of the testing programme and 'X' if a child is self-isolating or quarantining because of coronavirus.
More details on the testing programme can be found here.
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