E-newsletter 68

Reporting Positive Covid Tests During School Holidays

The government guidance on schools' and parents' responsibility with regard to contact tracing during the Christmas is as follows (taken directly from the government website):

• Where a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms more than 48 hours since being in school, the school should not be contacted. Parents and carers should follow contact tracing instructions provided by NHS Test and Trace.
• For the first 6 days after teaching ends (up to 24th December), if a pupil or staff member tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19), having developed symptoms within 48 hours of being in school, the school is asked to assist in identifying close contacts and advising self-isolation, as the individual may have been infectious whilst in school.

For the second bullet point, if your child tests positive for Covid-19 up to and including 24th December, you should contact me via email at  to let me know the date of the positive test result, the date that Covid-19 symptoms began and the date that they were last in school. 

Conditional on seeking further guidance, I will contact parents of children who have been identified as having close contact with the affected child or staff member and who must therefore self-isolate along with their household.

Mass Covid Testing In Schools

Earlier this week, the DfE released new guidance on mass testing in schools from January 2021.

The full document Coronavirus asymptomatic testing in schools and colleges can be found here. Below is a summary of the DfE's approach.

From January, rapid-result tests will be provided to schools and colleges, starting with secondary schools and FE colleges, including special schools and alternative provision:

• for the school and college workforce to conduct weekly testing - this will help identify those who are carrying the virus without displaying symptoms, reducing the risk of transmission
• for students and pupils as well as the school and college workforce to conduct daily testing for those identified as close contacts of workforce colleagues, students or pupils that have tested positive - this ensures that they do not need to isolate and are able to continue to benefit from high quality, face to face education

For every group, testing is voluntary, but those who are eligible for tests are strongly encouraged to participate to reduce the risk of transmission within schools and colleges.

In line with routine infection control practice, close contacts who decide not to be tested daily will need to self-isolate in line with guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

At the time of writing this newsletter, there is no detail yet on how this programme will run or indeed a date when it will begin in primary schools and I will, of course, provide updates in due course as further guidance from the DfE becomes available.