COVID-19 (coronavirus)

Information for Families, Carers and Staff

 Updates

Introduction of Lateral Flow Testing in Schools – January 2021

From January 2021 Secondary Schools will be providing testing for staff and students using Lateral Flow Tests. The tests are easy to use and give a result within 30 minutes. The testing is to identify anyone who has Covid-19, but is displaying no symptoms (asymptomatic).  Anyone displaying Covid-19 symptoms (new persistent cough, high temperature, loss of taste and smell) will not be tested. They will be sent home. They should arrange to be tested and follow national guidance for isolating.

All students and staff will be tested on their return to school and then again 3-5 days later. The Department for Education has paused the requirement for the testing of close contacts for 7 days. Instead anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive in school  will be sent home to isolate. Any students or staff who tests positive will be sent home to isolate and to arrange a further confirmatory test though the NHS Test and Trace service. During lockdown we are testing students and staff on site.

We have put procedures and processes in place to ensure the testing process is safe. The risk assessment can be accessed on the link below.

Testing Risk Assessment

To run the tests we need to process a small amount of personal data. The basis for the collection and processing of this data is set out in Privacy Notice blow along with a Data Protection frequently asked questions provided by the Department for Education.

Privacy Notice

Data FAQ

The Department for Education have produced a frequently asked questions for the testing process.

Testing FAQ

Students and staff will self-administer the swab test and the NHS Test and Trace Service have produced a helpful guide to how this is done.

How to do your test

Spring Term 2021

We are now in a period of national lockdown and the school is open vulnerable students and the children of key workers only. The majority of learning is now happening remotely. For staff and students on site the procedures we used last term and captured in our risk assessment (see below) still apply in terms of hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, social distance and face coverings. This is all the more important as there are now variat strains of the virus which are easier to pass on.

We have carefully applied the guidance issued by the Department of Education on 5 January to ensure staff, students and families are kept safe. This means that many of the ways we do things have had to change. We have  captured this in a comprehensive risk assessment. This document is reviewed regularly to make sure it is providing the safest possible environment and is line with the most up to date government guidance.

The moist recent version of the risk assessment will be published here and you can see from the the version control document what changes have been made.

Risk Assessment

Guide to risk assessment rankings

Further information and support

Government guidance on COVID-19

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Guidance for education settings

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-educational-settings-about-covid-19

Education resources

https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/101-coronavirus-/resources

https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/schools

Department for Education social media

https://twitter.com/educationgovuk

https://www.facebook.com/educationgovuk/

DfE Advice line (8am-6pm Monday to Friday) 0800 046 8687

Lambeth Council

https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/elections-and-council/about-lambeth/coronavirus-covid-19-information

For enquiries related to COVID-19 please use the enquiry form below putting COVID-19 in the subject line. Please allow 24 hours for a reply.