Government guidance on schools reopening and COVID-19 testing

Following the government announcement of its 4-phase ‘roadmap’ to easing national lockdown guidelines in England, further details have been released on COVID-19 testing when schools and other educational and childcare settings reopen in March.

All primary and secondary school pupils will return to school from Monday 8 March with a number of guidelines that have been put in place.

These are:

• All primary school children will return on Monday 8 March with staff taking two rapid Covid-19 tests each week at home
• Secondary school and college students will take three Covid-19 tests as they return to the classroom from Monday 8 March at existing school testing facilities. Individual schools will provide parents with more information on this. 
• Following this, students will be provided with two rapid tests a week to use at home
• Secondary school and college staff will be provided with two tests to use each week at home
• Childcare for primary and secondary pupils before and after school will resume from Monday 8 March so parents can access work, education or medical care.
• From Monday 22 March, staff at private, voluntary and independent nurseries will take Covid-19 tests twice weekly at home. Testing is already available for maintained nursery schools and school-based nurseries. Childminders can continue to access community testing.

Further guidance can be found at GOV.UK (external link).