COVID-19 Transition to Home Testing16/03/2021

The lateral flow test
Students will be able to collect home test kits from their Form Tutor from Monday 15th March. 

• Students will receive 2 boxes of 3 tests, with a leaflet on how to carry out the test and report the results to NHS.
• We recommend that the tests are taken before school on Monday and Thursday.
• Make sure you have enough time to do the test before going to school. Preferably, this would be in the morning before going into school. However, we understand that for some people this may be challenging, therefore, tests may be carried out the evening before school if necessary.

We also have a page on the website with further instructions under the Useful Links section and online instructions in different languages are available (GOV.UK).

What should you do after the test?
You will need to tell the school and NHS the results of each test

• Report your results to school: https://forms.gle/zqoiaHK6R57oGLLL8. 
• Report your results to the NHS: https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result. 
• If anyone tests positive you, your household, any support bubbles you are part of should self-isolate immediately in line with NHS Test and Trace guidance for 10 days.
• You should order a confirmatory PCR test if you are testing at home (confirmatory PCR tests are not needed if the test was conducted at the Asymptomatic Test Site at School).

If the result of the test is unclear (void) you need to carry out another test. Negative and void results should be reported to both NHS Test & Trace and School. A negative result does not guarantee that you are not carrying the virus. So, you should continue to follow social distancing, and other measures to reduce transmission such as wearing a face mask and regularly washing your hands and observing social distancing.
If you or anyone in your household gets symptoms of the virus you should follow national guidelines on self-isolation and testing.

There is no need to keep used test equipment after the result has been reported. You can put it in your normal bin (household waste). This does not replace symptomatic testing. If you have symptoms, you should self-isolate with immediate effect, book a PCR test and follow national guidelines.

Why take part
Up to one in three people who have COVID-19 can spread the virus without knowing. This is because they have no symptoms. To reduce the spread of the virus, we need to identify those individuals. We can do this by carrying out tests at home twice every week, 3-4 days apart. The Government has recently announced that all secondary and college aged students will be offered tests to make the return to school safer for everyone. Taking part is voluntary and all students will be able to attend school whether they take part in testing or not, however, I am strongly encouraging all students to take part. Testing at home will allow your child and other students to attend school as safely as possible.

Please contact Mrs Hulland our COVID Coordinator, (nhulland@cottesloe.bucks.sch.uk), if you have any questions or concerns about home testing.

Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely
Mr S Jones
Headteacher