Anyone else struggling booking tests for Year 11 & 13

[KarmaNoMore]

Secondary schools are back this week online in my area but pupils are required to have 2 coronavirus tests between 3-5 days before they go back to school on Monday. The tests should be taken at least 3 days from each other.

I don’t know how many kids need to take these tests but I went online as soon as I read the email, spent 6 hours getting web messages telling me the site was very busy or the booking had failed. Finally I managed to get a test for this week but the next available one was on... the 21st. I tried to login today looking for a cancellation, first test available on 17th January (they are due back for exams on the 11th)

This is not going to work, is it?

I came on to ask if anyone else was having trouble booking one for themselves! This isn't going to be easy.

whuch region are you at? it's very easy to book one in our NW place. u can even get same day appointment

I’ve not heard of pupils having to have tests before they attend school.

Have I missed something? I didn’t think pupils were required to have tests before starting school?

Interesting. These are the tests that schools were supposed to be administering with zero notice or resources.

So in your area you've been told to go to a normal testing centre to have them done?

We have also been told testing will be required to return on 18th but it will be done at the school and take 30 minutes. No arrangements confirmed yet though.

My son is year 11 and I've not been told to get him tested.
I was assuming that either school would get him tested there, or they wouldn't.
I'm waiting for more info - the email we got from school last week said "we only got the information through yesterday and the tests haven't arrived yet so bear with us".

I'm not going to consent to test-instead-of-isolate so will have to see if test-before-you-start-back is dealt with separately. I will consent to that because it could potentially be useful, whereas test-instead-of-isolate is dangerous.

My year 12 and 13 doses are having LFT tests at school. School have sent dates and times for both tests for this week

The school starts doing tests next week but the year groups that are starting next week (11&13) are asked to do them beforehand.
The schools will be testing all other secondary pupils next week before they are back on the18th.

And yes, when I first logged in you could get tests for the same day but they only count if taken between 3 and 5 days before they start on Monday so they were no good but by now, there are no more tests available until the last week of January unless someone cancels.

These should be lateral flow tests done by the school. They absolutely should not be sending pupils for regular tests. Are you sure that is what the email asked you to? If so the school is wrong.

My DC's school are doing Y11 & Y13 tests this week (no school - but they are starting their mocks next week), then Y7-10 & 12 are having their tests next week (and online lessons until the 18th). All co-ordinated by the school.

@KarmaNoMore

The school starts doing tests next week but the year groups that are starting next week (11&13) are asked to do them beforehand. The schools will be testing all other secondary pupils next week before they are back on the18th.

And yes, when I first logged in you could get tests for the same day but they only count if taken between 3 and 5 days before they start on Monday so they were no good but by now, there are no more tests available until the last week of January unless someone cancels.

Well that’s the problem then, the schools mandated something that Isn’t supposed to happen. Of course there’s not enough tests in your area if all the year 11s and 13s are trying to get two each suddenly!

Your school will have to come up with something else, or the kids will have to start later in January instead.

The way I understand it is that it is the schools who are doing lateral flow tests in the period running up to the 18th.
Are you sure you read the email right?

Our local authority is holding testing for year 11 and 13 in the usual testing centres. The schools are not yet equipped for testing. They have asked all year 11/13 students (and staff) to have two tests as stated above

The school’s message came with a letter from the council with instructions on how pupils should book tests. It seems to me that a central testing area has been set to carry out the tests for these year groups this week on behalf of local secondary schools.

I don’t know if they are LFT tests or not, just that it is impossible to get 2 tests booked in the time frame specified by the school and council.

My children’s school has a new marquee on the field (marquee 4!) which is the testing centre and all students have appointments to come in and be tested.

I don’t know if they are LFT tests or not, just that it is impossible to get 2 tests booked in the time frame specified by the school and council.

Please email your MP and let them know. The sooner they know it's a farce, the sooner something can be done about it.

Our LA area is testing all students at two sites. These are LFT and should be done 3-5 days before return. By my estimations there will be around 7500 students needing to be tested in the 3-5 days before January 18th. With just year 11 and 13 the earliest slot available is January 19th apparently.

It’s pointless anyway unless the entire family strictly isolate from either the child or the world and relies on every child doing the same. And the lft being accurate. So pointless.

Didn’t quite get it if the announcement also means that Y11 & Y13 are still going back for mocks.

I suppose they don’t but shall I take DS for the test on Wednesday? Shall I cancel? I bet is the first schools heard of it 🤦🏻‍♀️

Our school has cancelled all testing, on hold until they return.