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Original poster

Secondary school testing must be on site?

82 replies

Donatella · 03/01/2022 08:25

I've just read this on the BBC, does anyone have any more details? Have the government really made this announcement via Twitter, on a bank holiday, the day before term will be starting in a lot of schools?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59854920

I have a child in secondary. She is due back tomorrow morning at 8.30. The school have asked all kids to test at home today and send them the results. If this article is correct (a big if) then does that mean the school have to delay the start of term/conjure up a plan to test all kids before they go back tomorrow and inform parents about this before 8.30am tomorrow? On a bank holiday??

OP posts:
WhispersOfWickedness · 03/01/2022 08:30

I thought that was always the plan?
My husband works in a secondary school and will be in charge of their testing centre as he was last year. My son's secondary school asked for permission to test students last term so they're definitely doing it too.

girlmom21 · 03/01/2022 08:33

Schools have known about it for a while so plans should be in place. The education minister was on Breakfast this morning.

Schools have a separate supply chain of LFT's. They should be testing on site.

MoiraNotRuby · 03/01/2022 08:34

Dd has to test at home today then on site at school tomorrow, then lessons begin the day after. I don't think this is a new thing.

motherrunner · 03/01/2022 08:36

I’m a secondary teacher and we’re testing on site. However, I also know other schools who have asked pupils to test at home before returning.

Friolero · 03/01/2022 08:36

My son’s school sent details of on site testing before term ended in December. The email from them (sent mid December) said that the Government / Public Health England had asked all secondary schools to carry out on site LFTs prior to returning after Christmas, so I’m not sure that this has just come out today?

If you haven’t heard anything further from your DC’s school I’d just send them in as expected tomorrow morning. Maybe it’s just guidance and your school have decided not to do it?

Fevertree · 03/01/2022 08:37

I work in a secondary school and we have known since before the holidays. It's all planned, check you've not missed an email from school with the testing details on.

ShanghaiDiva · 03/01/2022 08:38

We were told about this before term finished in December. Dd has to test tonight, tomorrow before she gets on the school bus and then tested again at school during morning tutor time.

DanglingMod · 03/01/2022 08:39

It's not a change. It's the same info as before we broke up. I do know of at least one school interpreting the guidance "interestingly" and not offering on site testing. They should be.

PAFMO · 03/01/2022 08:40

It's been said since before Christmas and it's bloody good news. No more faking it hopefully.

EdithWeston · 03/01/2022 08:41

I checked emails yesterday, but nothing from the school (I was wondering if they were going to be asking for 2 at home in the run up to the start of term and might therefore have sent request already)

DC go back to secondary on Wednesday, one starting mocks that day.

Bank Hol today, so unlikely anything can be sorted before tomorrow, which is cutting is very fine

MargosKaftan · 03/01/2022 08:41

Yep, ds's school will be having an extended form time to do testing on 1st day back. We will also do testing today to be on the safe side.

AndPeggy08 · 03/01/2022 08:43

We were asked to give permission for the kids to be tested on site tomorrow, but were told that it wouldn’t affect their education if we chose not to send them in.
I didn’t give permission, because it would have been a right trek for them to go to school and then straight home again for the sake of a test we are quite capable of performing at home.
As it turns out, one of them has Covid at the moment and won’t be back until at least Thursday and the other had it a couple of weeks ago.

BunsyGirl · 03/01/2022 08:44

My DS’ school has asked all pupils to test at home today and then test tomorrow on site. They are going to do the whole school tomorrow morning and then straight into lessons by getting the pupils to process the results rather than handing the swabs to staff (as they did previously).

BunsyGirl · 03/01/2022 08:44

This was arranged in December by the way.

Looneytune253 · 03/01/2022 08:44

No this was always the plan. Our school planned this, staggered, before the holidays

SmallElephant · 03/01/2022 08:45

We got an email from my DC's school about on site testing back in December.

Original poster
Donatella · 03/01/2022 08:45

Thanks all, I hadn't realised this was a pre-existing plan, the BBC made it sound like news Hmm. I've just checked and DD's school is definitely asking for a home test and no testing in school so I'll make sure she does that today as planned.

OP posts:
Sunshineandflipflops · 03/01/2022 08:45

My ex have got a delay in going back to they can do mass testing this week. They are mostly home learning then a staggered start back end of this week/start of next.
It’s all v confusing but we have known since the end of term.

Chasingsquirrels · 03/01/2022 08:48

Ours are doing a staggered start in year groups with on site testing the day before, you book a time slot.
I've declined a booking and put "will test at home" in the comments, which he will.

Francounder · 03/01/2022 08:52

Yes, all testing planned - but we're not expecting many to come in. The LFT's we have are not better than the ones the children have at home anyway. If people buy-in to testing they will have their own tests at home. I have told my child to stay at home, she is better off accessing all the online teaching which is happening that day.

Decorhate · 03/01/2022 08:54

Yes as others have said, this was always the plan. However we are only doing it with parental permission so it’s pointless unless everyone agrees. Which they won’t. And those who decline will probably not bother doing a home test. Unlike you lovely lot.

massiveblob · 03/01/2022 08:56

Ours was all planned and letter went out with testing timetable a week before they broke up

HerbErtlinger · 03/01/2022 08:59

My DD's school is doing a staggered start for onsite testing tomorrow. I think we're also supposed to do one at home today too, I really need to recheck the email

EdithWeston · 03/01/2022 08:59

I'd better check my emails again!

I had been looking out for info (and did vaguely expect a reminder). Possible that the sixth formers have also been told directly, so I'll check with that DC too

christmascharade · 03/01/2022 09:01

Our school is offering a choice - come in for on site testing or do an LFT at home.