Covid-19 Information

Home testing

The Government continue to encourage members of the school community to test at home regularly to continue to make college as safe as possible for everyone.

This does not replace symptomatic testing. If you have symptoms, you should self- isolate immediately, book a PCR test and follow national guidelines.

Please note that home testing is voluntary and the taking of the test itself is giving consent. We encourage students to complete two tests weekly and would advise the tests to be completed on a Sunday and Wednesday Evening.

Students have been issued a leaflet with instructions on how to do the test with the kits. There is also a useful video to show you how to take the test, click here

Help and support is available (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-self-test-help, including instructions in different languages on how to test and report the results and a video showing you how to take the test.

Students aged 12-17 should do the test themselves with adult supervision. The adult may help them to take the test if they need support.

Students aged 11 must be tested by an adult and the adult must report the result.

Reporting a Result

You will also need to communicate the result of each test to both by clicking on these links:

1. NHS Test & Trace

2. Report a result to school

Anyone with a positive test result will need to:

* self-isolate in line with the stay at home guidance

* book a further test (a lab-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test) to confirm the result).

* Please let college know that the student has tested positive and we will arrange for work to be set whilst the student self-isolates.

Whilst awaiting the PCR result, the individual should continue to self-isolate. If the PCR is negative they can then return to college.

If someone in your household, the other members of the household if they are double vaccinated or under 18 are not required to self-isolate. It is encouraged that they also take a PCR test but this is not mandatory.

From Monday 17 January, people who are self-isolating with COVID-19 will have the option to reduce their isolation period after 5 full days if they test negative with a lateral flow device (LFD) test on both day 5 and day 6 and they do not have a temperature. For example, if they test negative on the morning of day 5 and the morning of day 6, they can return to their education or childcare setting immediately on day 6.

The first test must be taken no earlier than day 5 of the self-isolation period, and the second must be taken the following day. All test results should be reported to NHS Test and Trace. Please click here to report your lateral flow results.

If the result of either of their tests is positive, they should continue to self-isolate until they get negative results from two LFD tests on consecutive days or until they have completed 10 full days of self-isolation, whichever is earliest.

Note: (CHANGE IN GUIDANCE as of January 2022)

Even if someone has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, they are strongly encouraged to take part in LFD testing on-site through ATS or at home once they have completed their isolation period for their prior infection.

Current Covid Measures

• It is recommended that face coverings are worn in classrooms where pupils in year 7 and above are educated unless they are exempt. The advice is short term only, to support pupils and teachers as they return to school this term and builds on the existing proportionate guidance that recommends face coverings for all adults in communal areas of all settings. The advice on face coverings in classrooms will be in place until Wednesday 26 January, when Plan B regulations are currently scheduled to expire, at which point it will be reviewed. Pupils or students (in year 7 or above) should continue to wear face coverings on public and dedicated school transport, unless they are exempt.

• Continued enhanced cleaning around college and students cleaning down their tables at the end of each lesson with anti-bacterial spray.

• Staff ensuring good ventilation is maintained in classrooms and this is supported by CO2 monitors that have been installed that help guide this.

• We continue to encourage good hygiene and in particular hand hygiene by ensuring there is hand sanitiser in all classrooms and the canteen.