Dear Parent/Carer,

 

As you know, we have been working hard over the last half-term to ensure that the school is Covid-19 secure and that testing for the virus can be conducted safely and accurately. Our testing programme has gone from strength to strength, starting from small scale only in the first week of January, building up week by week to this point in time where in recent days, we have tested a record number of staff and students.

I am writing to confirm that in the week of the school reopening fully, your child will be offered a Covid-19 Lateral Flow Test, this is to help stop the spread of Covid-19 by identifying asymptomatic cases. Testing will be available between the hours of 10.00am and 1.00pm on the day of your child’s year group testing (a reminder of which is attached below). The test itself consists of a ten second swab of the throat and a ten second swab of one nostril, with results available within 30 minutes.

 

Day Activity
Monday 8th March ·         Year 11 students come to school to be tested for Coronavirus only and return home once they have had test.

·         Year 10 students do not attend work experience placements this week so work remotely.

·         Year 8 and 9 students continue to work remotely.

Tuesday 9th March ·         Year 11 students in school for full teaching.

·         Year 10 students come to school to be tested for Coronavirus only and return home once they have had test.

·         Year 8 and 9 students continue to work remotely.

Wednesday 10th March ·         Year 11 students do not attend work experience placements this week so work remotely.

·         Year 10 students in school for full teaching.

·         Year 8 and 9 students continue to work remotely.

Thursday 11th March ·         Year 8 students come to school to be tested for Coronavirus only and return home once they have had test.

·         Year 11 and Year 10 students in school for full teaching.

·         Year 9 students continue to work remotely.

Friday 12th March ·         Year 9 students come to school to be tested for Coronavirus only and return home once they have had test.

·         Year 11, Year 10 and Year 8 students in school for full teaching. No enrichment sessions for this week only so school finishes at 12pm.

Monday 15th March ·         Full teaching for all year groups, all day, every day. All work experience placements fully resume also.

 

 

For your child to access Lateral Flow Testing in school, it is essential if you have not already done so that you return a completed consent form to us. There are two ways in which you can do this: you can complete an online consent form at https://www.theedgeacademy.co.uk/covid-form/ or you can return a paper copy to us in the self-addressed envelope which has been delivered in person to your home address. Without the consent form, your child cannot receive a Lateral Flow Test in school. Although the tests are voluntary, we strongly encourage every single family to complete the consent form so that we can make the school the safest it can possibly be.

We will be rolling out home testing kits in the very near future which will enable pupils to complete a lateral flow test from home twice weekly. Once the school have received delivery of home testing kits and students have confidently completed lateral flow tests in school, they will be allocated a testing kit. Further detail on this will be communicated with all parents and carers in the coming days and weeks.

If you require any more support or have any questions regarding Covid-19 testing, please contact me at [email protected]

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Calum Hill

Medical Lead and Designated Senior Person