Testing

Testing at Patcham High School

Pupil testing will start on Tuesday 2nd of March for all pupils. All parents / carers will have received an email with the first time slot.

When pupils arrive at school we will explain how the testing will work, but to give you an idea here is a video we have made showing the process…

From Tuesday 2^nd until Tuesday 16^th March Patcham High School offered on-site Lateral Flow Device testing to all pupils, before their return to school.

Government guidance is that secondary schools should now offer:

• Three on-site tests to all students returning to school within the first two weeks
• Twice a week at home tests to all students and staff following the initial on-site testing

 

Pupils will be given a home-test kit following their initial 3 on-site tests. Pupils will be required to test themselves a home twice a week at these times:

Sunday Evening

Wednesday evening

Pupils should be assisted by a parent / carer to undertake their home test.

Mrs Hall has recorded a ‘how to carry out a home test’ instruction video to support you with this process. Click here to access this video. Pupils will also receive training on how to carry out a self-swab and how to process a LFD test during a science lesson at school.

Following the test, pupils must register their result on both the NHS website and via the Test Register link sent to students email. Links here:

• Reporting your test result on the NHS website
• Reporting your test on the school system

If a pupil tests positive at home, the pupil and household members must self-isolate for 10 days. Pupils will receive guidance on taking a PCR test once you have registered your result on the NHS website. If the pupils’ PCR test is negative this overrides the self-test LFD (at home only).

The home test kits contain more then one test so should last over a week. The tests are only for Patcham High School pupils and should not be used for family members. You can order and collect LDF kits for your families on this Government website: LFD for households of school pupils.

 

Further information and Guidance

Who is being tested and why?

Testing is important because staff and students without symptoms could be carrying the virus and may spread it to others. Up to a third of individuals who test positive for COVID-19 have no symptoms at all and can therefore spread the virus unknowingly. That is why the testing those without symptoms is vital. Identifying those individuals will save lives.

Testing staff and students will support schools and colleges to operate as safely as possible.

New, simple and quick tests, known as Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests, enable us to rapidly test students and staff, without the need for a laboratory.

Testing – quick, safe and easy

Staff and students will be tested using a validated Lateral Flow Device.

Quick

Swabbing and processing of these tests will be conducted at a dedicated testing site in the school, with results available in around 30-45 minutes.

Safe

Lateral flow tests are very accurate, which means that only a very small proportion of people who do not have coronavirus will receive a positive result (false positive). The tests have lower sensitivity, but they are better at picking up cases when a person has higher viral load, and more contagious, hence the need to test in schools.

When used in combination with other measures such as washing hands regularly and social distancing, these tests further reduce the risk of transmission.

Easy

Lateral flow devices do not require a laboratory to process the test. The devices are designed to be intuitive and require less training to operate.

Pupils will be required to self-swab. They should be supported by an adult. Instructions on how to take a swab are provided in the guidance booklet.

How to take the test

Interpreting Test Results