Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that children whose parents do not consent to them being covid-19 tested at school are not prevented from attending school.

COVID-19 testing is voluntary, but strongly recommended to all who are eligible as this helps to reduce the spread in schools. Alongside the vaccine, washing hands, wearing face coverings, and maintaining social distancing, rapid testing plays a vital role in reducing transmission rates. No pupil should be denied education on the grounds that they have not been COVID-19 tested at school.