Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will put a covid-19 testing plan in place for schools in the new year.

The testing programme is well-established in nurseries, schools and colleges and continues to help to break the chains of transmission of COVID-19 in education settings. The government has set out plans for COVID-19 testing in nurseries, schools and colleges, including that staff, pupils and students should continue to test twice weekly at home, with lateral flow device (LFD) test kits, 3-4 days apart, for the remainder of the Autumn term and into the Spring term. On 26 November, the government announced that all secondary schools prepare to test their pupils once on-site on return in January after a period of social mixing over the school holidays.

Staff and students who are continuing to attend nurseries or colleges over the Christmas period, such as those attending adult education providers or early years settings, should continue to be encouraged to test at home twice weekly. Those who are who are not attending their setting during the holiday period may wish to take a rapid lateral flow test in situations where they are more likely to catch or spread COVID-19. This includes spending time in crowded and enclosed spaces, or before visiting people who are at higher risk of severe illness if they catch COVID-19.

On return in January, all secondary school pupils should undertake one test on-site at the start of term in their school asymptomatic test site (ATS), followed by one LFD self-test at home 3-4 days after their on-site test. They should then continue to test twice weekly at home, with LFD test kits, 3-4 days apart. Testing all pupils in school boosts testing participation and will help reduce transmission after a period of social mixing over the holidays. Tests, personal protective equipment and funding to support the workforce will be provided as before.

From 14 December, adults who are fully vaccinated, and young people between the ages of 5 and 18 years and 6 months who are identified as a contact of someone with COVID-19, whether Omicron or not, should take an NHS rapid lateral flow test every day for 7 days to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Unvaccinated adults must self-isolate for 10 days if they are a contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19, Omicron or not. Daily rapid testing for contacts of COVID-19 can help protect nurseries, schools and colleges by reducing transmission and will also help keep pupils in face-to-face education

Schools and colleges are not required to monitor if staff and students are taking daily tests. All testing is voluntary although strongly encouraged. Staff and students should be encouraged to report their testing results to the school/college as well as NHS Track & Trace and the school/college should keep a log of these results and try to encourage testing and reporting.