Advice for returning to secondary school:

Before children now return to school on Monday, we strongly advise parents, childcare support bubbles, all school staff and all secondary school pupils to remember to follow the guidance and take a rapid COVID-19 test twice a week: 

• If the test is positive, isolate, book a PCR test as soon as possible, report the result and inform school.   
• If it is negative, continue to conduct rapid LFD tests twice weekly and report results.   
• If you have any signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (temperature, new continuous cough, change or loss of taste/smell) whether your LFD test is positive or negative, isolate and book a PCR test as soon as possible, and inform school.  

PCR tests for contacts of positive cases: 

All identified contacts of a positive case are now required to take a PCR test and inform the school of the result. Contacts must self-isolate for 10 days after contact with the confirmed case even if their PCR test result is negative. All those who have been identified as a contact, please arrange a PCR test asap – Get a free PCR test to check if you have coronavirus (COVID-19) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 

Finally, please take your COVID-19 vaccine if it has been offered to you, it is your best defence against the virus.