Covid-19 Updates for Parents

On this page we will update you with key information relating to the school and Covid-19. Previous updates and letters home can be found on our Letters Home page.

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Start of term dates - secondary

For secondary, Year 7 and Year 12 are to return on Friday 3rd September at 8.25am and all secondary year groups are to be in school Monday 6th September at 8.25am.  

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Start of term dates - primary

Reception starts - Thursday 2nd September, 8.30am

Years 1-6 return to school - Friday 3rd September, 8.15am

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COVID-19 testing for staff and secondary students

As the country moves into a new phase in the government’s response to the pandemic, children and staff will continue to benefit from free COVID testing in the new academic year.

This is a national scheme being organised by all secondary schools in England. For those students who participate, which we expect to be the vast majority, it will of course reduce the spread of the virus and help to keep our community, and the wider community beyond our gates, safe.

So that the testing runs smoothly and efficiently, we will be starting testing on Wednesday 1^st September (INSET day). Following the initial test, students will be tested once more the following week before home testing commences again.

Students should arrive at the time specified below in order to be tested. Once the test is complete, students will return home to await their results. Students should arrive in full school uniform.

	Wednesday 1st September (INSET day)	Thursday 2nd September (INSET day)
Times	Year 8 + 9	Year 10, 11 + 13
8.30am to 9.00am	Year 9 Surname A - D	Year 10 Surname A - C
9.10 am to 10.10am	Year 9 Surname E - L	Year 10 Surname D - K
10.30am to 11.10am	Year 9 Surname M - O	Year 10 Surname L - O
11.10am to 11.30am	Year 9 Surname P - S	Year 10 Surname P - R
11.30am to 12.30pm	Year 9 Surname T - Z	Year 10 Surname S - Y
12.30pm to 1.00pm	Year 8 Surname A - C	Year 11 Surname A - C
1.30pm to 2.00pm	Year 8 Surname D - I	Year 11 Surname D - M
2.00pm to 3.00pm	Year 8 Surname J - N	Year 11 Surname N - S
3.00pm to 4.00pm	Year 8 Surname O - S	Year 11 Surname T - Z
4.00pm to 4.30pm	Year 8 Surname T - Z	Year 13

If you did not consent for your child/ward to take part in the testing earlier in the year but would like for them to participate this time, you are able to provide consent still. Please go to the following link and complete the required details: https://forms.office.com/r/9NjEm53t5b. Alternatively, scan the below QR code with your mobile device:

You are not required to do this if your child/ward participated in testing last time.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at the academy on 0208 320 4800 or by email on info@harrisgarrard.org.uk.

Yours faithfully,

Steve West, Head of Academy

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Frequently Asked Questions

How often will my child/ward be tested?

To make everybody safer when schools physically return, the government has asked that students are tested twice in their first week back, with the second test three/five days after the first. If the test is negative, they will be able to continue coming to school as normal as long as they do not have any coronavirus symptoms. If the result is positive, they would need to self-isolate at home and book a PCR test via the NHS.

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Will this help ensure more stability and face-to-face education?

Yes. Headteachers who took part in the pilot describe it as a “game-changer”. Firstly, it will help identify asymptomatic cases – which make up a third of all cases – limiting the spread of the virus.

But also – and crucially - staff and students who are close contacts of cases will be eligible for daily testing, removing the need to self-isolate if they are well. Only if a daily test returns a positive result will the staff member or student need to isolate. Last term we had whole bubbles self-isolating at home because of a single positive case, but the new testing system will prevent this from needing to happen. Please note that if there are students who opt-out of the daily testing, they will be required to self-isolate at home for ten days in this scenario.

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What will happen if my child/ward’s test result is positive?

In the event of a positive result, the student would need to self-isolate at home and book a PCR test via the NHS. If that test is also positive, they would need to continue self-isolating at home and follow the guidance from NHS Test and Trace.

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What type of tests are being used and how will they be conducted?

The tests are called Lateral Flow Tests (LFT). Students will be asked to do a nasal swab, which they will complete themselves, supported and supervised by a trained staff member. The tests are very straightforward, with the results available within 20 minutes.

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How reliable are these tests?

There is a low chance of ‘false positive’ tests – that is why the second, lab-based PCR test is necessary. There is also a low chance that lateral flow tests don’t pick up positive cases because they aren’t as sensitive as lab-based tests. That is why there will be daily tests for close contacts of positive cases – they will be tested repeatedly over a number of days to ensure they are not positive.

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Will I be informed of my child/ward’s result(s)?

Yes, if the student tests positive.

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Are the tests compulsory?

No. However, if a student is a close contact of a confirmed case and opts-out of daily testing they will be required to self-isolate at home for ten days whether they have symptoms or not.