Dear Parents and Carers,

LATERAL FLOW TESTS

About 1 in 3 people with coronavirus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others. Regular testing of people

without symptoms (asymptomatic) is important to help stop the virus spreading and protect your loved ones. As lockdown restrictions gradually ease we all need to play our part to help protect each other.

The following people in England will have access to regular rapid lateral flow testing made available to them as schools reopen:

•  secondary school pupils
•  all school staff
•  households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary-age pupils
•  households, childcare and support bubbles of primary and secondary staff

Staff at School of Christ the King have been voluntarily participating in twice weekly lateral flow tests. 

All households, childcare and support bubbles of school age pupils or school staff now have access to the lateral flow tests.

Primary school pupils will not be asked to test at this time. The intention is that these tests are used by adults in a household or support bubble.

To get tests for yourself or your family, you can:

• collect boxes of test kits from a test site. The nearest one to school is at Hengrove Leisure Car Park
• order from the website - https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

What twice-weekly testing involves:

•  taking a test twice a week (every 3 or 4 days apart)
•  reporting every result to NHS Test and Trace on the same day you take the test

If anyone tests positive with a Lateral Flow home test kit you should tell the school and:

• self-isolate immediately
• get a PCR test to confirm the result
• follow the stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection

A negative result means the test did not find signs of coronavirus. But this does not guarantee you do not have coronavirus, so you should keep following all coronavirus advice including:

•  regular handwashing
•  social distancing
•  wearing a face covering where recommended

For full details about testing, follow the link below:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rapid-lateral-flow-testing-for-households-and-bubbles-of-school-pupils-and-staff

Yours sincerely

Matt Condon

Headteacher