Update. Parents are telling us that our local test centre has no kits to hand out:

• make sure you are using a PCR test centre if collecting;
• maybe better to order for home delivery. 

The Government announced over the weekend that families and households with primary school age children, including childcare and support bubbles, will be able to test themselves twice every week from home as schools return from 8 March. To help stop the spread of coronavirus and to minimise disruption to education we encourage all families to take part in this testing.

How to get tested

You can do this in one of four ways

• workplace testing (if your employer is taking part)
• visit a community testing site
  • Click here to find your local testing site
• organise for home kits to be delivered to your home
  • Order rapid lateral flow home test kits
• collect home testing kits from your nearest testing site
  • Click here to find your local testing site

Rapid testing detects cases quickly – in under 30 minutes – meaning positive cases can isolate immediately. 

Find our more here:

• Press release
• Guidance
• Understanding lateral flow testing

What twice-weekly testing involves

You will be asked to:

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

Report your test result online or by calling 119.

If anyone tests positive or gets coronavirus symptoms, they 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