Covid: English Secondary school pupils to be tested before starting term

Secondary schools pupils in England will be tested for Covid at least once before rejoining classes for the new term.

The government said that testing kits will be provided for schools to carry out the tests on site for pupils returning to school after the Christmas break.

Pupils will then be asked to test themselves twice a week.

Yesterday, it was announced that secondary school pupils in England will once again have to wear face masks in the classroom to help reduce the spread of the Omicron variant.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said "regular testing is a key way to support schools and protect face-to-face teaching".

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi added that he was determined "to make sure education remains open and children are in the best place when they're in the classroom, with their friends, learning in front of a teacher."

The government also announced yesterday that it would be providing 7,000 air cleaning units to schools and colleges to improve ventilation in classrooms, for example when windows cannot be opened.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, students are already being asked to test twice every week.

And in Wales, the government has urged staff and students to test three times per week before the start of the new term.

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