Dear Parents, Carers and Students

Update on Lateral Flow Testing for Students

Since the beginning of January, our specially trained Testing Centre team have successfully carried out nearly 2,500 lateral flow tests on staff and students. Originally set up in the Gipsy Lane Drama room, our test centre will move to the main hall on Green Close for the 9 days of mass testing when all students return. 

Testing is not compulsory, however, to increase the safety of our students, staff and the community of Exmouth, we would encourage all students to get tested. Please ensure you complete the consent form emailed out last week.

Students will complete their first 3 tests onsite and then move to home testing. Test 1 will be completed prior to students’ return to face to face lessons. Students on our Critical Worker and Vulnerable register who have been in college with us during lockdown will move to home testing straight away from next week. This is because they have already been testing regularly in college. They will be given their home test kits during the afternoon of Friday 5^th March.

 

If your child has tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 90 days it is not advisable to undertake the Lateral Flow Device test as this will most likely display a false positive and your child would have to then self-isolate as per the NHS guidance. Please use the link below if your child has tested positive so that we know not to include them in the testing at this time.

Form

Testing for student will begin from Friday the 5^th March as follows:

Key Information:

Test 1 – (students will come in for this test and once completed, will return home). They will then commence lessons as normal the following day (on the Monday 8th March for Years 11, 12 and 13).

• All testing will take place in the Main Hall on Green Close.
• Students will come in to have their first test the day before they start face to face lessons back at the College.
• Please arrive promptly at the top gate to the Green Close site in Phear Park at the start of the allotted time (see the map below). Each tutor group has only 15 minutes allocated for testing so punctuality is extremely important. This is to ensure we get all students tested as quickly as possible and back into face to face lessons safely.
• Student do not have to wear uniform when they come in for their first test – unless they are coming in by bus and staying for the day.
• Students should have avoided eating or drinking for at least 30 minutes before swabbing to reduce the risk of spoiling the test.
• Students will be asked to socially distance upon arrival (we will have markers to indicate this)
• All students are expected to wear a face covering at all times and will need to hand sanitise when entering the site.
• Upon leaving the Main Hall following a test, students should following the red route marked on the map below and exit the site through the top gate to Green Close as indicated.
• Students should return straight home following the test and observe current lockdown rules.
• Teachers will be aware of when your child will be tested and therefore will not expect them in their online lesson.
• If you are accompanying your child to the test and picking them up afterwards, please ensure you socially distance appropriately and where possible, walk to the College.
• Students who travel in on the bus can either be brought in for the first test by their parent carer or come in on the bus but will have to stay in College during the day and attend onsite lessons. Please indicate on the Consent form whether this will be the case so we are aware in advance.
• Please be aware that unfortunately we are unable to allow parents/carers onsite to accompany students. We will have lots of staff on hand to help students.

Test Two and Three

• Students will be back into face to face lessons following their first test, provided it is negative.
• Students will be called to the test centre in tutor groups to complete tests two and three
• The schedule below will be used to test students

• Please be aware that in order to ensure all students are tested, we are having to run a very tight schedule which will run until 4:15pm on some days.
• Students who are having to test after 3pm will be supervised until their test time

The Test

• The swab for the test takes around 1 minute to complete. The test takes approximately 30 minute for the results to be recorded

• The result of your test will be emailed to the email address provided on the consent for via the Test and Trace site. The College will not contact you directly regarding the result unless it is positive, in which case you will hear from the College within an hour of the test taking place. Timescales can vary for when the results email comes through from the NHS Test and Trace site. Assume that if you have not heard from the College within an hour of the test, it will be negative.
• If the result is positive we will notify you as soon as we have seen the result

 

Reassuring Students

Some students will have no concerns about this process but we understand that some might be a little apprehensive about the Lateral Flow Tests. If any student is worried about the test or has any condition that may make the test uncomfortable, please ensure you have highlighted this on the consent form. We will have a designated area available for those students who need some more time, reassurance and help

The test is over quickly and does not hurt. We have made a short film to show the process. Please note that our test centre is moving to the main hall for Friday. We will update this film to show the new venue. Students will not be expected to register their own test. You can watch the film here: https://www.facebook.com/260889611433595/videos/227659742151879

Home Testing

Following Test 3, students will be given home test kits which they will start to use from Thursday 18^th March. More information will be provided later this week.

Testing Schedules

Test 1 – (students will come in for this test and once completed, will return home). They will then commence lessons as normal the following day (on the Monday 8th March for Years 11, 12 and 13).

 

Test 2 – will take place at the times below. By this stage, all students will have returned to College and will come out of lessons at the specified time to be tested.

Test 3 – will take place at the times below. Student will again come out of lessons and this will be the last on site test before switching to home testing.

Home testing for families/support bubbles of students and staff

The Government has now released guidance which allows families and support bubbles of students and staff to also test themselves at home twice a week. Please visit your local test centre to collect a home testing kit. We will only be sending home enough tests for students to test themselves. The tests for families and support bubbles must be collected from your local test centre. Find your local test centre by using this link Test Centre Finder

Yours faithfully

Mr D Turner

Deputy Principal