Yorkshire Coast secondary school asks for volunteers to help test students for Covid

Ebor Academy in Filey has published a letter on its website asking for people to give up their time and be involved in the testing of its pupils.

The letter, dated January 1 and from Headteacher Terry Cartmail, said: “As I am sure you will know, we have been charged with setting up a Covid-19 testing centre in school.

“We received detailed advice from the Department for Education last night. We need to recruit a team of mostly volunteers to administer the tests.

“They are Lateral Flow Device Tests, and involve students self-administering a swab both on their tonsils and up one nostril. We get the results in just 30 minutes.

“All volunteers would have to complete an enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.

“We think, tentatively, that we will need volunteers to be on site from 8am to 10am, Monday to Friday, but it is hard to confirm exact timings until we know how many tests we are likely to need to perform on a daily basis.

“We would cover all your costs. All I need to know at the moment is whether you would be interested in helping staff our testing centre.

“If you are, please email me directly [email protected] . Once we have a sense of how many people have volunteered, we will finalise arrangements early next week. I hope you can help.”

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The Government is asking all secondary schools and colleges to roll out the mass testing of staff and students in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

At the start of term, it will ask schools to offer pupils and students two Lateral Flow Device rapid tests, spaced three to five days apart

Staff will be offered one test in the first week and weekly thereafter as part of a longer-term routine testing programme.

Testing is voluntary and no child or young person will be tested unless informed consent has been given by the appropriate person.

During the term, any students and staff who are in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus will be able to return to school or college if they agree to be tested for seven days following their last contact with a positive case.

Secondary schools are also running a staggered start to this term, with only vulnerable children and key workers’ children allowed back in school this week and remote learning in place for other students.

Exam year students will be allowed back in school from January 11, with other year groups back from January 18.