St George’s school in Broadstairs will be operating a drive-thru testing programme for secondary students before schools fully reopen on March 8.
The school, like all others on the isle, is preparing for the full return of its students on March 8 following the unveiling of the roadmap out of restrictions by Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday (February 22)
Year groups will be invited in on allocated slots to ensure all youngsters have had two covid tests before going back school.
Pupils need to be pre-registered for the tests and results will be sent to a parent/carer’s mobile number and email.
On arrival at the school cars will be directed through a one way system. Students will remain in the vehicle and will be provided with a registration card and barcode as well as a swab. Youngsters are required to make sure they have watched an NHS video on how to carry out their lateral flow test, Staff will be on hand to help.
Test results will be received within the hour.
Two sessions will be held each weekday from Friday, February 26 to Friday, March 5 – one in the morning and one in the afternoon with year groups allocated to each one.
Parents can opt for their child to be tested at an external site or inform the school if they are declining testing.
The school hopes to provide home testing kits from March 8.
Year groups will remain in pods to restrict mixing and secondary pupils must wear face coverings throughout the day and in lessons.
Extended day and breakfast club schemes will also resume. There will be a gradual reopening of other after school clubs.
Head teacher Adam Mirams says to parents: “If I am totally honest you have all been brilliant and so supportive over the last year.
“It has been extremely difficult to meet the needs of all, follow the guidance and jump through every hoop
“We have set a huge challenge of getting over 1600 children back to school in one day but we will do it, we will continue their education and once we have the guidance we aim to get the children the grades they deserve.”
Follow the guidance .
The head of the school told children to remain at home last time the government reopened schools .
Let’s see how long before he says that again .
And if parents don’t have a car?
Tests can be conducted at various locations, including post, teaching staff wont be doing it thank goodness.
The drive-thru idea is an additional point of testing for those invited, testing will be around for a few years for those not having the full vaccination.
Have to say a big Thank you to those front line testers & jabbers , great work !
Teachers should be given the vaccine dose before going back but Boris has not made sure of that so they are again going to be put at risk.
Lets see if the rates start rising again before anything else is allowed to open. We need to be certain on where the spreading is coming from but it’s almost certainly those indoor areas with high populations such as schools and colleges. Schools open and rates rise, schools close and they start coming down.
Kent resident .
What about supermarket workers and supermarket delivery drivers .
We come into contact with hundreds of people .
We are at more risk than teachers I’m afraid .
No supermarket workers means no food for anyone and delivery’s to elderly and vulnerable.