BACK TO SCHOOL: All the changes pupils can expect

PARENTS and carers of children in schools across Warwickshire are being advised of the changes in place when classrooms are re-opened.

There are two main measures that will affect schoolchildren - testing and face coverings.

Warwickshire County Council has outlined in a letter to parents about how schools will operate, including who will be tested, when they will be tested and when face coverings will be needed - and by who.

Nursery staff - introduce twice weekly home testing in private nurseries from March 22. Continue for maintained nurseries. Childminders to access community testing.

Primary school staff - Continue twice weekly home testing.

Secondary/ Further Education pupils - For all students, including those over 18 years old in further Education provision:

Test on return (three tests at the onsite test centre - 3-5 days apart).

Following this, twice weekly home testing will be introduced.

Retain small onsite test centres in schools for those unable to test at home.

Secondary/ Further Education staff - Introduce twice weekly home testing to replace onsite testing.

Primary and junior school pupils - no mandatory testing

While there is no mandatory testing for primary and junior school pupils, the government has said all households with primary and secondary school and college age children, and childcare and support bubbles, will be encouraged to start regular twice-weekly testing as schools return.

Face coverings – What is known is that there are new recommendations in regards to wearing face coverings in schools.

Primary and junior schools - No primary or junior school pupil is required to wear a face covering anywhere in school. It is down to the headteachers’ discretion if staff and visitors have to wear face coverings in classrooms but they are recommended in communal areas.

Secondary schools – Staff, visitors and students are recommended to wear face coverings in classrooms. Staff, visitors and students are recommended to wear face coverings in communal areas such as corridors and staff rooms

Higher Education – Staff, visitors and students are recommended to wear face coverings in classroom. Staff, visitors and students are recommended to wear face coverings in communal areas - such as corridors and staff rooms

Impact on transport – For all school ages: Any child using bus transport with a positive coronavirus case will be sent home to self-isolate. The 2m rule, in which only contacts within 2m of the positive test would need to selfisolate, will no longer be used on school buses - due to the more infectious UK variant. All pupils on buses will now need to isolate if one passenger tests positive.

What to do with a positive Covid-19 case - As in previous terms, if a child who has been in school tests positive, those in their class will be sent home to self-isolate for 10 days from the date of last contact with the child who has tested positive. The rest of the family or household will not need to isolate, but they should be alert to the child who is isolating becoming unwell, or becoming unwell yourselves.

Warning signs for symptoms include a high temperature, cough or loss of sense of taste or smell.

Where are the rapid Covid19 centres in Warwickshire? There is one at the Saunders Hall Club in Bedworth and the United Reform Church in Nuneaton town centre.

In Rugby the test centre is in the Indian Centre, while the Leamington facility is in the Adult and Community Learning site on Pound Lane in Lillington.

There is also a test centre in Water Orton Community Hall in North Warwickshire and one in Stratford.

Tests for those without symptoms of Covid-19 are available for booking between 8.15am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 10.15am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.