Welcome to Stormont House School

31 March 2021

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope your child’s return to learning on site with all other pupils has gone well. We write to remind you of the importance of testing regularly.

Of people who have COVID-19, up to 1 in 3 have no symptoms and could be spreading it without knowing. Regular, rapid testing is a quick and easy way to identify these people and reduce the spread of the virus.

Getting into a regular habit of testing twice a week will play an important role in stopping the virus spreading, keeping your family and friends safer and helping us get back to a normal way of life. As such, the Council is strongly encouraging all families to make use of the rapid testing options open to them.

Who should be tested and how to get test kits

Students attending secondary school or college – Secondary school and college students already have access to regular, rapid testing through their school or college.

Today we have sent home two boxes containing 14 home testing kits, to allow you to undertake twice weekly testing at home. This should be done 3-5 days apart on:

- Thursday 1 April (before school)

- During the Easter holiday

- Students with consent will be tested in school on Monday 19 April – this will be the last round of in-school testing

- Home testing from Thursday 22 April onwards (we suggest testing your child on a Monday and Thursday morning before school)

How to conduct a test – click on the You Tube link to view a demonstration video.

All participation in testing is voluntary - if for any reason your child can not be tested at home, they must attend school as normal.

Households, childcare and support bubbles of nursery children, primary and secondary-age pupils and college students – Regular rapid testing is also available for parents of nursery, school children and college students, as well as adults in their households, childcare and support bubbles. Nursery and primary school children are not being asked to be tested as evidence continues to show that children and young people are at low risk from Covid-19 and are very unlikely to get seriously ill.

Getting tests for you and the rest of your household/ support or childcare bubble

If you’re a member of a household, childcare bubble of a pupil, student or staff of a school, nursery or college, you can get a twice-weekly test:

through your employer if they offer testing to employees
at a local test site (Find your nearest rapid lateral flow test site.)
by collecting a home test kit from a test site (Find your nearest home test kit collection point
NEW! by ordering a home test kit online (Order rapid lateral flow home test kits)
Through your employer, if they offer testing to employees

Hackney’s website has more information about test sites in the borough or click here to find your nearest testing site, nationally.

Reporting results

You should report your child’s test result to NHS Test & Trace. This is easy to do on line at www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result. You can also telephone 119 (free from mobiles and landlines); lines are open every day, 7am to 11pm. We have also enclosed a step-by-step guide that gives clear instructions on how to do this.

You should also report your child’s test result to the school using the following link – this is especially important if the result is positive. Your child, and anyone they live with, must self-isolate in accordance with current national and local guidance, which can be found at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronovirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/. You must not send your child to school and you must report their absence using the normal absence procedure.

More information

Please see this leaflet for more information about rapid testing for children and young people at school. The Council’s Coronovirus Information & Support webpage also provides lots of information and advice about the help available during the coronavirus pandemic.

Yours sincerely

Mr Kevin McDonnell