Webinar on risk assessments

Thank you to the schools who attended the webinar on risk assessments earlier today. The slides are available at this link and and the key changes are available at this link.

The recording of the session is at this link.

The team will be responding to the queries that were raised at the session as soon as possible.  

Queries can be sent to edsi.enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk

DfE webinar on the full return to schools

The DfE is hosting a webinar on Thursday 4 March between 2:30pm and 3:45pm to provide primary, secondary and special schools, and alternative provision with an update on the full return of pupils to onsite teaching. Click on the link to join.

Return to schools webinar – Thursday 4 March, 2:30pm to 3:45pm

There will also be an opportunity to ask questions. The DfE will be holding a webinar on the rapid testing programme on Friday 5 March – further details for accessing this event will be provided shortly.

If you are unable to join these webinars, they will be recorded and made available to watch shortly after.

DfE information on test kit supplies for secondary schools and colleges

Secondary schools and colleges will be receiving test kit deliveries over the coming weeks, as follows:

deliveries of lateral flow device (LFD) test kits for your staff to use at home began on Wednesday 24 February and will continue until Tuesday 2 March. Please check the delivery schedule to see when your kits are scheduled for delivery. deliveries of asymptomatic test site test kits for your pupils and students to use onsite will begin today and will continue until Friday 5 March. The delivery schedule provides details on when you should expect your delivery and how much stock you will receive. deliveries of lateral flow device (LFD) test kits for pupils and students to use at home will begin on Monday 8 March. A delivery schedule for these kits will be published shortly.

Prior to ordering additional test kits, the DfE ask that you review your current stock levels of asymptomatic test site test kits and the planned deliveries. Schools should already have sufficient stock for a maximum of 3 weeks of testing based on the size of your setting. If you still need to order additional test kits for on-site testing, they can be ordered through the DfE’s contact us form which is now live for secondary schools and colleges.

Further information on how to order additional test kits, and details on the national testing policy can be found on the secondary schools and colleges document sharing platform.

DfE information on test kits for primary schools and state-maintained nurseries

Orders for additional home test kits for twice weekly testing of primary school and nursery staff can be made using the contact us form.

Further information on how to order additional test kits, and details on the national testing policy can be found on the primary schools and nurseries document sharing platform.

Private, voluntary and independent early years settings will receive test kits automatically in advance of Monday 22 March. More details will follow shortly.

DfE information on rapid lateral flow testing for households and bubbles of school pupils and staff

Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus (COVID-19) do not have symptoms but can still pass it on to others. Regular testing of people without symptoms (asymptomatic testing) is important to help stop the virus spreading. As lockdown restrictions gradually ease, we all need to play our part to help protect each other.

On Sunday 28 February, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that from Monday 1 March, households with primary school, secondary school and college age children, including childcare and support bubbles, can test themselves twice every week at home as schools return from Monday 8 March. Households, childcare and support bubbles of primary, secondary and college staff can also be tested. Twice-weekly testing will also be offered to adults working in the wider school community, including bus drivers and after school club leaders. The twice-weekly test kits can be accessed:

• via employers if they offer testing to employees
• at a local test site
• by collecting a home test kit from a test site
• by ordering a home test kit online

Schools should not give test kits to parents, carers or household members and should not order more test kits for this purpose. Letters containing advice on where to access testing will be made available for schools to share with parents and staff shortly.

This guidance provides information on who can be tested and how you can get a test.