School leaders have slammed frankly ludicrous government plans to roll-out rapid mass Covid testing across the country s 4,200 secondary schools in just days.
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said government guidance on rapid tests doesn t take us much further forward because it ignores the fact that this plan and timescale are totally unrealistic .
Meanwhile the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) warned the chaotic and rushed nature of the Government s announcement, the lack of proper guidance, and an absence of appropriate support means that most tests will not be in a position to carry this out in safe and effective manner .
Secondary school re-opening WILL be delayed by at least an extra week but primaries will open on schedule amid fears of coronavirus spike caused by mutant strain that can spread more easily among children
SAGE has told PM that a new tougher lockdown in January with schools closed is only way to take R below 1
Michael Gove confirmed staggered reopening of schools in England from Monday - but primaries will open
But in more uncertainty for parents and children, he said the plan remains under review amid union pressure
All secondary schools will be shut apart from for children in Year 11 and 13 and for key workers children
BBC News
By Hannah Richardson
Published
image captionLateral flow testing will be rolled out in secondary schools and colleges from January
School staff feel broken by last minute demands for them to run testing schemes in secondary schools in England, a head teacher has said.
Nicola Mason, a Staffordshire school head, said she was staggered to hear, as the term ends, that heads have to set up testing for pupils next term.
It meant staff would be working through Christmas to get ready for January.
But Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the idea was to get pupils back safely when they returned to school.
Nicola Mason, head of school at Chase Terrace Academy in Staffordshire said that her staff were literally broken by the plans
A headteacher was left close to tears on BBC radio today after slamming plans for schools to roll out Covid-19 testing of children and staff in the New Year.
Nicola Mason, head of school at Chase Terrace Academy in Burntwood, Staffordshire, said in despair that her staff were literally broken by the plans which intend to see secondary school pupils return to class in England staggered in the first week of January.
Her voice breaking, she said teachers were now facing spending their whole Christmas holidays planning for remote learning with the majority of pupils expected to start the term online.