Covid Testing At Forge

We are asking all parents to encourage their children to test regularly and to report each result.

Dear parents and carers

We know how important it is for you to be able to send your child to school.

At Forge we are taking a number of measures to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus, including:

  • Encouraging all staff to test regularly, to minimise the risk of our teachers giving your child or other children Covid;
  • Ensuring our staff and children practice good hygiene;
  • Making sure our spaces are well ventilated; and;
  • Encouraging all members of our community to isolate and book a PCR test should they develop symptoms of the virus.

We are also asking all parents to encourage their children to test regularly and to report each result

Up to one in three people who have COVID-19 can spread the virus without knowing. This is because they have no symptoms. We are therefore asking all parents to encourage their children to test twice a week and help us to keep Forge open.

This letter is for all parents of children at Forge asking them to regularly encourage their children to test and to report each result.

Your child will be able to collect home test kits from school and bring them home with them. Please ask your child if they have received these and help them to take the test and report their results. Testing is free of charge.

The tests will come with guidance in multiple languages on how to take the test. You can also see this useful video to show you how to take the test – tests usually take a few minutes to do and you get the results in 30 minutes. Then all you need to do is to report the result to:

Financial support is available if your child tests positive and you need to self-isolate

If you are unable to work due to your child having, or displaying symptoms of, COVID-19, you may be entitled to a one-off payment of £500 through the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment scheme if you are required to stay at home and self-isolate.

You will be eligible if you live in England and meet all the following criteria:

  • you have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, including by the NHS COVID-19 app
  • you are employed or self-employed
  • you cannot work from home and will lose income as a result
  • you are claiming at least one of the following benefits: Universal Credit, Working Tax Credits, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit or Housing Benefit.

By testing your child twice a week you will help us to reduce transmission of Coronavirus, keep your child in school and keep Forge open to minimise disruption to their education and to you and your household.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns about home testing. 

Thank you for your support.

Dr Lisa Mason
Principal