Covid Testing In January 2022

The Government has now issued new COVID-19 guidance on testing, we are writing to provide you with an update on what this means for your child/children.

Dear parents, carers and students,

I wanted to write this week to update you about some of the logistical changes for our return in January 2022.

In light of the Government’s recent announcement asking schools to coordinate on site COVID testing in January we will need to alter the return to school schedule.

On Wednesday 5th January 2022 (our original return to school date) and Thursday 6th January 2022, we shall be operating our Asymptomatic Testing Site (ATS). Consenting students will need to attend school for a test only and then return home. Students do not need to wear their uniform.

If you have provided consent previously, you do not need to provide it again. Please send your child in for testing. If you want to withdraw your consent, please email [email protected]. If you wish to provide consent, you can find consent forms at the bottom of this page, please can you send this back to the Academy, with your child, on the day of testing. Students who are over the age of 16 can complete this form themselves. All Covid testing policies can be found at the bottom of this page: www.ormistonforgeacademy.co.uk/our-academy/academy-policies

Our testing will operate as follows:

Year groupTesting in school betweenStart Spring term
7Thursday 6th January 8:40 – 11:00Friday 7th January
8Thursday 6th January 12:00 – 2.30Friday 7th January
9Wednesday 5th January 8:40 – 10.00Thursday 6th January
10Wednesday 5th January 10:30 – 12:00Thursday 6th January
11Wednesday 5th January 1.00 – 2.30Thursday 6th January
12Tuesday 4th January 1:00 – 2:00Wednesday 5th January
13/14Tuesday 4th January 2:00 – 3:00Wednesday 5th January

Students will be given a specific time to arrive according to their tutor group, this detailed view can be found at the end of this letter.

Students will return to school from Wednesday 5th January 2022 but on a staggered basis, as follows:

Term starts (for years 12, 13 and 14 only): Wednesday 5th January 2022
Term start continues (for years 9, 10, 11) : Thursday 6th January 2022
Term start continues (for years 7 and 8): Friday 7th January 2022

Further information follows:

  • There is a school PRE trip to London on Thursday 6th January. All students who are involved in this visit are invited to attend testing on Tuesday 4th January between 1:00 – 3:00.
  • Testing will take place in the gym, as usual, and the sports hall will be set up as a reception and registration area as usual.
  • Students will line up in the sports hall wearing masks or if exempt they should have their lanyard with them.
  • We have been asked to test all students whose parents give consent on their return to school. Even if you have been regularly testing, the test will only inform you that your child was negative on a specific day so they need to be tested before they return to school.
  • If your child has recently had Covid then the advice from Government is that anyone who has tested positive on a PCR test does not test using an LFD test for 90 days after symptoms started.
  • Please note that siblings can arrive together and should come at the earliest allocated time, please inform us beforehand so that we can have their registration details in the sports hall.
  • Students must arrive at their allotted time and report to the sports hall. They will be sent home once tested.

As has been the case throughout the pandemic, ensuring the health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority. As such, we will be continuing to encourage good hygiene including regular hand-washing, maintaining appropriate cleaning regimes, keeping occupied spaces well ventilated and following public health advice on testing and self-isolation.

I would urge everyone to engage in this testing programme to ensure our return to school for the Spring Term is as COVID free as possible and we do all we can to avoid further lost learning days. On Tuesday 4th January 2022 tasks for learning missed due to testing will be uploaded to SATCHEL ONE.

Many thanks as always for your support in all we are trying to do.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Lisa Mason
Principal