Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of testing, tracing and isolating during the covid-19 outbreak within schools.

Testing capacity is the highest it has ever been. The UK’s daily COVID-19 testing capacity passed the 500,000 mark on 31 October and continues to expand. To support schools further, the Department is also supplying COVID-19 test kits directly to schools for both staff and students who develop symptoms of COVID-19 and face significant barriers to accessing a test through existing routes.

Schools are playing a vital role in supporting the test and trace system. Where someone who has attended tests positive, schools are taking swift action to send home close contacts of the positive case, advising them to self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in close contact with that person when they were infectious. There is a dedicated advice line to help schools, colleges or early years settings to implement the most appropriate public health measures once a case is confirmed. If, following triage, further expert advice is required the adviser will escalate the school’s call to the Public Health England local health protection team.

The Government is committed to introducing mass asymptomatic testing using new technologies to minimise the risk of infection spread within communities and pilots are already underway for using them in schools and colleges. Establishing this testing capability will enable students to continue their studies safely and assure staff to be able to continue to deliver education and support.