Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance he has issued to schools in the event that a single child in a year group tests positive for covid-19.

The actions that schools should take in the event that a child tests positive for COVID-19 are outlined within the GOV.UK guidance for full opening and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks.

This guidance states that schools must take swift action when they become aware that someone who has attended has tested positive for COVID-19, and contact their local health protection team. This team will also contact schools directly if they become aware that someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 attended the school.

The health protection team will carry out a rapid risk assessment to confirm who has been in close contact with the person during the period that they were infectious. They will work with schools in this situation to guide them through the actions they need to take. Based on the advice from the health protection team, schools must send home those people who have been in close contact with the person who has tested positive, advising them to self-isolate for 14 days since they were last in close contact.