Drumchapel High School returns after the Christmas break.
- 2 years ago
Pupils and staff return to Drumchapel High School in Glasgow after the Christmas break.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Education Secretary has made clear the “absolute priority” to keep schools open amid soaring coronavirus cases as she urged pupils to test at home for the virus before heading back to classes.
With schools across Scotland returning this week, Ms Somerville also urged secondary school students to take a lateral flow test either the night before lessons start back or on the
The Scottish Government has vowed to “closely monitor” the schools return with students told to test for Covid before going to class.
The Scottish Government has vowed to “closely monitor” the schools return with students told to test for Covid before going to class.
It comes as the NASUWT teacher's union claimed its members want immediate action to avoid further disruption.
Ms Somerville said: “It is our absolute priority to keep schools safely open and minimise further disruption to learning.
“To achieve that, we need the help of the whole school community. Taking lateral flow tests before returning to school, and continuing to test regularly will help prevent outbreaks of the virus.
“We are grateful to schools for their continued efforts to stress the importance of asymptomatic testing.
“Parents of secondary pupils can also help by encouraging their children to make testing part of their weekly routine – and, importantly, to report all results online, whether positive, negative or void.
“Safety guidance for schools was updated in December in light of Omicron and it is crucial that all the mitigations are strictly followed.
“These include physical distancing, one-way systems and the correct use of face coverings.
“By testing regularly and following the mitigations, pupils and staff can all play their part in keeping themselves, their families and their schools safe.”
He said: “Rapid lateral flow testing helps us to find infectious cases that might otherwise have been missed, as around one in three people with Covid-19 does not show classic symptoms.
“That’s why it is really important that secondary pupils and school and early learning and childcare staff take lateral flow tests before they return to classes and settings after the break, and that they keep testing regularly throughout term.”
Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Education Secretary has made clear the “absolute priority” to keep schools open amid soaring coronavirus cases as she urged pupils to test at home for the virus before heading back to classes.
With schools across Scotland returning this week, Ms Somerville also urged secondary school students to take a lateral flow test either the night before lessons start back or on the
The Scottish Government has vowed to “closely monitor” the schools return with students told to test for Covid before going to class.
The Scottish Government has vowed to “closely monitor” the schools return with students told to test for Covid before going to class.
It comes as the NASUWT teacher's union claimed its members want immediate action to avoid further disruption.
Ms Somerville said: “It is our absolute priority to keep schools safely open and minimise further disruption to learning.
“To achieve that, we need the help of the whole school community. Taking lateral flow tests before returning to school, and continuing to test regularly will help prevent outbreaks of the virus.
“We are grateful to schools for their continued efforts to stress the importance of asymptomatic testing.
“Parents of secondary pupils can also help by encouraging their children to make testing part of their weekly routine – and, importantly, to report all results online, whether positive, negative or void.
“Safety guidance for schools was updated in December in light of Omicron and it is crucial that all the mitigations are strictly followed.
“These include physical distancing, one-way systems and the correct use of face coverings.
“By testing regularly and following the mitigations, pupils and staff can all play their part in keeping themselves, their families and their schools safe.”
He said: “Rapid lateral flow testing helps us to find infectious cases that might otherwise have been missed, as around one in three people with Covid-19 does not show classic symptoms.
“That’s why it is really important that secondary pupils and school and early learning and childcare staff take lateral flow tests before they return to classes and settings after the break, and that they keep testing regularly throughout term.”