Over 3 million rapid covid tests conducted in schools

More than three million rapid coronavirus tests have been conducted in schools and colleges in England that have remained open for children with key worker parents and vulnerable children since 4 January 2021.

Testing has helped to reduce the spread of the virus in these settings, keeping them open for those attending.

97% of schools and colleges are now ready to deliver tests, and staff and secondary and college pupils will be offered testing on their return.

Lateral flow tests have been proven to help identify the one in three people who have coronavirus without displaying symptoms, helping to break chains of transmission.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "At any other time, it would have been unimaginable to suggest that a testing programme of this scale and impact could be delivered at the speed we have seen.

"I am grateful and humbled by the actions that everyone working in education has taken to pull together and deliver this programme. Alongside the wider protective measures in place that we must all continue following, this asymptomatic testing helps break chains of transmission by taking people who are infectious but don’t know it out of circulation.

"I hope it gives parents and students the same confidence it gives me – that every possible action is being taken to get all students back into education as soon as possible."

1.7 million tests have been taken on site in secondary schools and colleges, where students are offered two tests on their return, and staff are offered tests twice-weekly (up from weekly in January).
1.7 million tests have been taken at home by primary and maintained nursery staff, who have been offered tests twice-weekly since late January if they are working on site.
0.6 million tests have been taken on site at universities since last year, where universities are encouraged to offer tests twice-weekly to everyone attending. This reflects that most students are receiving remote education at university.
Any secondary schools, colleges and universities where testing takes place on site that haven’t yet setup their testing process are encouraged to do so, in preparation for the wider return to education when the public health picture allows.