Limit role of schools in Covid testing, unions urge

Three education unions have written to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson expressing their concern that school and college leaders still have "little idea of the government’s Covid management plans for September and how they will be expected to run their settings."

It also raises growing concern among school and college leaders about testing on site, saying they should be run by an "appropriate public health body".

The letter said: "If there is a requirement for students to be tested on-site (whether on return in September or on an ongoing basis), limit the role of schools and colleges to providing appropriate space (if possible), and organising the throughput of students. The organising and running of the ATS, and the administration of tests themselves where required, should be carried out by an appropriate public health body."

The letter is signed by the General Secretaries of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), and the National Education Union (NEU).