Management Information Sheet

Managing COVID-19 in education

MI Sheet TypeInformation
MI Number:201/21
Publication Date:05/11/2021 12:00:00
LA Contact:Health and Safety Team (01603 573562)
Audience:All schools

Managing COVID-19 in education

Increased daily lateral flow device (LFD) testing for schools

Increased use of asymptomatic LFD testing may be advised by the Norfolk Outbreak Management Centre (OMC) in response to some outbreaks in educational settings.

This can include daily LFD testing for pupils and staff who are awaiting the results of a PCR test as a close contact of a positive case in all settings or may be advised in secondary schools for specific groups of staff or pupils. Information on how to access test kits is available on the Norfolk County Council web pages.

Frequently asked questions about these approaches can be found on the document sharing platforms for primary schools and for secondary schools and further education providers, and may be useful if you are advised to adopt them.

Further information is also available in the Norfolk Educational Settings Contingency Planning document which has been updated to help your contingency planning in the event that this is recommended. This guidance has also been updated with additional considerations that may be required in the event of an outbreak.

Information for schools on COVID-19 vaccinations for 12 to 15 year olds

Offering vaccines in schools is important for ensuring all children can get a vaccine if they and their parents choose to do so. We would like to thank you for working closely with the School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS) teams on the in-school COVID-19 vaccinations for 12 to 15 year olds.

To support you in doing this, the DfE have published a "how to" guide. This includes useful information and resources for schools, including a template letter that can be used to communicate with parents.

Running in parallel to the in-school vaccination programme NHS England have expanded their out of school vaccination offer for 12 to 15 year olds to get their COVID-19 vaccine through vaccination centres. Parents of children aged 12 to 15 will receive a letter from the NHS with more information on the vaccination programme, including information about how to book an appointment out of school if this option is preferred. The DfE "how to" guide will help you to understand the different vaccination routes, and the part that you play in these.

Not all children will be able to attend an out of school site, and so in continuing to support the in-school programme, you are helping to ensure all children and young people have an equal opportunity to be vaccinated.

Please see the guidance on COVID-19 vaccination: resources for schools and parents for further information and resources on the vaccination programme. We would also recommend the Everything COVID website, which is designed by young people, for young people where they can learn more about the vaccine.

Dedicated school transport

If you are aware of a positive case travelling on dedicated school transport please email ptgnetwork@norfolk.gov.uk to inform them. Please remember, on dedicated school transport it is recommended that children and young people aged 11 and over continue to wear a face covering. Your help to remind parents and pupils of this is appreciated.

Simple and effective preventative measures

The changes in guidance and isolation rules can be confusing for members of your school community, that is why it is important to retain focus on some simple but effective preventative measures;