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School guidance for parents and pupils during COVID-19

Questions about school and COVID-19

Advice on who to contact if you have concerns about your child going to school, what age they need to wear face coverings, vaccines and testing during COVID-19.  For the latest education information, see the government guidance

How do I arrange COVID-19 vaccination for my child?

You can check if your child is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination. 

Find out how your child can get vaccinated in Southwark.

Who do I contact if I have concerns?

You may be particularly worried about COVID-19 if a child or other family member is at higher risk. This may be due to health conditions that meant someone was previously shielding or the age of family members you share a home with.

If you're concerned about the risk to anyone in your family and whether your child should return to school, speak with your GP and your school. You can also contact your school nurse or email us at backtoschool@southwark.gov.uk 

Does my child need to be tested to go to school?

Regular rapid testing will help detect infection early and reduce transmission within schools. If your child has no symptoms but a positive rapid test follow national guidance on what to do next.

Primary school pupils don’t need to do regular rapid tests.

However, if there is a significant number of positive cases in your child’s education setting then additional testing may be advised. 

How to get rapid lateral tests

If you or someone in your household is a school or college pupil, or works in a school or college, we recommend regularly testing for COVID-19 via a rapid test whilst you do not have symptoms of COVID-19. This testing is voluntary, but we strongly encourage it.

Find out how to get tested if you don’t have COVID-19 symptoms.

How soon you can do another PCR test after you have tested positive for COVID-19

If you've tested positive (via a PCR or a rapid LFD test), you should avoid doing a PCR test for the recommended number of days after your infection. The exception to this is if you develop a new set of COVID-19 symptoms. If that is the case you should follow the usual procedures and arrange for a PCR test.   

Will my child need to wear a face covering?

Children and staff are not currently required to wear a face covering in classrooms or communal areas of school. However, mask wearing should be considered when in a crowded and indoor space with people you would not normally meet. Directors of public health can recommend using face coverings if there are outbreaks.

Who to contact if you are concerned about your child being in school during COVID-19

Southwark schools have worked extremely hard throughout this pandemic to prioritise our children’s education, and we will continue to support them.

Contact our back to school team if you are worried about sending your child to school by completing our form. 

Page last updated: 03 February 2022

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