SECONDARY schools in Herefordshire are gearing up to reopen to all pupils in less than two weeks.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the return to the classroom on Monday, with all pupils due back on March 8 after two months of learning from home.
Secondary school and college students will be expected to carry out twice-weekly testing, but this is voluntary and not compulsory.
Initially testing will be at school, but students will then be expected to carrt out tests at home.
Headteachers are urging parents to give permission as it should prevent any outbreaks. The lateral flow devices which will be used can return a result with 30 minutes, and are being used to find asymptomatic cases.
There will also be a greater emphasis on face coverings, with students expected to wear them in corridors and in classrooms where social distancing is not possible.
Here's how some of Herefordshire's biggest secondary schools, by the number of pupils, are planning the return on March 8.
John Kyrle High School, Ross-on-Wye
Pupils on roll 2018/19: 1446
Headteacher Nigel Griffiths says it's a "busy and exciting time ahead" and the school's reopening will be with mandatory attendance.
The school will continue with measures implemented from September, including year-group bubbles, a one-way system, social distancing and hand sanitisers.
In a letter to parents on Tuesday, Mr Griffiths said the senior leadership team will decide the best way to reopen school and offer testing to students.
He added: "We have flexibility on how best to deliver testing but vulnerable children, children of critical workers and those in years 10 to 13 should be prioritised.
"The Department [of Education] has said students returning to secondary schools will be tested three times on site and then once at home in the first two weeks back.
"After that, they will be expected to be tested twice-weekly at home and results reported by you to NHS Test and Trace, as well as to school for us to record.
"We will also be expected to retain a small testing site for those unable to test at home. Staff who wish to can test twice weekly.
"Students will only be tested with your written permission.
"We will be sending indemnity paperwork in the post this week. As you know, we have been testing students and staff on site during lockdown.
"Our external health and safety adviser commended us on our work. We now need to scale this up. Again, more information will follow."
John Masefield High School, Ledbury
Pupils on roll 2018/19: 909
Headteacher Andrew Evans said that students will have to wear face coverings in classrooms because with an average of 25 to 30 students per class, social distancing is not possible.
But he said in the letter to parents that students will not be required to wear masks at break or lunch when they are outside, or when they are sat down in the dining room eating their food.
"The logistics of all students having a Covid-19 test as they return to school is extremely complex, we cannot test all 900 students on Monday, March 8 before they start their lessons.
"We will spend the next few days planning how this will work. We will write to parents by Monday, March 1 with details of an exact date and time for each year group or tutor group return to school during the week commencing Monday, March 8.
"We will prioritise older year groups from year 10 upwards to return first as advised by the government."
He added: "I would also like to stress that although the tests are voluntary, students having the tests will be making a great contribution to keeping themselves, their families and the whole school community safe and protected from Covid-19."
Safety measures put in place at the school include staggered arrival and departure times, doors and windows are kept open to maximise ventilation, and frequent hand sanitising.
St Mary's RC High School, Lugwardine
Pupils on roll 2018/19: 745
Headteacher Stuart Weston wrote to parents on Tuesday to say how much the schools was looking forward to having pupils back.
"As I am sure you can imagine, there is much to plan regarding their return especially in relation to the government’s guidance for testing criteria prior to returning to the classroom," he said.
"To date we have conducted approximately 1,000 tests at St Mary’s, so rest assured strong systems are already in place.
"All key information relating to dates and times for your child’s return to school will be communicated to you in due course and with as much notice as we can give.
"We are working with the local authority and school transport to ensure that everything will be in place ready for a smooth and safe return from the week commencing March 8."
He thanked parents for their ongoing support and cooperation.
Weobley High School
Pupils on roll 2018/19: 523
Headteacher Dean Williams said the school is facing a "major logistical challenge" as it faces carrying out more than 1,500 coronavirus tests when children return to school.
Due to the mammoth nature of the task facing the school, in north Herefordshire, only year 11 pupils will return to school on March 8. One year group will then return each day that week until all are back in by Friday.
"The biggest challenge for us as a school will be to carry out the lateral flow testing for all pupils as they return," he said in a letter to parents.
"Pupils will have to be tested prior to starting lessons and then to receive two further tests, three to five days apart over the following 10 school days. This is well over 1500 tests.
"After that, we will be providing families with home-testing kits which will allow you to test your child twice per week; further details about this will follow."
"This is going to be a major logistical challenge and so we are working through how we will be able to manage this based on our testing capacity.
"We also have to be aware of the fact that pupils will only be able to return to lessons once they have had a negative test result and so timing is going to have to be carefully managed.
"We already have outline plans in place but I am still liaising with the local authority and getting Public Health England advice before I firm these plans up."
He added: "Almost 20 per cent of the pupils, as well as many staff, have been having tests throughout lockdown as they have been attending.
"These tests have run smoothly and so we can use this experience as we now expand into testing larger numbers.
"It is strongly recommended that all pupils have tests before returning to lessons however if you feel very strongly that your child should not have a test for any reason, then please let us know in advance."
Mr Williams added that measures such as hand-sanitising, zoned areas, staggered changeovers will continue as before, with a great emphasis on face coverings.
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