Corby village school's EIGHT positive staff lateral flow tests cause delay to classroom returns

A primary school in a Corby village has had to remain closed to some pupils after a number of staff tested positive using the fast-acting Covid lateral flow device tests.

Gretton Primary School, part of the Brooke Weston Trust, had to keep some year group bubbles away from the classroom as eight members of staff tested positive for Covid-19.

All members of staff are now taking PCR tests to confirm if they have the infection or if they were 'false positive' tests.

Leyton Smith, executive principal of Brooke Weston Trust, said: “Safety is always our highest priority and we want to thank all our community who have helped us complete the new lateral flow tests before children return to the classroom.

“Eight asymptomatic positive lateral flow test results were identified before children could return to the classroom. These members of staff are self-isolating and confirming their results with a full PCR test.

"As a small school, the staff absences have meant that some year group bubbles have not been able to return to the classroom today but will continue their learning remotely.”

Lateral flow tests deliver a rapid assessment – in 30 minutes – of whether someone is likely to be infectious or not. This is very quick compared to other routinely available testing options.

School staff have been testing themselves at home in readiness to returning to the classrooms and will take lateral flow tests during the working week.

The Department For Education has reminded students and staff that individuals with a positive lateral flow test result from an assisted test site will need to self-isolate in line with the guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection.

This means that a negative result with the gold-standard PCR test does not override the “false positive” lateral flow result.

Children at primary schools are not being asked to take the twice-weekly lateral flow tests unlike secondary school children and school staff in all settings.

On the school website children were being welcomed back to the school.

It said: "All the staff here at Gretton Primary cannot wait to see everyone back at school on Monday. The school has been very quiet without you all. I know it's been a long time since most of you were learning in the classroom but please don't be worried about this - the teachers and support staff will all be here to help you settle back into your routines of learning."