Primary school denies forcing pupils to show proof of negative Covid tests
manchestereveningnews.co.ukA primary school has denied forcing pupils to take Covid tests before allowing them to attend. The parent of a child at Leigh St John's CE Primary, in Leigh, Wigan, contacted the Manchester Evening News criticising the school for saying children classed as a close contacts 'must' test daily.
Friday's newsletter to families reiterates the school's request stating: "When children are identified as close contacts of confirmed cases inside school, we will inform parents of the need for their child to undertake 7 days of LFD testing at home before school (to be uploaded to Tapestry each morning)." The mum says testing daily is 'excessive' and believes the tests are too 'traumatic' for younger pupils to be doing daily.
And she says the school isn't relaying it as a request, but a demand. "Parents are being informed when contacted by school due to close contact that children must be tested with LFT each morning and a negative test must be uploaded before they can come into school," she said. "It isn't communicated as guidance but as an absolute.
No test, no education. It puts parents of younger children in an unenviable situation because the tests can be quite distressing for the children. "I can see the value in testing but it's the ultimatum and the frequency that is an issue for me." The criticism comes after a similar situation at a primary school in Trafford last week.
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