Guidance and delivery schedule for Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) nurseries for Tests
The Department for Education is delighted to welcome all Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) nurseries to the COVID-19 Education Testing Programme.
We are expanding the rapid asymptomatic testing programme to staff in PVI nurseries because it is crucial that action continues to be taken to break the chains of transmission of coronavirus by identifying asymptomatic positive cases in the community. Up to one in three people who have the virus do not have symptoms (they are asymptomatic), so could be spreading the disease unknowingly.
Settings will start receiving deliveries of lateral flow device (LFD) from 11th March, to be used from the week beginning 22 March. Staff will be asked to take their test kits home and carry out the test twice a week, preferably in the morning. Please note that you should not offer testing to children in early years settings.
Further guidance on asymptomatic home testing is now available for you to view on our document sharing platform. This platform has the latest testing guidance, which includes:
- Guidance to support set-up of testing for staff, including a ‘How To Guide’
- In-depth information and videos on how to self-test from home
- Clinical standard operating procedure for the tests. This provides comprehensive step by step information for settings delivering the testing programme
- Frequently asked questions
- A delivery schedule providing you with your expected delivery dates and testing supplies
If you have any queries about your expected delivery date and supplies, please check the delivery schedule in the first instance. You will be able to report any delivery issues using an online form from 15th March and more information will be shared on that day.
The number of testing kits that you will receive for workforce testing is based on a workforce estimation using the number of childcare places on record with Ofsted. If this data is no longer up to date and thus you do not think you have received the correct number of test kits, please use the online form available from 15th March to report this to us.
We will provide you with further information on how to order further testing supplies by the beginning of April.
Going forward, we will be providing you with the latest information and announcements through our daily DfE sector bulletin. If you have colleagues who would like to receive the daily email directly, please ask them to use this subscription form.
Going forward, the Department will be providing PVIs with the latest information and announcements using your Ofsted registered email account. They can also view the guidance on the document sharing platform here – Primary Schools Document Sharing Platform – Google Drive.
If you have any questions, concerns or issues that are not addressed through the document sharing platform, please call the DfE coronavirus helpline on 0800 046 8687. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm.