Hundreds of Queenswood pupils received their first on-site lateral flow test on Friday 5 March.

The first floor of Queenswood Hall has been transformed into an impressive testing station, with eight self-contained covid-secure booths. Over 20 members of staff are involved in registering pupils, helping them to self-administer the tests and inputting the results.

Meanwhile, teachers have been collecting self-test kits to use at home.

There will be further tests carried out next week, as we return to face-to-face teaching for the first time in almost three months.

On behalf of the Queenswood community, we would like to pay tribute to everyone who has contributed to this colossal undertaking – the staff who read and digested the volumes of government guidelines, built the testing station and IT infrastructure, and organised the logistics in the days leading up to testing day; the parents and guardians who have been so supportive; and, of course, the pupils who have calmly and bravely subjected themselves to these intrusive but vital tests.