Coronavirus

Important links:

Click here to watch step-by-step videos showing how to conduct self-testing, or click here for written instructions (available in English and other languages).

Click here to report Home Testing Results.

Frequently asked questions:

Do I need to give consent?

Students and parents/carers do not give written consent to take part in the home testing programme. Please read the information below on how personal information and test results are shared and the privacy notice on the Privacy Notice tab of this website.

Once you open the kit you should take and report the results of the tests to NHS Test & Trace and the Academy regardless of the result (positive, negative, or void).

Can my child take the test themselves?

Students aged 18 and over should do the test themselves and report the result, with help if they need it.

Students aged 12-17 should do the test themselves with adult supervision. The adult may help the student to take the test if they need support.

Students aged 11 must be tested by an adult, and the adult must report the result. This applies to home testing only and was not the requirement for the in-Academy testing.

Reporting problems or issues with testing

If there is an issue with the test kit, for example something is missing, please report it by calling 119.

If an accident or injury happens whilst using the test kit, please seek medical care by calling 111 (or 999 if it is an emergency). Please also report what happened using this website here.

What type of tests will be used?

We will be sending home Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests. They are a fast and simple way to test people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19, but who may still be spreading the virus. The tests are easy to use and give results in 30 minutes.

Further information can be found here.

Are LFD tests accurate?

Lateral Flow Devices identify people who are likely to be infectious. These individuals tend to spread the virus to many people and so identifying them through this test is important. 

These tests have been widely and successfully used to detect COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals and are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The speed and convenience of the tests supports the detection of the virus in asymptomatic individuals, who would not otherwise have got tested.

The tests are highly specific, with low chance of false positives. They are also very sensitive and are able to identify the majority of the most infectious yet asymptomatic individuals. Extensive evaluation has been carried out on the tests and it shows that they are both accurate and sensitive enough to be used in the community for screening and surveillance purposes. 

It is important to remember that these tests are only an aid to help stop the spread of the virus and you should continue to follow other guidance such as on wearing face coverings and social distancing. 

How are LFD tests different to PCR tests?

There are 2 main types of test to check if you have coronavirus:

• polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests check for the genetic material (RNA) of the virus in the sample – you send the sample for processing at a lab;
• lateral flow device (LFD) tests detect proteins called ‘antigens’ produced by the virus.

LFD tests give rapid results, in 30 minutes after taking the test.

What does it mean if my child has a positive result?

You need to report your result to both NHS Test & Trace and the Academy here and follow the current advice.

What does it mean if my child has a negative result?

A negative result does not guarantee that your child is not carrying the virus. So, you should continue to follow social distancing, and other measures to reduce transmission such as wearing a face mask and regularly washing your hands.

What if my child has a void result?

If the result of the test is unclear (void), they should take another one. If the next test is also void, your child should take a PCR test.

All test results need to be reported to both NHS Test & Trace and the Academy here.

Do I need to send the test to a lab?

No. The LFDs supplied do not need to be sent to a laboratory to get a result and can give a quick result. Guidance on self-testing is contained in the ‘Instructions for Use’ leaflet, which comes with the test kit. There is also a useful video to show you how to take the test here.

How do you report the result?

Follow the instructions here.

You will receive a text message/email from the NHS to confirm you have submitted your result.

Can I or someone else in my household use a test kit sent home from the Academy?

No, but whole families and households with children attending an education setting, including childcare and support bubbles, will be able to test themselves twice every week from home. Please see this post shared from Sandwell MBC with relevant local information.

How will personal information and test results be shared?

When your child takes a Lateral Flow test, you need to report the result. This is so that their test result can be traced, which means that you need to share some information about your child.

You need to tell the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC):

• your child’s name
• your child’s test result
• the reference number on the test Kit

You will also need to tell the Academy their test result.

Under UK law, the Academy can collect and store test result data because it is in the ‘public interest’. This means that your child’s data helps us to stop the spread of the virus, and to keep your children in education. For example, we will tell your child to self-isolate if they get a positive test result. The Academy will only share information with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) if the test kits used are found to be faulty. If this happens, DHSC will use our information to contact people who used the faulty tests, so that they can be tested again. This will ensure that testing is accurate and helps keep us all safe. When you report test results online, you are sharing information with DHSC. They may share the information with your GP, local government, NHS, and Public Health England. This is so that they can offer your family health services and guidance if your child needs to self-isolate. They might also use your child’s data anonymously (without their name or contact information) to research COVID-19, and improve our understanding of the virus.

For more information on how personal data is used for testing please see the detailed privacy notice on the tab above.

Ownership of the Personal Data 

To enable the COVID-19 testing to be completed at Q3 Academy Great Barr, we need to process personal data for staff and students taking part, including sharing of personal data where we have a legal obligation. Q3 Academy Great Barr is the Data Controller for the data required for processing the tests and undertaking any actions which are needed by the Academy to ensure we meet our public health and safeguarding legal obligations detailed under paragraph 7 of the Schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 applicable to academies.

Personal Data relating to staff is processed under the legitimate interest of data controller to ensure we can minimise the spread of COVID-19 in a timely manner and enable us to continue to deliver education services safely and securely.

Processing Details

If you decline a test, we record your decision under the legitimate interest of the Academy in order to have a record of your decisions and to reduce unnecessary contact with you regarding testing.

The processing of special category personal data is processed under the provisions Section 9.2(i) of GDPR, where it is in the public interest on Public Health Grounds. This data is processed under the obligations set out in Public Health legislation (Regulations 3(1) and (4) of the Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 (COPI)) which allows the sharing of data for COVID-19 related purposes and where it is carried out by someone who owes an equivalent duty (to a health care professional) of confidentiality to that data.

Data Controllership is then passed to the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) for all data that we transfer about you and your test results to them. For more information about what they do with your data please see the Test and Trace Privacy Notice. The establishment remains the Data Controller for the data we retain about you.

Personal Data involved in the process

We use the following information to help us manage and process the tests:

• Name
• Date of birth (and Year Group)
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Home postcode
• Email address
• Mobile number
• Unique barcode assigned to each individual test and which will become the primary reference number for the tests
• Test result
• Parent/carers contact details (if required).

We will only use information that is collected directly from you specifically for the purpose of the tests, even if you have previously provided us with this information.

How we store your personal information

The information will only be stored securely at the Academy whilst it is needed.  It will also be entered directly onto DHSC digital services for the NHS Test and Trace purposes. The Academy will not have access to the information on the digital service once it has been entered.

Processing of Personal Data Relating to Positive test results 

The member of staff, student, or parent/carer (depending on contact details provided) will be informed of the result by the Academy and advised how to book a confirmatory test. 

We will use this information to enact their own COVID-19 isolation processes without telling anyone who it is that has received the positive test.

The information will be transferred to DHSC, who will share this with the NHS, GPs, PHE, and the Local Government will use this information for wider test and trace activities as well as statistical and research purposes.

This information is processed and shared under obligations set out in Public Health legislation under Regulations 3(1) and (4) of the Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 (COPI) which allows the sharing of data for COVID-19 related purposes. 

This information will be kept by the Academy for up to 14 days and by the NHS for 8 years.

Processing of Personal Data Relating to Negative test results 

We will record a negative result and the information transferred to DHSC, NHS, PHE, and the Local Government who will use the information for statistical and research purposes.

This information is processed and shared under obligations set out in Public Health legislation under Regulations 3(1) and (4) of the Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 (COPI) which allows the sharing of data for COVID-19 related purposes. 

This information will be kept by the Academy for up to 14 days and by the NHS for 8 years.

Processing of Personal Data relating to declining a test

We will record that you have declined to participate in a test and this information will not be shared with anyone.

Data Sharing Partners

The personal data associated with test results will be shared with 

• DHSC, NHS, PHE – to ensure that they can undertake the necessary Test and Trace activities and to conduct research and compile statistic about Coronavirus.
• Your GP – to maintain your medical records and to offer support and guidance as necessary
• Local Government to undertake local public health duties and to record and analyse local spreads.

Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. 

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete. 

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances. 

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. 

Your right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact the Academy if you wish to make a request.

How to raise concerns

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can contact us at the Academy.

You can complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address:            

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

Please see here for government issued FAQs regarding consent/the testing process.