As the education sector continues to adapt to the challenges brought about by the pandemic, a mobile testing unit (MTU) will be based at Outwood Academy Acklam part of this week starting on Wednesday, September 22.

The testing is a precaution and in response to a recent increase in the number of positive cases among the community, and has been organised in partnership with Public Health, with support from Middlesbrough Council.

The move is in reaction to the increasing numbers of positive tests seen in the community since the start of term. The infection rate in Middlesbrough as a whole remains high with the number of cases currently standing at 326 per 100,000 as of Tuesday, September 21.

 A number of local schools have been through the same process already as part of concentrated local efforts to control the virus. 

The Principal at the secondary school, based on Hall Drive, has spoken of the importance of the MTU in helping to keep students, and members of the wider community safe.

Mark Gray, Principal at the Ofsted Good-rated school, said:

“The last 18 months have been unprecedented in terms of the issues and challenges schools have had to face. But we’ve overcome them all and this is just another method of us continuing to do so.

“The MTU will enable the NHS Test and Trace system to understand more about the spread of infection and importantly, it will also help us keep people safe by identifying those who need to isolate.

“Ultimately we want to do all we can to help minimise the disruption caused to our students so we can help give them the education they deserve. As such, we are encouraging students to come forward for a PCR test.”

In a letter sent home to parents, the school has said it:

“follows all guidance set out by the Department for Education and Public Health England and already have a number of measures in place to keep people safe such as ventilation - opening windows and doors, encouraging hand washing and use of hand sanitiser, students being in year groups before school, at break and lunch time, students sitting in rows in lessons and in the dining hall, continuing to have regular all day cleaning and encouraging twice weekly student testing.”

Students whose parents have consented to testing visit the MTU for tests in classes and by year groups from period 1 each day the unit is at the school. The MTU will work through as many tests as they can each day and students will have their PCR test and be given a registration card to take to a member of staff to complete the online registration.

South Tees Joint Director of Public Health Mark Adams said: “We are working closely with all schools to support them in their efforts to keep students and staff safe. Outwood Acklam has taken the responsible decision to implement this extra testing as a precautionary measure and there is no need for alarm. The more students that take part, the more we can understand about the recent increase in cases and keep people safe.”