Last week saw the return of students to face-to-face learning at The Henley College

As part of its commitment to reducing the spread of Covid-19 amongst students and staff, Lateral Flow Testing is underway in line with government policy. 

Around 300 students are being tested each day in the hall on the Rotherfield campus which has been turned into a testing centre. Students take the test themselves under the supervision of volunteers or College staff, and the test is processed with the results recorded within 30 minutes. The tests aren’t compulsory, and any student tested has given their consent before hand.   

Students were tested once in their first week back and the College was pleased to report that no positive test results were recorded. Two further tests will be taken by students in College and then they will be issued with home testing kits.  

College staff were issued with home tests before returning to College on the 8th March and are testing themselves twice a week.  

Local celebrity Carol Decker joined the team of volunteers and staff, helping to register students on the NHS site before they took their tests. The testing team was also joined by two members of the ERT Search and Rescue Emergency Response Team, who were on hand to help students with the testing process.   

Testing is a crucial way of identifying asymptomatic cases, ensuring that staff and students safe, and maintaining in person learning, so the College would like to thank everyone who has participated in this enormous, but vital task.