A school in Tadley has clarified its Covid test policy after an initial letter sent by the headteacher led to an online uproar.

The Hurst School in Tadley had said in a letter on Tuesday that students will not be allowed to enter the school or return to lessons until they have been tested once and found to be negative.

The letter caused an online outcry as many people, including political commentator Katie Hopkins, criticised the policy.

Ms Hopkins called the decision “outrageous” on her Instagram account and added: “British children REFUSED an education until they comply with mandatory testing. Kids should not be mass tested. They are not prostitutes for case numbers. They are CHILDREN.”

However, the school has clarified its policy today (Thursday) and said the test is voluntary and the initial letter made it sound compulsory. The school added that a new letter will be sent out tomorrow (Friday) clarifying its policy.

Headteacher Jayne McLaren said: “A letter will be going out tomorrow to clarify the situation with parents. The test is voluntary and the initial letter made it sound compulsory. This is not the case. Our first responsibility is to communicate to our parents and students and let them know what is happening.”

Her letter on Tuesday read: “I’m sure you have read or heard that as part of the return to school, it is necessary that we test all students three times in their first two weeks back at school.

“Students will not be allowed to enter the school or return to lessons until they have been tested once and found to be negative. They will then be tested twice further over the following 10 days.

“I believe that after this testing will revert to home testing although more details should be forthcoming soon from the Government.”

A concerned parent had wrote to the Gazette saying the policy “horrified” her.

She said: “This is absolutely disgraceful as testing in NOT mandatory and still voluntary. This is illegal in current laws.

“Different schools over the UK and Hampshire have received letters of varying content. Some schools are requesting the pupils to be tested but purely on a voluntary basis, while others like The Hurst are giving parents no option.

“This horrifies me as a parent that the choice is seemingly taken out of our hands. I will not be giving my consent for my child to be tested. These tests are very invasive and the children are expected to carry them out on their own with supervision.”

Meanwhile, the Hampshire County Council said its education specialist are working with all headteachers to ensure the re-opening of schools is successful.

Councillor Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education and Skills, said: “

Councillor Roz Chadd, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Education and Skills, said: “It is right that children and young people are prioritised as lockdown eases.

"Children and young people need to be back in the classroom – not only so they can access to high quality face-to-face learning and but also to have opportunities to mix socially with their peers. 

“Our education specialists are working with all headteachers to ensure the successful re-opening of schools when the time comes and that mitigation strategies to avoid the spread of the virus are scrupulously followed.

"In the meantime, on behalf of the County Council, I would like pay tribute to the outstanding work of headteachers and their staff over the course of the pandemic – and their remarkable creativity and resilience in continuing to meet the needs of their pupils in exceptional circumstances.”