A head teacher has hit out at the Government, after her school nearly ran out coronavirus testing kits because parents were unable to get hold of one.

Ruth Powell, who is in charge of St Katherine's, a primary school in Snodland, sent an entire class home last week despite no positive confirmation of coronavirus among pupils, after ten students in Year 3 started showing symptoms of a persistent cough and a temperature.

Mrs Powell said she took quick action as pupils started showing the symptoms fairly suddenly and the health of everyone in the school was her priority.

The class of 26 have now returned, after six of the ten students tested negative, and the rest are awaiting results. However, the school had to use eight of its ten tests, which were given to them by the Government, originally be used in "exceptional circumstances", because parents could not get tests.

"We have been using these tests for parents who have continually tried to get tests. They were feeling frustrated that they were unable to get any, they want to go back to work, they want the children to come in.

"Ten isn't enough, we have about 520 pupils in school. Everyone knows when schools come back there is going to be an increase in coughs."

"We as a school have worked extremely hard to get the risk assessments set up to follow government guidance."

Mrs Powells said it was "very frustrating" that there weren't enough tests.

Speaking yesterday, Mrs Powell said the school is now waiting for a code which should allow them to apply for a higher number of tests.

However, even that has been difficult, and their inquiries were passed between the Covid hotline number and the department for education.

While the government aims to have test results returned within 72 hours, there have been delays and issues getting a slot at drive-through centres.

One woman in Maidstone was offered a test slot in Cardiff. Postal coronavirus testing kits naturally take longer to confirm a result.

The school, in St Katherine's Lane, remained open during the full UK lockdown and Mrs Powell said detailed risk assessments for safety and social distancing were developed and fully tested by the management team, which included a practise day.

Three separate entrances have been created and the playing field has been divided up into zones with hazard tape.

A number of schools have sent children home because of positive coronavirus tests , including Edenbridge Primary School and Invicta Valley Primary School in Aylesford.

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