I am a primary school teacher in Birmingham and I’ve taught for 14 years in areas of significant disadvantage. I know the importance of regular attendance for all pupils at school and in welcoming pupils back after lockdown I’ve seen the impact that this time away has had on them and it’s alarming. Ensuring pupils receive a consistent education is crucial to their development. At the moment we have a system where teachers and pupils cannot get a Co-Vid19 test to say whether they can be in school or not. At this time of year we experience all sorts of ailments in schools, most of which will be nothing more than the common cold but unfortunately these symptoms overlap with Co-vid 19 and staff are having to make decisions about health and safety that have huge consequences. Bubbles of 90 having to isolate is far from ideal. Vulnerable families who may have little or no English are being left to navigate an impossible system. If we want children in school then at the very least teachers need access to regular testing just like footballers and cricketers. Surely, if we value education then we need the testing in place to enable us to teach and to teach full classes. If rapid testing is not in place then the disruption will be the same and if not worse than when we were in full lockdown. The teaching profession should demand regular testing to keep our schools and the communities they serve safe and this is particularly the case in areas of concern such as Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull.