COVID testing stations are in place in Bolton's secondary schools as teachers look forward to welcoming back all pupils back safely into the classroom next week.

And senior leaders at Ladybridge High School have praised their brilliant team for putting in place the measures needed.

The secondary school has turned the hall into a testing station where pupils can undergo the quick fire tests designed to keep the school community safe and ensure learning suffers less disruption.

Deputy headteacher Ann Zammit told The Bolton News: "We are looking forward to having the young people back in school.

"Our staff have been incredible teaching the pupils of critical workers and vulnerable young people as well as doing live lessons for remote learners.

"Now there is that eagerness for normality, or some sort of normality, by young people."

The school pulled out all the stops to ensure young people were set up for remote learning including providing hundreds of laptops, keyboards and other equipment.

Ms Zammit said: "During this lockdown learners have had that contact with their teachers because they have been doing live lessons, so they have been able to see their teachers. That should help with the transition back in the classroom and teachers are looking forward to seeing the students face to face.

Ms Zammit added that the school had covid-secure measures in place to protect pupils and teachers, such as the 'bubble system'.

She added: "We have had an extremely high uptake of consent for learners to be tested which we are really pleased about."

The school has been testing children of critical workers and vulnerable youngsters for several weeks. However, the number of tests being carried out from around 50 per week will rise to more than 2,000.

And the school will re-open on a staggered basis, welcoming back different year groups on different days.

Assistant headteacher Martin Ainscough and business manager Gaynor Chesterfield started planning the whole school test programme in school as soon as the Prime Minister made his announcement about how schools would reopen on Monday.

Mr Ainscough said: "It has been challenging but it down to the goodwill of the school staff, receptionists, teaching assistants, exam officers and they have all been fantastic with the students.

"As you can imaging it can be quite a daunting process for the younger pupils but the staff will be supporting them and be a friendly face for pupils.

"These tests with home testing for staff will help make the school environment safe, and it will also prepare students for home testing."

Pupils will be tested in batches throughout the morning each day. Those who test negative will return to face-to-face lessons once the tests are complete. If there are any positive cases, the school notify families and NHS test and trace and close contacts will be identified.

Schools will test pupils regularly for three weeks, before students carry out home testing.

In line with government guidance secondary school pupils will wear masks in lessons, unless they are exempt.