Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Am I right in thinking that most boarding schools are only testing symptomatic pupils, not doing whole-population testing?

35 replies

Michaelah · 05/10/2020 13:23

DS's school is testing all pupils regularly, which is causing chaos as it is finding lots of asymptomatic pupils, in turn causing cascades of boys sent home as contacts. Am curious if my understanding that this is an unusual approach is right - my impression is that most schools aren't doing this, instead just testing in line with NHS guidance.

Would love to hear how your DCs' schools are running their testing regimes.

OP posts:
Original poster
Michaelah · 05/10/2020 15:00

@Looneytune253

Surely it's a good thing they're managing to test so widely so it can stop spread to someone more vulnerable? I'm sure it's reassuring to older members of staff or children with medical problems
I can understand that argument @Looneytune253 and it is a tricky one, but on the basis that it seems very few other schools are doing this, it seems to be making the school unnecessarily hard to run. Or alternatively that all schools, boarding and day should do it, and then everything will grind to a halt. Perhaps it is going to anyway.
OP posts:
ineedaholidaynow · 05/10/2020 14:55

DS's school is mainly day pupils but does have a few boarders, mainly foreign. If any boarder shows any symptoms then the boarding house is treated as a household and it has to be locked down, until test result arrives.

No whole population testing being done, only on children with symptoms.

Looneytune253 · 05/10/2020 14:51

Surely it's a good thing they're managing to test so widely so it can stop spread to someone more vulnerable? I'm sure it's reassuring to older members of staff or children with medical problems

movingonup20 · 05/10/2020 14:40

Symptoms are not relevant in younger people. Finally we got hold of antibody tests (connections!) and my whole family have tested positive but I'm the only one who had a very slight fever (around 4 hours) and lost my taste and smell. The other 3 have no idea when they had it, I don't live with them but was there until 5 days before my symptoms. At DD's old boarding school they are keeping them onsite (poor kids) testing before term started

Zodlebud · 05/10/2020 14:23

The latest ONS report suspected as many as 20% of the population have it at present. Looking at the University of Northumberland stats - almost 800 students with a positive result but only 78 of those showing symptoms.

I’m fairly certain far more people have it than they think!!

Zodlebud · 05/10/2020 14:21

Our school is 50% 50% boarding. Any of the three main symptoms in a day girl then they are sent home and not allowed back until proof of a negative result. All other children can stay in school unless displaying symptoms.

Any three of the symptoms in a boarder then the whole boarding bubble (they are split into many) is sent home and can’t return until the child with symptoms has proof of a negative test.

If there’s a positive test then the whole year group bubble is sent home.

nolanscrack · 05/10/2020 14:21

If they continue as they are,then no pupils will be attending after long leave,talking to parents at other schools ,they are only testing symptomatic pupils and have virtual full year groups..we are definitely out on a limb on this one and I dont see how it can continue..

Original poster
Michaelah · 05/10/2020 14:02

@nolanscrack

If your school has just sent home all of year 12 and fair number from other years then we are probably parents at the same school,some parents think we are acting as a case study/trial for PHE..
Judging by your handle, yes it is the same school. About 27 of circa 50 boys in his house are at home isolating for one reason or another, and his econ class of 18-20 was today down to 3 physical attendees.

I find it hard to believe that our boys are substantially more plague-ridden than others, so yes, @PineappleUpsideDownCake, it does make you wonder.

OP posts:
PineappleUpsideDownCake · 05/10/2020 13:55

It certainly makes you winder if theres tons of asymptomatic cases in other schools doesnt3it.

nolanscrack · 05/10/2020 13:49

If your school has just sent home all of year 12 and fair number from other years then we are probably parents at the same school,some parents think we are acting as a case study/trial for PHE..

Swipe left for the next trending thread