Delayed restart - private schools? SW London in particular?

I didn't think you were arguing. I was trying to be helpful. I don't agree it's better than nothing when used instead of 10 days self isolation, the tests are so unreliable they will lead to more children in school who are positive. Just my view on it though.

Don't know if all of that was for my benefit. If so please don't feel you need to. Number 1 is I wasn't arguing but number 2 is I guess its better than nothing.

This was meant to be the second link www.sciencemediacentre.org/evidence-on-mass-testing/

Yes they all are and the tests are unreliable www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4848

The dpt of Education provided a template letter for schools to send to parents claiming they are 99.68% as accurate as PCR. That was misleading as that was only the case when the test was carried out by a healthcare professional and the person had a high level of the virus. It is deliberately intended to mislead parents into believing they are reliable enough to not require the 10 day self isolation period for anyone in close contact with a positive case. The truth is they don't know what the accuracy of the test is when children swab themselves or by a volunteer who will not be a healthcare professional, but it seems it will be closer to 50% www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4848

Let's hope the test sent by your school is not the Lateral Flow Test as that's barely 50% accurate.

My DCs indy day/boarding school starts tomorrow....my dc is going back in a few hours. All year groups back. They have had testing system in place.... Just done instant test on dc in readiness... School posted these to us over Xmas.

Not heard about any other schools going back as normal though.

BunsyGirl I doubt it’s solely to allow time for testing to be put in place. I’d bet it’s also to allow time for the covid cases to drop or at least stop increasing (hopefully).

@oxconfused Which area of the country are you in?

@minipie But outside London and parts of Essex and Kent, secondary schools are not opening so as to allow time for testing to be put in place. If a private school already has testing in place, why do they have to close?

@scentedgeranium I am not saying that it is the same but it is wrong to say that private schools cannot open as they will not be insured if they go against Government guidance. They can if their insurer gives the go ahead.

Also, if schools are closed to allow for testing to be put in place then why does a private school that has had testing in place since September need to close? What is entitled about that?

We have to follow the DfE directive, otherwise we are not insured.

We will be teaching all years online next week, which may be a bit different to the maintained sector.

oxconfused that’s very risky and I would say pretty indefensible. Rapid antigen tests have a very high false negative rate - something like 50% false negative among asymptomatic people.

My independent school is going completely against the government advice and opening fully on Monday 4/1. The argument is that everyone must take a rapid antigen test on Sunday and receive a negative result before setting foot into the school. I would be interested to hear if anyone else is doing anything similar.

Truly shocking sense of entitlement.

Staggering!

But @BunsyGirl even if the insurers says it's ok, that's not really the point is it? I mean the point is that if schools are closed to reduce transmission then ALL schools must close. It's like says oh this is a private pub or nightclub or shop so can stay open even if all the others are to close.

Some of the comments on here are completely unfair and downright nasty. Ultimately, it will depend on what the school’s insurer says. My DCs independent school managed to persuade their insurer to approve the return of year 5 in June when this was still against Government guidance.

Your sense of entitlement is staggering. You still don't think the rules should apply to you.

Yea private schools need to follow the guidance in the same way that private nurseries do. The guidance is about managing a massive threat at a population level.

Also guidance for bodies and institutions is often statutory guidance which means there is an expectation it is followed unless there is a v good reason why. It isn’t a case of ‘here’s some advice you might find interesting’.

why do we not have these guidelines to in-school test for TB for example which is on the increase again?

If there is a case in a school, then yes there would be testing of contacts. And both state and private schools have to comply.

Your ignorance is understandable, as the case rates are so very low that it rarely happens and doesn't usually attract any attention.

You lost me when you said the PCR is unreliable.

Thus particular form of bollocks has considerable traction in the misinformation and disinformation arena.

I suspect you will already have been pointed to many more reliable sources which explain the testing properly. The 'part of a medical diagnosis' refers to the wording of Portuguese law and one judgement made on how the test was rolled out in the Azores. It's not a general statement on the reliability

Travelban is the first school you mentioned a secondary, and have you had the dates reconfirmed since yesterday's announcement? This was our school's plan too (test and return next week), but reading yesterday's DfE guidance it doesn't sound like the instruction to stay closed to non-exam years until the 18th is optional. Haven't heard an update from the school yet.

Well our children's independent is opening fully at the end of next week. They are testing everyone in during thr week next week. So I effect they are opening way earlier.

They can do this as they are a smaller school and are able to test everyone quickly. Other child's senior school is reopening on the 18th.

Good grief. Your explanation which you think sounds so cleverly argued just digs your hole of entitlement still deeper. You still seem to be implying the rules (or guidance) are different for them and us.

Our prep has made it crystal clear that they will be following the guidance- as they should.......