School won’t open despite new 10 day self isolation rules

[WinstonmissesXmas]

Just that, really! AIBU to expect school to reopen on Monday now that children who should have been isolating until the latter part of the week no longer have to? The school my friend’s children attend announced they would reopen Monday (similar situation) and yet ours sent out a message saying they won’t be open Monday. They also said the kids should continue to isolate. All the kids will have been isolating for over ten days as of tomorrow so they should be allowed back, shouldn’t they?

I have this problem as well, my sons isolation now ends 11:59pm on Sunday, school are so far insisting that the class completes 14 days. Very frustrating.

Well do they have the staff to open? Lots of schools have been forced to shut because they can't open safely

My head is spinning at the moment from the amount of parents posting on social media that we should open shouldn’t open should open shouldn’t open! As usual we can’t do right for doing wrong. As usual the government has thrown us under a bus. As usual we can never please everyone: I expect your Head has had enough. Like all of us tbh.

I imagine they are following the rules at the time that the isolation began?

They have the staff. The teachers are isolating the same as the kids. All fine when they’re doing online bits and pieces (primary).

@SimonJT

I have this problem as well, my sons isolation now ends 11:59pm on Sunday, school are so far insisting that the class completes 14 days. Very frustrating.

I have a child who is currently self-isolating, he was originally told his 14 days would end on Thursday, back to school Friday 18th. Within about 2 hours of the news yesterday I had an email from school saying that they'd be expecting him on Monday.

Schools shouldn't be overriding the official advice by making up their own ROOLZ.

That’s great Raspberry Wish ours would do the same. Can’t really understand why they’re not. It’s pretty easy to work out which day the shortened isolation period now ends!

I blame the government for not providing clarity and chopping and changing the rules so often.
What's the science behind reducing the days? Do those already isolating need to complete 14 days or 10?
They're changing the rules without thinking everything through so people are falling over themselves looking for someone close at hand to blame.
The opposition really need to up their game and hold the government to account.

All the chopping /changing ... it’s a new thing this virus!! Everyone is trying to do the right thing, stop blaming schools and DEMANDING they open!

Do those already isolating need to complete 14 days or 10?

That was made clear yesterday. If you're already self-isolating, you can stop after 10 days not 14.

Lots of rules have changed over time but the 14 days has been a constant since the start. It's because nearly everyone who is going to develop symptoms after contact will have done so by 10 days, extending it to 14 days isn't going to catch any more people.

It’s from 14th December. Cos Covid knows!
But technically from the 14th Dec it’s reduced to 10 days

I’m not demanding anything. I’m asking that the SLT apply the current rules appropriately and accurately. Yes, they’ve changed. Yes, it was last minute. But they are the rules now so there’s no reason (legally) the children can’t go back. I couldn’t just choose what to abide by and what not in my job!

RaspberryCoulis

It's because nearly everyone who is going to develop symptoms after contact will have done so by 10 days, extending it to 14 days isn't going to catch any more people.

Do you the contradiction that you have posted?

@RaspberryCoulis

Do those already isolating need to complete 14 days or 10?

That was made clear yesterday. If you're already self-isolating, you can stop after 10 days not 14.

Lots of rules have changed over time but the 14 days has been a constant since the start. It's because nearly everyone who is going to develop symptoms after contact will have done so by 10 days, extending it to 14 days isn't going to catch any more people.

No it was changed, it was 7 days at the beginning!

I can see this from both sides, if they’ve already planned for 14 days then it may be difficult to change. I would have thought they could cut it down a bit though if staff aren’t unwell

It's not a contradiction. The number of people who develop symptoms after 10 days but before 14 is so tiny that the damage to the economy or their education of keeping them away for the additional 4 days just isn't worth it.

Most people show symptoms 3-6 days after being infected. 14 days was always erring on the very very cautious side.

(And none the kids sent home from our large school as "close contacts" have gone on to develop their own symptoms anyway)

I agree with you OP.

In my DD’s school the first cases were spread by teachers (they all attended a meeting face to face with no masks, then one tested positive!) And the teachers were mixing outside of their bubbles!

One by one the year groups had to self isolate due to teacher exposure, then more teachers tested positive followed by lots of kids testing positive.

School is now shut for a month!

I’m cross the school didn’t manage this outbreak better. It only takes one teacher to come into work with a cold (that’s actually covid) and without rules about teachers mixing, sharing staff rooms, wearing masks etc an entire community is thrown into chaos 😡

I’m more concerned they’ve shared details of staff - I’m assuming they have if you know they are all fine?
When a colleague tested positive she took over the role of setting online work while she was off, she felt fine but had tested positive. I doubt the kids knew she had tested positive as we didn’t feel the need to announce it as she got symptoms whilst already isolating due to a kid in her class being positive.
Or maybe the safeguarding leads have tested positive/been told to isolate at a later date so that’s why they’ve decided to hold off opening. Schools can’t just do as they please as they have to document everything, so stop moaning and give them chance!

RaspberryCoulis

You said that
extending it to 14 days isn't going to catch any more people.

now you are saying

The number of people who develop symptoms after 10 days but before 14 is so tiny that the damage to the economy or their education of keeping them away for the additional 4 days just isn't worth it.

Are you still not seeing the contradiction?

(And none the kids sent home from our large school as "close contacts" have gone on to develop their own symptoms anyway)

Anecdotes do not equal data

Maybe they had arranged for a deep clean to be done in the last 2 days

HikeForward unless you're a whistle blowing member of staff, surely you have no idea what's going on in your children's school with regards to whether teachers wear masks in meetings or in the staff room. If covid was so easy to prevent spreading we wouldn't need a vaccine. It seems rather ridiculous to blame teaching staff for chaos in your community! 😂

So what would you prefer @FrippEnos ? All schools closed forever? 21 days quarantine because you know you can never be too careful? . 10 days is plenty.

Irrespective of whether you personally think it's too long or too short, the government across the UK has reduced the period to 10 days.

Schools cannot go against this and decide they know better, and impose their own ROOLZ.

The Head at my DD’s school approached the Department of Education to clarify the situation having seen the new isolation rules in the news - same as the rest of us - schools were not given any advance warning.

The advisor she spoke to stated that ‘until the DfE receives updated guidance for schools, we should continue with the current advice which is self-isolation for 14 days.’

She is hoping that the DFE will clarify the situation on Monday.

I feel for Headteachers. They are effectively in charge of the safety of the whole school community. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
Not sure they ever went into the role thinking that they’d have an extra (full time) role trying to wade through all of the rules and regulations associated with this pandemic.

Give them a chance!

surely you have no idea what's going on in your children's school with regards to whether teachers wear masks in meetings or in the staff room

I’m good friends with 2 of the teachers. They both told me the same story over the phone. Apparently head is against mask wearing, against zoom meetings and set no rules about teachers mixing outside of their bubbles eg in the small staffroom!

What a surprise covid spread like wildfire and half the staff and pupils are now ill!

RaspberryCoulis

What I would prefer is you to admit that that you have posted contradictory information and not to try and twist what I am saying when its a clear that you have no real comeback to what I have posted.

And due to the lack of government guidance, schools have had to implement their own rules (note the spelling) since this began.