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Original poster

Take kids out of school or risk it?

28 replies

BreathingDeep · 01/07/2021 08:59

I'm in a right old conundrum...

Where we are, children break up next Friday. All around us, secondary schools are having to send kids home because of positive Covid cases, meaning those children then have to isolate for 10 days. Most schools nearby have positive cases and children at home.

Ours are at primary school and so far, there haven't been any Covid cases there, but it's definitely on the rise locally.

We're due to go on holiday, in the UK, next Sat - our first trip away for 2 years. I'm terrified I'm going to get a text from the school saying there's a positive case and the kids have to isolate, which will mean no holiday so I'm considering keeping them home next week - their last week - so there's less risk.

What would you do? Is that a crazy idea or is it madness to send them in and just hope for the best?

OP posts:

CheddarGorge · 01/07/2021 09:03

They've missed enough school this year so I would send them in. It's not fair on them to keep them home for a whole week and what are you teaching them about the importance of school and education.

cupsofcoffee · 01/07/2021 09:09

I would probably keep them home tbh. But I'm sure I'll get slated for that on here

Let's be fair though - nobody really does much the last week of term - it's not like they'll be missing anything major.

3Britnee · 01/07/2021 09:10

I'd keep them off. They don't do much in the last week and will benefit more from the holiday.

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Original poster

BreathingDeep · 01/07/2021 09:10

CheddarGorge yes, excellent point about what it would telling them about priorities. This would be a really unusual step for us - they don't miss school for any reason other than illness usually.

OP posts:

Horseradish01 · 01/07/2021 09:11

I’d keep them off too. They can homeschool for that week, not that they learn much in the last week of term anyway.

Original poster

BreathingDeep · 01/07/2021 09:12

coffee and britnee, exactly. If it were an ordinary week I wouldn't even consider it, but the last week is very much focussed on downtime which I really don't want them to miss for the sheer fun factor, but the risk of losing the holiday - which we all badly need (like everyone, I know) is a real worry.

OP posts:

Lockdownbear · 01/07/2021 09:13

If I could I'd be tempted to keep them off. How much schooling gets done in the last week?

covidsucker · 01/07/2021 09:24

I’d keep them off. See my thread in the covid section

My DTs are isolating due to a positive case in their class. Our holiday for next week is now cancelled due to isolation and I’m extremely upset about it!

At this stage of term and in primary school, I don’t think one week will make a difference to them. After the shit show the last year has been a family holiday is more important imo .

GameSetMatch · 01/07/2021 09:25

I would, I’ve been so concerned about COVID and not getting to go on holiday then yesterday I was hit with the news DS has chickenpox! This year has been awful, we all need a bit of fun back in our lives!

Paddingtonitspaddingtonbear · 01/07/2021 09:33

I'm doing the same!

Original poster

BreathingDeep · 01/07/2021 10:02

Oh Covidsucker I am so sorry. This is exactly what I'm fearful of - it's rotten and I'm so sorry. Can you rearrange or get money back or is a double whammy of no holiday and no refund? I've been looking into insurance that could cover in the case of isolation but can't find anything.

Lockbear yep!
Paddington good for you!
GameSetMatch so hope your little one doesn't suffer too badly with it. Oats in a pop sock in the bath was amazing for mine when they had it.

OP posts:

seepingweeping · 01/07/2021 10:07

I would pull them out.

We're in Scotland so finished last week but they sat and watched films the last few days of term.

looptheloopinahulahoop · 01/07/2021 16:04

There was another thread on this topic a few days ago and the consensus seemed to be to keep them off (especially in my view if it wasn't something you could cancel at short notice).

If you are staying in self-catering accommodation I suppose you could isolate there if necessary but it's not really a holiday.

Dragonn · 01/07/2021 16:08

Same for us. Holiday next Sat, school finishes next Friday. Just finished isolation. Covid now in the school. It's just waiting to see if it spreads out across the school. I'm really worried. DD needs this bit of fun to look forward to.

poshme · 01/07/2021 16:22

Same conundrum here except we'd be missing seeing family abroad (green list country).
Trip postponed form last year.

northernlightsea · 01/07/2021 16:26

We’re in Scotland and my kids school was empty in the last week of term. He went in as we’re not due to go away until later in the summer but was very grumpy about it! Even parents who I know never take kids out in term time normally had them out for exactly this reason. I know several friends who’s trips have been cancelled because of isolation.

Dragonn · 01/07/2021 17:25

What are people actually telling the school? 43 years of doing things right, I wouldn't know what to say!

Lockdownbear · 01/07/2021 19:24

You could act daft and say you were contracted by T&T because of a random in a café. You could say you are unwell and waiting on test results.

I'm sure if you put your head into it you can come up with some excuse

Ilovechoc12 · 01/07/2021 19:30

Last week = fun week so not much work is done. They are going to forget it before sept🤣

My boy got sent home today at 9am as a positive Covid kid in another class but they have had to go home the entire year as they had the end of yr concert all together. Now we are busted.

If you have plans I’d keep them home. My Xmas holiday got busted as he got the text 2 days before the flight 😢 bags backed!

Enjoy yourself it’s been a crap yr x x x

heymammy · 01/07/2021 19:34

I would definitely keep them off, our holiday next week is ruined due to self isolating

Echobelly · 01/07/2021 19:36

Maybe claim they've had a contact from somewhere out of school and you have to keep them off if you need an excuse. They won't miss much I suppose.

BusyLizzie61 · 01/07/2021 20:14

@BreathingDeep

I'm in a right old conundrum...

Ours are at primary school and so far, there haven't been any Covid cases there, but it's definitely on the rise locally.

What would you do? Is that a crazy idea or is it madness to send them in and just hope for the best?

I don't view it as any different to when our school closed early at Christmas so that those celebrating with family and that was apparently "fine".

pollylocketpickedapocket · 01/07/2021 20:17

I’d be sending them to school and ignoring any requests to isolate unless they’re actually positive themselves.

Original poster

BreathingDeep · 05/07/2021 14:15

As an update, I spoke to the school who were really helpful. They explained that the first day of the last week is an important one as they get to find out their new teachers and spend time in their new classes so ideally, they wouldn't want the kids to miss that, but then we have agreed with the school for them to finish for the summer. The head can understand our predicament and has been fully supportive given the kids' absence to date, which is a brilliant result.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts - it's been hugely helpful.

OP posts:

FindingMeno · 05/07/2021 14:17

Keep 'em off!

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