Can school say not to my 10yo attending if govt guidance says opposite

[ThisOldSaddo]

My eldest (13) had a faint line on an LFT yday morning so we're waiting on PCR (isolating, wfh etc).

Govt guidelines say the other kids (sibs) can go to school, but their primary school says it's 'RA' says no...

If we get a positive tomorrow will I have to keep the primary children home because it's the school's policy, as opposed to the government's?

Ours have asked if someone in the household tests positive then the others stay at home, have a PCR and can come back if negative at that point.
This is not what the gov guidelines are but I think it’s ok and quite sensible

Our schools were acting against government advice before half term by "kindly requesting" non-positive siblings of positive siblings didn't attend school for the duration of self-isolation.

When pressed, they admitted it was just a request and they couldn't prevent someone attending if they were abiding by the government mandated rules. I was happy enough to follow their preferred way of handling things, but for some parents it would have caused major financial distress to not work when they weren't entitled to self-isolation support from the government.

This is in Wales though so don't know if the LA/schools in England have more executive powers to deny access to school based on their own policies.

Before half term we were in an area with high rates so siblings had to self isolate if someone had positive Covid in the home. This was a local public health mandate so overwrites national.

I think they can ask the kids to LFT everyday, but that should be it.
I am a teacher with a positive dd. I have been told to carry on going to work and just do LFT's. I have also done a PCR to be on the safe side. I would be asking the school to forward you the relevant government guidance that supports their position.

I don't know if the schools are permitted to do this but it's not unusual for schools to have their own "rules".
For example, I am aware of a school that has insisted that children with a positive lateral flow still attend school until their PCR test results come back.
This is quite clearly fucking ridiculous and I'm not sure they can bully parents into making their infected child attend school but I do know that my child's school thinks this approach is dangerously irresponsible.

To answer your question, legally, you follow the Government guidelines and if I were you, I'd contact the local MP for clarification and support.

Are the children actually isolating though?

Junior schools know that small kids can’t isolate away from the parent and often share a bedroom with other siblings - so I don’t think it’s a bad idea to request they don’t attend. However an older child properly isolating away from the household members IS very different and everyone should be out and about.

their primary school says it's 'RA' says no...

What's it's RA?

Before half term we were in an area with high rates so siblings had to self isolate if someone had positive Covid in the home. This was a local public health mandate so overwrites national.

This is the main reason they might be saying that, in which case they are correct.

I'd at least keep them off until the PCR results are back and go from there. If they all come back negative presumably you can send them in and just keep LFTing every day?

When my younger DD tested positive, I was told to get a PCR for elder DD, then she could attend if negative.

Its recently changed locally to PCR on Day 3 and stay home until the result.

(We are also told not to use LFTs on Primary aged children and younger...)

They really are away from everyone, own room, set up for home school etc - food being delivered and removed by me only. Not seeing their sibs, windows open.

RA = risk assessment.

I'll have to check online to see if there's any local edicts re: this.

I have to work 😢 (could leave the elder, but not the little).

@ThisOldSaddo

They really are away from everyone, own room, set up for home school etc - food being delivered and removed by me only. Not seeing their sibs, windows open.

RA = risk assessment.

I'll have to check online to see if there's any local edicts re: this.

I have to work 😢 (could leave the elder, but not the little).

But it doesn't matter if they are isolated as the Government have said siblings of Covid positive children can still attend school.

I wouldnt be isolating them from the family in the home either as that's horrible to do to a child and if youre going to get it, youre going to get it when you live with them.

Are people actually isolating children within the home? That’s horrible. We are a team here. If one of my children gets it I’ll take my chances rather than shut them in their room

@IWishToAnswerInTheAffirmative

Are people actually isolating children within the home? That’s horrible. We are a team here. If one of my children gets it I’ll take my chances rather than shut them in their room

I am so attached to my child, and they to me, it would be torture to contemplate it. Not in a million years would I do that.

They can ask, they can strongly advise and etc but I don’t think they can refuse them attending.

Ideally you would keep them home though. It’s really shit position to be in.

No - not ideally you would keep them home - the guidance changed in order to stop healthy children missing school which they did in large numbers. There are public health reasons for children to live normal lives as much as possible - after two very disrupted years.

No parent should feel bad following the rules and isolating only the child who is actually positive with Covid. Test the others in the house and behave normally.

@IWishToAnswerInTheAffirmative

Are people actually isolating children within the home? That’s horrible. We are a team here. If one of my children gets it I’ll take my chances rather than shut them in their room

Yes, I'm trying to as much as poss. All my friends whose children have had it in recent weeks haven't caught it from them, and they all isolated the child in the home (made a game of it, none of us live in downtown abbey, they're still close, just in a different room with windows open). That's 7 families I know of. One of mine could really do with not getting it, asthma, and is too young for jab yet...so yes. Am trying my best to navigate this keeping in mind my other children, me, our bank balance, paying the bills.

Thread's not really about that though, it's about whether they can refuse my child a place in school tomorrow and the event after school (CiN) which is their preference as opposed to the law.

And yes, it's not nice to have them away from us, but of all of them, they're best placed to deal - older, naturally suited to standing on own two feet (ie online school).
Just trying to make the best of it really 🤷🏼‍♂️

Also, if someone wasn't following guidelines (because school told them they had a rule about it, which went against govt guideline) that parent wouldn't then be able to claim govt assistance. I can go to work with the big one isolating at home. If the primary school refuse is entry this morning with the others, I'll have to stay home.