To keep DC off school now until after the Christmas hols?

[FeatherySquawkington]

D&V bug ripping through the DC's school, so many kids off. WIBU to just keep them off from now to avoid it? I have two immunocompromised close family members that we would be seeing a lot of over Christmas. Friday is supposed to be their last day.....

@toomuchtooold Please don't ask for ork because you aren't sending your child to school. This is a massive bugbear of mine. It takes time for the teacher to prepare and it's a bloody cheeky request. If you're that bothered, send your child to school. Same applies to parents who ask for work for term time holidays.... Just don't.

I can confirm proper lessons will continue until the last day here. Far better for the students. 5 hours of dvds isn't fun for anyone.

I wouldn't ever not send a child to school because there are others who are sick. Much like I wouldn't avoid work (teacher) due to a high absence rate, even if that meant becoming ill and/or my children getting it.

In fact I had 3 days off with the plague (definitely plague) and a further two where I still had it in my chest. This was after the children were dropping like flies. I've not had a full class for an entire week for over a month. Everyone is okay now though.

However, I also wouldn't presume to make that decision for a parent. It's entirely up to you. Although we finish on Thursday, it's a half day, and I still need to teach pronouns, finish reading books, end our symmetry topic and complete a symmetry and pronoun assessment before then. We're working until Wednesday afternoon at the earliest.

@teachermaths can you not just say no if a parent asks and it's not convenient? I would have assumed that a teacher would understand it's an offer rather than a demand.

Two children still in primary school here, we don't break up until Friday but all lessons have now finished. Today they will be practicing for the whole school Carol concert all morning. Tomorrow morning is whole school mass. Thursday is class parties and afternoon disco and then Friday is Christmas Assembly and toy day.

I'd keep them off. I've picked it up this year and I'm never ill. It's a horrible bug. Its only a few days.

I'm stressing as I have a compulsory meeting in another city tomorrow. I only stopped throwing up a few hours ago.

This gets trotted out every year, it's mostly rubbish. As a school governor I can tell you now that all the schools I have contact with/have had contact with (10) keep going up to the last day with the core subjects.*

As a school governor in both secondary and primary, that’s what maybe happen in your school, however in the schools I am involved in, core subjects are definitely finished and it’s all fun and social activities.

Y5/6 are having a sporting game day and then this afternoon going to the pantomime

Tomorrow they have their Xmas movie and are having a toy day in the morning and in the afternoon it’s their Xmas party.

Thursday is a whole school assembly morning and afternoon and the kids are allowed to bring in treats, and the kitchen is making cookies and hot chocolate.

Friday they break early, they have a £1 SS gift to give out, and they are having a whole school mini disco.

At secondary it’s similar but more sport involvement and more social interaction with other year groups.

As a school governor in both secondary and primary, that’s what maybe happen in your school, however in the schools I am involved in, core subjects are definitely finished and it’s all fun and social activities.

so not the case in my kids school - the Christmas activities like disco are spread across December, and up until this Thursday they peer marked the homework they still need to bring to school and clearly have lessons going on. There's a Christmas Theme across the school this month, but their school is still very much in business, not a holiday camp.

Not sure any parent would bother sending their child if they were just messing around.

@toomuchtooold It's rarely phrased as a request. It's more give me some work for my child to keep them up to date. I'd love to say no but can you imagine the backlash.

Yep I would but then I homeschool mine now but if they were back at school I would be worried about them picking it up especially as hygiene isnt that great among little ones (no offence) its very relaxed the last week of xmas term. You can do basic school at home anyway to keep their little brains active x

Just seen your update and so sorry little one is sick. Let's hope it's just a quick one and doesnt spread. Xxx

This morning at our school it’s pantomime trip for the infants and as the children were going in I overheard a mum explaining to the teacher could she keep an eye on him because he had been sick this morning but she brought him in because he doesn’t want to miss out on the trip!!!! Guessing that woman doesn’t care about all the other children getting sick for Christmas or the fact that the teacher now has to look after him whilst on a school trip. Hope your little one feels betters soon

Pfefferkuchen

Only they aren’t “messing around”

School isn’t just about core subjects, Physical exercise and socialising are equally as important.

D&V lasts 48 hours for most people so even if they start with it at the weekend it should be gone by Christmas. Missing a week of school ‘just in case’ is extreme imo. Be prepared to face grief about their attendance levels too.

School isn’t just about core subjects, Physical exercise and socialising are equally as important.

well, quite, but I expect any decent school to cover that all year round - my kids school does.
I wouldn't be too happy if my kids were genuinely only watching movies and having a week-long hanging around with mates. Which they really don't where they are.

People are selfish. My friend's kids gone in today when she started with a stomach bug Sunday night. Then one my child's other friends is holding her tummy and crying she doesn't feel well. The teacher said did you tell your mummy. She said yes and carried on crying. So her lovely mum took her in with stomach ache.

I take it she's happy for her child to vomit in the pantomime? I feel sorry for the teachers. Id not want to take a group of kids out knowing ones probably going to vomit all over another child or a fabric seat or a carpet. Then someone had to clean up the vomit who doesn't deserve to be catching it either. Words fail me. That teacher should of sent them home though

Our school has announced there'll be "no work as such" but I actually think this is a really educational and important week.

They'll have a walk to church and there'll be Christmas Dinner Day today (they get to sit with their class teachers). They also have singing competitions, a spelling bee, Christmas stories and songs, lots of creative writing and small group work, and a panto trip. There has been a whole-school activity around The Polar Express (a railway company came in and they learnt all about making announcements, advertising, safety, eco-friendly travel, ticket pricing etc). So not exactly rigourous academic work but still enriching and educational imo.

Hope your little one is better soon OP. I'd be in a mind to keep the big one at school and get it out of the way in time for Christmas.

Thanks for all your posts. LO had a restless night but no sick again until 7.30. He's much brighter, had a bath and a hair wash and chilling on the sofa. I do feel bad for him, he's had a horrible cold and chesty cough since last Thursday too. Older one has gone to school today and will send him in tomorrow too but might let him stay off after that. The little one won't be going back again until after Christmas now. Hope you all manage to stay bug free!

@Londongirl86 I know I don’t know why teacher didn’t tell her that he shouldn’t be in school. There are two children in the class who I know are immuno compromised anyway but despite that like you day poor teacher who has to deal with it and how do they get him back home if he is ill when they have gone on a coach? Poor kid will have to wait for it to finish anyway to come home with everyone else!

@user1493986150 it's just not on is it. But people continue to do it all the time. It's not fair on anyone. Teachers love teaching but I bet they panic about sick and stuff like anyone else. They have to put on a brave face. My daughter's teacher has three teenage daughters and is probably excited to see them over Christmas. Little does she know there's a child probably passing a sick bug around her whole class as we speak. I'm keeping mine off for the next two days. I wouldn't of done it any other week but we need a good Christmas. It's been a long year with some ups and downs and we have spent alot of money this year as we are hosting. I hope nobody picks up the bug your end either. Makes you want to turn around and take your children home!

@Londongirl86 The worst is a mum in my eldest's class. She's actually very accusatory of anyone who brings their child in with so much as a sniffle or cough (my eldest pretty much has a mild cough constantly due to allergies) because she has childcare issues and doesn't want to have to take a day off work but she's the absolute worst for just bringing her kids in when they're ill. There was a D&V going round - her kid clearly caught it as he was puking at a party Sunday and had to run to the loo for a number 2 suddenly but she decided "it was probably just the party food" and sent him in Monday morning. Half the class came down with it. She also sent him in with chicken pox despite knowing it was going round and her son having bloody spots. If they have a fever she'll calpol them up send them in then when the calpol stops working and the school calls her to come get them she'll turn up 2 hours later with the poor kid waiting in reception.

Xmas at primary school is great!

DD is bored stiff. All their activities are done, they are basically watching DVDs. Have been since last Wednesday.

@IceCreamFace that's awful isn't it. I understand people need to work. But when you have children you have to have these scenarios in your head and be prepared for them. If you have a child you accept illness will be a part of it and your child will need their bed, sofa and rest. The amount of people not looking at the bigger picture is shocking. Do people really believe party food can do this. If a child throws up once after too much cake or being on a swing you kind of know why. But it doesn't cause the squits and vomiting several times. Even if it was good related after going through that they need to rest.

My friend's view is her child's strong like her. That doesn't mean it's not infectious for the other kids though. I think people need re educating. Nobody cares about colds and coughs (unless asthma is an issue) understandbly the parents of the asthmatic child will have different concerns. But I think sickness bugs are an all rounder. People hate them. They are inconvenient. They can leave parents vomiting when they have small kids to care for and no help. They can kill the vunerable. They spread like nobodies business. It's embarrassing for kids to vomit at school too. I could go on forever.

@Londongirl86
I know and the poor bloody teacher having to deal with upset kids puking or being feverish in the classroom. Then probably catching it herself.

Dont worry. Mine all got it within 2 days of each other. Threw up for a night then fine next day but kept them off school for 3 days to make sure.

School Governor here (and teacher for 7 years) and I can categorically state that if I'd not got all my lessons done by 3pm on the Tuesday before the Christmas break I could guarantee the Weds, Thurs and Fri were not the time to try and catch up.

Keep them home. The last three days of the Christmas term are lovely, yes, but with the amount of Noro around (three schools around us have closed early because of it) I wouldn't take risks with imuunosupressed family members.