Allocated seating in school- wrong kids isolating!

[CataractsOfSamsMum]

My dc has been sent home from school today after someone had a positive test at the weekend.

I'm concerned because it's because it's become apparent today that kids have not been sitting in their allocated seats and that teachers weren't enforcing it- meaning that now that they've sent home some students, they'll not all be the right ones!

AIBU to complain to school about this? There could still be children in school that this child sat next to, because they weren't sat where they should, and I'm worried about the risk is this putting those still in school at.

If I'm overreacting, I'm happy to be told so. I'm not a new poster, been around since before my eldest was born, name changed for this thread.

Is it only children sitting within a couple of metres who are sent home?

Where I teach (primary) , if a child tests positive, then the whole class will be told to self-isolate.

My dd is in 6th form and has just finished self-isolating after somebody in one of her classes tested positive.

I don't see how seating plans come into the equation.

It depends how they've judged who needs to be going home.

In my school (secondary) if there's a positive case then who goes home depends on the way we have managed to bubble cohorts. It's always class level decisions though, not who sits next to them in class. They'd also be sending home anyone on the same school bus.

@cariadlet do you teach in England? We had a positive case in an infant class (central Scotland) & only those who had been in close contact over a period of time before the person had symptoms were asked to isolate - wound up about 2/3 of a class.

Our school is like yours OP where they use seating plans to identify who needs to SI.
How do you know they’ve not followed the plans? I imagine the schools get inundated each time the email goes out so only raise it if you’re sure

One of my dc is at secondary and the other at sixth form college and its all about the seating plans at both of them.

You must inform them as this is really serious. I'm currently spending far too long over seating plans. They have to be enforced otherwise what is the point.

@WidowTwonky

Our school is like yours OP where they use seating plans to identify who needs to SI. How do you know they’ve not followed the plans? I imagine the schools get inundated each time the email goes out so only raise it if you’re sure

My dc has told me today about someone who got really upset last week because people weren't sitting where there should and the teacher wouldn't make them move to the correct seats. This has been corroborated on Facebook by the parent of the child who got upset- as a staff member called her to discuss what happened, the girl that got upset was nearly put in iso at school for kicking off, when she was clearly worried.

Call/email in the morning

It really is all about the seating plans in secondary. Both the organisation of the desks to try to keep the teacher at a distance, and knowing exactly who each student has sat next to in every lesson.
From a school of 1800 pupils we have so far only had 2 positive tests and only had to isolate a handful of students for each.

In which case don't get involved on who said what on Facebook. Call the school tomorrow to raise your concerns.

To be honest, it's poor form if there's really that many teachers who won't follow their own seating plans without good reason (eg child is left without a partner due to others being off, so moved for a lesson within the same class bubble).

@LolaSmiles

In which case don't get involved on who said what on Facebook. Call the school tomorrow to raise your concerns.

To be honest, it's poor form if there's really that many teachers who won't follow their own seating plans without good reason (eg child is left without a partner due to others being off, so moved for a lesson within the same class bubble).

As far as I know, it's only one teacher- but I don't know if it had been happening regularly.

They're in the same room, they bump into each other at lunch. They are with each other to and from school.I don't think seating plans will make much difference tbh.

@Musicalmistress yes, I'm in England.

The text and email from my dd's college didn't name the student who had tested positive but did say which A levels they were taking and my dd and her friends worked out who it was. She doesn't sit anywhere near him, but still had to self-isolate.

@RedHelenB

They're in the same room, they bump into each other at lunch. They are with each other to and from school.I don't think seating plans will make much difference tbh.

If they were all sent home I'd agree, but that's not the case. Even in the same form as the child who's positive, not all have been sent home...

Ours sit apart at lunch.
They do walk the corridors and at breaks together but they are masked then and moving.

I’ve had this today. Dd is isolating - she thinks based on seating plans but she told me earlier they had a supply teacher on some occasions and changed seats. I think she is probably better to be on the safe side but it’s concerning that there in children in school who should maybe be isolating. It wasn’t all the class either. Just a small number.

They're in the same room, they bump into each other at lunch. They are with each other to and from school.I don't think seating plans will make much difference tbh
That's the reason why my school sends students home as classes or school busses. We send as few classes home as we can within a bubble.

If the OP's school is sending home students based on seating plans then the teachers need to stick to them and keep a note of any changes they make, however temporary.

A free for all on seating would be poor form anyway, let alone during a pandemic.