To think that if testing in secondary is optional there's no point?

[FitbitCat]

We've just had a message from our head letting us know the school testing is optional and we will need to register our children if we want them tested. Surely this means the irresponsible families will just not register nor take part and there becomes little point to the whole exercise?

It just means that if your child is identified as a close contact of a positive case they will have to isolate for 10 days instead of remaining in school.

This is what DS will be doing if he's identified as a close contact, school have said online work will be provided for any children isolating.

It just means that if your child is identified as a close contact of a positive case they will have to isolate for 10 days instead of remaining in school.

And so they should be, close contacts should be isolating. This is nothing to do with finding cases, more about headline figures. This will increase risk.

It could mean take the test at school or stay home and self isolate if you can't/won't take the test. Seems a sensible compromise. Those opting to self isolate should get online learning.

Nobody is going to be performing "a medical procedure" on any children. The children will test themselves under the supervision of staff/volunteers
The exact nature of the testing hasn't been clarified and there's been several updates since the start of the holidays.

DfEdid a webinar on 18th December but have now said they are doing another one on 23rd December that will recap the same content as 18thand provide new information on workforce requirements. The 23rd December!

DfE couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery at the moment.

Volunteers don't require DBS checks as they are supervised by school staff (who equally aren't HCP). Originally it was going to take a 'couple' of staff, but then new updates said it would take 24 staff per large secondary school. Yesterday in the Guardian there was an article that 30 minute covid tests had been halted due to accuracy fears. School leaders and councils were threatened with legal actions for wanting a few days online learning at the end of term because students don't transmit covid, then a couple of days later on the last day the government tells heads they need to set up Covid test centres on the school site.

The levels of incompetence are staggering and will, understandably, affect people's confidence in this latest plan.

My DC aren't secondary aged so it doesn't affect me. I'm just saying I entirely understand why parents might not consent, and it's not because they are irresponsible families, which was suggested up thread.

cmmid.github.io/topics/covid19/uk-novel-variant.html

schools closed, then test for positives once transmission is driven right down and vaccination start on pupils and teachers.

Nevertheless, the increase in transmissibility is likely to lead to a large increase in incidence, with COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths projected to reach higher levels in 2021 than were observed in 2020, even if regional tiered restrictions implemented before 19 December are maintained. Our estimates suggest that control measures of a similar stringency to the national lockdown implemented in England in November 2020 are unlikely to reduce the effective reproduction number Rt to less than 1, unless primary schools, secondary schools, and universities are also closed. We project that large resurgences of the virus are likely to occur following easing of control measures. It may be necessary to greatly accelerate vaccine roll-out to have an appreciable impact in suppressing the resulting disease burden

LolaSmiles Yes, I'm aware of all that as I work in a school and I completely agree, the DofE have been utterly useless and schools are being set up to fail with the current plan for mass testing. But although the guidance has been (typically) very short on detail, one thing that has been made clear is that the tests will be self-administered by students. I think this is important as I am seeing a lot of posts from parents (and even Teachers) on MN and social media saying that "randoms" are going to be swabbing children or that Teachers or TA's will be forced to do it which is not the case. Regardless, parents have every right to refuse consent for any reason and I certainly wouldn't judge them for doing so.

Washimal
I'm also a teacher but what I'd seen was unclear, especially when it came to rolling it out in primaries. If I've got that wrong though then I hold my hands up.

I was a little concerned by posters up thread deciding that anyone opting out was probably from an irresponsible family when there's a lot of very genuine reasons why someone may not want to consent to their child being part of this.

I’m all for the mass testing before going back to school (but not for schools having to organise it with all the additional stress and workload they have at the moment) but I am not for the testing instead of self isolating, that seems the worst idea possible.

I am less worried about tests being used to detect otherwise hidden infection- but I am concerned about it being used as an alternative to isolation as it isn't accurate enough for that.

I think schools will struggle to find enough testers. I have seen teaching agencies advertising for people to administer the tests - paying just a few pence above minimum wage and targeting Education Professionals because they are already DBS checked.

It just means that if your child is identified as a close contact of a positive case they will have to isolate for 10 days instead of remaining in school

Like happens for everyone else in England then? A much better option than an inaccurate test. Yes, this is definitely what I prefer.

I am seeing a lot of posts from parents (and even Teachers) on MN and social media saying that "randoms" are going to be swabbing children or that Teachers or TA's will be forced to do it which is not the case

Probably because Robert Jenrick was on the television yesterday and actually said he that it would be teachers would be doing it.

I think schools will struggle to find enough testers. I have seen teaching agencies advertising for people to administer the tests - paying just a few pence above minimum wage and targeting Education Professionals because they are already DBS checked
My friends are supply teachers and they've been offered this sort of rate to be part of covid testing in schools.

Probably because Robert Jenrick was on the television yesterday and actually said he that it would be teachers would be doing it.
I thought I'd seen/heard something about school staff doing it, but then started doubting myself.