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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Unicorn Schools

44 replies

Moonflower12 · 15/07/2021 10:13

AIBU to ask if anyone has heard of this concept? Apparently they are schools that haven't had to close any bubbles due to Covid? Or had to report a case? ( I'm not sure about the last part?)

My DD's school is chasing this status ( almost obsessively) but I can't find anything online about it? Does anyone know anything about this?

OP posts:

TotorosCatBus · 15/07/2021 12:00

Surely all schools have to report cases as this is a Public Health issue?

Original poster

Moonflower12 · 15/07/2021 12:14

Apparently Public Health have rung the head to check that they knew how to report a case!

I have said is it named after a rare thing or more likely something mythical!

OP posts:

Tal45 · 15/07/2021 12:31

Unicorn, isn't that a term for a bisexual woman that's willing to sleep with couples? Now it's a school that hasn't had any covid cases? Very, very weird.

TotorosCatBus · 15/07/2021 12:50

Surely all schools even Eton have to report a case if they have one?

I understand that some school won't have cases because they've been lucky or are very small but it would be extremely annoying if some are opting out of this when isolating when positive etc has been law.

Choice4567 · 15/07/2021 12:56

But what would be the incentive? What would they gain even if they achieved this?

Rollercoaster1920 · 15/07/2021 12:57

There is a unicorn school near Kew gardens. Named after the Unicorn Gate into Kew gardens I think.

The COVID stuff? Bollocks.

Original poster

Moonflower12 · 15/07/2021 13:12

@TotorosCatBus

Yes they do. My DD's hasn't had a poisitive case.
( My actual feeling is that they all had it in the 1st lockdown)

It is a tiny rural school and when only keyworker children were allowed in, the had 2 or 3 in. There are only approximately 40 pupils across the 2 key stages.

OP posts:

melj1213 · 15/07/2021 13:16

Are you sure its actually a real "thing" that the school is trying to earn or is it just a term the school are using?

"A unicorn X" is a term some people use to mean something exceedingly rare/unusual but it's definitely am informal/slang term - I work in a supermarket and have been known to use it if something unusual happens eg, "I had a unicorn of a customer yesterday - I couldn't do their return because they didn't have their receipt/proof of purchase and they absolutely flipped out. Later on they turned up again and I was preparing for round 2 but they actually came to give me some flowers and profusely apologise for their behaviour!" but I wouldn't expect it to be an actual official title.

TotorosCatBus · 15/07/2021 13:19

I think it's batshit to encourage this kind of thing when it's pure luck.

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 15/07/2021 13:19

Our school hasn't had any closures or burst bubbles.

warmfluffytowels · 15/07/2021 13:53

I think some schools are very lucky - around here we've not really had any whole year closures - bubbles, yes, but not entire years.

I also think different schools seem to be doing things differently. Some close entire years for 1-2 cases whereas others only send close contacts home.

ProfYaffle · 15/07/2021 13:56

Our Secondary school hasn't had any closures or burst bubbles. We're in a rural area but not massively affluent, also a large school. Masks have been compulsory 100% of the time since the beginning of the pandemic.

idontlikealdi · 15/07/2021 14:02

We haven't had any isolations or COVID cases in DTs primary the whole way through. DHs secondary on the other hand...

What a ridiculous thing to chase as a status. It's luck.

britnay · 15/07/2021 14:18

Our primary (nursery-year6) hasn't had any cases, however it is rural and has fewer than 60 students.

Original poster

Moonflower12 · 15/07/2021 15:02

I agree it's a ridiculous thing to 'chase'.

I don't know if it's a real 'thing' or in the Head's imagination! ( Maybe this is why they're retiring- too vivid an imagination!)

I just wondered if it's a concept anyone else had heard of- it seems not.

The school where I teach is small but independent and we've had no cases- I suspect again they were all in the first lockdown as they had all been skiing in Italy during half term!

OP posts:

MoiraNotRuby · 15/07/2021 15:10

I hope the retiring head will have a leaving card full of glitter!! Sounds a bonkers thing to be chasing, when you can't control it but convince yourself you can. Like someone being proud of giving birth with no pain relief... how things work out for some people is not the same for everyone else... a bit of luck and privilege doesn't make you 'better' than others.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 15/07/2021 15:37

what a fucking weird thing to want a medal for.

is that school run by Amanda Motherland?

3scape · 15/07/2021 16:15

Is it in a smug way or a Covid denying type way? Either way has the head lost touch with reality?

Original poster

Moonflower12 · 15/07/2021 17:03

In a smug way. Not in a denier way at all.

I'm liking the idea of the glitter leaving card! 😂😂

OP posts:

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