AUBU to disagree with Headteacher?

[Popcicle123]

My dd (secondary school age) has just tested positive for covid, no symptoms. My ds is at a small rural prep school, he is testing negative as are my DH and I. My sons headteacher has send out an email saying children can not attend school if anyone in their household test positive. Now as these are not the guidelines in England, can she do this?

My husband and I both work for the NHS, our departments are both under pressure from staff sickness/isolating, one of us will have to stay off if I keep my son off school, then if he does catch it from his sister he could end up being off 2 weeks. My husband and I have both had covid previously and are triple vaccinated so no need for us to isolate as long as we keep testing negative

AIBU to tell her her rule is unacceptable?

if it's a prep school, does that mean private?

Isn't the whole point of private schools that they can make their own decisions about how to do things?

She is being overly paranoid though and has cancelled every school trip, sporting and social event up until Easter so I think this extra rule has just annoyed me

We too have had to cancel all school trips for the foreseeable as we have more than half the staff off and are relying on cover staff who aren’t insured to go on them.

It’s better to cancel things now than say it’s going ahead and cancel last minute which will disappoint the students even more.
We are hoping to reschedule them as soon as things settle down.

This issue is that if you’re not fully vaccinated and come into contact with a positive case you have to isolate for 10 days. A couple staff that I know have come back for a day and then had to isolate again as there’s been another positive case. It’s causing massive disruptions.

Being overly cautious like this is the only way that schools are remaining open.
It’s rubbish for you but it would be a lot worse if schools had to close completely.

This is likely WHY their cases are so low. Because they take sensible precautions to protect their staff and students. As a private school, they have every right to enforce their policies. I'd be relieved if my child's school did this as it makes it safer for everyone.

Hi OP, I’m NHS and our trust won’t let us go to work if anyone in the household test positive, regardless of the employees status (same as what your child’s headteacher is doing). Would this not apply to both of you as parents?

YABU.
The headteacher is just trying to protect all the other students and staff. Don't be selfish and self-isolate, even if the government were stupid enough to scrap the mandate

I’d just ignore her.

I'm surprised you're allowed into work. My family members that work in NHS aren't allowed to work with covid in the house.

I think she is wrong and is taking the piss. I am a teacher and where I work we follow the rules laid out for the whole country. (yes, I know the PM does not follow these rules but there are always idiots). I would be very annoyed if my dd's school imposed additional rules. Your error was in telling the school about your dd's result.

@Popcicle123

The school also have very few covid cases and have only had 1 teacher off recently

QED then, surely. Well done that HT. Keeps sensible mitigations in place and those are the results.

The school will have its own risk assessment. As responsibility for H&S sits with them not the government so they should. YABU to risk other pupils missing school and staffing levels let alone health. Keep the sibling off.

If there's an outbreak they will get separate advice from the local public health that may well differ from national guidance.

I think you are being selfish tbh

Our head is doing this too as We've skirted the fine line of staying open due to massive sickness levels since the start of term. They can do it if part of their risk assessment and they take advice from PHE and it does help to keep school open.

Will you have to take it as holiday op? I can see why you’d be upset. I can also see the heads point of view though, which is she’s trying to keep the school,safe and open.

Yeah I totally understand keeping school open has to be a priority. Thanks for all the replies. I’ll keep him off and keep my fingers crossed he doesn’t catch it

@Foolsrule

She has to follow the government rules, whether she agrees or not. She can’t enforce her own pseudo scientific arrangements because she chooses to! I’d be very unhappy if I was a fee paying parent. Part of me sees why she’s doing it, but as the country moves away from restrictions, you can’t have anyone who chooses to enforcing their own ‘rules’ as and when it suits them (whether for good or ill).

Yes she can. It's a private school

The school also have very few covid cases and have only had 1 teacher off recently

Maybe because the head is being strict, I would see this as a good thing

yabu.

Perhaps the school have very few cases precisely because they have tight rules over covid. Independent schools can set their own rules. And please consider all the other dcs and parents who adhere to the rules because we don't want to catch it.

I'm immunosuppressed and grateful that our school is rigid on covid. It gives me half a chance of getting through.

What Trust do you work for that wouldn't expect you to stay at home?

Yes, the DfE state we can do this to control infection levels in the school, but should avoid where possible.

You know now why numbers are low. Sounds a sensible move to me.

But also the head will know things you don't know. It may be that they have some very vulnerable children/teachers in the school.
You'll probably say you know everyone and everyone's business. You don't. It's quite possible to keep a child's medical history from everyone else if you want to if it's something not visible. Number of times I've heard people saying that if "x was the case they'd know" and I've kept quiet because it's not my news to tell.

Yes of course you have to follow the Government rules - but they are a minimum - a private school can bring in further sensible rules to limit spread if they want