DD had symptoms now over it, can’t get a test, school won’t allow her back

[BabriePezSweets]

Basically the above. DD is 6, year 2.

Started with symptoms last week, slight temperature (38.1) and a croaky throat. Tried to book a test but the nearest testing centre is over 1.5 hours drive from me, I can drive but due to a medical condition I can only drive for an hour in a day (this is usually not a problem as in an emergency I can take one of my parents with me and for planned journeys I can share the driving)

Neither of my parents will take DD to the test centre for/with me as they will then have to Self-Isolate as per their own works rules for contact with someone with suspected symptoms.

DD is absolutely fine in herself, now sounds as if she’s had a cold. Bit sniffly and looks exhausted but was over it in a week. She’s bouncing about and is eager to go back to school.

In normal times I’d send her to school as she is now but school are saying she can’t return without them seeing proof she’s had a negative test. I’ve offered to keep her off until the end of my self-isolation period (single parent) but they’ve said “No test not entry permitted to school”.

Is there anything I can do? Or do I have to now keep DD off until the rules change?

@MillieEpple

I presume they mean cant return within the self isolation period unless you have a negative result (which they arent allowed to ask for stupidly) not that she can never return. To be honest, the school cant really say come in during the self isolation period can they?

You do have my sympathy. I am finding it confusing. The whole 'if you have a temerature its a symptom of covid so isolate or test' but then 'if you have a cold you dont need to as its a cold' is a mixed message. I rarely get a cold without a high temperature.

No school are saying without proof she's been tested and the test was negative she can't go back because she may still have Covid and spread it.

I've been offered a test 1hr 46mins away. I dont feel up to the drive. It's bonkers. No one is going to want to go with me. The other test sites are even more further away. The whole thing is ridiculous.

You need to show the school the government guidance re self isolation for 10 days from symptoms. If they don't believe it I would take it up with your local education authority or even your MP. No school can seriously say a child may never return if they don't have a negative test. There must be some misunderstanding somewhere.

Email them the gov guidelines and ask them to highlight the bits that advice what they are asking for. That you have been through them and cannot find it, you have highlighted what you have found.
If they are still refusing after your isolation period then contact the LEA and your local MP.

Website has just offered me St Andrews - more than six hours' drive away!

Plus schools aren't allowed to ask for test results. It's all in the guidelines

www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-1-public-health-advice-to-minimise-coronavirus-covid-19-risks

If people are on twitter post about how far you are being told to travel when you are ill and supposed to be at home.

just curious but what illness means you can only drive an hour a day ?

lordy sorry I sounded rude OP... I just hadn't heard of this restriction on someone before 🌺

Call 119 number and ask them the guy i spoke to was really helpful

Weren't schools all supposed to have a grand total f 10 home testing kits. Ask the school for one of those or ring the LEA to get onto the school.

@LadyLairdArgyll OP has already said that she gets bad migraines after an hour and would not then be safe to continue driving . . . .

OP the school seem to be totally unreasonable, breaking government guidelines and discriminating against someone with a disability! Best of luck in working with them.

A school administrator on another thread has just said that every school in the country has been sent 10 test kits, exactly for people in your position and that they can order more if they use them up. You might see if they will release one of those 10 kits to you.

If not, I would be tempted to let them know that you will be contacting your MP if they continue to bar your child from school, whilst tests are not available to her.

Yep you'll have to keep her off. I also have two perfectly chirpy kids downstairs when they should be at school. Whole thing is a total joke. Might as well take them off the roll and hire a tutor since they're going to be off more than they're allowed at school.

So the school are basically saying that your child can NEVER go back until they have a negative test?! That's crazy if so. Do you have a local MP you can approach? Ours is being really proactive with things like this. It sounds like the school need to revisit their Covid policy.

OP just ot be clear, the school are saying your dd can never return to school, ever, because you were unable to secure a test for her? Surely this is crossed wires or something, I find it hard to believe this could be so. Have you actually spoken to someone senior within the school?

This is madness! I agree send those links people have pointed out and say you will be contacting local authority in first instance then MP.

How long are you supposed to isolate for if she did have it? Are they expecting everyone to have a second negative test before returning?

It's now we'll known that these tests can pick up fragments of the no longer live virus.

Agree with others. The school can't demand that. Even if you're positive, you are "released" from isolation on day 11 unless you still have a temperature or something. School is making up its own rules. Agree with pp who said send them the guidelines and get then to highlight which bit they're following. Because they wont be able to.

Have emailed the school asking for clarification on their policy will update when they get back to me

OP has already said that she gets bad migraines after an hour and would not then be safe to continue driving . . . .

aahh okay 🌺

There seems to be something wrong with the software which means people are being directed to test centres miles away when there’s one much closer. My PILs’ neighbour was told to go to a centre 1.5 hours away when there is one up the road!

Could you check to see if there is a centre closer... must admit I don’t know how, maybe they show up on Google maps? Or ask on MN saying where you live? Or if you have a local web forum ask there.

There may be none closer but worth a try

Unless you get a satisfactory response from school email the head - at our school the actual rules according to the head and what the office staff say are very different.
You won't be the only one in this position and the school will find itself in a pickle soon when a member of the staff is in the same situation.

Also if there is a test centre close by it's worth turning up and asking - I know this is definitely possible (whether or not they'll let you in is another matter). We have one a mile away and even if I can't get an appointment turning up and asking nicely is going to be my strategy.

Myself and my husband work in childcare and we know a lot of people ourselves included, who have just gone along to the testing centre without an appointment, for a test as 119 were sending people miles away. When I phoned 1.5 weeks ago they said they were having system problems but given the fact that we're in a pandemic, you'd think it would be a priority to sort it out and I'm surprised the system still isn't working properly.

Go to your closest testing centre and ask for a test. If that fails and the 10 days have passed and they won't allow her back then contact your LA immediately.