Has your child's bubble been isolated yet? Please log here and give thoughts.

[BilberryBaggins]

It has become very clear over the last few days that children are going to be repeatedly told to self-isolate (ie stay AT HOME for 14 days). If this happens over and over again for children, this will be far worse for their education and mental health than the previous term of home schooling was.

I thought it would be useful to have somewhere to log people's experiences. So, please give me your thoughts on this system, and if your child has had to self-isolate through their school bubble, log it here.

I'll start with my thoughts;

In primary schools where bubbles are 30, this may work as a scheme. In secondary schools, bubbles may be several hundred students. 1 +ve test will mean they all have to self isolate at home for 14 days, no walks in the evening, no clubs; they will be far worse off than they were last term with home learning. I feel this is really cruel to our children, and the government needs to either come up with a less draconian, but more targeted self-isolation scheme, or revert to home learning.

No they haven’t.

This is because Boris won’t address it properly.

2 secondaries near me already have, y8 y11 and sixth form in isolation. And one across the city has a bubble isolating. We aren’t even 2 weeks in. It’s going to be continuous isolating.

All cases amongst students.

I don’t think every school is interpreting the bubble & self-isolation rules in the way you describe, OP.

The tone you’ve used is a bit misleading:

It has become very clear over the last few days that children are going to be repeatedly told to self-isolate

I don’t think it’s become clear that this will happen repeatedly. Why do you think so?

mine hasn't

I think it is becoming clear that this WILL happen.

Not even 2 weeks in, 4 years already self isolating in secondaries near me that l know if. There are also primaries.

They go back, the bubble pops again in a few days and they are all back to self isolating again

Mine is self isolating after someone in his bubble of 240 tested positive.

He’s year 8, it’s very suffocating for him to have to stay indoors for 14 days. Thankfully the school seemed to have planned better for home learning.

@NoSquirrels

I don’t think every school is interpreting the bubble & self-isolation rules in the way you describe, OP.

The tone you’ve used is a bit misleading:

It has become very clear over the last few days that children are going to be repeatedly told to self-isolate

I don’t think it’s become clear that this will happen repeatedly. Why do you think so?

That is a pretty standard way of interpreting the guidance for schools; it's the principle behind bubbling. If a school is creating bubbles, then there is limited social distancing within it, but if there is a positive test, the whole bubble isolates.

I think it is very clear, with reports of school groups having to isolate coming in increasingly rapidly. I am very worried for children that repeated incidences of self-isolation will be catastrophic for mental health. In our area at least 3 schools have already sent bubbles home following positive tests, within 3 days of opening the schools. I'm not a sensationalist, but it is common sense that if you have very very large bubbles then there is a much higher chance of repeated positive tests and therefore repeated isolations.

@Houseplanted

Mine is self isolating after someone in his bubble of 240 tested positive. He’s year 8, it’s very suffocating for him to have to stay indoors for 14 days. Thankfully the school seemed to have planned better for home learning.

I hope your ds is ok, it's going to be tough for kids not able to go out, and it's the potential for this to happen over and over again that I'm so concerned about.

I know it’s the principle behind bubbling, but it’s not the mandatory guidance that the e tire bubble must be isolated. Schools are interpreting it that way (fair enough) but it’s not required by law/guidance.

Response to any infection
8) Engage with the NHS Test and Trace process.

9. Manage confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) amongst the school community.

10. Contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice.

Nowhere does it mandate schools to isolate a bubble of an entire year group etc. I suspect there will be clarification if schools continue to isolate entire year groups.

My yr5 is in a bubble with yr4 & yr6 so it would be sending a lot of children home. If an individual child gets sick they're sent home for a test and can return once the result comes back. Seems fair enough.

Schools are going to be naturally cautious. I can't see the Govt clarifying to say 'bubbles don't have to isolate'. It would undermine their whole messaging re. schools.

The thought of whole year groups isolating infuriates me. My dc are in bubbles of about 300. This means that a) the chances of having to isolate because someone else in the year tests positive are extremely high and b) there are lots of kids they never actually do any classes with.

But as I understand it, they will still have to isolate if ANYONE in the bubble tests positive?

The school has done very little to reduce the mixing. Why have PE classes with other students who you only come into contact with in that one lesson? Why not do that in your tutor group, for example?

I'm assuming they've done that as the whole year would have to isolate anyway, but it still seems sensible (to me) to mix as little as possible.

Our secondary sent all of year 11 home on Monday to self isolate due to one pupil testing positive. I have a year 7 and year 9 who both came home ill on Tuesday from school. High temperature, swollen glands, sore throat, slight cough and upset stomach. Cannot get a test alrhough trying website every hour so we all have to self isolate ( 3 other children and 2 adults) now when it may just be a non covid virus

Mine hasn't and no schools in my area have either. We have low Covid cases though.

17 schools in my area have had to send classes or year groups home.
This is in less than one week of returning.

@madcow88

My yr5 is in a bubble with yr4 & yr6 so it would be sending a lot of children home. If an individual child gets sick they're sent home for a test and can return once the result comes back. Seems fair enough.

I would be 99% certain that if that is how the school has bubbled them, then if that child that goes home sick tests +ve then all those children in yr 4/5/6 would also have to self-isolate for 14 days.

I think that increasingly schools will just stop bursting bubbles for a single case, and wait until they have confirmed transmission within the school.

@WhoWants2Know

I think that increasingly schools will just stop bursting bubbles for a single case, and wait until they have confirmed transmission within the school.

At which point parents may start to pull children out anyway?

I can assure you that isn't the case... we have it in writing.

My DCs' school just announced a positive case in another year group, so that bubble now has to stay at home. My DCs not being in that year are not affected... yet...

School has been back one week today.

My yr13 ds’s bubble has burst and the whole year band has been sent home to self isolate for 14 days.

Local secondary to us has had 1 positive case but only 20 children are self isolating for 14 days... I presumed it would be an entire year group so a bit stumped as to why only 20... Unless it was A level age or something maybe

Ours is too.

Just to add, none of this is the school's decision, when a case is reported, Public Health tell ua6 what we have to do next. Dont blame schools!