Do schools ask to see proof of negative test ?

[testingtimes123]

My son has been sent home from school with bad cough, fair enough. Got a test yesterday, after much difficulty....2 hour drive each way to nearest test site, so lots of inconvenience.
Tried to do swab twice on child's throat but wasn't having any of it, completely terrified so had to restrain him and do double swab of nostrils. Now worried test will come back inconclusive- been told nostril swabs more difficult to process and get right.
So if result comes back inconclusive and can't get local test, if we told school result is negative, do they ask to see test result ?
I'm not asking for discussion of whether this is ethical as I know it's not, just out of interest do they ask or take parents word of mouth ?

Yes they will need evidence.

Mine didn’t ask to see, but how do you know yours won’t.

I don’t think they do at our school @testingtimes123
They Just go by what parents say.

Yes
Que parents needing/ seeking a test which may well be negative and therefore counted as not needed and the parents branded as ‘hypochondriac’

Those of us with kids with asthma / prone to colds/ side effects of medications are going to be spending more time isolating and or searching for tests this winter
Oh joy

Our school wanted a screenshot of the email result, if possible.

They can't legally enforce this, but may request.

The government (Dept for Educatiob) guidance states that schools cannot ask for evidence of a negative test result.

Many schools are apparently asking for this, for understandable reasons.

I suspect if a school tried to exclude a student who was sent in earlier than 14 days after first symptom, they would run into legal problems.

I think this is a problem.

Thanks for replies.

I'm not planning to do this by the way, but was wondering if/how schools would even know if child had been tested at all?

We did long car journey to have test - massive inconvenience, but we were able to do this. What about people with no time or resources to travel ? Do they just lie and say they got test when they haven't ?

I wondered this. I’m not sure if ours wanted evidence, they haven’t said so. I forwarded the email just in case.

Like you I was worried about the swab quality on my wiggly upset 5 year old but it was fine - just did the two nostrils for a couple of seconds.

our school has said they will ask for evidence to let child back into school, but whether or not they actually will is another matter. They are generally quite trusting of parents to do the right thing.
I think it's very reasonable of them to ask.
Btw i had to get my child tested a few weeks ago and he was very wriggly and I was convinced it would come back inconclusive but it was negative. Meanwhile a grown up friend of mine who is a nurse and def knows how to do it properly - hers came back inconclusive!

No my school didn’t ask for any proof.

I think they should though. It will save a lot of hassle in the long run.

Government guidance specifically states schools are not allowed to ask for evidence

School will only know if a child's been tested if parents inform the school, OP.

My primary school child has a test, the two in primary just went back when I said it was negative, no evidence asked for.

I also have two in high school and I had to email evidence of a negative test in order for them to return.

The government (Dept for Educatiob) guidance states that schools cannot ask for evidence of a negative test result

Then what the hell is the bloody point?

Oh yes, Mrs HT, we have of course had a test but it was negative, so little Dawn can come back even though her cough hasn't gone. . .

No-one can even get tests in many areas

They're not allowed to ask under the DfE guidance.

But they will. And probably they should in reasonable circumstances i.e. if a child has been kept off for probable Cv-19 symptoms, or sent home for them, then they should be seeing a negative test result to readmit them before the 10 days isolation is up.

There's an issue where schools are asking to see a negative test result in ALL circumstances e.g. even after the isolation period, and that's not possible or proportionate.

OP, I also really worried we would get an inconclusive for the reasons you state. But it came back negative, despite me being very concerned it wasn't performed correctly.

Guidance specifically states schools have no right to ask.

I took DD1 the other day because her snotty cold had inevitably turned into a cough and school's line is "new cough = sod off" (the gist of it not the exact phrasing) and I did send a screenshot of the result to school but that's mainly as she's still coughing and has gone back in case the dinner ladies (who have whipped themselves up into a frenzy of paranoia and terror and lost all use of words apart from "TWO MEEEETERSSSSSS!") freak out.

If the guidance is actually that they should Not ask for proof, does anyone know why not?
To start with everyone will try and play by the rules but as this goes on surely people will start just lying if they know school isn’t going to ask for proof.

If the guidance is actually that they should Not ask for proof, does anyone know why not?

I assume that it is because it needs to follow the existing laws around not asking to see medical evidence of an illness requiring absence to access education. Schools aren't usually entitled to see "a doctor's note" (which no longer exist) so same rules here.

DD's school have specifically said they won't ask to see proof. It's a fairly rule abiding set of parents though.

I assume it is because you can't make someone have an invasive test and it might go against GDPR/medical records data protection.

The schools guidance is guidance, not law. Schools can still ask for results.

I suspect the issue will be that if a parent refuses, schools can't legally keep the child out.

My school asked, albeit apologetically, if we could forward them the negative result in case it was queried why he was back.

I actually think schools should be able to request them. If you don’t provide the results, you have to stay off for the full 10 days. That your child is negative in writing doesn’t give any more information than you telling them they are negative so I don’t understand the issues.

My children's school are requesting the results be sent to them and have set up a designated email for this. I know the Government's guidance to schools is that they do not need to see evidence of results but I agree with the school that they should be seeing the confirmation of the result. There are a lot of parents that want there children at school even if they have covid. A lot of parents will lie about results. This way, with the schools checking, they are protecting the other children and the staff. I think it is a fair system and one all schools should be using. I'm shocked that the Government have not given this advice and instead said they don't need to see the results.