What SHOULD be happening in schools?

[RingPiece]

I think that the current situation isn't working.
A friend, who's a teacher, was unwell, got a test, tested negative, thankfully, but returned to work without having to prove this.
Another teacher at her school, one who was previously shielding, is off work with symptoms (sore throat, breathing difficulties) and has tested positive. As far as I know, this information has not been shared with the staff (officially), nor with the parents.

Children are in school obviously unwell. Teachers are hearing that children, parents and other family members are ill at home. Little/ no testing is happening and no proof of results is required to return.

I think that teachers and children who were previously shielding or who are vulnerable, should have the option of working from home.

The shielding teachers could set and manage the online learning of the shielding children.

Otherwise, with this current ineffective situation, at risk teachers, their families and vulnerable families within the school community will suffer.

Why is there such a push to have those previously recognised as at risk to be in places where SD cannot happen effectively and there is little or no PPE?

Thrown to the wolves/ under a bus, etc...

I agree OP.

Test results need to be shown to school. That has to be compulsory.

Why is this not in the news. It’s more worrying than one MP going on a train after testing positive.

This isnt in the news as it doesnt fit their agenda of keeping schools open.
Our school has a teacher mysteriously absent and a heck of a lot of bad colds. Noones testing a cough if its with a cold as thats school line. So we could be a hotbed for it for all we know. Or we could just have lots of colds as per usual!

I don't see why proof isn't required. My boys go to a private preschool age 2-7 and they require proof of test results

Our school required proof of a negative result for my boys to return and that was when I had the test done.
I can't see them not asking a member of staff for proof of a negative, my youngest is off now because his teacher has tested positive.

It sounds like your friend's school is acting very recklessly. If a teacher has tested positive, her bubble should be isolating. Any teacher or pupil should provide evidence of a negative test before returning to school or should stay home for 10 days if not able to be tested. Children persistently coughing at school should be sent home along with siblings. These are the rules at my dc's school and I had hoped they were standard practices.

I agree that ecv staff and students should be able to study/work from home if they wish. It's heartless to force them into school when their risk is so much higher than others.

If a teacher has tested positive, her bubble should be isolating.

In secondary, teachers are not in bubbles. It is assumed that they have at all times maintained 2m distance, hence no close contacts, hence no need for anyone else to isolate.

I agree there should be more media coverage of cases in schools.

There doesn’t seem to be any standard practice.

Apparently schools call the DFE for guidance and that guidance differs depending on who you get to speak to.

I have a vulnerable child but I’m not worrying about her anymore. I can’t. She has to be in school.

I’m angry that this country is wrecking the economy further and bringing in all other useless measures when they could be controlling the virus better in schools.

Not close schools, just make them safer environments. Otherwise schools will soon be, if not already, the main drivers of this second wave.

I think they should make it easier to keep medically vulnerable children home

I wish there was some sort of part time option, to keep the numbers in,down at any one time

I wish the testing system was better

I wish other people would follow the rules.

@HipTightOnions I hadn't realised that. So if a secondary school teacher tests positive, no-one is informed or asked to isolate?

Our school don't require proof of negative tests.
Plus our yr 7 bubble was all sent home because of a positive test from a pupil but teachers were allowed to continue teaching.

[quote IncidentsandAccidents]@HipTightOnions I hadn't realised that. So if a secondary school teacher tests positive, no-one is informed or asked to isolate?[/quote]
It may well vary from school to school - the guidance says teachers should “ideally” maintain 2m distance, but my school’s risk assessment relies on us doing so (although we can’t).

We have a positive case and none of this child’s teachers have been asked to isolate. I suspect it would go down like a lead balloon if any teacher admitted to having been less than 2m away.

I know (from friends with children in the schools) that a pupil from one nearby school and a member of staff from another have both had positive tests. And in both cases, PHE advice said they did not need to burst bubbles or send people home.

We're being misled. I can't believe that, if you're a teacher, when a child in your class tests positive, you don't need to isolate, and you're not even encouraged to get tested. It's madness. This will surely find it's way to the media at some point. By then it'll be too late.

It’s all crap at my daughters secondary.
They were initially sending whole year groups home if there was a positive. Now it’s close contacts (which makes perfect sense).

Kids aren’t wearing masks on the coaches, they can sit where they like.

There’s no sanitiser and no time to wash hands due to the short breaks. Most kids aren’t taking sanitiser in.

They shout at them to social distance and then tell them to queue closely together.

We are in an area with fuck all tests.

I am not blaming the school they are doing their best. But it’s a shit show

I can't believe that, if you're a teacher, when a child in your class tests positive, you don't need to isolate

This is the consequence of a “keep schools fully open at all costs” policy.

It explicitly says in the guidance that schools cannot ask for proof of a negative test.
I hope all these positive teachers are doing ok. There are lots on every thread now.

It is assumed that they have at all times maintained 2m distance, hence no close contacts, hence no need for anyone else to isolate.

2 metres isn't a magical distance in which droplets can't reach you. They are stuck in classrooms all day long with 32 children at a time, not wearing masks, and for long periods at a time. If a child has it, they are at high risk of catching it, 2 metres or not.

Our TAs all seem to be needing to get tests (for themselves or their children), and are off waiting for results, but apparently teachers are all immune, since we've all been in since day 1, irrespective of colds etc. The prospect of impacting a whole loads of children and families is stressful.

I had a test on Tuesday (part of a random Imperial College test thing), and result was back 8am this morning. It's not quick enough.

I required results to go back to work in a school (tested with new continuous cough). Tested 6pm Saturday, result 6.15 sunday.

We as school staff have been saying for months safety measures in schools are virtually zero but were continuously shot down in flames for being negative and lazy.

The whole thing is ridiculous. I feel sorry for headteachers and school staff trying to navigate through this madness. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

@Kitcat122

We as school staff have been saying for months safety measures in schools are virtually zero but were continuously shot down in flames for being negative and lazy.

This.