I don't understand the opposition to mass testing in school

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I thought that's what teachers on here wanted. Won't it mean school will be much safer as you'll be able to identify asymptomatic DC plus not have to rely on parents not to send DC in even with symptoms. Why is there so much negativity?

@Achristmaspudsskidu I absolutely agree with you.

But as far as the actual tests themselves go, I have read the tests themselves being criticised for being ineffective, but if those are the best ones available then I don't see what else can be done?

I feel so sorry for teachers and HCPs, supermarket staff, bus drivers, undertakers, and all front line staff at the moment. It totally is crap for so so many people. And services have been run down so much, that there isn't the staff to move from health to schools to help test. BUT that shouldn't mean it's the teachers job. Too much is being expected of you all. I am just not sure what parents can do to help. My Tory MP doesn't give a shit!

but if those are the best ones available then I don't see what else can be done?

Well, like I said-we continue to isolate staff and children who’ve been close contacts of positive cases. Like in every other sector.

Or are you suggesting that despite knowing these tests are rubbish, we should replace self-isolation with them?

@Achristmaspudsskidu No, I am NOT saying to replace isolation with them. Which I said in the first post you replied to.

I AM saying that teachers have been dropped in it, they should have full PPE, CEV teachers should be shielding, there should be more staff to test who are properly trained and funded, and those staff shouldn't be teachers. And isolation should not be done away with.

BUT these tests are the best we have right now, so there is no point in people complaining about their efficacy, if even HCPs are stuck using them.

Frankly I think many teachers will still have hours to make up from the 6 month school closure period

Teachers were working.

And as the academic year finished in July, you can't carry the hours over.

:o

What happens if a child doesn't want to be tested? Will staff hold them down to do the test? What about autistic children or children with other learning disabilities? I wouldn't want my child to be tested unless it was a fully qualified HCP carrying out the test. Teaching & non teaching staff should not be expected to carry out the tests, it should be done by the school nursing service or by suitably qualified staff employed by public health.

Nah, That's not what tantamount means.

What you're saying is that instead of a lesson there will be testing.

Tantamount means virtually the same as; these are two entirely different things.

This going to be another failure from the government.
I agree.I simply can’t understand why they keep setting themselves up for failure with knee jerk orders and no thought for the foreseen consequences (and I do mean foreseen, not unforeseen).
I am amazed that parents already have letters from schools. I am a teacher dnd we had remote INSET on Thursday and we were on a call with the Headteacher when the news came through via BBC notification on people’s phones - that was the first the Head had heard of it and had to immediately react dnd start planning. I have never wanted to be a Head even in ‘normal’ times but imagine there will be a lot of resignations this year -who on earth would put up either this nonsense?

I don't have any objection to mass testing, I have a serious objection to the government blithely announcing that something is going to happen without any planning behind it.

It is as curious ‘time-turning’ notion that you can ‘bank’ hours in the summer and use them now! Time is perishable and when it’s gone, it’s gone! On the other hand, if the gvt had used that summer time to plan for a variety of contingencies, in the knowledge that winter is the time when there is greatest pressure on Heath services they could have had an oven ready solution ready to roll now.

@PonderingPeggy

Schools are increasingly expected to do the parents' job for them. Anything that's deemed to be lacking in a child's life = "get the schools to step in".

Now there's a lack of suitable testing facilities and once again it's "get the schools to step in".

No.

100%

@Nat6999

What happens if a child doesn't want to be tested? Will staff hold them down to do the test? What about autistic children or children with other learning disabilities? I wouldn't want my child to be tested unless it was a fully qualified HCP carrying out the test. Teaching & non teaching staff should not be expected to carry out the tests, it should be done by the school nursing service or by suitably qualified staff employed by public health.

Absolutely.

I’m reading this with absolute horror. My DH has leukaemia and we are already taking a risk by sending our children to school, but this adds a whole new layer of risk to students, teachers, staff and anyone they come in to contact with outside of school. It’s a disgrace.

Would it not be simpler to issue students tests to do at home before they go into school

Teachers should also stick a broom up their arse and sweep the floor whilst they go. It's getting ridiculous. They must be on their knees! Meanwhile Gavin Williamson- what a tosser he is!

If students are able to be taught how to make apple crumble, play the piano, saw pieces of wood safely, play rugby etc I’m sure they can manage to do a simple test using a nasal swab

So speaks someone without the faintest clue about medical testing protocols or the very real hazards involved when processing tests involving a potentially deadly pathogen.

@cantkeepawayforever

Crafty, again:

Proposal 1 (actually revealed second):

Testing of every secondary school pupil at the start of next term, two tests, 3 days apart, ready for return of Y11 and 13 on 4th January and all other years on or before the 11th.

Proposal 2 (announced first)

INSTEAD of sending pupils home to self isolate, from the start of next term, every secondary school is required to set up a testing procedure such that every close contact, instead of being sent home to isolate, should be kept in school but tested every day for 7 days. Teachers will be tested weekly, and i presume daily if they are close contacts, but again not asked to self isolate.

Is that clearer?

Another quote of this super clear post. Just to make sure people are informed about what the Gov are actually proposing.

Many schools offered very little or no provision at all during lockdown.

Schools didn't have the means to give a 'proper' education on line back in lockdown. Now schools do.

For example my DC high school had to close down for a day the other Friday due to problem within the school. They shut about 40 mins after the school opened and within 30 mins of closure we had an Email from the school telling us all lessons from the second period were on line and expected to done.

The only issue my Dc had was the they realised that they would never have another 'snow' day as the school can now set schoolwork to be done online .

@toocold54

Same here figgy, that is why I was so surprised to read about testing before going back to school as the letter from the school I got today never mentioned it.

I’ve heard absolutely nothing from my DCs school but my own school has just sent a letter to parents saying that there will be remote learning until the 11th and the government has proposed mass testing but not given any more details and so they will send a letter out with more details after Xmas as they don’t want it to ruin our Xmas thinking about it and chances are the government will charge their minds anyway so it is best to wait a few more days.

Thank you and I think you’re right. They make u-turns constantly so this could all be a flash in the pan in a fortnight 🤞🏽