Letter from school 😕

[RollyPollyPudding]

Received a letter from school about the new COVID arrangements. The school is being excellent and doing everything they can but a line in the letter really has made me anxious- it reads that they are fully expecting the cases among the students to increase and therefore expect a high lifelong of absentees.
That’s really worrying, I know and understand it’s inevitable but just reading it in black and white has really made me nervous.

For context- she is in primary, 20 students( all in separate bubbles) in class and private school.

Lifelong? What do they mean?

20 students all in separate bubbles?
A high lifelong of absentees?

What do either of these things mean?

Op are you sure it said... Life long absentees? Because that is worrying..
What a load of rubbish are they expecting us to explode!

Poor school and teacher and parents...

Huh?

I'm assuming "lifelong" is a typo for "levels" so "high levels of absentees"

Sorry- silly autocorrect

Lifelong should be level! ‘High Level of absentees’

Bubbles- total 20 students, within the class the girls are separated into 5 in a bubble.

And think the separate bubbles was meant to mean separate class bubbles.

But are the five-girl bubbles all in the same classroom OP?

@DecemberStar yes, it’s more so these 5 can sit together for lunch, do group activities together etc. So I suppose if one is isolating they remove that bubble first hence the disruption to others is minimal?

They also gave the whole increased ventilation etc in place as well.

Sounds like the school is being sensible and realising absences may be higher than normal so (hopefully) making some plans for how absent students will keep up with their lessons. If they get them into small groups of 5 within a class who always sit together too that also sounds like a good way to reduce the numbers of close contacts they'll be identifying anytime they have a child with Covid. So I'm not sure it was meant to worry you.

It’s likely the kids will bring the virus into school from the community. Hopefully if they are strict with keeping the bubbles separate and other mitigation’s it won’t spread.

It sounds like your school are doing a lot more than most schools. It’s secondary where the big spread danger is I think.

I'm guessing you have been in an area with low number of cases up to now? Because that's been the norm for many people through last term. I don't think it is anything (extra) to worry about - presumably cases generally are now increasing rapidly in your area and schools will reflect this.

At least in bubbles of 5, you child will only be identified as a direct contact if one of 4 other people test positive, so her chance of being able to stay in school is quite high. Unless the DfE makes a U Turn and abandons the direct contact self isolation model (which is what this is).

Is this an independent school?

The school is being brilliant- I have no words to thank the teachers and the head for the amazing work they have put in so far to keep the girls safe.

Yes they have put zoom lessons etc in place for girls who will have to stay at home. The teaching assistant and teacher will support these girls on a daily basis.

The letter says not to send the girls in even if it’s a runny nose as children present symptoms differently- so they are being extra cautious

My worry or anxiety is that my daughter catching it by sheer bad luck and brining it home..I know there are no answers but it’s just it’s added something to my worry list for today

@RedskyAtnight we were at a low rate area but it’s been rapidly climbing in the last three weeks

@Bluewavescrashing - yes it is

The school sounds excellent from what you describe. The only unfortunate thing is the timing of your receiving the letter as no-one will be there to respond to any queries you may have.

If only the education secretary was half as competent.

@nosswith yes I think partly that’s why I feel edgy. I didn’t expect the letter to arrive today. Thought there was a few more days for me to prepare for school, but as I mentioned the school have been excellent throughout so really thankful for that.

That sounds excellent. You are lucky you have a school with such good planning and small classes.

The whole bubble thing is bollocks. Bubbles only work if the people in each bubble aren't mixing with anyone else!

Reads like the school are giving the go ahead for parents to keep kids at home if they want too.

As in we are expecting a lot of absent children. So it is up to you. Just phone them in sick.

Both my kids schools have a habit of writing carefully worded letters to get around government guidelines etc

Sounds great tbh. If the school are encouraging children to stay home even with slight cold symptoms, it's less likely to spread among children in your dd's school.

They are looking at schools reopening today in cobra meeting and the priority list for vaccinations is being reviewed right now. There is talk of adding teachers.

It is probably way to soon after Christmas to be deciding anything unless closing schools. Anyway I think individual schools should open depending on the case numbers in their area. Saying schools in my area of London should be treated the same as my brothers secondary school in Cornwall is daft.

I think the bubbles are pretty useless if they're in the same room breathing the same air tbh. I spend 6. 5 hours a day teaching 28 5 year olds, serving them lunch, helping them with toilet accidents etc. We have them seated in rows in fixed spaces and have separate resources for pairs to share etc but it seems futile when we're all in there together all day.

@Comefromaway Hopefully if they are strict with keeping the bubbles separate and other mitigation’s it won’t spread. I have read better jokes in crackers!