Out of interest, how many schools have had 0 confirmed covid cases yet?

[Zara50]

We are tier 4 (midlands). My dc primary school has still yet to have a confirmed covid case, which is obviously great for us but I think is purely down to luck as opposed to safety measures.

Just curious as to how many other schools in high tier areas are similar... I guess primary age children are often asymptomatic and therefore go undiagnosed?

My ds is at a small, one form primary and people did not know about cases in different classes, unless the whole class had to isolate. I work in schools and know that slt were keeping this information very quiet.

The school I work (400+ pupil primary in new Tier 4 area) had zero cases up until the 10th of December, when 1 teacher tested positive. By the following Monday, the number of positves was 14, across several year groups (teachers and pupils) and were advised by PHE to close early for Christmas holidays.

So just because there were no cases in the first term doesn't mean your luck will continue. With this new variant, things are happening shockingly fast.

@lovelemoncurd

All these parents who supposedly know exactly how many cases there are in the school at any one time are deranged! How can they possibly know?

Are schools sending out magic letters every time an asymptomatic child sits in a classroom with the virus which nobody yet knows about?

I believe we are talking about confirmed cases, obviously.

And yes, many schools do tell parents of all confirmed cases regardless of year group, just accept some schools communicate well.

We had only had three cases, one in three different year groups. Only close contacts sent home and spread over entire term from Sept to Nov.

SE London borough in the original school closure tier 4 list.

Primary school: none
Secondary school: about 5 or 6.

Yes we had letters each time a positive case was identified in the secondary and was told the same by the primary but none came out and no groups off isolating.

We were just incredibly lucky I suppose.

That said, and as disappointing as it is to have school closures, I think it's right to go to online learning now.

@HavfrueDenizKisi

That said, and as disappointing as it is to have school closures, I think it's right to go to online learning now.

I agree, but I don't see an alternative with the rates being so high and this new strain seemingly running out of control.

And schools are more prepared to offer online lessons this time.

None in my DC rural primary either

Central London - 0 cases all term and then almost half of the staff tested positive between 17th-22nd December.

Also zero in North Yorkshire. Seems a crime to consider closing when the non essential shops and local zoo are open

Im in a Tier 4 hotspot down by SE coast.
My son is at a small private school - they have had a case in a teacher in the prep school at a different building, and one 6th former, again in a different building.
Nothing in the secondary school so far, although when testing starts....

I work in a Tier 4 primary school. We’ve had no cases amongst children or staff.

My school is a 3 form entry infants in a tier 4 area of Hampshire. Touch wood we are yet to have a positive case

This thread is interesting in terms of the variations across areas! May have missed one, but I don't think there were any secondary schools with zero cases? Which makes sense just from the perspective of they tend to be bigger.

Just pointing out that as parents, you would not know.
That might be true at your school, but we get a letter every single time school is notified about a positive case (which by the end of term meant we were getting daily letters). Also, secondary school children have a highly tuned social media network and find out pretty quickly if any students test positive.

I think it is really odd parents think they can be sure of the health status if everyone in their child’s school. Why do you think you would know? Are you basing your ‘our school has had no cases’ on playground gossip?

Tier 4, North West. One form entry primary, 0 cases no bubbles burst. Massive secondary, I have lost count but my child has not yet been sent home to isolate although plenty of kids have.

@HollyGenneroMcClane

I think it is really odd parents think they can be sure of the health status if everyone in their child’s school. Why do you think you would know? Are you basing your ‘our school has had no cases’ on playground gossip?

No. I’m basing the ‘our school has had no cases’ on the fact that I’m chair of governors.

Our secondary school sends home a letter every time there is a positive case notified to them - is this not the case everywhere?

No, many schools including my own primary, aren't sending letters out every time. Only letters go out now if it's to j for, a class/group they need to isolate. It does not specify number of cases or who (child/staff) has tested positive.

Our parents will know that their own child's class has had at least one case due to self isolation. I doubt many know quite how many staff in particular have tested positive last term.

Even the governors and very active has members didn't know I'd tested positive, been in hospital with it and been off for 7 weeks. They only know now as it came up in conversation with some of them when we were doing an activity together just before Christmas.

@HollyGenneroMcClane

I think it is really odd parents think they can be sure of the health status if everyone in their child’s school. Why do you think you would know? Are you basing your ‘our school has had no cases’ on playground gossip?

No, the school put it in their newsletter as a ‘so please keep up the distancing etc’ message. Also was chatting with the caretaker yesterday who confirmed it. Ours is a one form entry in London so comparatively small, which probably helps.

Really surprised at so many of these posts saying none. We have had over 30, each year group hit and with siblings. Staff and other children have then gone onto test positive whilst isolating. Several staff testing positive before the holidays.

@HollyGenneroMcClane

I think it is really odd parents think they can be sure of the health status if everyone in their child’s school. Why do you think you would know? Are you basing your ‘our school has had no cases’ on playground gossip?

I live in a tiny community. There are 39 families that make up the entire school of under 60 pupils (there’s lots of siblings). I know every family personally and my FIL is chair of governors.

Our school sent a text out when we had a positive case. Small single form entry school.

I think it’s really odd that posters can’t imagine schools that are different to their own.

I'm amazed that so many schools have had 0 cases.

I live in an area that was Tier 1 until very recently, and the secondary I work at, the other local secondary, and all of our feeder primaries have had confirmed cases. Not loads, but between 1 and 5 in each school.

Another local primary had two confirmed cases, and one had to shut because of cases in the last week of term.

I guess, in some cases, it is lack of testing? We have had some parents choose to isolate their kids, rather than test them, which I think is an odd choice to make!

My Dc go to 3 different schools. Confirmed cases in all 3, the secondary being the worse. All my children have had to isolate during different weeks