If your child is in an exam year will they be going to school/college on the 11th?

[WhoEatsPopTarts]

My dc is in year 13, awaiting Uni offers, A levels around the corner, currently revising. On the 11th he’ll be the only member of our household going anywhere other than to buy food. School have been great at implementing as many precautions as possible and he’s as sensible as you can expect from an 18 year old, but we’re also hearing that the new variant is more transmissible. I’m not happy about him going in, he’ll be our weakest link on the other hand he’s about to take his exams and has already had to work incredibly hard to catch up on all that was missed last year,

I’d love to know what you’re all thinking?

My dd is year 11. I want to keep her off school as my dh is in the shielding group but she is getting upset saying she will fail her exams if she doesn't go in as she cannot work from home effectively. It's really hard to know what to do. She has already missed loads of the Autumn term due to her bubble having to isolate.

Yes we are hoping for our yr 13 to start back on the 11th. He is sitting his mocks on Mon 11th -Mon 18th. They are invited to take 2 covid tests next week on the Wed and Fri or possibly Mon 11th morning. School is North London comp with lots of cases and most kids isolating at some point last term. I will be relieved if they can all make it through their mocks!

Ds1 is also year 13. He will be going back, he needs to.

I am working: frontline NHS so I am the risk really and we just have to get on with it.

My work will be stuffed if I need to isolate because ds1 develops symptoms but I am getting the first dose of vaccine tomorrow so that may change in the future after the second dose.

Dh is in the shielding group here as well. Can anyone explain are they getting a covid test the week before or the week of the 11th? Thanks

I think DS's school are hoping to test the Y11 and Y13 in the w/c 4th January but they haven't received the tests yet! DS should then go into school on w/c 11th, although he would prefer to continue remote provision. If in he wants masks to be compulsory throughout the school day

Ours have inset next Monday and Tuesday and are due back in on Wednesday.
Dc1 is in year 10 and is due to sit a GCSE exam on Monday 11th and should be doing GCSE English Lit this year too. We have had no information about what is happening regarding GCSE’s for this year group of kids (we’re in Wales). School have said that if they’re open and we choose not to send our dc in, they are not obliged to set work online (fair enough) so I feel that he has no choice but to go in.

My year 12 will have to as she has an exam on 12th.

My Y11 will be going to school. My Y13 will be going to college (but not everyday, they've been really good with Google classroom) I will be on my own with a class of children (class teacher has Covid- and no other TA wants to join my bubble, but we'll be doing LOTS of outdoor learning). I just don't see any realistic alternative.

@Orangeblossom77777

Dh is in the shielding group here as well. Can anyone explain are they getting a covid test the week before or the week of the 11th? Thanks

I think it’s variable from one school to the next. Our school is planning to test the children once they are there but not before they go back

Ds1 is in year 11, due back on 11th Jan, I think they get tested that day and again on 18th. Dd2 is clinically vulnerable so I am already feeling anxious about it - but I know Ds will want to go in. Ds2 (Y9) @ Dd1 (Y7) are due back on 18th and I will have the same issue with them. I feel completely torn. I'm also due back in work (early years setting) on Monday. As a family, we are pretty exposed and it feels very scary at the moment.

Year 12 dd has BTEC exams that week not even mocks so is definitely in school

Thanks