Schools LF Testing Consent Form

[Theimpossiblegirl]

I've received information from the school and a consent form, as expected.

But the last point on the consent form is this:
I consent that if a close contact of my child tests positive but my child tested negative, they will continue to attend school but will be tested every day at school for 7 school days.

So no burst bubbles or isolating if they've been a close contact unless they test negative? I'm not happy about this at all. Have I understood correctly? Is this going to be standard now?

I've messaged a few parents and they've signed the form without reading this. Parents trust schools and just sign stuff. Ffs. What happened to reading the small print and questioning everything? I hope it's a mistake. Otherwise it feels like parents are being mislead so much.

It’s definitely an error based on an odd form. They dropped it subsequently. This might help

dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/01/20/pausing-daily-contact-testing-and-self-isolation-of-pupils-and-teachers-your-questions-answered/

*old not odd 🤦‍♀️

The guidance explicitly says not to do this. Page 27 --
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/964351/Schools_coronavirus_operational_guidance.pdf

"Based on advice from Public Health England (PHE) and NHS Test and Trace, the testing programme initially included offering those who came into close contact with a positive case in schools the option of 7 days of daily contact testing (with selfisolation if a subsequent test was positive) as an alternative to self-isolation. PHE and NHS Test and Trace have now reviewed their initial advice in light of the higher prevalence and rates of transmission of new variants. They have concluded that these changes in virus mutations warrant further evaluation work and that daily contact testing in place of self-isolation should be paused until this evaluation has taken place. We will update this guidance once this evaluation is complete."

@PatriciaHolm
Thank you so much. If I don't get a satisfactory answer you've given me my reply.

In our case the school has asked us to update a form sent previously in the Winter, so think it may have been left on from then.

It is the Mid Somerset MAT btw, not sure if the same one

I've emailed the school. It's not the same one I'm in a different area. It's also not the same form we filled out originally.

Both my dd schools sent out the same form. I emailed and they both said they wouldn’t be doing it.
It’s poor that the DFE haven’t produced an updated form with this removed for schools to use.

Can i just check what is the correct procedure then for isolating groups, if they are not doing daily testing are they sending the whole year group of 120 home for ten days / two weeks? Or is it close contacts? Thanks

@Orangeblossom1977

Can i just check what is the correct procedure then for isolating groups, if they are not doing daily testing are they sending the whole year group of 120 home for ten days / two weeks? Or is it close contacts? Thanks

I would imagine it’ll be close contacts like before Christmas.

@Orangeblossom1977

Can i just check what is the correct procedure then for isolating groups, if they are not doing daily testing are they sending the whole year group of 120 home for ten days / two weeks? Or is it close contacts? Thanks

It will depend on the advice school has, but 1 positive will mean close contacts are sent home, if it's more than 2 (I think) in a week that would trigger a whole year group being sent home. I think primaries are more likely to send home a class group.

Ok thanks

Surprised to have a reply on a Sunday but they will be isolating close contacts as before.
I do worry about the clarity of information we're being given as parents. Doesn't fill me with optimism.

My dd's school also sent the consent form out with this point on. I have emailed to query but haven't received a reply and they want the form back by tomorrow latest. School is notorious for not replying....grrrr. I have deleted this statement on the consent form and sent it back. I agree it is worrying re misinformation...hopefully the school knows what it is doing and this is just a mistake and an old form but who knows?!