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Covid

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Original poster

Isolation and schools question.

22 replies

Bbee29 · 27/03/2021 06:34

Not even happened but jumping to worst case scenario as per usual for me 😔

One of my children came home saying they their teacher was off poorly and was getting a covid test. The school haven’t mentioned it but this is what DS said so I’m taking his word for it so t might be untrue. His teacher was definitely off though.

There’s no indication this is actually covid of course. Infections are really low here so likely something else.

Anyway, say it was covid and DS had to isolate! What about my other dc? I know if DS has no symptoms it’s only him who has to isolate and they can go to school BUT how do I get my other children to school? If I have one at home that isn’t old enough to be left alone and a dh who will be at work and unable to help out - he could probably do one school run a day but what about the other?!

Has this happened to anyone? It must have surely?

This is just one of a few unsolved questions I have in my head 😂

OP posts:

MrsWombat · 27/03/2021 07:10

The siblings will still be able to go to school. If there is no one else to take them in, then in my school their absence will be authorized as covid related. You will need to contact your school to see if they will do the same. The siblings in my school get assigned Oak Academy lessons. The child in the bubble that is off gets proper virtual lessons.

Nomaj · 27/03/2021 07:13

Ask another local family to walk your other kids to school?

Or if you can drive then drive and leave isolating child in the car and ask another parent to walk your kids in from the car?

We have a car park right by school so this would be easy for us but I have read on here about schools agreeing to parents parking in teachers car parks for a moment and then staff walking the siblings in from there.

tryingtocatchthewind · 27/03/2021 07:17

Happened to one of my children last week. Four of us buddied up so one adult would watch the isolating kids in the car park whilst the other parents walked the other kids up to school. The isolating kids absolutely loved having a five minute game of top trumps in the car

bobbiester · 27/03/2021 07:26

@tryingtocatchthewind

Errr...mixing with isolating kids from other families is not isolating.

RevolvingPivot · 27/03/2021 07:27

This week my mum managed to take my dd and step dad collected her (thur/fri).

It's absolutely madness and a lot of people don't have family to help.

I know school are sticking to the guidelines and there is much anyone can do but it's so hard.

I know a few who have had to keep both kids off although....

While I was waiting for my results dd2 was isolating because someone in her class tested positive. dd1 was off waiting for our results.

Dd2 had oak academy lessons whilst dd1 didn't because obviously she would have been at school that wasn't fun lol.

Shibees · 27/03/2021 08:52

@tryingtocatchthewind

Absolutely horrified at this!!

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 27/03/2021 08:55

We have been clearly told isolating siblings are not allowed on the premises either in cars or on foot and they have reiterated what isolating means as many don’t seem to know it would seem.

I presume that means some will have had to keep siblings off in order ti follow the rules.

EdithWeston · 27/03/2021 08:56

You'll need to stay home, and keep as much distance between the isolating DC and everyone else as you can manage.

Your DH will have to ask for exceptional permission to vary his working hours, so he definitely does at least one, and sometimes two. And then beg and plead for a favour from other parents, or see if a neighbour would help, or call one of the covid-volunteer services (your council may have a role, or will be able to signpost)

Bunnybigears · 27/03/2021 08:58

I dont understand how this is a new scenario for people. If we didn't have covid and 1 child was ill and couldn't leave the house (sickness/diarrhoea etc) how would you get the others to school? Just do that.

Shibees · 27/03/2021 09:02

@Bunnybigears

I think this scenario is quite different though.

In your example, many parents would ask another parent to take the sibling to school but with Covid, many parents are hesitant to do this.

Bunnybigears · 27/03/2021 09:04

In your example, many parents would ask another parent to take the sibling to school but with Covid, many parents are hesitant to do this.

But thats exactly what most people are suggesting a family member, other parents, neighbour etc take the other kids to school.

Shibees · 27/03/2021 09:09

@Bunnybigears

In your example, many parents would ask another parent to take the sibling to school but with Covid, many parents are hesitant to do this.

But thats exactly what most people are suggesting a family member, other parents, neighbour etc take the other kids to school.

Yes they are suggesting this.

However I wouldn’t ask in this situation and I wouldn’t help I’m afraid. It’s a very personal thing & based on perception of risk.

I think the sensible & easiest thing to do is keep the other sibling off too. Less hassle in my opinion & schools should be ok with this.

Shibees · 27/03/2021 09:12

I am of course basing my thoughts on having said child in the car for school runs. If it’s a case of walking the child to school, that would be fine.

Bunnybigears · 27/03/2021 09:14

However I wouldn’t ask in this situation and I wouldn’t help I’m afraid. It’s a very personal thing & based on perception of risk.

You wouldnt let your child walk to school in the fresh air with a child they are going to spend the day in a classroom with? I agree perception of risk is personal but that really does seem overly cautious. Are you happy with siblings of isolating children still being in school?

Bunnybigears · 27/03/2021 09:15

@Shibees Cross Post

Wingingit15 · 27/03/2021 09:16

Op do you have a partner or otherwise are the kids dad around? If so they will need to share you splitting the isolation and school element.
If not speak to the school. You may be allowed to drive to a drop off point where you can see isolating child in car without them getting out.

Lemons1571 · 27/03/2021 09:28

At this stage in the pandemic I would take isolating child along in the car, if it was possible to drop other kids off without isolating child leaving the car. Now that most of the vulnerable have had one vaccine, the risks of doing this must be smaller than they were.

If walking then I would walk and isolating child would wear a mask, we not go near anyone, and other kids could walk the last bit into the school gates on their own (if old enough).

I think it’s extreme to phone the council and other covid helplines to get outside help with this. Isn’t it a really small % of isolating contacts that actually go on to develop covid? I couldn’t have all kids potentially missing additional weeks and weeks of school, when they are not even contacts themselves.

AlexandraEiffel · 27/03/2021 09:44

Yes this has happened lots all over the country for a fair old while. To be honest I'm surprised there's anyone left who hasn't - I thought I was lucky to have only done it twice. But obviously not.

In our two stints last year we did a combination of, my husband popping home to watch the isolating one whilst I took the other to school (or the other way round but I really appreciated the fresh air). Or them waking down with another parent who was passing. There was lots of the latter, which was complicated by limits on numbers meeting at that point in time. Much easier now it'll be rule of 6.
Others did going in the car, leaving the isolating one in the car. Often one parent would watch all the cars whilst another took all the kids.
Some left isolating ones outside the school gate but were asked not to as this isn't isolating of course.
I think there's the odd one the school helped out if they were stuck.

CordeliaCurtains · 27/03/2021 10:28

Teachers are regularly off for covid tests.

I am a teacher and yesterday covered a class because the teacher was awaiting a covid result after going home unwell... the result arrived at 10am and she arrived at school soon after.

If someone in your dc's class has covid, the class have to isolate, the siblings still attend school.

Original poster

Bbee29 · 27/03/2021 14:10

Thanks all. I know that it would only be DS who has to isolate. We haven’t heard anything so all good so far.

There hasn’t been any cases at there school since this whole thing began.

Dh isn’t in a position to change his hours. Say if it was this week he could drop off every day but pick up would be a struggle.

My family live 15 miles away and all work and have their own commitments. I guess I could ask other parents but Dd has additional needs. Not sure how she would react to anyone else picking her up but I guess if it comes to it we would have no choice...

OP posts:

Nomaj · 28/03/2021 11:35

I would happily walk a child from the same class in with my kids. Or meet you at your car and walk your DD from there.

Is there a family your DD knows who she would be comfortable with?

badlydrawnbear · 28/03/2021 12:20

When we have had 1 DC isolating as a COVID contact from school and I was at work, DH has had to keep both DC at home. I emailed the not isolating DC's teacher to inform them and they suggested work we could do at home. I don't know if this is a requirement. I usually only work 2 school days a week, so it is they didn't miss so much school but there were others who were at home for the whole of their sibling's isolation period.

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