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Covid

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Original poster

When will children stop being sent home...

42 replies

ThornAmongstRoses · 28/05/2021 08:36

I’m doing an extra work shift this afternoon to cover a shift for my friend (which I don’t mind doing ) because of what her children’s school did yesterday...

The school phoned her at work to say her son (12 years old) had a slight headache and so he must be collected and would not be allowed back until she had a negative Covid test. Apart from a slight headache the boy was absolutely fine.

My sister argued that a headache isn’t even a Covid symptom but the school wouldn’t relent.

The school also said her other son must also go home (15 years old) purely because his younger brother had a headache and might have Covid. The oldest son was absolutely fine but the same rule was given to him regarding him needing a negative Covid test before he could come back to school.

As a result my friend had to leave work and pick up her two well children from school.

Both children had negative LFTs (which my friend thought was appropriate as the children weren’t symptomatic) but the school said the tests had to be the PCR ones.

So she then had to put them through that, whilst taking time off work herself, and they are currently awaiting the results. All three of them are perfectly well.

Surely one child having a slight headache but being otherwise well doesn’t warrant all this disruption?

When will this end?

OP posts:

BentBabyBastard · 28/05/2021 08:40

Unless something has been lost in translation between your friend telling you and you writing this post - then the school have reacted inappropriately.

A mild headache would not warrant all this, I suspect there is more to it (recent outbreak at the school, child having other symptoms etc)

The sibling wouldn't have needed a PCR test so I'm not sure why he had to have one? She would have had to lie on the booking form surely?

RoseAndRose · 28/05/2021 08:41

If the school believes pupils are symptomatic, then they have no choice but to send them home and require PCR evidence.

The question is whether the symptoms were actually as your friend described.

And yes, she did nothing wrong as they had been having LFTs and were not symptomatic when they left for school.

Original poster

ThornAmongstRoses · 28/05/2021 08:43

The sibling wouldn't have needed a PCR test so I'm not sure why he had to have one? She would have had to lie on the booking form surely?

Yes she did have to lie - but what was the alternative if that is what the school demanded he have a negative test before he is allowed back.

They said if the younger son had Covid (because of the slight headache) then the eldest son would be a contact, hence why they didn’t want him in school either.

My sister is furious.

I’ve told her to complain to the Head. It seems like the school is making up its own rules.

OP posts:

Theunamedcat · 28/05/2021 08:43

There must be someone that you can complain to about this sending a child home for a headache fine but not requiring a vovid test its not a symptom ffs

Original poster

ThornAmongstRoses · 28/05/2021 08:57

Exactly.

My sister is a teacher (in another school) which is why she’s so angry about it. I think she’s a bit fed up of children being sent home with symptoms that aren’t Covid symptoms.

She’s told our friend to complain but our friend won’t as she doesn’t like confrontation.

I just think it’s mad.

OP posts:

RoseAndRose · 28/05/2021 09:00

School were completely wrong to demand testing of a non-symptomatic pupil.

I'm wondering if the symptoms of the younger DC were misdecribed at some point?

jupitermars1345 · 28/05/2021 09:04

At our school kids get sent home for a runny nose even if that's the only thing they have
I think it's madnesst

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 28/05/2021 09:11

Well if you live with someone who has symptoms than you are all supposed to self isolate until that person's test comes back negative .

They shouldn't have insisted that the other child be tested though and although headache isn't one of the main symptoms we were told it was common in children. My 10 year old started with a headache. Seems a bit extreme of the school. My 18 month old niece has had 7 tests now though because nursery send them home for stupid reasons.

Original poster

ThornAmongstRoses · 28/05/2021 09:29

My 18 month old niece has had 7 tests now though because nursery send them home for stupid reasons.

Blimey!!

Thankfully my own son’s school are quite good and say that the only reason they’d ask the child to be collected is if they have a continuous cough or a temperature.

It’s a pain for the children but it’s also difficult for the parents who have to keep taking time off work.

I do wonder when the tolerance levels of employers will start to drop when it comes to things like this.

OP posts:

SpeckledShrimp · 28/05/2021 09:45

My kids are being send home all the time for none covid symptoms, really have had enough of pinning my children down while they scream no. Last time resulted in my 3 year old smacking the swab up her nose and causing a nasty nosebleed.

Its becoming a joke now with schools making up their own rules and symptoms.

Sweettea1 · 28/05/2021 10:00

Thankfully not all schools are over reacting like this. My ds had a cold yes a COLD I let school no he had done a LFT and that it was negative and they were fine with this.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 28/05/2021 10:28

Schools are scared of getting things wrong. If he did have Covid he would have been spreading it and they have to act cautiously due to H and S of other kids and staff. They would be held responsible if a child started a super spreading event which is why they are cautious.

PCR is more reliable than LFT. That’s why they asked for it. I work in a school. Your school was maybe being too cautious but their actions are not outside the realms of possibility.

vaccinesrule · 28/05/2021 11:00

I would be annoyed if the 'symptoms' were not one of those listed for test eligility.
Hay fever season has started. My DC sneeze a lot etc with hay fever and are now getting the full dose already so as to avoid the slightest sniffle or sneeze resulting in lost schooling and invasive testing. DC has been fully vaccinated but apparently the game-changing vaccines that will get the UK out of this mess are regarded as useless while within the school grounds.

Lavinia321 · 28/05/2021 11:20

My child got sent home from nursery because we had given him calpol for teething. No temperature, no cough, just teething but apparently the calpol could mask covid symptoms if he developed them during the day. Mental!

Conversely, my other children’s school was happily accepting children with new persistent coughs with no testing required during November 2020 because it didn’t sound like a covid cough - (if only we knew what that actually sounded like!!). It’s like no one can interpret the guidelines even vaguely properly!!

Pootle40 · 28/05/2021 11:26

@ThornAmongstRoses

I’m doing an extra work shift this afternoon to cover a shift for my friend (which I don’t mind doing ) because of what her children’s school did yesterday...

My sister argued that a headache isn’t even a Covid symptom but the school wouldn’t relent.

As a result my friend had to leave work and pick up her two well children from school.

Both children had negative LFTs (which my friend thought was appropriate as the children weren’t symptomatic) but the school said the tests had to be the PCR ones.

So she then had to put them through that, whilst taking time off work herself, and they are currently awaiting the results. All three of them are perfectly well.

Surely one child having a slight headache but being otherwise well doesn’t warrant all this disruption?

When will this end?

Fucking ridiculous. Enough is enough now

Pootle40 · 28/05/2021 11:28

@SpeckledShrimp

Its becoming a joke now with schools making up their own rules and symptoms.

I would not test them. Done it once (was negative) and it was very traumatic. Won't be doing it again

Fishandhips · 28/05/2021 11:30

The school is wrong in this instance, that's not guidance at all. So I guess there's 2 questions- when will official guidance change, and when will schools actually follow it instead of making it up.

Jennyfromtheculdesac · 28/05/2021 13:31

That is bonkers.

Auntycorruption · 28/05/2021 21:04

Absolutely bonkers.

Tell kids not to report symptoms such as "mild headache" to teachers. Presume they didn't need teacher input so why report?

MargaretThursday · 28/05/2021 21:54

How did the school know he had a "slight headache"? Sounds odd that he would mention that to a teacher.

mightyducks · 28/05/2021 22:29

This is the local policy in some areas as directed by directors of public health, it is not the national guidance, but many are happy to follow it as it has found so many cases, particularly stomach upset symptoms, as it does present differently in children

MargosKaftan · 29/05/2021 07:51

Your friend needs to complain. That's not the rules and they cant refuse to have children in school when they don't have covid symptoms and neither do their family members.

The only thing I can think of is if the 12 year old also had a high temperature with the headache.

Is it an area with lots of cases? They are being more cautious.

MinesAPintOfTea · 29/05/2021 07:57

I don’t understand the reluctance to test in this thread. I told DS each time it was going to be nasty but important to help control covid. And that as soon as we got home he could have ice cream to take the feeling away.

He was upset, but it was over in a minute and then there was ice cream not much later.

But we live on the edge of a hot spot and across town several year groups are isolating at home due to confirmed cases, so we are still taking it very seriously here.

MargosKaftan · 29/05/2021 08:03

@MinesaPintOfTea - that approach would work fine with my dc1. Dc2 has had to have 2 tests. Each time has been a crying traumatic mess. 1st time involved dh being shouted at while in the test centre car park because you were not to get out of your car, but he had to come round to the back seat and clamp dc2s head still as we couldn't get the swab up her nose.

Some children freak out at this stuff. And the medical staff at the centre don't do it for you.

If a child refuses and you have to pin them down because it has to be done, then its a traumatic experience and I can see why so many families are just refusing to test.

Original poster

ThornAmongstRoses · 29/05/2021 08:07

How did the school know he had a "slight headache"? Sounds odd that he would mention that to a teacher.

He wasn’t doing his work at a speed the teacher wanted and when she asked why he was working slowly he had apologised and said he had just got a slight headache.

I think my friend is even more so annoyed that they demanded a negative PCR test off the other child too - surely if the son with the headache had a negative PCR then the other son should be allowed back in school based on that, I.e because he’s obviously not a contact.

Instead she had two take 2.5 days off work and her two well children had to have unnecessary PCR tests and miss 2.5 days of school.

Maybe I’m just comparing what happened there to what other schools do. Like I said my sister, who is a teacher at a separate secondary school was gob smacked by it all.

OP posts:

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