rules for schools next week re bubbles and self isolation

[Frazzled2207]

Does anyone know what the rules are for schools next week?
I understand bubbles no longer needed from 19th July but isolation for close contacts continues until mid august
What does that mean for schools where
a. a kid tests positive next week, and
b. a class is sent home this week and under the current rules has to isolate beyond 19th July.
Round here schools are open until 28th.

It means that the close contacts of the positive DC will have to isolate.

So it's unlikely to mean whole swathes are sent home, but the BFFs they're with every break and the ones they sit next to might be.

And of course for full subject specialist teaching and setting in secondaries, that could men a different DC every lesson.

But even when there are a number of cases in a group that was formerly a bubble, they do not have to close the whole bubble.

Which is pretty much what secondaries have been doing anyway.

So for primaries that probably still means whole class isolates?

For us bubbles stay and isolating whole class stays. Check with your school

@beentoldcomputersaysno

So for primaries that probably still means whole class isolates?

I don't see why, just besties and those who sit next to.

I'd expect lower numbers in primaries as they don't move around into different groups doe different lessons.

I thought it was always theoretically only close contacts so in secondary a few children and in primary basically everyone. So basically no change?

More in secondary - because you sit by different people every lesson, because of different sets and options.

They're not going to be sending home everyone in the same room.

EYFS may also have to send home in greater numbers because less time is spent at desks.

Our local schools aren’t changing their system of bubbles etc for the last week

Our school are planning to stick with the existing measures until the end of term (21st)

I think it’s worse here when they only send a few close contacts home. My experience is my primary school child gets nil work set, as the school concentrates on the vast majority of kids that are still in school. At least if the whole year group / class is at home he gets some interaction.

Appreciate this is more likely to be an issue if the school hasn’t got their remote learning shit together.

Ds's school ( special) are sticking with bubbles and same close contact rules. I won't be self isolating him if he becomes a contact but he will be kept away from other people.

DS's school is sticking with bubbles but to be honest if he gets sent home now we won't be isolating after the 19th.

@Lemons1571

I think it’s worse here when they only send a few close contacts home. My experience is my primary school child gets nil work set, as the school concentrates on the vast majority of kids that are still in school. At least if the whole year group / class is at home he gets some interaction.

Appreciate this is more likely to be an issue if the school hasn’t got their remote learning shit together.

My son is 6 and they do no remote learning at all just send home some cursory worksheets and let parents get on with it (or not). Most parents are trying to wfh so can't really.

If most kids were still in school, even if mine weren't, that would be vastly superior for us.

It is actually quite unreasonable to expect teachers to provide work for those at home and in school - in effect it’s two people’s jobs. Perhaps it is worth pushing for MPs to consider funding to employ more teachers for each school with some who focus just on those isolating at home? It doesn’t look like this situation is going to stop in the immediate future and the ‘sticking plaster’ solution is no longer tenable. Teachers can’t do two jobs at the same time.

You school should have said really, but the typical line is that schools are continuing with the bubble system until end of term.

I imagine it would be a nightmare to change processes for a few days. Also very difficult to work out true close contacts!

@MediocrePenguin
Our school have suggested that they are continuing with bubbles but not necessarily with sending everyone home if someone positive.

Partly because the same bubble (2 classes) have now been sent home three times in a row and parents are pretty furious.

Anyway the way I understand it they are no longer being told what to do by public health england as of Monday and can make their own decision?

I’m out primary classroom all the children in the class would be close contacts as we are told to have flexible groupings so children sit next to different classmates, children work on the carpet in groups, eat together etc and there is a lot of movement around the classroom.

*in our

I think as from Monday it’s Test and Trace that makes the decision on who a close contact is, but that will be based on what the school tells them!

“ From Step 4, nurseries, schools and colleges will no longer be expected to trace close contacts. As with positive cases in any other setting, NHS Test and Trace will work with the positive case to identify close contacts. This is likely to be a small number of individuals who would be most at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of the close contact. As parents or carers, you may be contacted to help with identifying close contacts”
www.gov.uk/government/publications/what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak/step-4-update-what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-early-years-providers-schools-and-colleges#mixing-and-bubbles

It would make sense to keep the existing system till summer- it's only one more week.

I don’t think it will make much difference for primary.
And it won’t affect those who are told to isolate before 19th ie like my DD who is isolating from today until 23rd

As parents or carers, you may be contacted to help with identifying close contacts

Can't see how that can possibly go wrong. Have they ever met a primary school child and asked them who they played with today?

For those saying that in primary schools they still plan to send whole classes home as they will all have been close contacts, are you suggesting that this will be the case come September? Because if so, surely we are still going the have thousands of children missing out on their education despite the change in rules.

In our secondary one case is about 70 kids out for 10 days (2 weeks originally), its anyone who has been within 2 metres in a lesson or a lesson like drama its whole class out.

I would imagine schools will keep same system for last week.

@Thedutchessofhastings no because as of august 16th no one under the age of 18 has to isolate full stop, so there will be no issue in September when schools return.

[quote MediocrePenguin]@Thedutchessofhastings no because as of august 16th no one under the age of 18 has to isolate full stop, so there will be no issue in September when schools return. [/quote]
Of course - thank you. I had forgotten that part and had a little panic at the thought of things not being any better next term!