Do we keep isolating after school bubble ends?

[Knitsewthread]

Hypothetical question at the moment hopefully, but another class at DS's school has just been sent home to isolate as their bubble has burst.

Friday is last day of term for us. Would this class still have to isolate past the 19th July as the school bubble rule no longer applies then? They'd still be within their 10 days so technically should as things stand now. But as of Monday, the class wouldn't have been sent home if there was a case.

The requirement for isolation doesnt change. Close contacts still need to isolate until the rule change on 16 August. Its bubbles that are going. My understanding is schools will be required to reintroduce bubbles if cases are high.
I cant see the bubbles going before the end of this school year - which will be before the 19th round here, but not in the next county over.... it's too much change for a week or 2. And was a crazy date to use. I guess parliament all use private schools for their kids, and had no idea of state term dates round the country.....

Are you able to find out if your DC was an actual close contact, or just part of the whole year-group sent home?
Or maybe at some point they stopped identifying close contacts if there were a lot of cases and just sent the whole year-group home...
I think when bubbles end on 19 July then the bubble isolating stops, unless your DC was a close contact of a positive case, in which case it is covered by normal self-isolation rules.
I guess it also depends on what year your DC is in. If it is a 30 person primary school class, then i would expect they are all close contacts. If it is a 250 sixth form year, then the school should be able to advise if your DC was an actual close contact (classes, friendship group etc).

Plus I think the role of schools to act as track and trace agency also ends on 19 July. So schools can't tell anyone to isolate after that date. it all reverts to NHS track and trace.
Call Nhs T&T, but they are actually v skeptical about the school isolations and likely to tell you there is no need.

Our one case in a class has led to another 4 in that class, 1 in another year and 1 in a different one.
Year group bubbles are needed as it has possibly spread at after school clubs .
I expect several more positives from this.

Thank goodness for the end of bubbles. It doesn't make sense when you see adults going to jam packed events and politicians and celebrities travelling places.

Are you asking if, because the schools go on holiday before the children's isolation period is up, that means they no longer have to complete the isolation period? Am I getting that right?

@user54978

Plus I think the role of schools to act as track and trace agency also ends on 19 July. So schools can't tell anyone to isolate after that date. it all reverts to NHS track and trace. Call Nhs T&T, but they are actually v skeptical about the school isolations and likely to tell you there is no need.

Our local school have said that PHE have informed them they are responsible for tracking and tracing for two weeks into the summer holiday.

The requirement to isolate continues until the 16th August.

I am wondering this too, if children are told to isolate beyond the 19th, do they have to as the bubble system has ended?

Yes, they have to isolate. You could get a call up to 2 weeks after the holidays have started if your child has been deemed to be a close contact of a positive case.

We won't bother after school ends. This close contact crap at school is just that, crap. Children not sat next to 'positive' child told to self isolate.

My dc bubble had to start isolating yesterday, they dont break up until weds 21st . The head has said all children (and staff) who havent tested positive can go back to school on monday when bubbles have finished & responsibility for contact tracing moves to T&T. I dont think the head is right ( & actually think this is particularly foolish) - but cant find anything formal that officially supports my view (nor hers either!). DC definitely counts as a close contact as sits next to positive case. Has anyone seen any gov doc that confirms either way?

Below is the guidance for schools. Whilst it says that schools won’t have responsibility for contact tracing from Step 4 (19th July) T & T may still contact them to enquire about close contacts of a child who tests positive (I assume in the case of the child/parent being unsure etc or if there are numerous cases). I can’t see any mention that those already isolating can end their isolation.

Settings will only need to do contact tracing up to Step 4. From Step 4, close contacts will be identified via NHS Test and Trace and education settings will no longer be expected to undertake contact tracing.
As with positive cases in any other setting, NHS Test and Trace will work with the positive case to identify close contacts. Contacts from a school setting will only be traced by NHS Test and Trace where the positive case specifically identifies the individual as being a close contact. 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. You may be contacted in exceptional cases to help with identifying close contacts, as currently happens in managing other infectious diseases.

Isolating for ten days is a legal obligation. It’s not a choice and it’s not the decision of the school, you HAVE to do it.

All the cases we’ve had in school of the delta variant have spread through half the children in the class. Delta does not behave the way the first and second waves did.

It is the decision of the school, they are the ones who "identify" the close contacts, that's a decision, and it's made purely by the school.

The schools around here always seem to identify every single child in a class, even children who weren't even in school on the day, but never teachers. Even with kids who get significant face to face support.