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Covid

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Original poster

Self isolating at schools

32 replies

SchoolsDestroyMe · 15/07/2021 14:45

If your DC have had to self isolate due to a case in their bubble at school, how have you found the communication and approach from their school? We were emailed this morning and told not to come in (don't even get me started on the school's inability to use text messages or WhatsApp - because obviously we're all checking our emails). Then we got an email. Not a single word of empathy or understanding that the children (reception) might be upset at not getting a chance to say goodbye to their teachers and friends. They also haven't included any google video sessions for today and there's just one short one for the whole class tomorrow. That's it.

Is it just me who thinks this is awful? Would it kill them to acknowledge that this is a difficult time?

OP posts:

PerhapsCarriageGreen · 15/07/2021 14:47

Difficult for schools too.

MoiraNotRuby · 15/07/2021 14:49

First notification - quick and possibly blunt. Whilst they sort out the many things that need doing. Then a nicer message in the newsletter. Sadly this week we had a message asking parents not to be abusive and aggressive to the school staff over their children being asked to isolate. I feel very sorry for the staff.

Original poster

SchoolsDestroyMe · 15/07/2021 15:01

@MoiraNotRuby

So do I actually. This is the irony in a way. They have upset so many parents by not even acknowledging how hard it is. And I will say, that many many many parents have absolutely 100% made it clear that they understand how hard it is for the school, supported them, sent notes and calls of support etc. At the first lockdown a school-wide whip-round was organised within hours and raised £100s which was handed to the school to use for takeaways/cake etc for staff who had to be onsite.

Its not like (most) parents don't understand. Our school just has a habit of expecting the understanding to go one way only.

OP posts:

Mumof3girlsandaboy · 15/07/2021 15:02

My son in year 2 is been in isolation since Monday and we were told on Sunday afternoon by the evening we got all the school work that they need to do until Friday and we have been having 3 zooms a day. The school have been really great and just happy that they will be going back Tuesday so say goodbyes

Wakemeuuuup · 15/07/2021 15:05

My son's school phoned me today to say they were very sorry but he needed to come home. They said they would make sure he took everything as he won't be back before the end of term

3asAbird · 15/07/2021 15:05

Our school sent text as soon as we pulled up school carpark as son has breakfast club.
Said email follow took until lunch time as they have consult with phe for instructions.
But our city has worst covid so hardly any school not got covid its awful..
School are truly at breaking point and head of dd2 school said she had lots of abuse from parents.

Katkincake · 15/07/2021 16:09

We had a text on way to school Tuesday. Some work placed on google classroom that afternoon and some live lessons on google (DS is Yr2). They’ve been good with follow up texts and emails too so can’t complain (other than being back in homeschooling working hell, think we’ll finish school for the holidays early next week )

MediocrePenguin · 15/07/2021 16:37

They have to act very quickly upon the news of a result. Short and perfunctory is probably all they have time for and the most important thing is getting the message out ASAP

NakedAttraction · 15/07/2021 16:41

@MediocrePenguin

They have to act very quickly upon the news of a result. Short and perfunctory is probably all they have time for and the most important thing is getting the message out ASAP

Which is exactly why it would be better suited to text message or WhatsApp. Both of which are likely to be seen sooner.

christinarossetti19 · 15/07/2021 16:46

Sending texts costs schools money - that's one reason that lots use email.

Give them a bit of time OP. I'm sure they'll pull something out the bag next week.

Kijaji · 15/07/2021 16:51

My DS14 (year 10) was told to go home but school never contacted me at all, he had to phone me off his own phone and pass me onto a teacher to confirm it, he's also supposed to be doing mock exams this week as well, when asked what to do about them teacher said she didn't have a clue!

Porcupineintherough · 15/07/2021 16:53

Our school has self isolated nearly 1,000 students this week and has today moved to online schooling til the end of term (Fri week). I hear what you are saying but it's chaos out there.

JustDanceAddict · 15/07/2021 17:24

Last time ds texted, then there was a text and email. It’s the same wording every time.
But we are talking secondary.

Horst · 15/07/2021 17:31

We got a text informing us of the fact they had emailed us due to a. Positive case.

Not heard much since apart from one of the year group teachers posted a video on the online portal and a couple of print outs. Not heard anything else about the follow up pcr yet either.

Took the school a further 16 hours to inform the rest of the parents that they had closed some classes but not their children’s.

gluteustothemaximus · 15/07/2021 19:15

Working in a school, making those phone calls, working out close contacts, sending the letters once working out the contact date and the end of isolation date, it is chaos, and every day is crazy. Early in, no breaks and late staying. School staff are putting everything into this, as well as being at risk because cases are rising so fast.

And all we get is 'why didn't you text' if we email, 'why didn't you email' if we text, 'how long to isolate' when we've already said a letter will be coming out today 'when will it come out' when we've stopped talking to you and we can get on with more work...

The amount of 'my child does not have covid' when we've asked them to get a PCR test, followed shortly up with, 'we did go for a PCR and it's positive' is astounding.

School staff have been exhausted by all of this, worked through holidays and weekends dealing with covid for the last 18 months.

Now teachers are back to split teaching online and in class.

The amount of effort that has gone into the exams that were cancelled (that were never actually cancelled, they went ahead and teachers marked them instead of exam boards).

The amount of effort has gone into making things as normal as possible. Organising activity days for the end of term that have now gone tits up due to covid cases rising.

I can only describe it from my point of view having been the ones making those calls, but it is hell. And you have to be efficient with communication. I am sure more thoughtful communication will follow, but for one moment, just think about how hard it is for staff right now. The reason we work in schools is because we care about children and education. Trust me when we say we are all feeling devastated over once again, kids not getting the end of year they deserve.

DoctorSnortles · 15/07/2021 19:46

What @gluteustothemaximus said.

We're all so, so tired. I wish the complaining would stop. We're doing what we can.

Wellbythebloodyhell · 15/07/2021 21:30

A couple of classes in ds primary have gone down this week, parents were informed by dojo and given regular updates regarding pcr results etc and how learning would continue. Most parents were understanding to the situation however some comments from parents were damn right rude and out of order, as if the headteacher wanted to send multiple pupils home and arrange online learning at the drop of a hat just for the fun of it. I'd probably understand some frustration if the classes had been sent home for the 3rd 4th 5th isolation however the school had had only 1 bubble burst since September until this week we've been incredibly lucky compared to other schools.

theluckiest · 15/07/2021 21:37

I'm not sure what you want OP?

Course it's shit. It really is. I'm sure the school doesn't mean to be abrupt but it's absolutely shit their end too. And they need to switch to online learning pretty much instantly at a time of year when everyone is at the end of their rope with this all.

Tell you what's even more shit - my poor colleague having to self isolate for the 6th time as a symptomatic child was sent into his class with symptoms and tested positive a day later. Colleague now has to cancel planned (& paid for) significant birthday celebration this weekend.

It's not much fun for anyone...

VariantL1130 · 15/07/2021 22:29

We get an email and a text.

We also get an email alerting us to when someone in the class has gone for testing, which means that we're keeping an eye out for further communication. I think that probably helps.

In general though, the school is VERY good at communication.

Thisnamewasnttaken123 · 15/07/2021 22:34

We got a text and an email, I am happy with how both my kids schools have handled it all.
Just gutted most of my kids are now isolating and have missed out on events.
I don't know how they think they will be able to stop doing the bubbles in September.

Mistressiggi · 15/07/2021 22:39

Once they have to isolate, won't the staff also have to arrange a swift PCR test? So not unreasonable to not be appearing on a google video session on the same day the isolation is announced!

HSHorror · 15/07/2021 22:43

Our letters were a bit of a mess. As i had a second saying your child needs to come to school. (Meant for dc2 but obviously not addressing any child.)
Wrong details and yes we had to wait half a day for them to confirm with phe.
So we are isolating into our first holiday in 2y and the company wont let us move the dates except for exorbitant cost nor let us just keep week2 (because they want these inflated prices!!)
So im more annoyed with them and boris who has personally cost us another £450.

We are isolating because they wanted to remove all restrictions before end of term. I bet schools are peed off too.
Worst of all i bet noone is actually isolating and it's ridiculous when the rest of us can still go on holiday plus what if we bot the letter when there noone is going to isolate then are they grrr

SoMuchForSummerLove · 15/07/2021 22:49

Why do you need them to acknowledge it's a difficult time? Don't you think it's probably pretty difficult for them too, and all the while they're exposed to hundreds of potentially infectious kids?

I feel so sorry for school staff if this is the sanctimonious nonsense they're having to deal with.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 15/07/2021 22:53

Not a word from Johnson or Williamson on the issue at all either.

Original poster

SchoolsDestroyMe · 16/07/2021 09:50

Range of views here. At the end of the day, I am deeply sympathetic to schools and have and continue to be very supportive. But I am also tired of schools like ours that don't seem to think there's any need to actually engage with the parents.

They get understandably upset when parents are aggressive or rude to them, but they don't seem to see that it goes both ways. I, for one, am tired of receiving abrupt/ rude/ patronising /all of the above emails and messages from the school.

And I concede that our school is notorious for bad communication (I actually have had someone say to me once, who didn't go to our school, "oh, I hear it's a great school but the head is really bad at communicating with parents" and I had to laugh) so guess I'm particularly sensitive to this. They send out emails that are not only abrupt and patronising but also unclear, but then get super snippy when people contact them to ask what's happening.

OP posts:

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