Small schools

[ShepherdMoons]

Dd goes to a small village school. Currently her class teacher has Covid. HT just messaged us all this morning saying there are Currently 3 known Covid cases. They are having a meeting tomorrow morning to discuss further measures. Is it possible they will close the school early for half term? How is it elsewhere? Have other people had similar problems?

They won’t close unless they run out of staff. If it’s only one member of staff it shouldn’t be a big problem for one week.
Our small school hasn’t had any issues yet.

That's very unlikely. They may return to bubbles but chances are nothing will happen. We have a lot more cases.

If it’s a small school, they should ask all in close contacts to stay away from school and get PCR tested. They don’t need a meeting to decide this, it’s the current guidance to get tested.

They are probably having the meeting to decide whether to bubble the rest of the school.

Much bigger primary, but we have several classes back in bubbles, and whole year groups have been asked to get a voluntary PCR tests for the kids.

I've only known one primary school to close down classes (not whole school) in my area - because 27 kids were off with it in one year group (large primary). I think schools tend to avoid shutting down or closing classes unless absolutely necessary.

My kids go to a small/medium primary. Thankfully we've only had one case throughout the whole thing - but I do believe that there was cases and an outbreak in earlier 2020 before lockdown and testing (another story)!

Another school in my area has isolated specific classes away from the rest of the school. My friend told me that her year 2 son has 3 cases in his class, they remain open but isolate that year group!

I think it's unlikely schools will close unless necessary!

Ours is back to bubbles.

Depends how small we’re talking I suppose. Not a small village school but a junior school here - around 250 children, they just ‘bubble’ year groups if there are 5 or more cases in that year. It’s happened a few times already this term. So they could have 20+ cases and still be open in bubbles. There’s no reason to close unless a vast proportion of pupils are ill ,with Covid or there isn’t enough staff.

My daughter is in a small rural school (4 classes, 120 kids all in) her teacher and TA were positive on Friday, got an email from the HT saying 2 further positives in the class over the weekend and children should take a lateral flow test, class will be taught by a TA from another class tomorrow, same TA as was teaching it on Friday so by the end of the week I dare say there will be covid across all classes if there isn't already. I doubt very much any schools will close until there is no teacher or TA available to take the last class standing.

It sounds like the school will remain open until half term then.

Dd has been tired all day but middle of the afternoon felt progressively worse. She's was so tired she nearly fell asleep downstairs, aching joints, no appetite and generally not herself. Her class teacher has Covid and I'm not sure who the three other positive cases are at school.

I will try to do a lateral flow on her tomorrow but it's looking likely I will keep her off as she is definitely coming down with something.

Small village school here, 2 dc in my children’s class have recently tested positive. We’re carrying in as normal. 6 in the school are currently positive, in a total of 130 children.

We are at a one form entry school. We’ve got a significant outbreak over the last week. Half my DD’s class are out & her teacher. And it’s similar in a few other classes. They’ve got half the teaching staff off 😬

We are back to bubbles, no visitors & staggered lunch times. Drop off & pick up remains normal & the on-sited after school club is still running with completely mixed ages. School isn’t closed & won’t be closing. They have supply staff in. It’s business as normal for the non poorly kids thankgod! My DD has quite enjoyed a small class last week, she said she loved speaking to the supply teacher lots 🥰

My DD’s best pal has just tested positive.. so I’ll be lateral flowing next week I think!

Dd is very resistant to the lateral flow, we've got the newish tests that are just a swab up the Jose but she gets do upset. I hope we can get it done tomorrow!

*nose !!!

Small school here, 60 kids. Ruling here is any more than 4 cases in the school is a phe contact and agree plan from there.

I don't know if that's prescribed by the council/phe or school agreed target number though.

@slothbyday is the plan because the school is small and so more than 4 covid cases makes it unsafe?

As an update for my school, we've had more emails from the school this evening cos another TA and the HT are now positive as are several children. The school is still open with some mitigations for that class but most of the parents in that class aren't sending their children in for this final week according to the class Whatsapp.

It sounds sensible, very difficult to know who might be carrying it due to the onset of symptoms and incubation period. With so many people off with the virus it sounds to be circulating quickly.

Also staying open depends on which staff are ill. If those responsible for safeguarding are ill, then unless arrangements can be made with another school, the school without the designated safeguarding staff will need to close (return to remote learning).

We've already had this happen in three schools last week.