To remove DD from school?

[IsolateAndTestAgain]

DD is 7, in the last 4 weeks she’s been a close contact for +ive cases of covid 4 times, today an hour after dropping her at school I got a call to pick her up as a close contact to go for a test. School will not let her back until she has a negative pcr, I’ve tried it they turn us round at the gates. School have warned that they’re expecting another 2-3 positive cases from DDs class and due to the way groupings work DD is likely to be a close contact. And that’s before any of today’s people have tests.

Her dad won’t have her if she’s a close contact until she’s negative, my mum won’t isolate if she helps me with childcare she’d just take DD out for the day and I won’t be complicit in that. I’m a single parent no-one else to help. I currently isolate DD until test results come in and my mum won't do that at all.

I already only work school hours due to childcare, my work are getting increasingly upset that I’m halfway to work and having to ring to say “DDs a close contact again so I can’t come in”

l can work from home on all but 1 day a week but can’t easily work with DD here. If I pulled her from school between me, ExH and my mum I could still work my hours.

I can homeschool for a year or so.

I can’t lose my job, as I’ll lose the roof over mine and DDs head, ExH won’t have her in the week but gets the same texts and emails as me so will not have her for his weekends and I can’t hide it - I make up my work hours on his weekends so I can keep my head above water with work load.

So do I do it? I’m not a teacher but I just can’t carry on like this. 2 of her friends have had covid twice in 12 months so it could easily carry on like this all winter.

WWYD?

For added context both ExH and I are double vaccinated - ExH has to test for work twice per week and I'm testing myself once per week as a precaution, my mum refuses to get the vaccine or even test or isolate which is her choice but if I am seen as doing something illegal I could lose my job hence not letting DD go to her when she's supposed to be isolating/can;t go to school.

They cannot do it just because parents have complained.
No, but they can make a decision based on the school's circumstances.

Schools and trusts should work closely with parents and carers (future references to parents should be read as including carers), staff and unions when agreeing the best approaches for their circumstances.

We use the terms ‘must’ and ‘should’ throughout the guidance. We use the term ‘must’ when the person in question is legally required to do something and ‘should’ when the advice set out should be followed unless there is a good reason not to.

The Covid operational guidance for schools allows schools to make decisions that are appropriate for their school circumstances.

School leaders will be accessing advice from relevant people as they continually adapt their risk assessments.

The school are OTT. You need to kick up a fuss and speak to the council. We are not supposed to be disrupting education like this.

For reference my DS was identified as a close contact at school. School handed it over to test and trace. They called DS and and advised PCR. School had nothing to do with it and he could still attend. Zero disruption.

You cannot risk your job and you cannot home school. The school are not following guidelines.

Why can’t your ex pick her up when you both get the texts? I’d be tempted to ignore any more requests to pick her up and let her dad go instead.

I would kick up a fuss too.

No public body has decided this.

I know it wouldn’t go down well in my schools as parents were up in arms about it when it was mandated (towards the end)

I really feel for you that any parents can sway this

@DownWhichOfLate

Why can’t your ex pick her up when you both get the texts? I’d be tempted to ignore any more requests to pick her up and let her dad go instead.

There’s a CAO and he doesn’t have weekday contact he refuses to have anything to do with illness if she’s got even a slight sniffle on his weekend he refuses to have her and sends her home with me so he’d just leave her at school

How frustrating. I’d be in a very important meeting that cannot possibly be disturbed if asked in future. But, as others have said, the school can’t do this and that is the important thing to address.

I'd get her tested, and show her negative test to school. If they refuse to let her back sooner, then allow uour mother to take her out. She doesn't have covid. Home schooling is madness.

The guidance for schools at the moment is that close contact children do not return to school unless they have a negative pcr test.
School is not being difficult on purpose. All the schools local to me are doing the same thing.

Well that's not the case at the school my child attends, or the one I work at. It's advisable to do a PCR but there's none of this no test no entry

OP firstly let your mum help. Your job is more important than isolating when it's not a legal obligation. Secondly talk to the school. If it's not local public health England advise I would complain.

Children should not be missing more education whilst adults lives carry on as normal...unless there's some specific local issue. Covid is everywhere and rife in many schools - she will forever be isolating.

my mum won’t isolate if she helps me with childcare she’d just take DD out for the day and I won’t be complicit in that.

But you wouldn't be complicit in anything, if your DD doesn't have symptoms and she's only being tested as a result of being a close contact then there is no requirement for her to isolate!

What if you were a surgeon? It makes my blood boil that schools think mothers can just drop work and be at the school gates in 10 minutes flat.

Ignore the calls. Wait until after school next time and take her for the PCR test in the evening. She can’t be missing all this school.

Do you have to give proof of negative PCR?

I would ignore calls too

Schools with particularly high number of cases trigger some kind of ‘further action’ from the LA and the guidelines are different.
I’ve had a letter from school about it today and it is the case at the school where I work.
They may well be regional differences.
Yet again all the anger is (mostly) being directed at the wrong place. Schools do not make the rules. They follow what they are told by the local health authorities. I know some schools are being a bit more difficult about this but my point still stands.

@Delatron

What if you were a surgeon? It makes my blood boil that schools think mothers can just drop work and be at the school gates in 10 minutes flat.

Ignore the calls. Wait until after school next time and take her for the PCR test in the evening. She can’t be missing all this school.

Ignore calls?? On purpose? What if that child has thrown up/fallen from the climbing frame/ had an allergic reaction that requires and ambulance? School will just phone all the Emergency contacts on the list til someone answers. The child may well be isolated until someone comes to get them.

Change schools until they change the guidance. If the school isn't oversubscribed you could always move her back if she has r settled at the new school.

@Smartiepants79

Schools with particularly high number of cases trigger some kind of ‘further action’ from the LA and the guidelines are different. I’ve had a letter from school about it today and it is the case at the school where I work. They may well be regional differences. Yet again all the anger is (mostly) being directed at the wrong place. Schools do not make the rules. They follow what they are told by the local health authorities. I know some schools are being a bit more difficult about this but my point still stands.

Interesting, I will ask people with DC in other classes whether there's is the same, if it is it could be a school issue being covered up by "complaints" line to keep people happy.

@Smartiepants79

Schools with particularly high number of cases trigger some kind of ‘further action’ from the LA and the guidelines are different. I’ve had a letter from school about it today and it is the case at the school where I work. They may well be regional differences. Yet again all the anger is (mostly) being directed at the wrong place. Schools do not make the rules. They follow what they are told by the local health authorities. I know some schools are being a bit more difficult about this but my point still stands.

It’s due to op talking about parental complaint driving it not local health authorities.

@Smartiepants79 sometimes people can’t answer the phone immediately. What if they are doctors/surgeons/in long meetings.

I have an issue with schools thinking (mainly mothers) can be at the school gate within 10 minutes. And no a close contact is not an emergency situation. If it was an emergency then the school would leave a message. The OP may genuinely be caught up with work.

We had an outbreak that constituted LA involvement. This did NOT involve sending close contacts home to miss even more education. The affected year group missed assemble and face masks were reintroduced on school buses. Close contacts were advised to get a PCR. They did not miss school whilst awaiting this.

The government is very clear they do not want children to miss any more education. I very much doubt this is coming from the LA. It sounds like the school and as such I would get clarity from the school. It’s quite an easy question to get answered.

OP, contact your local authority and explain everything. This situation is unsustainable.

You homeschooling around work sounds like a very sub optimal plan for your daughter. I wouldn't go down that road at all.

I'd let your mum have her and take her out since it's not against the rules. Try to get them going to outdoor places or her house.

There are thresholds for stepped measures in schools. After a certain number of positive cases close contacts do have to isolate until they get a negative PCR.
At one point last term we had different year groups in different measures, it was so confusing, but they are set by Public Health, not the school.

@anothernamechange224466

She doesn't need to isolate whilst she waits for her results as long as she hasn't got symptoms, so maybe just let your mum have her

I'm sure don't have to isolate while waiting for PCR unless they have symptoms....not sure school can make their own rules up on this ...id check with local council ..education dept

Would be really interested to know what LA you’re in. We’re in a “special covid measures” area atm and this still isn’t the LA/HE guidance for our schools. I also think it’s bordering on illegal exclusion.

Surely you can work with a 7yo there the odd day? Lots of people had to wfh with younger children there during the lockdowns.
I'm not saying it's ideal but you can pay attention to her first thing in the morning, lunchtime and then late afternoon/evening and she could watch tv or play the rest of the time.
And it looks like you only work 5-6 hours a day?

sometimes people can’t answer the phone immediately. What if they are doctors/surgeons/in long meetings.I have an issue with schools thinking (mainly mothers) can be at the school gate within 10 minutes. And no a close contact is not an emergency situation. If it was an emergency then the school would leave a message

If you are doctors/surgeons/in long meetings, how are you going to listen to a message?

Schools need to be wary of leaving details on phones in case of mis-dial, privacy, confidentiality etc. They could be leaving a message with literally anybody.

And why do you think it’s the school’s responsibility to manage sick children for extended periods? Why would you want to leave your sick child in school for longer than is necessary? Advocating that people should ‘not answer the phone’ is irresponsible and so potentially damaging to the children concerned.

If you want uninterrupted education for your children the. You have to accept that the best way to do that is to test, test, test when there is a case in a class. Once the teacher gets it, you have a supply teacher at best, an unqualified TA as a middle-ground or the class is closed. And whilst I work somewhere that has had few cases, we have had staff off for months at a time.

Maybe it’s time to be honest and say you don’t really value your child’s education and that you just want a childcare service?