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.

@IsolateAndTestAgain

So looks like it was an illegal exclusion, Headteacher only said it was "because of complaints" soon as I said I was calling the LA to ask if the school where in special covid measures including exclusion of close contacts she told me to keep it on the hush that she was allowing DD back into school on unknown status.

but well done

But also how they can they keep doing it if illegal?

Tbh I’d let anyone know if they were finding it tough like you are

Why not refuse the test for now and give it a go. The school can't really complain about absence as it is them refusing to have her at school. It is only a few weeks till they break up for Christmas and then you can have a rethink in January.

Just read your update. Glad it's sorted.

IsolateAndTestAgain

So looks like it was an illegal exclusion, Headteacher only said it was "because of complaints" soon as I said I was calling the LA to ask if the school where in special covid measures including exclusion of close contacts she told me to keep it on the hush that she was allowing DD back into school on unknown status.

shock but well done

But also how they can they keep doing it if illegal?

Tbh I’d let anyone know if they were finding it tough like you are

@MarshaBradyo I suspect it's more to do with staffing than actual complaints, it's easier to say everyone in a year group is a close contact to a positive case send them all home and then use those staff elsewhere, we do have a couple of teachers off (not all covid related, ones on mat leave and anothers only part time)

There's been a big outbreak in my class. Children are advised to test, not forced. They can return to school whilst waiting for results unless symptomatic

Just as we thought OP. How awful you had to put your job at risk when the school were acting unlawfully.

Glad it’s sorted now but only because you questioned it!

Update:

Another close contact email yesterday so ExH refused to have her and I'm now on disciplinary at work for cancelled my shifts.

I cannot do this anymore, if I lose my job I will be removing her from school as there's no chance of me getting anything else while this is going on.

Had the close contact email twice this week already as well, I know on of the positive cases has had covid 3 times already, this is the 2nd time she's been ill with it in 4 months. So we could be going through the same thing constantly for the next 3 years until Secondary and I just can't do it.

If the email came through yesterday then why are you missing work? I thought you work M-F? Apologies if I've missed something

Take your daughter to school on Monday aa normal unless she gets a positive PCR.

And I would be telling any other parents I know what the HT has said!

@FreakinFrankNFurter

If the email came through yesterday then why are you missing work? I thought you work M-F? Apologies if I've missed something

Take your daughter to school on Monday aa normal unless she gets a positive PCR.

And I would be telling any other parents I know what the HT has said!

I work on the Saturday and Sunday DD is with her dad to catch up, I've had to cancel work this weekend because the close contact email came through just as he was due to pick her up and he refused to have her.

I don’t know how the school expect you to work and manage this.

Did you find out if this is a council directive or the school’s own rules?

@Delatron

I don’t know how the school expect you to work and manage this.

Did you find out if this is a council directive or the school’s own rules?

When I spoke to the ht and threatened to go to the LA about it she said not to tell anyone I'm sending in a child on unknown status, but her dad cancels contact everytime DDs a close contact at school, he gets the emails so I can't hide it, and thats whats making work difficult.

A lot of schools are insisting on negative PCR. It’s not in official guidance but if it’s in the school plan I’m not sure how you tackle that. She doesn’t have to isolate if she’s asymptomatic, I’d let your mum have her. Maybe your daughter could wear a mask? It’s ridiculous that her Dad refuses to have her, he’s an equal parent. As you’ve found out very often they are sent the email but don’t infact have covid!
I wouldn’t home school, no. Unless you keep her locked inside she’ll still be in contact with kids with covid. Your Mum will still take her out and about. 7 year olds need social contact even if home schooled

@BungleandGeorge

A lot of schools are insisting on negative PCR. It’s not in official guidance but if it’s in the school plan I’m not sure how you tackle that. She doesn’t have to isolate if she’s asymptomatic, I’d let your mum have her. Maybe your daughter could wear a mask? It’s ridiculous that her Dad refuses to have her, he’s an equal parent. As you’ve found out very often they are sent the email but don’t infact have covid! I wouldn’t home school, no. Unless you keep her locked inside she’ll still be in contact with kids with covid. Your Mum will still take her out and about. 7 year olds need social contact even if home schooled

My problem is school are the only ones who send the close contact emails to her dad, her out of school activities either call me or email me only, so she'd still be able to go to her dads while waiting on results because I just wouldn't tell him (dishonest maybe but I have to keep the roof over our head).

Is your Mum able to have her at the weekends?

@BungleandGeorge

Is your Mum able to have her at the weekends?

Not overnight as she only lives in a 1 bed flat and I finish work at 9pm on Weekends.

Can your mum watch her at your house while you work and put her to bed?

It would be the ideal situation if you could have the Dad taken off the email communication since he is so unreliable and unhelpful but I guess that’s not allowed.

@Delatron

Can your mum watch her at your house while you work and put her to bed?

It would be the ideal situation if you could have the Dad taken off the email communication since he is so unreliable and unhelpful but I guess that’s not allowed.

Unfortunately not @Delatron I live in a small 2 bed flat with open plan living and kitchen area, she'd have to be shut in her room with my mum for hours at a time, I can't really work with her in the room I work in as I have to be on confidential calls - can't work in my bedroom as I'd still need an internet cable trailing through the living room from the modem as I have to have a stable wired connection and work do check this before every wfh shift. Office isn't open on a weekend so can't work in the office as an alternative.

I've asked for ExH to be removed from the school emailing list but because he has PR and they have his contact details they say he has to be on the list.

Ah I see. Sounds so tricky.

I think the only solution is a change in school policy. Especially if this hasn’t come from a council directive. Can you arrange a meeting with the head and say you will lose your job if this continues. Is a change of school out of the question?

Are they a maintained school? I imagine it will be more straightforward to complain than if they are an academy

@BungleandGeorge Volunteer Controlled CofE not sure what that means in theory.

It’s not the policy as such causing issues now as the headteacher told me not to tell anyone I’m sending her in on unknown status, it’s her dad not having her when she’s been a close contact so I’m not doing the stuff I need to for work as she’s not with him.