I can't be expected to send my son to school, can I?

[Hollup]

My husband and I both had positive pcr test results last night, so we're both now isolating until next weekend. Our son (year R) woke up with a runny nose this morning, which was my first and only symptom. He's had a negative lateral flow but I'll test him again tomorrow. We can't break isolation to take him to school and we've no one else who can do it for us. Also, even if I could get him there it feels like he's probably going to catch it soon (if he hasn't got it already) and I'm sending in a covid carrier.

He's never had a day off sick for anything and we're new to school and all the rules. We won't all get a telling off for keeping him home when he doesn't have covid, will we?

Are you sure you haven’t heard him cough, so he needs to stay at home until he’s had a test?

I would keep him home in your situation. I don’t know what school would say if you explained but his and your health is your private affair. You can just say you are keeping him off as he has a runny nose and isn’t up to school.

My son is in reception and his school have very much said that even though its not official guidance, use common sense and don't send in children from covid households unless absolutely necessary.

Youll probably find the school are grateful for you keeping them off.

It would be pretty hard for you to get him there considering you are both positive. I think the school will understand. Some schools are actually setting their own rules and advising kids with positive family members stay off to avoid the spread - even with negative test. I think this might become the case more so now with the panic of the new variant.

In most schools covid related absences are separate to other absences so won't go into attendance data as far as I know. Honestly schools need to stop caring about attendance so much in pandemic times

He is obviously coughing so needs to isolate at home with you....

The results of my PCR test took nearly a week to come back.

Of course you keep her m off schools!

I don't think the school will require you to send him in . Our school want children in this situation to be PCR tested before they return.

Jumping the gun a bit I think. PCR as close contact. If it’s negative then decide what to do.

If he's only YR I'd keep him at home.

I kept DD off when DS tested positive on a LFT. They said I could send her in but I'm so glad I didn't, she tested positive three days later. They were more than happy for me to keep her off.
FWIW DS caught covid from his classroom, three teaching staff associated with the class and about 15 other children all tested positive within four days of each other.

I would be honest with the school, tell them you are both positive and he is starting to come down with symptoms.

Arrange a home test (they take longer to arrive and get the results back).

Then, take the situation from there.

My point being, yes, keep your DS off.

And I hope you all feel better soon.

Our primary school made me collect both my DC when one was coughing. Coughing DC had a negative test but had it been positive they would’ve been absolutely fine (and grateful) for me keeping the other at home. Just call them and let them know when to expect your child back at school.

Thanks for your help everyone. I don't want to send him in due to the common sense element, let alone the fact that we cant physically get him there. I can't see why the school would want him there considering our circumstances right now. I was just baffled by the rule about kids not needing to isolate if they've been in contact with a positive case and all the insistence on good attendance.

Our school were being dicks about it. They're so obsessed still with attendance that it goes as unauthorized absence even if the whole rest of the household are positive. So I just lie and say they have a cough.

I would be claiming a day or two off sick for him at least until he has had a PCR.

Call and say he's ill. Let him rest at home with you both. I hope you both recover quickly

Yes I think I’d just say they’ve got a cough

Or say they are unwell with the cold, so not well enough to come in

Ask the school what they want you to do

On another thread a poster reckoned that a covid positive parent could take their kid to school because they would be fulfilling a legal duty which was apparently allowed.

I asked school if they wanted my ds with 2 others positive in the house. They absolutely wanted him!!!!

I know my school will say send him in as that's the official advice. But I also know they hope parents won't send them in and they will put them down as self isolating in the register. I know from when it happened at my school with a reception child, we were frustrated that they would be allowed into school and the impact it could them cause to us. Luckily parents decided not to send them in. As a parent if I became positive again, my child, wouldn't be going to school!

No they will be fine. I had Covid and DH was still taking 8yo DD to school. When he tested positive and she was still fine she could go to school but no one could take her so we rung the school and they knew she was off until I came out of isolation when they expected her back. She never caught it.

It’s an authorised absence as you can’t get him to school.
FYI we tested positive Friday & my sons tested negative Sat/Sun then positive on the Monday. I could have sent them to school the Monday (ridiculous) & infected two classes.

Tell them he's coughed, order a postal pcr and wait for that to come back

The government want you to send your child in - the school don’t. The poor teachers don’t want COVID.

Legally a child doesn't need to attend school untill the term after their 5th birthday. So even if they wanted him in, he doesn't legally have to go.