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Original poster

Are you keeping your kids off school yet?

117 replies

mistletoemolly · 05/12/2021 09:22

Dc school has had a huge number of cases recently. Almost half the class are off either positive or awaiting results.

Had a PCR test over the weekend (as all parents have been advised were advised to do so on Friday) and we are negative. Precautions have been taken in school with bubbles and deep cleaning. But quite a lot of parents are still saying that they aren't sending their kids back next week even if they are negative because they don't want to ruin Christmas.

My thoughts are that dc have missed enough school already this year but I feel sad they'll be going into an almost empty class. Is anyone else keeping them off at this stage?

OP posts:
Original poster
mistletoemolly · 05/12/2021 12:04

And (as I also said in my op) covid is running rampant through the class at the moment so it's not like it's just a precautionary thing either. Half of the kids are already off after testing positive.

OP posts:
Nerdygirl · 05/12/2021 12:08

Covid ran rampant through our school in September and October . Literally 90% of the school had it . And guess what all the pupils and teachers were fine . And talking of my experience and with other parents no other members of the household got it . Consequently , our school now has no disruption now.
At the end of the day you cannot out run a virus for ever

Niki14 · 05/12/2021 12:34

To be honest I've toyed with the idea of keeping my DD (Y1) off. She's somehow currently testing negative on daily LFTs but (I gather from what she's said) over half her class are now positive. She's asthmatic and has been really ill with respiratory viruses in the past so not looking forward to what is likely an inevitable positive test within the next week.

Frazzled2207 · 05/12/2021 12:50

@Waxonwaxoff0

Do these parents that keep their kids off not have jobs? It's our busiest time of year at work, I'd get the sack if I tried to take time off now.
Agree with you on this.

But in the case of my kids (6 and 8), I can luckily wfh and will be easier for me if they are both off as they will amuse each other far better than if there was only 1 off.

ParkheadParadise · 05/12/2021 12:51

What happens if you decide to keep your dc's at home.
Does the school phone you and you tell them you're keeping your kids at home in case they catch covid.
Is that ok?
Do you get fined?

NeverForgetYourDreams · 05/12/2021 12:55

Nope. We aren't going anywhere Xmas anyway so have no problem with staying home the whole time if needed

DuploPerson · 05/12/2021 12:58

I'm antilockdown, I suspect due to the hysteria over new variant and rise in cases, they'll be a lockdown within first half of January until spring. Send them in whilst you can if they enjoy it.

Popcornriver · 05/12/2021 12:58

No they're still going to school because as far as I'm aware coronavirus is still a mild illness in children. If that proves untrue when we know more about the new strain I'll reconsider if it's circulating like delta is now. The other reason is if they have to isolate, they have to isolate. We'll have Christmas at home and see wider family after. Would be a shame about the panto and light show tickets though!

I'm not as worried about 'they've missed enough education already' because my son is now exactly where he needs to be on the curriculum. Every other year he's been very behind and the one on one learning we were lucky to be able to do did wonders for his ability and confidence. If he was older and I wasn't able to sit and do the work with him during kickdown, I'd probably also not want him missing more school time.

Popcornriver · 05/12/2021 13:01

During lock down that is! I do hope there isn't another, can't see it happening really where shops and schools are closing.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 05/12/2021 13:04

@Waxonwaxoff0 my dc are old enough to home school while Dh works from home. It’s not ideal but for the sake of 5 days and the chance to see family I’ve not seen for 5 years I’ll do. Everyone has different different circumstances and I think we should respect that.

motherrunner · 05/12/2021 13:06

@NeedAHoliday2021 Who is supplying the work though? Will you be setting it yourself? I only provide work to those pupils are covid positive.

NeverForgetYourDreams · 05/12/2021 13:07

@DuploPerson

I'm antilockdown, I suspect due to the hysteria over new variant and rise in cases, they'll be a lockdown within first half of January until spring. Send them in whilst you can if they enjoy it.
Hope not. GCSEs stuffed again
Frazzled2207 · 05/12/2021 13:33

@ParkheadParadise

What happens if you decide to keep your dc's at home. Does the school phone you and you tell them you're keeping your kids at home in case they catch covid. Is that ok? Do you get fined?
Fairly sure the worst that can happen is that it will go down as an unauthorised absence.
WonderfulYou · 05/12/2021 13:42

The week before breaking up for Christmas is some of the best times of the school year for the kids. Missing those days would make my DC as sad as missing other parts of Christmas.

I agree.

It’s not just about their education it’s about the lead up to Christmas which is exciting at school.

Most schools have 2/3 weeks off for Xmas so add that to the 3 weeks they have left of term and it ends up being a long time not seeing their friends.

allbartwo · 05/12/2021 14:05

Hell no.

If they get it, I'll worry about it then. It would be inconvenient, but I don't make "the rules". But I'm not going to worry about something that might happen. As far as I can see, any kids that I know that have been off with Covid have been mildly I'll, or not at all ill, and back in class the next week. So again, Covid "ripping" through a class is inconvenient more than anything else.

Comedycook · 05/12/2021 14:06

If school is open and my kids are well, that's where they'll be. They love school

Bobholll · 05/12/2021 14:08

It’s still 2 weeks til the holidays & 3 weeks til Christmas. Why would you keep them off this week?!

VitalsStable · 05/12/2021 14:16

Mine are already off of school due to one of them having a complex medical issue which would mean them getting COVID would be a disaster. They normally board but now they are at home their sibling can't go in just in case.

We're homeschooling for the next 2 weeks.

None of my friends are keeping their kids off at all and if we didn't have the health issue you can bet your bottom dollar they'd be on the bus each morning and the boarder would still be at school.

Exhausteddog · 05/12/2021 14:28

My year 11 DD is doing her mocks, until the end of term. She is incredibly stressed about whether there will be content in the papers that they have not yet covered. She would be even more stressed if she didn't go in and do the exams. DS had covid a few weeks ago so hopefully will have some immunity.

babybythesea · 05/12/2021 14:36

I can see both sides. We always see my parents. They live five hours away so we can’t just pop over a day or two later. We haven’t see them since August. If we end up catching Covid on19th it will spoil Christmas as we won’t be able to see them. Again. It’s not a day of presents etc that’s the issue - it’s losing out yet again on the chance to see family. My kids have already barely seen them due to the pandemic. I want them to spend as much time with their grandparents as possible.

But as I work in a school we don’t have a choice to stay away so we’ll just be crossing fingers.

Underparmummy · 05/12/2021 14:37

Two are off school - with covid.

Having missed huge amounts of school due to isolating for their own covid, their sister's covid and huge amounts of classmates covid (waiting for pcrs/class closures) I WOULD never ever ever keep them off school if I didn't have to. I think it is irresponsible to quite frankly. The aim should be reducing iso times for kids.

This is a shit show.

Ceara · 05/12/2021 15:08

"We always see my parents. They live five hours away so we can’t just pop over a day or two later. We haven’t see them since August. If we end up catching Covid on19th it will spoil Christmas as we won’t be able to see them. Again. It’s not a day of presents etc that’s the issue - it’s losing out yet again on the chance to see family. My kids have already barely seen them due to the pandemic. I want them to spend as much time with their grandparents as possible."
This is why I would consider pulling DS out early. We only have a 2 week holiday. He and his DGM haven't seen each other since last August and they miss each other a lot. Easter will be the next opportunity. Time with family, who aren't getting any younger, is worth more to us all than a few days of school. And it's not about "Christmas Day" at all - we plan to spend that alone and to do no mixing for the first 10 days of the holidays, to minimise the risk to my vulnerable DM when (hopefully) we see her.

megletthesecond · 05/12/2021 15:14

Same reason as baby and ceara. It's not because of a present-fest. It's seeing family we barely see. We have no one locally. The last things me and the dc's need is two weeks of warfare at home together.

NeedAHoliday2021 · 05/12/2021 15:28

@motherrunner I will be setting the work using the SATs books we have just received (dtds are year 6). We will also be using BBC bitesize. I’ve spoken to their teachers before making the decision and they are completely supportive and encouraged us to do this. It’s likely our last chance to see these relatives as they’re unable to travel anymore due to age and there’s 11 of us in total celebrating Christmas. Family is important and for those of us who live across the globe, the impact of the pandemic has been greater than dc education.

Beafaith · 05/12/2021 16:17

No, it is what it is. We've all avoided it so far. If we are unlucky enough to have it over Christmas then we will just have family get together another time. My children aren't missing anymore school just in case they may catch covid X

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