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Covid

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Original poster

Outbreak in primary what happens?

72 replies

Sarah62 · 06/12/2021 23:54

Reasonably large outbreak in our local primary, approx 10 kids currently testing positive in one class.

What action will/can school take?

Will the class closed and children sent home? Or does the school wait for it to spread to other siblings/classes and then close?

If we make it through the next two weeks it’s going to be a miracle

OP posts:

JKDinomum · 07/12/2021 08:33

Closing a class or isolating them in a "bubble" in school is pretty pointless when there will be loads of siblings in other year groups!

Jenster03 · 07/12/2021 08:34

Yea the only reason for a class to close now is not having enough staff. My class had nearly a third off with covid before half term but we stayed open. TAs got it but luckily neither me or my job share teacher caught it so we could stay open.

Badgerforbreakfast · 07/12/2021 08:36

When this happened to us the whole class was asked to isolate until negative PCR obtained.

DelurkingAJ · 07/12/2021 08:36

Letter asking parents to do a PCR and (if child has no symptoms) daily LFT until the PCR comes back. Seems pragmatic to me. DS1 has had two PCRs in a week but both negative and the outbreak (Y4) has been contained so far to a single table of children. All the sufferers are girls and at the moment DS1 thinks all girls are a bit pointless (apart from one good mate who isn’t affected) so I’m fairly confident he hasn’t been physically close to them.

Whinge · 07/12/2021 08:37

@Badgerforbreakfast

When this happened to us the whole class was asked to isolate until negative PCR obtained.

Wow. How long ago was this?

nether · 07/12/2021 10:32

What do you want the school to do?

Follow the contingency arrangements, the extent of which would be agreed with PHE/equivalent

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings/contingency-framework-education-and-childcare-settings

FuzzyPenguin · 07/12/2021 10:40

When this happened at my kids school.
They reintroduced masks for all adults in communal areas inside.
Went back into class bubbles inside so groups of 28 rather then the 90 key stage bubble. Stopped all mixing of classes in extra activities.
Advised all children in the most affected classes to go for a PCR.

It worked out levels are at 0 again now 2 weeks later.

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 07/12/2021 10:57

Absolutely nothing op. We got a letter.

canichange · 07/12/2021 16:27

Don't be so sure your school won't get closed. DS's primary has just closed for the foreseeable, they haven't mentioned a timescale but he won't be going back until the new year now, even if it reopens.

So annoyed because he was off since Thursday (conjunctivitis, cold and (non Covid) cough. Was told school was staying open yesterday, so reluctantly kept him off today. Really hope he hasn't caught it for the sake of one day in school.

Iamnotthe1 · 07/12/2021 16:50

[quote nether]What do you want the school to do?

Follow the contingency arrangements, the extent of which would be agreed with PHE/equivalent

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings/contingency-framework-education-and-childcare-settings[/quote]
This is one of those things done so that the Government / DfE can claim that measures will be put in place. In reality, the public health body aren't advising anything other than sending a letter asking parents to get a PCR for the child in the event of outbreaks. If it's any less than a defined outbreak, the public health body aren't interested.

As I said, the school near me had almost half of the Y6 children testing positive and having to isolate. Public Health advised a letter and no change to any measures in school.

friedeggandsauce · 07/12/2021 19:19

I've been for yet another pcr test today. Have had enough of continually being close contact with kids who have it. I work with special needs children so am very hands on too.

Schools are in such a difficult place, I'm exhausted about the whole situation and know that knowing my luck I'll end up getting it over the Christmas period 🙄

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 07/12/2021 19:28

@noscoobydoodle

The teachers are worried (my DDs teacher has a vulnerable family member and she must be worried sick) but are being amazingly cheerful and breezy with the kids and continuing to help zip up costs, put on gloves etc as usual (with masks and gel) as if there's nothing wrong. They can't go against PHE guidance and close the class unless there's a staffing issue.

Of course we’re acting like that with the children. It’s not in a good teacher’s nature to deny children the help they need and no pandemic is going to stop that. Even if we did try to distance ourselves, most children don’t get that concept or forget it regularly so it would be pointless anyway. I’ve had many hugs (they always hug me first) from my children since the start of the year. They need physical contact and sometimes just need a hug from an adult they trust and covid has simply made that contact even more important for them.

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 07/12/2021 19:58

Our school already pretty much keeps bubbles

Imdreamingofapeacefulxmas · 07/12/2021 19:59

People seem to have forgotten not to send unwell dc to school.

yellowjellytot · 07/12/2021 20:03

Absolutely nothing in our school. The only reason I knew anything about it was if parents mentioned it on the class WhatsApp group 1/2 the teachers were off to, which I can only assume was covid but we were never told

edwinbear · 07/12/2021 20:20

DC's Junior school has closed this week for a circuit breaker, they had 35 cases plus a similar number waiting for PCR results. They hope to have them back next week for the last week of term. DC are at an independent school so I suppose can decide for themselves, although I know they still take advice from PHE. It's an all through school and the Senior has stayed open as they have much lower cases, presumably because most of them have been vaccinated. They've been great throughout and whilst I can appreciate it must be hard for some parents, I fully support them - although it's easy for me to say I suppose, as I can still WFH.

Frazzled2207 · 07/12/2021 20:39

@yellowjellytot

Absolutely nothing in our school. The only reason I knew anything about it was if parents mentioned it on the class WhatsApp group

1/2 the teachers were off to, which I can only assume was covid but we were never told

If it wasn’t for mums whatsapp groups we’d be completely in the dark

hamptonedge · 07/12/2021 21:02

@Whinge

I'm sick of people blaming schools. It's not that the school doesn't care it's hands are tied by public health. I have been in the room with my head when he had a call for public health, he cannot close he has to do what they say!

Agreed. I wish people would stop blaming the schools. Our Headteacher wanted to close some classes but wasn't allowed. Public health make the rules, and schools have to follow them.

Exactly this. Public health England are no longer advising to close.

Lifeisshortandbittersweet · 07/12/2021 21:12

I really feel for teaching /school staff at the moment , in our local primary school there are so many cases especially in the higher 5/6 years. Despite this and having class bubbles in school , there have been a few parents who've held kids parties in the last week or so , with several different classes combined at them. 35 mixed class kids at one alone. They seemed surprised when cases among the children who attended have suddenly soared , is at least 17 positive children off in one class alone now.
I understand that everyone has missed out on many things over the last two years , but surely it would have been more sensible , and kind of less self centered to wait and host parties once the rates slowed down again , or at least until after Christmas so that the elderly /families / teaching staff who were apart last year could stand more of a chance of spending this time together.
I guess everyone makes their own choices , and for the parents who threw parties either the risk of helping to spread it was not an important factor to them Or they genuinely thought that this past year has been so hard on the kids , sod it , let's have their party to cheer them up/celebrate etc. I just feel quite sad for those it's going to affect

TinyRebel · 07/12/2021 21:12

My DC3 has caught it off a child in their class whose parent had it. We resigned ourselves to it being inevitable as they sit together. Child was being LFTd every day until tested + on Sunday. Parent immediately informed me/ the WhatsApp group and I LFTd the whole family - just DC3 positive, including the PCR done on Monday morning.
This child's parent feels terrible about it but is not their fault, they've just been following the rules as they are (and going over and above with the testing).
No symptoms in any of the kids.

Skysblue · 07/12/2021 21:13

The school follows the government guidance which is basically keep going as long as possible, when your trachers are all of suck hire supply teachers, if you can’t find supply teachers willing to work in a covid infested building then eventually you may close what classes / year groups are needed until you have enough staff. Loads of schools have already send year groups home because no staff are left to teach them, read the other threads.

I feel so sorry for the teachers, particularly the old or vulnerable, who have just been ordered into infected rooms and don’t even get to wear ppe.

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 07/12/2021 21:56

Send a letter, maybe. When we run out of supply teachers, we combine classes. That's stopped as well now though, so cobbling together with crap supply we'd normally never have. I had it first, then my TA, so at least the 15 kids I still had left in my class had some consistency

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