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Original poster

Are you keeping your kids off school?

132 replies

ThievesTemple · 12/12/2021 20:50

Anyone doing this? Interested to hear if anyone considering this given high infection rates this close to Christmas.

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 13/12/2021 07:15

No, all the kids (and DH) have just had it!

I (very smugly) had my booster 2 weeks before and didn't catch it.

Pensieve · 13/12/2021 07:21

There’s been an outbreak in my DC class. LFT every day is clear and no symptoms so they’re going in. Teacher is positive and is doing the lesson remotely for half the kids at home and half who will be in. It’s Xmas jumper day and special lunch but beyond that seen the plan for today and it’s a full day learning.

DC will be going in. Christmas is special but their education is more so because of all the disruption they’ve had. If anything happens in the new year I wonder if those keeping them off this week will feel the same come Jan. Also are you isolating all week to ‘save Cmas’?

DeadButDelicious · 13/12/2021 07:24

Nope. DD has her reception play this week (filmed so no audience) and she's really looking forward to it. She finishes on Friday and gets to wear her party dress so she's excited about that too. Unless she gets sick, she's going in.

WarriorN · 13/12/2021 07:28

@ThievesTemple

You really do have to do what's right for your circumstances and what you know about infections in your area. How much you feel other parents are testing etc.

I can't, I'm teaching, we break up on the 17th, Dh and I have had boosters (no idea of will help!) we aren't London so omicron isn't high, though of course we can't be sure. I teach sen and we have staff dropping like flies. So I'll be needed. Some parents are good at testing, others not.

All our parents are boostered and no other issues. We are doing daily lft (I've been close contact weekly for 3 weeks) and I'll do the kids at the end of the week. (Probably do ds1 today as there was a case in his class last week who he plays with.) the parents at my sons school are all v good at testing and often do lft despite not being asked. They tell our WhatsApp and fb groups about positive cases so we can judge for ourselves.

Based on what you describe I would be considering it. I'd be surprised if the head wasn't supportive. And I'd also be looking at whether there are any walk in vax anywhere as you say.

WarriorN · 13/12/2021 07:29

Many might find some classes close due to lack of staff to be honest.

liveforsummer · 13/12/2021 07:30

@Itisasecret

You can tell how out of touch MN is with what goes on in schools. A week of Christmas fun, making cards, movies Biscuit As if!
Ha, tell that to DD's school. This week sees a silent disco, pj and movie day, outdoor Xmas service, Christmas party and activity day and the usual Friday (half day) playing games etc. Among that is a Santa fitness challenge and secret snow ball splatter where each are tasked with bombing another class with fake snowballs 😆. I'm sure theres a Santa visit in there too. They've already done - Xmas star time (activity day held once per term). House Xmas art day (a day making the decs for the school in house groups rather than class), Xmas meal, Santa fun run in the park and I'm sure there will be more I've forgotten. Dd hasn't had a reading book since the end of November
megletthesecond · 13/12/2021 07:32

No. But I want to.
I can't risk being poorly as I have a violent teen and I need to always be on top form. Booster not due until the 28th.

shouldistop · 13/12/2021 07:39

@Perfect28 I think people know what a 10 day isolation is Hmm but thanks for your patronising post.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 13/12/2021 07:42

@Perfect28

So many adamant no's here, but do people realise that if your child catches covid this week you say goodbye to pretty much the entire Christmas break. It's not just 'one lunch with gran' it's isolation for 10 days. If you're a single parent that's you isolating too. If you're not, that still means no family time together. For a week of watching movies/making cards? We are both teachers and I wish they would have moved to online learning this week. Tbh we are closed for several year groups anyway because of staff absence. I will be keeping my distance, I'm terrified to have my break ruined. Husband and baby caught it over half term so we didn't have a break then either, and we really need one!
I don't care. DS being at school is more important to me than any of that. That's my priority.
Waxonwaxoff0 · 13/12/2021 07:44

My DS doesn't even break up until the 23rd so it's not even the last week this week.

daisyjgrey · 13/12/2021 07:46

Yes, I've pulled her out. We live where the highest cases are and her class are down to under 50%. She's not had it yet and isn't old enough to be vaccinated.

We aren't lucky enough to be a nuclear family under one roof so it's not as simple as "we'll just have Christmas at home".

All Christmas type things at school have been cancelled and they're all back in masks for the whole school day. She's missing over 50% of her normal teachers.

liveforsummer · 13/12/2021 07:47

@Waxonwaxoff0

My DS doesn't even break up until the 23rd so it's not even the last week this week.
That was meant to be our last day too however thankfully our council for once had a bit of foresight and moved it forward a week expecting this situation to arise.
daisyjgrey · 13/12/2021 07:51

@YukoandHiro

There's no legal obligation to you for her being in school until she's 5 anyway, as far as I remember, so you should be fine.

liveforsummer · 13/12/2021 07:51

All Christmas type things at school have been cancelled and they're all back in masks for the whole school day. She's missing over 50% of her normal teachers.

My dd was coming home every day with stories of who had taught her class that day. Craft and design teachers taking social studies class, p.e teacher taking history. Ours have never been out of masks though and as far as I know not much Xmas stuff was happening unlike at dd2's primary (where about 50% of the class are also off with covid. I'd say about 70% of her year group have now had it this term)

daisyjgrey · 13/12/2021 08:03

@liveforsummer

Ours never came out of masks but only recently went back to all day rather than just communal areas. They're also back to not being able to sit and eat indoors, so are stood up outside with their lunch. The school is putting up a good fight but the numbers are so high I don't see how it's preventable.

She had 4 lessons last week taught by the 'right' teachers and hasn't had a form tutor for 2 weeks.

I think the answer to the OP's question is very specific to where you are, and at this point in this exhausting marathon of a pandemic, I'm not going to get snippy at anyone who wants to try and protect their Christmas.

NoSquirrels · 13/12/2021 08:35

So many adamant no's here, but do people realise that if your child catches covid this week you say goodbye to pretty much the entire Christmas break. It's not just 'one lunch with gran' it's isolation for 10 days. If you're a single parent that's you isolating too. If you're not, that still means no family time together. For a week of watching movies/making cards?

Of course people realise what 10 days of isolation mean. You’d have to be spectacularly dumb not to by this point! Plenty of ‘family time’ if we’re all isolating, unfortunately. I agree it’s extremely hard for single parents but most single parents also can’t afford to randomly take time off work just before also taking time for the school holidays. Most people are judging their own circumstances and that’s all that we can do.

And I agree with everyone saying schools are still teaching. My secondary school kid has multiple tests this week, and a full timetable except due Friday half day. My primary school kid has a lunch and a carol service but otherwise until Friday it’s learning still - the Christmas tree decorations were a maths project, the craft to take home was STEM, there’s a high expectation they’ll finish a reading book this week and present their reading journal before the end of term etc.

Icebear99 · 13/12/2021 08:38

Yes I am but only after this week as our school don’t break up until the 22nd, I am only taking them out early as that way if they have caught it we’d hopefully know before mixing with family

Icewiththat · 13/12/2021 09:39

Seriously?!
Not a chance- they’ve missed out on so much and will love this last week of school. Just crossing everything that we have a healthy Christmas

Icewiththat · 13/12/2021 09:45

And for all these negative posters- we totally understand what a ten day isolation period will entail, we’d be devastated but unfortunately you can catch this bastard of a virus anywhere.

School have planned a ‘snow day’ with fake snow, Santa run and there’s still the Christmas party this week. I’m very aware that Christmas memories are made of this school fun and also of a house bursting at the seams with family on Boxing Day (my personal memories) and I just hope we can ‘do it all’ with out two lines coming to visit….

Such dismal times, everything is so uncertain- hate it!!

purplesequins · 13/12/2021 09:58

last day of school they plan a 'capture thd flag' outdoor event.
with hot chocolate around the campfire

none of the children want to miss that!

HelenaJustina · 13/12/2021 10:24

In the primary I work in, kids are learning up until Thursday afternoon, they have a half day Friday so are allowed to do Christmas activities in the morning. We’ve just had assessments and there is far too much academic catch up to be done to allow a week of celebrations and movies.

TyotyaKlava · 13/12/2021 13:23

I need advise. We are due to go away this Friday and my oldest daughters class has three positive cases. We did pcr test on her and it came back negative this morning. It is getting risky though and our trip might get cancelled if any of us gets a positive test result. I wfh, my husband will wfh from tomorrow to be on a safe side. My youngest goes to nursery and there was one confirmed case at her nursery - we got notified today. I’m getting a bit nervous now. Shall I keep both kids off school/nursery? Last week of school for my dd1 and she is year 2 so can’t be that crucial? Thanks!

TyotyaKlava · 13/12/2021 13:25

@TyotyaKlava

I need advise. We are due to go away this Friday and my oldest daughters class has three positive cases. We did pcr test on her and it came back negative this morning. It is getting risky though and our trip might get cancelled if any of us gets a positive test result. I wfh, my husband will wfh from tomorrow to be on a safe side. My youngest goes to nursery and there was one confirmed case at her nursery - we got notified today. I’m getting a bit nervous now. Shall I keep both kids off school/nursery? Last week of school for my dd1 and she is year 2 so can’t be that crucial? Thanks!
For reference we are flying to Mexico for two weeks my mine and my husbands 40th birthdays which I didn’t get to celebrate earlier this year when we were in lockdown
NearlyAlwaysInsane · 13/12/2021 13:26

No, we've got kids in school for a reason (education), and we don't underestimate the amount of (invisible to others) stress that constant changes in routines and expectations causes young kids.

Oh, and we refuse to live in fear.

liveforsummer · 13/12/2021 13:29

@TyotyaKlava I would yes. I work in a school and no one is blaming parents who are keeping dc home at this point especially those who have travel plans. We Are in Scotland mind you and it's a bit more relaxed here re attendance and formal learning also judging by all the posts on here saying kids doing nothing but formal learning right up til the end. Having said that my friend is in England at a well rated school who normally put quite a lot of pressure on for SATS etc and their head sent an email home saying he's disappointed the LA aren't allowing a shift to remote learning for the last week and if people want to keep their dc joke it's with his blessing.