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Original poster

How are schools doing?

119 replies

Januarypip · 17/01/2022 16:21

I know news is cases are falling but at DS school it's gone CRAZY.

Basically half the school are positive, including kids and teachers previously infected. Bubbles are shut as there aren't enough staff. It's a Primary school.

Is this the same for others or just here?

OP posts:
hereiamagain07 · 17/01/2022 17:30

We've had an email today to say over 5 children have tested positive over the weekend in ds2 class so public health are now involved as that's above the threshold of 5 in a class. Ds came out of school tonight and said there was 6 or 7 off and the teacher

x2boys · 17/01/2022 17:44

@firef1y

My older son is in a special needs secondary, only 8 to a class. I got an urgent email to (attempt to) lft him at the weekend as one of his teachers is positive.
My son is a special needs high school too ,he couldn't go in one day last week as there was no transport due to COVID!,plus I know other classes have closed because of COVID
Blubells · 17/01/2022 18:04

It’s negative lft for two days, not ‘well enough’

I understand the technicality of testing on day 5 and 6, but what I was interested in is whether the children and teachers are mainly asymptomatic or mildly ill for a few days? Or whether they feel awful and unlikely to be back by day 6?

SmallElephant · 17/01/2022 18:07

My DC's secondary school is fine, not many cases at the moment. There were loads back in October.

Thisislifefornow · 17/01/2022 18:07

My school has been hit hard this last week and still continuing to rise. Teachers and pupils both affected. At present 15 in one class as I would imagine more to come. Seems to be mild symptoms so far.

BitcherOfBlakiven · 17/01/2022 18:08

I had a very vague letter about cases in my Y1 DDs class last week. Very vague. So no idea what’s actually going on in her class, or the rest of the school.

BunsyGirl · 17/01/2022 18:11

DS1’s secondary school fine - it was hit in October just before half term. DS2’s primary also fine. Has had sporadic cases since October but not a significant amount at any one time.

WallopBang · 17/01/2022 18:15

3 confirmed cases in my DDs class (yr2). Having to lateral test every morning before sending her in.

Feels like a ticking time bomb and it's horrible.

whereareyousleep · 17/01/2022 18:16

I have one in nursery and one in Y4. Nursery was closed for a week last Tuesday reopens tomorrow as teacher x2 tested positive. Don't know about other classes as school don't tell us anything. I know a few teachers must be off as they mentioned on newsletter they are having to rearrange teachers.

rainrainraincamedowndowndown · 17/01/2022 18:20

Large secondary, seems to be fine atm. Someone in my dc's class got it during holidays so didn't come back to school on the first day, that's about it so far.
But since our school was never hit with cases, I assume it will be coming soon.

Howshouldibehave · 17/01/2022 18:21

Loads of cases at our primary!

Medra · 17/01/2022 18:23

The secondary I work at has more student cases than ever, with students now beginning to be reinfected, after a first infection in Summer 2021

Abraxan · 17/01/2022 18:34

Well over 10% of school (lower primary) off at the moment, including over half of one class - mainly reception. Even more are off awaiting test results, or off as household members have it (parents are allowed to keep their children off for very close/household contacts and it goes down as authorised at our school.)

One staff has caught it (for second time) too but all rest are clear at the moment so, though we have absences for other reasons, all is being covered with our existing staff and existing longer term supply at present. So no class closures as yet.

I know official numbers are going down but our current in school experience is through the roof and climbing daily right now.

Abraxan · 17/01/2022 18:41

@hereiamagain07

We've had an email today to say over 5 children have tested positive over the weekend in ds2 class so public health are now involved as that's above the threshold of 5 in a class. Ds came out of school tonight and said there was 6 or 7 off and the teacher
Despite having high numbers off and over half of one class - the only advice we have been given by PHE and the LEA is to restrict movement inside school where possible, so still allowed to mix with rest of year group at break times and can share dining hall at lunch) and a letter has been sent home to advise parents to do regular (daily if possible) LFTs on all children across the three year groups for the next 10 days. Bubbles haven't been reinstated, staff can still move between classes, no staff mask requirement/advice, no non-mixing between classes outdoors, still allowed to move around school to other areas such as hall, etc)

Almost all our staff have had it last year and almost all are triple jabbed, inc the one teacher who now has it again.

I'm classed as vulnerable so I am just keeping my distance where I can and school are trying to keep me just in one year group as much as possible - I normally work across all classes. My 4th jab is in about 4 weeks, so fingers crossed I will avoid it this time. I was fairly poorly last time round.

SoftPillow · 17/01/2022 18:44

Our primary is fairly riddled across a few year groups.

School seems relaxed, plenty of alternative teaching staff available (private school) although I hear today they're spreading one class out across two other classes so perhaps even they are running out of options.

It's become a bit of a running joke in the playground 'who is next?' type chat. No one seems very concerned, just assuming we'll all get it at some point.

GinF1zz · 17/01/2022 18:46

Absolutely rife in my DC's primary school. Less so in other DC's secondary school. Doesn't take .a genius to work out why..!

Sallydimebar · 17/01/2022 18:47

Cases starting to creep up again slowly at Ds high school , they had it bad the last week before Christmas.

No surprise when some parents refuse to lft kids , refuse masks and kids coming in from positive households .

Those parents will probably be the 1st to moan when year groups start being sent home ,

KatherineofGaunt · 17/01/2022 18:50

Over the weekend, cases in every year group except one (primary), staff and children. Two staff members' children's primary schools today closed year groups due to lack of staff/high number of cases. So our area currently badly hit. I'm having to test fault now as am technically a close contact, even though that means bugger all now.

KatherineofGaunt · 17/01/2022 18:50

*test daily

Whyarewehardofthinking · 17/01/2022 18:54

We have been having BTEC exams since last week for 6th form; more than 40% absent each one, with one exam only had 6 student sit it out of a class of 21.

This will be impacting them for the next 18 months now as we fit in 'resits'. It has been ridiculous, unfair and incredibly hard on these students. Anxiety is through the roof.

We've had less than 20% return after 7 days so far as they are either still testing positive or are still unwell. We are pretty convinced that the exams officer caught it from one student who returned on day 11, still testing positive and coughing her guts up during the exam. A few students have gone down from that group now as well.

catchingzzzeds · 17/01/2022 18:58

Cases in my school are rising rapidly, 6 staff members are currently off with it too. Some of these kids and staff are positive for the second time.
I'm worried for my year 11 DS, he's at a different school and his year group are dropping like flies at the moment.

The papers are full of 'we're nearly at the end', it really doesn't feel like it.
I'm the second member of staff in my department diagnosed with long Covid, I'm worried about the data showing school staff are second behind social care staff and just above healthcare staff to be the most at risk of long Covid.
The situation in schools is still being ignored, herd immunity is not working.

cherin · 17/01/2022 19:11

London, Primary school. Quite a few cases before Xmas. Now major outbreak with 27% of DS year group off at the same time.

CarrieBlue · 17/01/2022 19:27

@Blubells

It’s negative lft for two days, not ‘well enough’

I understand the technicality of testing on day 5 and 6, but what I was interested in is whether the children and teachers are mainly asymptomatic or mildly ill for a few days? Or whether they feel awful and unlikely to be back by day 6?

Doesn’t matter how unwell they feel. They can be totally asymptomatic and they still have to wait for two negative tests or 10 days. Trying to minimise and pretend it doesn’t matter - you’ll get your wish of ignoring covid completely soon enough.
Covidwoes · 17/01/2022 19:28

Primary, two form entry in the SE. We have remarkably few cases now, but we had a big outbreak a few weeks before Christmas (when I was thankfully still on mat leave!).

blameitonthecaffeine · 17/01/2022 19:35

We're doing ok at the moment. Much, much better than I thought it would be. 2 year groups with no cases, the rest have between 1 and 6 children off with it. Small handful of staff cases.