How are schools doing?

[Januarypip]

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?

Just to add that most children and adults have had symptoms. I'm currently off with it and feel awful and I am triple vaccinated. Lots of other teachers have had the same. My children have had awful temperatures and chesty coughs.

Most of DS(7)'s friends are off with COVID this week. He has tested negative every day, but I'm WFH today because he tells me his head hurts when he moves. I've taken him for a PCR test because I'm not sure if he just wants to be off while his friends are.

When I called to say I wasn't sending him in, the school reception told me they would refer it to safeguarding because he doesn't have a positive LF test .

DS's large middle school (970 pupils Y5-8) has been fairly quiet so far this year but today there was an email saying they've got a lot of cases among pupils and staff and are starting to have problems with staff cover. They are doing all they can to avoid sending classes or year groups home but it may become unavoidable.

I have so much respect for the way they are handling things. They're still managing practical lessons, before/after school and lunchtime clubs, sporting fixtures, careers events, school trips and DS hasn't mentioned any day to day disruption.

We are only a small school but have nearly half the teachers off with covid or complications of covid. There are no supply teachers anywhere so classes are being covered by random TAs.

They are really unhappy-it’s a hard job and they aren’t trained or paid for it, the kids are really unsettled (behaviour is very challenging) and the parents are livid. It’s been nearly 3 weeks for one particular class. The senco/deputy head already have a class and the head is doing everything else-including cleaning and caretaking, as the caretaker has covid.

For the government to start staying attendance isn’t good enough and heads need to have a ‘plan in place’ to improve attendance is just insulting. Plus Ofsted are ever looming. Some schools have been hit very hard, but all we seem to hear is covid is over and we are back to normal. Tell that to the kids.

But they don't really build immunity do they? There's reinfections locally from december.... so the dusruption will just continue?

What do you want to happen instead? Lockdown? that’s worse for children.

The disruption is that people are being asked to isolate, so that’s a government decision. It’s like being asked to isolate if you have a mild cold. My son has it and he’s absolutely fine as are all his classmates. Secondary schools are seeing less infections because most of them are vaccinated. So until isolation stops and pre teens are vaccinated, we need less severe covid infections to build immunity, and it will build over time.

Even triple vaccinated are getting it, but it’s not severe.

It’s unfortunate, but this can go on forever. I don’t want another lockdown and kids out of school for months.

South London and it's ripping through DC primary school. Most of DS's class is out this week. About 50/50 kids and parents who have breezed through and those who have been pretty unwell. Sadly we're the latter. Day 3 and we're all struggling.

@TheYearOfSmallThings

Most of DS(7)'s friends are off with COVID this week. He has tested negative every day, but I'm WFH today because he tells me his head hurts when he moves. I've taken him for a PCR test because I'm not sure if he just wants to be off while his friends are.

When I called to say I wasn't sending him in, the school reception told me they would refer it to safeguarding because he doesn't have a positive LF test .

Bit OTT? He's ill with a headache that's making him unable to move?

Or can you only be ill if it's covid in 2022?

I'd be tempted to email to confirm that conversation,

Dear reception,

Can you clarify my understanding if our earlier conversation?

I rang at x time and told x person ds is off ill with a headache that hurts when he moves and so is unable to attend a school.

I mentioned i was gaining for for a PCR as well to rule our covid as vases are so high.

Ds has a negative LFT.

Can you confirm you stated you'll refer us to safeguarding because ds is off with an illness that isn't covid?

Regards xxxxxxx

Central London, double intake primary.

Not much being said on group chats about positive cases (I'm on 3 different groups)

Info from school is limited, its mainly just asking us to mask up and keep everyone safe.

A quick scan of the playground each morning and all teachers seem to be in. My older kids tell me most their class mates have been in.

Although my Y4 tested positive on Monday so is isolating 😳

Very quiet and normal. Feel like we are in the alternate universe reading some comments on MN.

He's ill with a headache that's making him unable to move?

In fairness he's all too able to move. He is currently bouncing off the walls. I think I've been had.

But yes, it would be an inappropriate referral, and I told her that.

Nursery school - closed last week because almost all staff and multiple children tested positive, most children seemed to have high temperatures & sickness, those that are back now seem wiped out. With a few exceptions, staff pretty poorly with it too, most of us carried on testing positive until day 10 (and wouldn't have been well enough to come back before then anyway). I've been back 2 days and am on my knees! Lots of parents also now have it.

Dc's primary - we had an email to say 1/3 of school (staff & children) have tested positive in last 2 weeks.

Gosh it must be really tough for nurseries with strict staffing ratios to meet 😬

DD(7) class currently has an outbreak with 1/3 of children off. DD is negative but has cold & cough symptoms so is staying home for now too.

50 were out from one year group today- year 12s

Sweeping through sixth form now

Staff getting reinfected now and no supply staff either so classes being sent home. Primary.

Almost 200 kids off at my 12 year olds large London secondary! Mainly in years 7 and 8.

Our primary sent email saying cases decreasing

They got quite high but through the other side thankfully

No classes closed

How soon are they being reinfected? Is this how it will be?!