School just asked me to collect DD, is this legal?

[LetsGoDoDoDo]

DP and I have both tested positive so sent DD (10) off to school with neighbours. School has contacted me to request that I collect her ASAP as they are concerned that she can't isolate from us at home. Apparently if only one of us had the virus (as has been the case Mon/Tues) then she could continue to attend.

I've been told that I need to keep her off for the duration of our isolation period, test her every morning (as I have been doing as she's been identified as a close contact of infected class mates) and inform school if she tests positive. They haven't sent any work home or made provision for online learning. DP and I are both WFH so she's just going to have to fend for herself for a week.

Am I right to think the school are being unreasonable here? They seem to be making up their own rules. Are other schools sending healthy children home with no learning set for them.

I haven't seen anything about number of people in household testing positive, afaik you are a close contact and do daily lft. We have both children at home as one is better but still testing positive and we don't have anyone to take them to school apart from grandparents who I don't wish to expose.

When I spoke to school they said it was entirely our choice, at no point were we told DD couldn't attend school. They have provided online learning until mine and DP end isolation.

I can see their point of view, it went through our household in a matter of days but Im not sure its what the guidelines say and they should at least be providing online learning

I would inform them this does not comply with current guidance and you will make a complaint if they don’t allow her to attend.

They are welcome to ask, it would be an illegal exclusion if they enforced it in any way, schools do not have the power to decide their own policies.

This isn't government guidance. Official guidance says that she can attend. They're making up their own rules on it and I'd challenge that.

1 x dc, DH and I were recently positive. The other 2 dc continued to go to school as normal.

If there’s a rising number of cases in the area, Public Health guidance locally can over ride Government guidance in schools, so yes, they can ask you to keep her at home.

It happened just before Christmas at the school (and all others in the area) I teach at and even now, we are saying children have to stay at home for at least 3 days if a positive case in the house, and test each day before being allowed back in. That’s our guidance from local Public Health.

It’s not an “illegal exclusion”, absolute rubbish.

The guidance on gov.u says that if you are over 5 you need to take a daily LFT and if it negative then

"If you take an LFD test and the result is positive, you should immediately self-isolate to prevent you from passing the infection on to other people and follow the advice for people who have COVID-19. You do not need to take a follow-up PCR test.

If your daily LFD test result is negative, it is likely that you were not infectious at the time the test was taken. To further reduce the chance of passing COVID-19 on to others, you are strongly advised :

to limit close contact with other people outside your household, especially in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces
to work from home if you are able to
in addition to venues where it is a legal requirement, to wear a face covering in crowded, enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces and where you are in close contact with other people
to limit contact with anyone who is at higher risk of severe illness if infected with COVID-19
to follow the guidance on how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of COVID-19"

I’d ask them where this guidance has come from as it contradicts government guidance.

If they cannot provide local guidance that supports her exclusion from school, I’d send her straight back in. She is more than entitled to be in school, getting an education.

As LadyPenelope68 rightly says there is the official government guidance and then there may be further Public Health guidance locally (either area or school based) based on the outbreak there which may indeed go further than the official guidance.

What communication have you received from the school regarding the current situation there?

Both my children went to school/nursery when I was positive (husband was working away). Our school actually told me to drive her to school & they had a teacher meet her at the car everyday!

Public Health guidance locally can over ride Government guidance in schools, so yes, they can ask you to keep her at home

Public Health England have the power to instruct isolation on an individual (not simply staying home from school, their power is full isolation), what power do they have, and where it does come from?

Also, it's very specifically a power that the school itself does not have, it has to be from an appropriate body.

Can you call the LA for advice in this?

Thanks all, I've just emailed the school to ask for them to signpost me to the guidance they are following because it contradicts government guidance. I've also asked I'd DD has been set some online learning.

Have you called the school to ask? They're worried about staff catching it (and other children, of course), but call and ask them where the rule came from, as it is not your understanding of the Covid protocols.

That's awful.

Will just make parents underreport any positive cases at home...

@LetsGoDoDoDo

Thanks all, I've just emailed the school to ask for them to signpost me to the guidance they are following because it contradicts government guidance. I've also asked I'd DD has been set some online learning.

I think this is a sensible move. If in doubt I always ask for things in writing. If people are following guidance, or acting in good faith, you usually find their message in writing is different to what was given verbally.

I think it’s fine for them to ask, or let you know they’d approve abcense if you want to keep her off, but I don’t think they should insist unless there is clear guidance for them to do so.

Most school have prepped some home school plans. So I’d have thought they should be able to offer her something to do from home.

Sorry I meant if people aren’t following guidance or acting in good faith