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Original poster

Primary school pressuring positive wife to return to work.

62 replies

MyAltAccount · 26/02/2022 13:51

Could use some advice here to tell us if we're incorrect in our thinking and attitude here, please.

My wife is a teaching assistant in a primary school. She tested positive on Sat 19th. As of today, Sat 26th she is still testing positive (as is our son). By chance, we also had a positive PCR taken on the 22nd as we are part of the ONS study.

The school is pressuring her to come back to work. They are saying there is no legal requirement to self-isolate and you should come back if you feel well enough.

The government advice seems to be to stay at home until you test -ve.

We put ourselves in the position of a parent whose child caught covid from a teacher who was knowingly positive and came into work anyway.

What would you do here?

Who is right here? What would you do?

OP posts:
Original poster
MyAltAccount · 26/02/2022 14:28

Thank you @LyndaSnellsSniff I so wish our school was as professional as yours.

OP posts:
OnceuponaRainbow18 · 26/02/2022 14:28

DfE is really clear that those with known covid shouldn’t go into school until 2 negative LFT

EvilPea · 26/02/2022 14:55

If she had a sick bug they wouldn’t want her back within 48hrs

Blubells · 26/02/2022 15:37

How is she feeling?

IrisPurple · 26/02/2022 15:38

Is the school still telling parents to test their children and isolate them (as per DfE guidance)??

If so then it’s completely out of order to ask staff to come in, infect children and force them to go through a test and deny them education Angry

ChoiceMummy · 26/02/2022 15:52

[quote MyAltAccount]Thank you all for responding.

As you imagine I have done a bit of reading up on this and it's a mine field knowing what you should or shouldn't do. But in essence nothing has changed for England except legislation requiring you to self-isolate has been removed. It's now public health advice.

I'm absolutely furious with the school. They have published no new covid guidelines for parents or staff since the start of the year and as a result, the management really doesn't know what it's doing. Contrast this with my son's secondary school who have published regular bulletins on their position with covid - and they HAVE followed the rules to the letter.

And that government advice is:-

If you have COVID-19, you should stay at home while you're infectious to others.

This can be for up to 10 days from when your symptoms start. Many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days.

You can do a rapid lateral flow test from 5 days after your symptoms started (or the day you had the test if you do not have symptoms) and another the next day.

If both tests are negative and you do not have a high temperature, you're less likely to pass COVID-19 to others and you can go back to your normal routine.

If your test result is positive on day 5, you can carry on doing rapid lateral flow tests every day until you get 2 negative test results in a row.

Source: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/self-isolation-and-treatment/when-to-self-isolate-and-what-to-do/[/quote]
Read the school Covid-19 operational guidance updated Feb.

Nothing has changed.

The school is wrong.

Margo34 · 26/02/2022 15:55

What does the school's updated COVID risk
assessment policy say?

ViewfinderPiggle · 26/02/2022 15:58

Well, they’re a TA and you call them a teacher so you’re probably using the same creative licsence interpreting the absence rules as well to suit having paid time off feeling wellHmm

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 26/02/2022 16:03

All this reference to testing - once the free tests go, I’m not testing unless my school pays for it! I’ll stay off if I feel unwell and go in if I feel fine. But I’m not paying to test on days 5,6,7,8,9,10…

TheKeatingFive · 26/02/2022 16:24

The government advice seems to be to stay at home until you test -ve.

Only up to 10 days. So she's due back on Tuesday anyway. Unless she's too ill to work.

Original poster
MyAltAccount · 26/02/2022 16:32

@ViewfinderPiggle

Well, they’re a TA and you call them a teacher so you’re probably using the same creative licsence interpreting the absence rules as well to suit having paid time off feeling wellHmm
@ViewfinderPiggle

Rearrange these words into a well-known phrase or saying:- Off, Fuck.

OP posts:
Feenie · 26/02/2022 16:43

Only up to 10 days. So she's due back on Tuesday anyway. Unless she's too ill to work

No - Tuesday is day 10. The day you test positive is day 0.

ViewfinderPiggle · 26/02/2022 16:59

True though. And your charming response makes me lean on the side of the school hereWink

Crazydoglady1980 · 26/02/2022 17:00

I’d be asking for their current Covid policy and following that. Either you then have it in writing that she has to return, or the written evidence that she should isolate until day 10 or 2 negative tests

Pigriver · 26/02/2022 17:07

I think it's kind of a moot point anyway if the child is also ill and needs a parent to stay at home. Surely it makes more sense for the positive parent to stay at home rather than the healthy one?!
I had covid a few weeks ago. Absolutely asymptomatic so I stayed off for 5 days. Luckily tested negative after day 5. Happy to go back to work then. I felt like a fraud staying off and my class missing out.

MyAltAccount · 26/02/2022 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

raspberryjamchicken · 26/02/2022 17:13

I suspected this would happen after legal isolation ended. It is a giant hassle for primary schools if staff are off so I fully expected the usual come in if you can still stand up policy to start including Covid.

Now that isolation is not legally enforced, some schools will do their best to ignore anything that comes with the heading "guidance".

Original poster
MyAltAccount · 26/02/2022 17:19

@Crazydoglady1980

I’d be asking for their current Covid policy and following that. Either you then have it in writing that she has to return, or the written evidence that she should isolate until day 10 or 2 negative tests
Thank you.

I have now found a covid policy published by the school. It's not been updated since 24/8/21 but I guess since it's the current policy it should be followed. Case closed. It says:-

If a pupil or staff member develops COVID-19 symptoms or has a positive test they will follow public health advice on when to self- isolate and what to do.

Many thanks to everyone who responded, it really helped us gather our thoughts and knowing the right thing to do. (except for that one person, there is always one eh?)

OP posts:
fruitpastille · 26/02/2022 17:21

@ViewfinderPiggle it's really not relevant whether the member of staff is a teacher or teaching assistant in this situation. And it's obvious that they are concerned about knowingly passing on covid, not trying to get paid time off.

Won't it be 9 days from the original test by Monday anyway? I don't know how much difference 24 hours would make so would probably err on the side of just following what the head says to avoid conflict to be honest. And she could wear a mask when social distancing is not possible.

Feenie · 26/02/2022 17:25

Unless she tests negative twice by 10 - Tuesday - she would have to stay off until Wednesday.

raspberryjamchicken · 26/02/2022 17:47

It will probably be a moot point once tests are no longer free as probably then nobody will test.

Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 17:50

Depends on the school policy and whether she’s well enough.

What the fuck seven bedrooms have to do with it I don’t know.

HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 26/02/2022 17:50

I have come to the conclusion that way too many people in England are unable to read or comprehend instructions.

The LEGAL requirement to isolate has ended so people will no longer get fined if they fail to isolate.

The OFFICIAL guidance is still to stay at home if you test positive.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts

If you have COVID-19, stay at home and avoid contact with other people
If you have COVID-19 you can infect other people from 2 days before your symptoms start, and for up to 10 days after. You can pass on the infection to others, even if you have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. If you have COVID-19 you should stay at home and avoid contact with other people.
You should:
• not attend work. If you are unable to work from home, you should talk to your employer about options available to you. You may be eligible for Statutory Sick Payy_
• ask friends, family, neighbours or volunteers to get food and other essentials for you
• not invite social visitors into your home, including friends and family
• postpone all non-essential services and repairs that require a home visit
• cancel routine medical and dental appointments. If you are concerned about your health or you have been asked to attend an appointment in person during this time, discuss this with your medical contact and let them know about your symptoms or your test result
• if you can, let people who you have been in close contact with know about your positive test result so that they can follow this guidance
Many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days. You may choose to take an LFD test from 5 days after your symptoms started (or the day your test was taken if you did not have symptoms) followed by another LFD test the next day. If both these test results are negative, and you do not have a high temperature, the risk that you are still infectious is much lower and you can safely return to your normal routine.

October2020 · 26/02/2022 17:54

You're clearly not a very nice person. Perhaps use the time off to think about that.

I've no time for pushy Heads, by the way. There's no place for it in a supportive, professional workplace. But I would put quite a lot of money on your wife having taken the piss with leave before (probably because you're sooooooooo wealthy), and they're fed up with her.

TheKeatingFive · 26/02/2022 18:45

Many congratulations to the OP's wife for bagging herself a prince among men here, btw.

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