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Original poster

What's your school's policy?

42 replies

scandihouse · 08/03/2022 11:58

Just wondering what schools are doing now that the compulsory isolation has been scrapped. My ds has just tested positive and school have asked me to keep him home for 5 days and then only come back in if negative. I'm glad as would want to keep him away anyway but wondered if this was normal or do some just say to stay at home if they're ill?

OP posts:
beavertowers · 08/03/2022 12:03

The legal aspect to isolate has been removed but public health advice hasn't changed.

Our school is following public health advice eg isolate and start to test from day 5 onwards and up to 10 days if still positive, which is the right thing to do, in my view.

Original poster
scandihouse · 08/03/2022 12:37

Yes this is the same as my school. Sounds like most schools will be doing this then.

OP posts:
Jules912 · 08/03/2022 12:51

Our school is the same as yours, which is following the guidance. Only thing that's changed is they no longer seem to tell us about cases and ask contacts to test. They still send symptomatic children home to get a PCR.

RandomQuest · 08/03/2022 13:00

Ours is five days at home then come back if feeling well. No negative test needed.

Plumbear2 · 08/03/2022 14:14

My child's school is doing the same as above posters. I wonder if this why change when PCR are scrapped on 1st April?

Lacedwithgrace · 08/03/2022 14:24

Ours is 5 days at home and a negative test to come back to school. Parents are trying to get it to 6-7 days instead

frenchiemummy92 · 09/03/2022 04:31

We just had an email about this yesterday stating that, although the guidelines have changed if your child has any symptoms and tests positive they want a PCR and should stay home until you get two negative LFTS on days 5 and 6

LadyPenelope68 · 09/03/2022 04:41

This is what’s been re-iterated for parents on our school info system this week at the school I teach at (and all schools in our LA):

“Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 may choose to take a lateral flow test from 5 days after symptoms started (or the day their test was taken if they did not have symptoms) followed by another lateral flow test the next day. If both these test results are negative, and the person does not have a high temperature, they can safely return to the setting before the end of the full 10-day exclusion period.

If a child tests positive for COVID-19, settings can refuse entry for 5 days (with Day 0 being the day of symptom onset or date of test if asymptomatic) if they consider it necessary in their reasonable judgement to protect other children and staff.”

PatchworkElmer · 09/03/2022 04:50

5 days off school, with negative lateral flows on day 5 and 6.

Passthecake30 · 09/03/2022 06:33

Have your schools contacted you about the policies? My dc go to a large school (10 form entry) and I’ve received nothing.

Lulu1919 · 09/03/2022 06:43

Same at my school inc staff

Iamnotthe1 · 09/03/2022 06:49

The DfE have instructed schools to still follow isolation procedures for known positives. It's just not been widely communicated as they've left it to individual schools to tell parents and take the brunt of the frustration.

SnowFoxWinterFox · 09/03/2022 06:50

@beavertowers

The legal aspect to isolate has been removed but public health advice hasn't changed.

Our school is following public health advice eg isolate and start to test from day 5 onwards and up to 10 days if still positive, which is the right thing to do, in my view.

Ours also. Exactly this.
Overthebow · 09/03/2022 07:32

Has anything been said about what will change when tests are no longer free? They won’t be able to make people pay for tests to come to school, or exclude families who can’t afford them so will it just be back to normal with no isolation?

raspberryjamchicken · 09/03/2022 07:37

The guidance to schools is issued by the DfE so should be the same for all schools. It remains the same as it was before.

LadyPenelope68 · 09/03/2022 07:44

@Overthebow
Has anything been said about what will change when tests are no longer free? They won’t be able to make people pay for tests to come to school, or exclude families who can’t afford them so will it just be back to normal with no isolation?
We’ve been told it won’t change. If people can’t afford the tests, we’ll have a limited supply in school.

Overthebow · 09/03/2022 08:28

[quote LadyPenelope68]@Overthebow
Has anything been said about what will change when tests are no longer free? They won’t be able to make people pay for tests to come to school, or exclude families who can’t afford them so will it just be back to normal with no isolation?
We’ve been told it won’t change. If people can’t afford the tests, we’ll have a limited supply in school.[/quote]
So it would just be lateral flow test and then back to school if negative? That is much better than mandatory PCR tests.

LadyPenelope68 · 09/03/2022 11:06

@Overthebow
we don’t know for definite, Public Health are looking at whether it needs to be PCR or lateral flow.

ifonly4 · 09/03/2022 11:10

If a child has symptoms the school asks they stay off, or get a test. If they've had a positive test, then two negative LFTs from day 5 before they can return. I can't remember the wording, but there is something under the guidance that stays a school can refuse to have someone on the premises who they know has covid or has symptoms, is they believe it could be a risk - I know our school are prepared to use this clause if any children have covid/come in ill - they'll be ask to go home.

Downtown36 · 09/03/2022 18:22

So frustrating that schools have a completely different policy to everywhere else!

The whole point of ending isolation and phasing out testing is so that everyone can get their heads around covid being here to stay…

Watapalava · 09/03/2022 18:45

Gov advice is being reissued at the end of march - there is no requirement to test given tests won't be issued to school or anyone else. Advice changes at end of march so that people are no longer advised to stay home. It changes to 'personal responsibility'.

Currently kids are being asked to follow gov advice regardless of the isolation rule but that gov advice doesn't exist from end of march. As such schools wont be following that advice.

No one will be told (certainly not made) to test. Kids will stay off if unwell - no sending home etc

Overthebow · 09/03/2022 18:50

That’s encouraging. I doubt many families will have the money for PCR tests with all the rising energy costs and everything else. If schools require tests they will have to provide them, or stop requiring them.

Watapalava · 09/03/2022 18:56

Schools will not be requiring them - the school rules now are related to positive kids following gov advice - currently the gov still advises isolation even if its not legal.

It is not advising isolation from 1st april if positive so its a big change.

Overthebow · 09/03/2022 19:01

@Watapalava

Schools will not be requiring them - the school rules now are related to positive kids following gov advice - currently the gov still advises isolation even if its not legal.

It is not advising isolation from 1st april if positive so its a big change.

I hadn’t realised isolation isn’t advised from April. That is a big change!