Child tests for Covid 4 days before GCSEs begin

[ColourMagic]

I am asking for a friend, I hope that is OK on this forum.

"What do you do if your child has just tested positive for omicron, 4 days before her first of (10) GCSE exams are due to start? I need advice from other parents in this same live situation."

(My friend is not a MN member but can read the responses and asked me to ask here. I hope that's ok)

It's not a bloody cold & people like you just keep it going. FFS

It will naturally keep going unless we lockdown the whole world.
The overwhelming majority of cases are now relatively mild (ie a day or two really poorly and then similar to a cold).
I appreciate not everyone gets the same symptoms, and long covid does still exist. However school children (ime) aren't testing. Much like the rest of the population.

I think the bit about not testing unless requested by a health professional comes from here:

www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19#Children

"It is not recommended that children and young people are tested for COVID-19 unless directed to by a health professional."

Tests are not freely available for most people now anyway, are they?

It will naturally keep going unless we lockdown the whole world.

It’s important, especially as teachers, that on a thread like this we stick to official advice - not our own opinions. There is advice to follow from schools and LEAs that is designed to avoid outbreaks, which we really don’t need in exam season.

Having read the whole document, which says pretty much stay the fuck at home - repeatedly, the stand out sentence is most definitely not ‘no need to test kids unless directed by a medical professional’. But it is there, thank you for finding it.

So much conflicting advice - contact the school.

Thanks @avoidthecreakystair

@Feenie My school are sending home advise to only test when directed by a medial professional. Whether you like it or not, that is the government position on this.

Staying at home only kicks in if you have a temperature or test.

My school isn’t, and nor is ds’s high school - he is about to start GCSEs.

I dispute that it is the government position - I have posted advice to the contrary. I agree that there is conflicting advice and it’s no wonder people are confused.

Still think teachers need to keep personal views off a thread like this.

I don't think I've given a personal opinion.

The official advice is to only test if directed by a medical professional, as the poster above has sent.

It’s only 3 days at home for dc anyway so should be fine to go to school as normal next week.

Thank you. My friend is reading all the messages and deciding what would be the best thing to do. I am not part of the decision making process, but my friend asked if I could post here to ask what other parents would do in the situation.

There will be no teacher assessed grades for external exams this year, covid or not. If you have done exams in at least 25% of the overall grade and have evidence you had covid for the other exam dates, a grade will be awarded based on what you've done. Exams in the same subject are spaced 10 days apart this year for this reason. If you take no exams you will not be awarded a grade.

If a child is too ill to sit an exam, they require a medical note from a dr to say why they couldn't do the exam. School will send this to JCQ who will then Either will allow them to sit the exam at a later date/have teacher grades based on past assessments.

None of this is true.

”"Specifically, if a student is unwell with coronavirus and has to miss their exam, then a JCQ self-certification form 14 needs to be completed.
This form should be given to the student and parents or carers to be filled out by both the student and the parent or carer, and then returned so that it can be verified by the school or college (referred to as the "centre") before being submitted to the relevant exam board as part of the special consideration application.
The form can be filled out on a computer, however, the signature must be handwritten and electronic signatures will not be accepted.
Although there won't be an expectation for you to provide any proof that you have contracted Covid-19, the DfE does suggest taking a photograph of a positive test result if that is possible"

If a student misses exams, so long as they have completed 25% of the assessment they can still be awarded a grade based on the exams they have sat.

This is the same process as for other illnesses.

Re covid isolation, the DfE says

"I have taken a COVID-19 test under the direction of my GP and have a positive test result, what should I do?

The UKHSA guidance is that you stay at home and avoid contact with others for 3 days (if 18 and under) or 5 days (if 19 or older) after the day you took the test.
Your centre will ask you to self-certify the reason for absence using Form 14. You are not required to provide proof of a test but could keep a record of the test, such as a photograph, as evidence if it is available.
Your centre will then submit an online application for special consideration to the relevant awarding bodies using the category ‘absent candidate’"

www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4537578-info-what-if-your-child-gets-covid-during-exams

Honestly how if the child, if they are well enough I would send them in especially if it's a paper they would do well in. We've stopped testing DS, I've just had covid it was a strange virus but self limiting

Christ, how thick are the people still testing themselves for a cold?

There will be no teacher assessed grades based on past assessments this summer. If the student hasn't sat 25% of the exams, no grade can be awarded.

AledsiPad · 14/05/2022 18:28
Christ, how thick are the people still testing themselves for a cold?

My ds tested himself. He’s not thick, he’s sensible and considerate enough to not want to cause an outbreak amongst his peers, teachers and invigilators right before the exams.

if you can’t work out why that might be a good idea, then he’s definitely not the hard of thinking one here.

If they are unwell they stay home.

If they are well they go to school.

Just like any other bug, virus, illness.

@CountingDownTheDays30

schools can’t suddenly arrange a spare room with an invigilator. We are still trying to recruit some for Monday for the main room!

Advise where I am is unless the child is unwell and has a temperature then they go to school. The letter specifically says if they have a runny nose sore throat etc but feel well they can attend school. No pcr tests needed.

I have some lft tests left. Once they are used I won't be buying any.

I won't be testing them again unless it's necessary. If they are poorly, they will stay off. We are halfway through exams here, and I won't be testing my eldest.

@tigger1001 That's what our letter is saying too.

Most people don't have access to free tests and won't buy them.

How thick are people who after two years of this still not grasped that covid isn't a cold 🤔
We are in a much better position two years on and the vast majority of teens will experience a mild illness if anything but it's still not a cold

your friend should have followed advice and not tested and then she wouldn’t be in this predicament

my ds is gcse year and not a cat in hell chance I’d be testing him any time soon

Who puts their over cautious health anxiety above their kids education and welfare?

If others can’t rationalise risks thats their problem

My brother is a teacher & invigilator (in England), jabbed & boosted. He tested positive for Covid last week. His school's policy is that he must not return until he has 2 negative tests on consecutive days. He's day 5 and still positive as well as symptomatic. He is young and considered extremely healthy, he has been remarkably unwell with Covid. He would never dream of exposing GCSE / A level students to Covid and potentially impacting the entire exam cohort.

Stay at home when you're ill, keep children at home when they are ill.

When will people realise it's not just a little sniffle.