Positive Covid tests in primary schools

[Iminquarantine]

I have a child in primary school. Someone in their year has had a positive Covid test. The entire year has been sent home for 10 days.

I've looked for government policy on this and I cannot see a specific directive that schools should send all children home in this circumstance. I can find this poorly worded guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions... which is ambiguous.

Is the school required by the UK government to send all kids in the year group home after one tests positive? Or is this not covered by government regulation and the school has decided to do this after a separate risk assessment?

[Sheepshanks]

Think it's public health England who tells them what they have to do when they report the case. In secondary schools they can get away with fewer by having seating plans and keeping the kids apart but daughter is a teacher and she says her old school was really stretching the separation thing to keep numbers down. She's at a new school now and they've sent 150 home today - she's a bit gobsmacked.

[The teacher]

The school will have a covid plan; this is likely published on the website.

I work in a primary and we would send home the entire bubble (two classes, which is one year group) as there is not the space or time to separate into individual classes.

No school will want to send kids home; preparing home learning is much harder than just teaching in class. It's also less rewarding.

Public health England would take the lead

[toastyhamster]

Yup, primary here (Notts) refers to PHE and they call the shots on self isolation. One class currently off. Worse in secondary, my eldest had 24 out of 30 self isolating last week, he was most disappointed not to be one of the 24 :-) Theory behind secondaries is that with a couple of years already finished they're all mixing and transmitting covid to younger siblings. It's probably worse than it looks, mine doesn't know anybody in his year actually doing the LFTs.

[Adrian E]

Had it at my son’s primary on the last day before half term. Two bubbles sent home early on last day, then school requested all those in year groups and their families to get a PCR test the weekend half term ended. If negative they were allowed back. Those that refused or tested positive got to stay at home. All kids only just back as of Monday now

Interestingly a lot with negative lateral flow tests turned up positive for Delta variant on PCR test.

[wiliferus]

The evidence is building that LFTs aren’t worth the plastic they’re made from. Neg LFTs followed by positive PCRs are getting increasingly common to the point where LFTs are almost pointless.

[Amateurish]

We've just had a teacher test positive with an lft and they've sent home all of KS1, all of the pre school, and half of KS2. Luckily my son is in the half of KS2 that hadn't been sent home.

Edited by Amateurish on Monday 21st June 20:34

[redjohn]

Iminquarantine said:

I have a child in primary school. Someone in their year has had a positive Covid test. The entire year has been sent home for 10 days.

I've looked for government policy on this and I cannot see a specific directive that schools should send all children home in this circumstance. I can find this poorly worded guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions... which is ambiguous.

Is the school required by the UK government to send all kids in the year group home after one tests positive? Or is this not covered by government regulation and the school has decided to do this after a separate risk assessment?

Close contact to a positive case requires 10 days self isolation. Primary schools will operating in "bubbles" which are isolated through the school working day. At primary school, within a bubble all members are deemed to have close contact so the bubble is sent home. The size of bubbles are generally dictated by number of staff and physical layout of school. Generally it will be one maybe two bubbles per year group. Schools now have to have remote learning provisions in place for these circumstances.

[mad4amanda]

Definately not consistantly being applied son was in a year bubble which has a positive test in the other class in the bubble one class at home but the other class not isolating apparently it was an adult in the bubble which is worrying in itself.

[pavarotti1980]

Nephews entire year (2 classes of 30 in Year 6) were isolating on the basis of a positive lateral flow test (and at that time no positive PCR test). It was the teacher from other class/bubble but they sent whole year home "to err on the side of caution". Seems like COVID is the new snow day. One flake and panic mode initiated.

[jondude]

In our area one school just sent the class home (as they are supposed to be distanced from other classes during the day) but then another shut down practically the entire school.

You can check with your council what they are expecting the schools to do but by the time they answer the phone the kids will be back anyhow.

[Captain Answer]

Both my sons are in separate junior schools and work this way, their year is their bubble and if they find a case they isolate that bubble for 10 days - which is the correct approach IMO

Thankfully neither of my sons bubbles have been affected, have seen other bubbles being sent out of both schools though

No restrictions on having to do LFT, one school asked that we did them on return after half term (which we did and were all negative) but didn't have to provide anything to say we had passed etc

[poo at Paul's]

wiliferus said:

The evidence is building that LFTs aren’t worth the plastic they’re made from. Neg LFTs followed by positive PCRs are getting increasingly common to the point where LFTs are almost pointless.

Under what circumstances though would that happen. With symptoms, negative LFT then a PCR as they don’t believe it?

[wiliferus]

poo at Paul's said:

Under what circumstances though would that happen. With symptoms, negative LFT then a PCR as they don’t believe it?

Yea, pretty much that.

[pavarotti1980]

CheesecakeRunner said:

I think schools must all be interpreting the rules differently. Just this week, I got the following missive from my child's primary school. They have not sent anyone home other than the affected child.

We have been advised that there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 within the school.

We are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and provide advice on how to support your child. Please be reassured that for most people, coronavirus (COVID-19) will be a mild illness.

The school remains open and providing your child remains well they can continue to attend school as normal.

Nice and pragmatic. Shame they still insist on masks in the playground for drop off and collection though.

Edited by CheesecakeRunner on Tuesday 22 June 13:26

Face masks outside

[Sheepshanks]

CheesecakeRunner said:

I think schools must all be interpreting the rules differently. Just this week, I got the following missive from my child's primary school. They have not sent anyone home other than the affected child.

I'm not that close to it, but I don't understand how that can happen - although it doesn't say it was child who has it, could be support staff etc.

AIUI the school gives a bunch to information to PHE (so there's some scope for exaggeration distancing, bubbles etc,) and based on that PHE tells them what to do.

[Jasandjules]

Just tell the school they are following the Scottish Football Team bubble rules so can continue......

[littleruss]

Posting as a headteacher of a primary school. When we had a positive case, we were directed by PHE to send home anyone we couldn't rule out as being a close contact. That meant all the children in the same classroom, but with some discretion over the parallel class - the child in question had a close group of regular playtime friends who isolated; others who would not have played with him stayed in school. Adults were asked to self-declare if they had had "close contact" - again, assumed for the adults based in that classroom.