Sheffield schools finding ways to reduce number of pupils told to self-isolate

Stephen Betts, from Learn Sheffield, an organisation which represents schools in the city, said that the guidance on isolation was developing all the time and becoming more focussed on identifying close contacts when Covid 19 cases emerge.

And he added that while the principles on isolation hadn’t changed, schools were now getting better at working in ways that limited the number of direct contacts pupils had.

Guidance for schools from Public Health England states that only pupils who have been in close contact with positive cases during the infectious period should isolate for 14 days.

This means pupils and staff members who have been in face-to-face contact with an infected individual for any length of time, within 1 metre, including being coughed on, a face-to-face conversation, or unprotected skin-to-skin physical contact.

It also includes people who have been in extended close contact within 1 to 2 metres for more than 15 minutes with an infected individual.

And it covers anyone who has travelled in a small vehicle, like a car, with an infected person.

When a case of Covid-19 is confirmed, a school must contact the government’s coronavirus advice unit for guidance on whether to send any other pupils home.

Since they reopened in early September, 24 schools in Sheffield have had confirmed cases and sent students home to isolate.

Earlier this term, King Edward VII School in Broomhill sent home entire year groups on three separate occasions, but are now only requiring close contacts of positive cases to isolate.

A letter, dated September 23, which reported a positive case in Year 11, said only those students who had direct face-to-face contact within one metre of the affected pupil need to stay off school.

This meant only 15 pupils needed to isolate for 14 days and other Year 11 students could attend as normal.

This is in contrast to earlier in the term when King Edward’s asked all Year 8 and Year 11 pupils to isolate for a period of 14 days after two students in those years groups tested positive.

It is one of a number of schools to have recently sent home smaller numbers of pupils rather than whole year groups.

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