Can my kids still go to school if I have Covid?

Can kids still attend school if a family member has Covid? (Picture: Sally Anscombe via Getty)

The spring term kicks off this week across the UK, with kids heading back to classrooms following the Christmas break.

However, with concerns over surging cases of the Omicron variant, restrictions will be in place to help keep schools open, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson ‘absolutely determined’ to keep schools open.

Secondary school and college pupils in England must wear face masks in classrooms until January 26 unless they are exempt, while in Scotland all secondary school pupils, staff, and visitors must wear face masks at all times indoors.

But can your children still go to school if you or someone else in your household tests positive for coronavirus?

Can my kids go to school if I have Covid?

The rule for whether your children must self-isolate if you test positive for Covid depends on where in the UK you are based.

In England and Wales, children under the age of 18 years and six months do not need to self-isolate if they have been in contact with someone with Covid-19, including if a parent, sibling, or anyone else they live with has tested positive.

However, if a child tests positive, they must self-isolate until they receive two negative test results on days six and seven, or after 10 days.

Fully vaccinated adults whose children come into close contact with someone who has Covid will not need to self-isolate (Picture: OKrasyuk via Getty)

In Scotland, as anyone is required to self-isolate for 10 days when they or someone in their household tests positive for Covid-19, regardless of age.

That means your child should not go to school if someone they live with tests positive.

The rules are also different for children who are close contacts to a positive case in Northern Ireland, as children under the age of 18 years and six months need to self-isolate and take a lateral flow test.

If the result is negative then they no longer need to isolate but should continue to take daily lateral flow tests until the tenth day after the last date of contact with the positive case.

The lateral flow should ideally be taken before you leave the house for the first time each day.

What to do if your child has symptoms or test positive for Covid

Many schools are likely to have on-site testing facilities (Picture: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

If your child has symptoms of Covid-19 or tests positive upon taking a test, you should not send them to nursery, school or college.

If you do still send your child to school, upon them showing symptoms or testing positive, they have the right to refuse your child. This is to protect other pupils and staff from Covid-19.

There are rules in place for testing when going back to school too.

In England, pupils are being encouraged to take a lateral flow before starting the new term.

Staff and pupils are also expected to test at least twice a week going forward., with most schools expected to have on-site testing facilities.

Scotland and Northern Ireland are also encouraging testing twice a week, while in Wales secondary school pupils are being asked to test three times a week.

Find full guidance on when to self isolate on the NHS website or check in with your local school to confirm what measures they have in place.

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