Important:

This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament

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Rejected petition Stop the blanket closure of primary classes following a positive test

Currently, if one child receives a positive test in a Primary School class, the entire class closes down causing considerable disruption to the child's education, well being and mental health.
An approach based around rapid tests would be much more proportionate.

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This policy has been repeatedly disputed by medical professionals and scientists alike as the evidence does not support this approach.

This policy needs to be urgently reviewed? It is massively disproportionate considering the risk and is incredibly disruptive and damaging to the children and makes returning to work impossible for parents. It must be looked at and a new system introduced to allow our children to live their lives

This petition was rejected

Why was this petition rejected?

It’s not clear what the petition is asking the UK Government or Parliament to do.

Petitions need to call on the Government or Parliament to take a specific action. We understand that you are concerned about school closures resulting from positive Covid-19 tests, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do.

The Department for Education has made it clear that whole classes do not need to isolate if a pupil tests positive, and has said the only people who live in the same household as someone with symptoms or who has tested positive or close contacts of people who have tested positive or have symptoms: https://dfemedia.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/09/covid-testing-in-schools-who-will-get-tested-how-and-where-will-they-be-tested-who-has-to-isolate-after-a-positive-test-these-questions-and-more-answered/

Decisions by schools to go beyond the Government's requirements for self-isolation is an operational decision for individual schools, not the Government or House of Commons.

We have published the following petition, which you might like to sign:

Do not start mass testing in schools or require asymptomatic students to isolate: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/563806

If you are concerned about the approach a particular school is taking in response to Covid-19 you could raise this with them directly.

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.