unison schools reopening

UNISON is very concerned that the government’s outsourced testing and tracing system is not currently fit for purpose. The measures we have argued for throughout this pandemic to make schools safer should still apply during this lockdown. If you have issues with your employer, please urgently raise them with your rep or local branch for advice and assistance. All risk assessments should be periodically updated or as and when local and or individual circumstances change. We know that staff are unable to apply social distancing within early years settings, which already places them at increased risk. The period of absence on this account shall not be reckoned against the employee’s entitlements under this scheme”. online and other home learning resources. We are taking these messages to the DfE and continue to urge them to change their position on keeping early years settings open. Initial advice for these settings is provided below. A specialist cleaning team may have to be established. A face covering is not considered PPE, as although it may help in reducing the rate of transmission, it does not provide the level of protection necessary to minimise the risk of infection. It uses Bluetooth technology to track contact between app users, alerting individuals when they have come into ‘close contact’ with someone who has subsequently tested positive for coronavirus. You can also contact Education Support, which offers a free 24/7 helpline with fully trained counsellors on hand to listen. A collective group risk assessment will not be sufficient in identifying individual risk. Primary school pupils in Thanet, Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe were expected to return on Monday while students in the county's other districts will learn remotely for two weeks. SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Gyms and fitness facilities are joining a list of businesses that will be able to reopen their doors to the public on June 12. If the Department for Education is to advise early years providers to continue to provide care while instructing other education providers to close, it must provide a clear and unequivocal scientific basis for doing so. They will be able to advise you of your rights at work under Health and Safety legislation. If your manager continues to insist then contact your local UNISON branch and seek support. (AP) - Rural Modoc County in far northeastern Northern California plans to allow the reopening of schools, hair salons, churches, restaurants and the county’s only movie theater on Friday. The DfE latest advice states that all children and young people with an EHC Plan are vulnerable. We urge the government to reconsider its decision to keep early year establishments open, despite concerns over a new COVID strain. This would not be fair on staff or pupils. It follows a longer statement addressed to the secretary of state for education on Friday (8 May), which fully detailed the principles and tests necessary for the safe reopening of schools. We are calling on the government to include early years staff as a priority group for both testing and vaccination along with all other education staff. A face mask (which is PPE) is provided on the basis of risk assessment as necessary to minimise the risk of infection. Where schools have the option of closing school based nurseries we would strongly recommend that they do so. Statement on government announcement that schools and nurseries in England will remain open during the forthcoming lockdown, Letter from Jon Richards, UNISON head of education, about important issues that need addressing for schools and colleges to operate safely, School Food Plan Alliance checklist for COVID-19, UNISON head of education writes to Gavin Williamson asking why support staff have been ignored in government guidance and praise. To read in full go to: www.tuc.org.uk/news/education-unions-statement-safe-reopening-schools Yesterday, Education Minister Kirsty Williams, said schools will move to online learning until 18 January but UNISON says there is no way the essential preparatory work to ensure schools are safe to re-open to all pupils could be undertaken by then. Suitably experienced teaching assistants should only be those those whose job description already includes this occasional responsibility, usually Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAs, working at levels 4 and 5 according to the NJC model job profiles), and who are paid at the appropriate grade. UNISON and the joint unions have produced a checklist which sets out what employers should demonstrate they have considered in establishing their arrangements for social distancing or minimising contacts and mixing. The PPE required will depend on the nature of your role and should be issued where the risks you are exposed to make it necessary, such as cleaning staff and anyone administering first aid, medical care or personal support for special needs pupils. The Government introduced the NHS COVID-19 App in England and Wales to support the Test and Trace system. Cleaning chemicals should conform to the Chemical Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and be provided by the employer. Please speak to your UNISON branch if you are concerned about the safety measures in your school. Supplies of coverings should be available for pupils along with procedures for disposal and storage of the coverings. Fast turnaround testing is vital and it is important that staff, parents and unions are alerted to any positive tests as early as possible to look out for others who might show symptoms. Please see UNISON’s Cymru/Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland websites at the links above for further information on restrictions in these countries. Devolution means that guidance may be different across the four UK countries and updates may be announced at different times. In addition Boris Johnson said during Prime Minister’s Questions on 11 May that he expects employers to be reasonable and take account of employees’ childcare difficulties: “We will count on employers to be reasonable if people can’t go to work because they can’t get the childcare that they need…plainly they are impeded from going to work and they must be defended and protected on that basis”. UNISON believes that schools should undertake an individual risk assessment for any staff member who requests one, for example if they or someone they live with is in a vulnerable group (please see separate FAQ on vulnerable and higher risk groups). Today’s statement follows a longer statement to the Secretary of State on Friday (8 May), which set out in full detail the principles and tests necessary for the safe reopening of schools. No. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis school staff have gone above and beyond to keep schools running and support children and young people. Terms and conditions. Schools should not permit routine movement between bubbles which undermines other safety measures. Schools should not use rooms which lack adequate ventilation, for example due to windows which cannot open. In conjunction with the above, schools should: In this situation the employer should do the following: See our detailed advice. It causes an impact in the spreading rate of the disease," he said. As part of school reopening planning schools chose from different scheduling models for blended learning. The DfE has stated that it believes, ‘Early years settings remain low risk environments for children and staff. UNISON’s advice is that employers should instead seek to maintain smaller groups – preferably no larger than a normal class in primary and KS3 and half a year group in KS4. UNISON will continue to push the government for the evidence behind their decisions and to make sure that the limited opening of schools is still safe for staff and pupils. As much as UNISON understands the challenging circumstances in which schools are operating, it is not fair to staff or pupils if staff are being deployed inappropriately. For example, closing classrooms to pupils for an afternoon a week and using this time for staff to take PPA and for the school to be deep cleaned. Talk to your UNISON branch if you are unsure what your rights are. UNISON has also produced questions for you to ask your school on local outbreaks in our joint union checklist – see sections 7, 8 and 9 and ‘contingency planning’ on page 20. Mass testing is being rolled out at schools that are still closed to prepare for students' return. UNISON believes that the safety of staff and pupils working in special schools is paramount. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that those care homes which offered full contractual sick pay to their staff carried lower risk of infection to their residents. But many local councils have defied the government's rules, saying they will support any primary school who does not feel safe to open this week. Our clear position is that only suitably experienced teaching assistants should be asked to lead classes and then only in situations known about in advance, for example where a teacher is working from home due to being in a vulnerable group, and where another teacher is unavailable. If your employer still refuses, contact your local branch. In addition, this period should not be recorded as sickness absence and should not therefore be counted against your sickness absence entitlement or be used in any other procedure i.e. If women are disadvantaged because their employer does not agree to reasonable flexible working arrangements to allow them to balance work and childcare, they may be able to claim indirect sex discrimination if reasonable attempts to resolve the matter individually or collectively do not resolve the issue. During the spring/summer lockdown it was expected that small classes/bubbles would be kept intact to restrict movement. Staffing is likely to be reduced due to some needing to shield or isolate, or who might be ill themselves. See section 8, ‘keeping occupied spaces well ventilated’ of the Dfe guidance for more information. The advice from the Department for Education states that most, if not all, pupils attending special schools/colleges and alternative provision are classed as vulnerable and should therefore be receiving a face-to-face education, if appropriate. Schools reopening in June thrown into doubt as unions demand safety tests Teachers' unions, Unite, GMB and Unison are demanding assurances from the … Good employers will recognise the benefits of retaining experienced and committed staff and should consider the childcare needs of all staff when planning for the winter term and beyond. UNISON believes that early years settings must be treated in the same way as primary schools and should be closed except to vulnerable and key workers’ children. Today’s statement follows a longer statement to the Secretary of State on Friday (8 May), which set out in full detail the principles and tests necessary for the safe reopening of schools. However, on advice from PHE, the DfE have updated their guidance for schools to state that all children aged 11 and over should wear face coverings on dedicated transport. If you have issues with your employer, please urgently raise them with your UNISON rep or local branch for advice and assistance. Unions have claimed that a full reopening of schools in England could put teachers at "serious risk" of falling ill with coronavirus and could "fuel" the pandemic. UNISON at a national level is continuously monitoring the situation. ... the National Education Union (NEU), the NASUWT teachers’ union, GMB, Unison and Unite – calls for a move to remote learning for most pupils. UNISON’s advice is that you should explain your situation to your employer, and we would expect your employer to be reasonable in accommodating your circumstances. Make this blanket statement other schools them with your unison rep or local branch for and. Specialist cleaning team may have to be prioritised for vaccines employer, unison schools reopening contact your local unison health and responsibilities. Teachers and other schools schools to reopen from 1 June target and put safety first COVID-19: cleaning in non-health. Website to ensure that the DfE latest advice states that any mixing is a fully integrated unison schools reopening nationally locally! Unison and get essential cover wherever you work required to work, groups need be! 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