Dear Member,
We are emailing to outline the NASUWT position on the wider reopening of schools.
The 1st June is not a fixed or hard-and-fast date and should not be treated as such. The Government still has to make the final decision about the wider opening of schools and colleges, and all planning is subject to that final confirmation. You will be aware that some Local Authorities have already indicated that they do not believe they can further open schools safely on 1 June.
Throughout the lists hyperlinked below, reference is made to risk assessments. These should always be carried out by a competent person. They should also be shared with staff and unions for comment.
The wider opening of schools for pupils should only take place when the employer’s legal obligations of duty of care, for our members, has been met.
We have a bank of position letters to share with your Head Teachers/Principals (which you will find at the bottom of webpage and sorted by workplace type). We also have self-audit letters for you to use with your Head Teachers/Principals as required. Finally, we have the NASUWT Checklist for reopening of schools. This checklist is in four categories:
A – schools where the premises have been closed completely since lockdown on 23 March 2020;
B – schools which have been partially open throughout the lockdown period;
C – actions to be taken which apply to all schools;
D – useful links to guidance, which supplements the issues in sections A, B and C.
Rigorous risk assessment at school level is a precursor to any school reopening. The Coventry Local Authority has made the following clear to all schools:
- Risk Assessments once approved by the Governing Body of maintained schools are to be sent to the LA for sign off.
- There is a requirement to “consult and work with recognised TU safety representatives/employee representatives and safety committees” in the risk assessment process. All schools including maintained and academies need to ensure that they do that, to secure compliance.
The NASUWT is fully committed to ensuring children can return to school as quickly as possible. However, our bottom line is that no teacher or pupil should be expected to return to school until it is safe for them to do so.
We are aware that our secondary members will be wanting further guidance and we are currently awaiting this further guidance from Government and from the National Union. This guidance will be made available as soon as it can.
The West Midlands Regional Centre are running a series of webinars next week. Please register and we hope you find them useful:
Tuesday 26th May at 7pm
Completing the NASUWT Self-Audit Checklist in preparation for the wider opening of schools and colleges
This half-hour webinar will take members through the NASUWT Self-Audit Checklist released on 20th May 2020 designed in preparation for supporting members in the potential preparations for the wider reopening of schools.
Wednesday 27th May at 7pm
Risk assessments in preparation for the full reopening of schools – via the NASUWT’s Facebook page on Facebook Live
This webinar is to discuss the NASUWT’s guidance on how risk assessments should be compiled and reviewed in preparation for the full reopening of schools.
Thursday 28th May at 7pm
Equality Proofing the wider opening of schools – What you need to know about the impact and risks to teachers with protected characteristics.
Do you have a disability or impairment that makes you particularly vulnerable to Covid-19?
Are you from a BAME background and concerned about the safeguards in school to protect you from Covid-19 related risk?
Are you an NASUWT representative or negotiator and seeking further guidance on what employers should be doing to equality proof the wider opening of schools?
Guidance on the equality impact of the risk assessment process will be covered in this half-hour webinar along with a question and answer session.
We would be grateful if you could provide an update on the plans of your school regarding the wider reopening and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss these with you.
We hope this email and the information it contains is useful.
We hope you have a restful half term holiday and we appreciate how hard you are working. Further updates from the National Union will be coming out to keep all members informed.
Stay safe.
NASUWT Coventry 