Dear Members,
As we come to the end of a difficult term, we wanted to provide you with an update. We appreciate how hard you have worked this term and we thank you for everything you have done and continue to do.
Coventry moves to Tier 3 (Very High)
As of Wednesday 2nd December 00.01, Coventry moves into Tier 3 (Very High) of the Government’s COVID-19 Alert System.
Locally, we have continued to support members with issues and engaging with employers. Nationally, the Union has been supporting members by issuing guidance, providing support via the AdviceLine and continuing to host virtual webinars that have been taking place over the past few weeks. The NASUWT continues to engage nationally with Ministers and Government Officials (See our website for recent letters).
Health and Safety
Updated risk assessments
The NASUWT expects schools and colleges to be carrying out fresh risk assessments and reviewing individual risk assessments (i.e., VERAs) considering the increased level of COVID-19 cases across the country and to explain to staff and parents the additional safety measures they are putting into place to prevent the spread of the virus.
Where members have concerns about risk assessments or safety mitigations in their workplace, they should visit our Coronavirus hub to check our advice and contact the NASUWT for further help if necessary.
Test & Trace App
The NASUWT is clear that it is unacceptable for employers to seek to pressure staff to disable the Test and Trace App while in school or to ignore instructions from the App to self-isolate. The Union has called on Government to make this clear to employers.
Updated remote teaching advice
We’ve refreshed and updated our remote teaching advice with new guidance and FAQs covering all aspects of remote teaching including livestreaming and recording lessons, workload implications and balancing online and classroom teaching. We have also produced this guide and checklist to support you.
‘Long Covid’ guidance
We’ve created advice about the workplace rights for members who are experiencing ‘long covid’ with ongoing and residual symptoms and side-effects, often many weeks and months after having had the virus.
Ten-point plan for safer schools and education
The NASUWT has issued a ten-point plan to ministers across the UK to secure safer schools and sustainable education provision during the pandemic. Read our ten-point plan.
COVID-19 Health and Safety and Workload Checklists
Members can use our new health and safety and workload COVID-19 checklists to help you evaluate and raise concerns about practices in your workplace.
Ongoing support for members through the COVID-19 pandemic
Our Coronavirus hub and FAQs has the latest advice and information for members with questions relating to all aspects of Covid-19 related health, safety and workplace issues.
The hub contains advice on subjects including directed time, pregnancy and maternity, childcare, self-isolation and sickness pay, performance management and much more.
Visit the Coronavirus hub and FAQs
TUC Survey for Union Health & Safety Representatives
The TUC’s biennial survey of Union Health and Safety Representatives is now live and can be accessed here.
The results are used to inform the TUC’s work and offer key insights for all affiliated unions including the NASUWT. This year will be particularly important to capture the experience of representatives across the UK, and there is a dedicated section on COVID-19.
It will take no more than 15 minutes to complete, and your views are incredibly valuable. Completed surveys can also be entered into a prize draw.
Equalities
The NASUWT Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Teachers’ Conference will be held on Saturday 23rd January 2021 and will cover a range of topics pertinent to the working lives of BME teachers. The Conference will be a webinar event and will be delivered via Zoom.
To register your interest, please email the Conference and Events Team at:
conferences.events@mail.nasuwt.org.uk.
Women Teachers’ Conference Declaration
A Conference Declaration was written after the NASUWT Women Teachers’ Conference in October this year. The declaration covers the issues raised by women members, along with the NASUWT next steps.
Anti-Bullying Week
National Anti-Bullying Week was held during the week 16th – 20th November 2020 with the theme this year of ‘united against bullying’.
The NASUWT is committed to using our collective power to challenge and reduce bullying in the workplace and has created some resources to support members in working with us where there is management bullying in their workplace. We also published an article on our website.
Leadership and Members Bulletins
Test and Trace over the Christmas break
The NASUWT is becoming aware that some employers are stating that headteachers and possibly other leadership team members will be required to ‘support’ the Test and Trace system over the Christmas break.
This appears to entail daily checking of emails etc. and undertaking Test and Trace-based activities should positive cases arise that are linked to their school. We have produced a bulletin to provide advice and guidance to School Leaders.
Contingency Framework
The Department for Education (DfE) has produced a new contingency framework which will be implemented where there is an extremely high prevalence of coronavirus and other measures have already been implemented. This replaces the previous tiered arrangements.
The NASUWT has produced bulletins to provide information to School Leaders and to members.
DfE COVID-19 Workforce Fund
Earlier this year, the Department for Education (DfE) announced that the government would not be funding schools for the additional coronavirus-related costs of full reopening from September 2020 onwards and expected Schools and Academy Trusts to meet these costs entirely from their previously allocated 2020/21 budgets.
The Government’s decision was unacceptable to the NASUWT, and the Union is campaigning against the Government’s refusal to fund schools sufficiently during the pandemic. The NASUWT has made it very clear to the Government that the costs of COVID control in schools and cover for coronavirus-related staff absence are spiralling and that, for schools to be able to continue to open safely, school funding must increase. In addition, it is unacceptable that schools must now develop their remote learning offers without sufficient additional funding.
The NASUWT has produced bulletins to provide information to School Leaders and to members.
Exams and Inspection plans
Plans for 2021 exams, inspections and accountability in England which were set out by the Government earlier this month, do not go far enough to mitigate the disruption pupils and teachers are continuing to experience as a result of COVID-19. The NASUWT continues to make representations on this nationally and locally.
Supply Teachers
We continue to make representations on behalf of our Supply Teacher members locally and nationally. To support our Disabled Supply Teacher members, the NASUWT has produced this checklist.
Annual Conference 2021
You will have received an email from our General Secretary, Dr. Patrick Roach on 14th July 2020 about being a delegate at the Annual Conference which was going to be held in Gateshead but will now be held virtually. The conference is being held from 2nd April 2021 to 5th April 2021. Please follow the instructions in the email if you would like to attend.
Local Association Elections
You will have received notification via email or by post from the West Midlands Regional Centre about our Local Association Elections for 2021/22. We are seeking nominations for a number of positions. Please refer to the email/mailing sent on Friday 4th December to all members for further details.
National Elections
You will have received your voting forms for the National positions of Junior Vice-President and National Honorary Treasurer for 2021/22. Please ensure you vote and post back your form by Monday 4th January 2021.
Next Local Association Meeting
The Coventry Local Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday 9th March 2021 at 5pm on Zoom. Please add this date to your diary – we hope that you can attend. All Coventry Local Association NASUWT members are welcome. We will share the final agenda and details on how to register for the meeting next term.
Training and CPD
Webinars
Our 30-minute programme of member webinars continues. Each event offers tailored advice in the context of the current COVID-19 situation and the opportunity to ask questions.
Qualifications and Examinations – Thursday 17th December 2020
A webinar updating members on the latest information on examinations and qualifications.
Click here to register
To catch up with previous webinars, click here.
Coventry Teaching Schools’ Collaborative – Inspiring Change in Education (ICE)
A new Coventry Teaching Schools Collaborative has been set up to work in partnership to provide professional development and support with the aim of inspiring excellent practice. The collaboration includes: Coventry Local Authority, Blue Sky, Castle Phoenix, The Inclusive Alliance, The Lion, President Kennedy and The Swan Teaching School Alliances. The CPD and training offer has been produced between all the Teaching Schools in Coventry who will also work with a range of strategic and associate partners.
The Inspiring Change in Education (ICE) programme is starting with an offer for NQTs. For further details, click here. The Collaborative will be widening its offer and we will provide further details next term.
The NASUWT will continue to work with employers at local, regional, and national level to represent and protect the interests of members. We will be away from the office over the festive break until we return in January but we wanted to assure you that NASUWT is still operational through Headquarters and the Regional Centre throughout the holidays and the following information should help you:
- In order to ensure you continue to have the most up to date information on the coronavirus, we would ask that look at the website in the first instance. If a general query relating to schools and the coronavirus is not answered on the website, then please contact the Members Support Team at advice@mail.nasuwt.org.uk and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
- If you require urgent support, we would ask that you email rc-westmids@mail.nasuwt.org.uk with the necessary details.
- Criminal Support – Throughout the holiday period NASUWT members requiring urgent legal assistance because of a criminal allegation being made against them which is related to their teaching employment should contact Thompsons Solicitors on the following freephone number 0800 587 7530.
The Union will continue to keep you informed of developments and you are requested to please continue to monitor your emails and the NASUWT website for updates. Our local website at www.nasuwtcoventry.org will also have the latest updates for Coventry members.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for help, advice, and support by emailing advice@mail.nasuwt.org.uk.
We wish you a safe, festive and restful break.
NASUWT Coventry 