Dear Members,
Following the Prime Minister’s statement to the nation on 4th January 2021 we wanted to provide our members with an update.
The statement confirmed that with effect from 5th January 2021:
- primary (reception onwards) and secondary schools and colleges will remain open for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers;
- all other pupils will learn remotely until at least the February half term.
The Government has also confirmed that they will be working with Ofqual to consult rapidly to put in place alternative arrangements to public examinations in 2021. Public exams and vocational assessments scheduled to take place in January will go ahead as planned. We have posted a further update on examinations on our website.
The new national restrictions which come into force from 5th January 2021 mean that:
- you may only leave your home for work if you cannot reasonably work from home;
- where people cannot work from home – including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing – they should continue to travel to their workplace. This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting sectors and employers;
- public sector employees working in essential services, including childcare or education, should continue to go into work.
We have been contacted by members who have informed us that their school is asking them to go into school to deliver remote learning to the pupils. This seems to be a real issue across a number of schools nationally and it appears that schools are misinterpreting ‘public sector employees working in essential services, including childcare or education, should continue to go into work.’
NASUWT is seeking that this section is addressed and further clarification is given by the Government to state that this only relates only to those staff who volunteer to go in on a rota basis to facilitate the support of Key Worker and Vulnerable children. We will issue further guidance on this but please convey your concerns to your Headteacher if they ask you to do this.
The Government also advises that employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.
There are circumstances in which individuals will be allowed to meet others from outside their household, childcare, or support bubble in larger groups, but this should not be for socialising and only for permitted purposes. A full list of these circumstances will be included in regulations to be published by the Government. The police can act if individuals meet in larger groups, including issuing fines (fixed penalty notices).
Individuals must not leave home unless they have a reasonable excuse, for example, for work or education purposes. The Government advises that if you need to travel you should stay local and reduce the number of journeys you make overall. The list of reasons you can leave your home and area include, but are not limited to:
- work, where you cannot reasonably work from home;
- accessing education and for caring responsibilities;
- visiting those in your support bubble – or your childcare bubble for childcare;
- visiting hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health;
- buying goods or services that you need, but this should be within your local area wherever possible;
- outdoor exercise – this should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary, for example, to access an open space;
- attending the care and exercise of an animal or veterinary services.
Car sharing with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble should be avoided.
The Government has also published safer travel guidance for those who need to use public transport.
The NASUWT position
The Union has been continuing to make active representations about the impact of the new variant of the coronavirus, rising infection levels and the impact on the reopening of schools and colleges. Prior to the start of the spring term, the NASUWT called on the Government to end the confusion and chaos across the country, to put safety and public health first, and to move immediately to remote education on a nationwide basis.
A national lockdown was the only credible response to the current situation facing the country. It is right that the Government has accepted the NASUWT’s calls for an immediate move to remote learning which will operate until the February half-term in the first instance.
Reopening schools again after half-term without further disruption will, however, mean that lessons must be learned. The NASUWT is calling on the Government to:
- work with the sector to develop credible and lasting solutions;
- introduce tougher control measures and enforce compliance;
- introduce robust system of testing led by public health teams;
- give priority to the education workforce in the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine.
The NASUWT has also made clear that the Union expects to be fully involved in discussions around preparation of alternatives to the summer 2021 public examination series and that preparations for the 2021 primary school statutory assessments should be abandoned.
Locally we have made sure that schools are aware that they must be covid-secure in light of the increased risks posed by COVID-19 and its variants by ensuring that:
- all risk assessment documentation is updated, shared, and consulted on with staff so they can contribute, and any concerns can be raised and resolved. The risk assessments must also be quality assured.
- all risk mitigations identified by the risk assessments (i.e., 2 metres distance, wearing of masks, regular cleaning, movement around the school site, bubbling and grouping etc.) is in place and operationally secure.
- all individual risk assessments (i.e., VERAs) are updated with vulnerable staff so any concerns can be raised and resolved.
- Any updates or changes to policies, procedures including safety procedures be shared with staff before they are put in place. They must also be regularly reviewed and updated as necessary.
NASUWT information, advice and support
Information and advice for members will continue to be updated as further guidance is published by the Government.
In the first instance, members should find out from their school/college the arrangements that will be put into place to support provision for vulnerable children and children of key workers and for remote education provision. We have concerns about the continuation of provision for Special, Alternative Provision, EYFS, Nursery and SEN and continue to make representations locally on behalf of our members.
It is essential that arrangements take account of health and safety and workload considerations and are subject of consultation with members. We have made these clear alongside other considerations in a letter sent to employers today in Coventry including the Local Authority.
The NASUWT has published an extensive suite of guidance and support materials on managing COVID-19 in schools. Given the rapidly changing circumstances during the pandemic, members should continue to stay updated on latest developments and advice via the NASUWT website.
The NASUWT’s Frequently Asked Questions on the website should be consulted in the first instance where a member has a question or concern about practices in their workplace. Where concerns raised by members relate to whole-school or employer-wide policies and practices that have implications for all or a significant number of staff, it is important that members alert the NASUWT as soon as possible.
The NASUWT has published coronavirus checklists for members on Health and Safety and on Workload, which can also be downloaded from our website. These checklists have been shared with all employers in Coventry including the Local Authority. Members can use these checklists to protect and safeguard their health and safety and ensure that their workload and working practices are manageable and sustainable. Furthermore, we have published guidance and a checklist for remote teaching and learning which have also been shared with employers. Members should raise any concerns with their Line Manager/Headteacher/Principal and alert the NASUWT to any specific issues affecting the maintenance of safe and sustainable working practices in their school/college.
Further information and advice for members is available on the Union’s Coronavirus Hub and can also be found in our information and advice on Remote Teaching and Learning.
Based on the issues and concerns most frequently raised by members with the Union, the NASUWT has produced a template reporting form for members to report any incidents where COVID-19 safety arrangements are breached, or their employer fails to implement them. Members can download and complete this form to send to their Headteacher/Principal outlining their concerns and are asked to send a copy of the form to NASUWT at advice@mail.nasuwt.org.uk.
Further advice and resources on the return to school can also be found on our Local Association website at www.nasuwtcoventry.org and on the NASUWT national website at www.nasuwt.org.uk.
The NASUWT nationally has previously written to every employer, advising them of their legal obligations to their employees, reserving our members’ legal rights and entitlements and setting out the actions we expect them to take to safeguard the health and welfare of staff.
If members have concerns about the measures taken in their workplace, they should contact us at advice@mail.nasuwt.org.uk for further help and support.
We realise and appreciate how difficult this situation is for all our members and we will keep you updated.
Please stay safe.
Useful links
DfE Guidance for education and childcare
Government Coronavirus (COVID‑19) page
NASUWT Covid-19 Update – 5th January 2021
NASUWT Coventry 