Dear Members,
We hope you are well. 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.
Locally the Union has continued to support members with issues, providing advice and guidance and engaging with employers including the Local Authority in Coventry. Nationally, the Union has been supporting members by issuing guidance and providing support via the AdviceLine. The NASUWT continues to engage nationally with Ministers and Government Officials with the changing nature of the pandemic.
Omicron/Plan B
Since we last wrote to you to share the latest Omicron guidance, the Westminster Government on the 8th December, announced that it was moving to ‘Plan B’ in an attempt to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in England. This followed the meeting of SAGE on 7th December, where it was confirmed that the number of Omicron infections are increasing rapidly and that urgent measures are required to reduce transmission. The Plan B measures include additional use of face coverings, and COVID passes in some circumstances.
The NASUWT wrote to the Government, local Directors of Public Healthand all MPs and Councillors in England, urging additional mitigations to be introduced in schools.
In the light of the Government’s Plan B measures, we asked all schools and colleges to review their risk assessments and safety protocols. We also asked that any mitigations and precautions be reviewed regularly, particularly as further knowledge around the Omicron variant emerges or if cases in your school start to rise.
On inspections, we welcomed the news that OFSTED postponed visits for this final week of this term, but the NASUWT has written to OFSTED, jointly with the National Education Union, to request that inspections are postponed until at least February Half Term. We are awaiting a response from OFSTED on this request as this will help reduce some of the burden and workload for all our members including those in leadership at this difficult time.
Omicron and the reopening of schools and colleges in January 2022
Further to the decision to raise the public health threat level following the rapid escalation of Omicron cases across the UK. The NASUWT has issued further advice to members regarding the safe return to schools and colleges following the Christmas break. The latest advice is available here. This guidance has also been shared with employers locally.
Ready for the start of the spring term, all school and college employers should be able to confirm to staff:
- the preventative measures in place to limit the transmission of the new Omicron variant;
- that revised and updated risk assessments and safety protocols are in place and that these have been the subject of consultation with staff and the NASUWT. (NB. Risk assessments prepared for use during the autumn term are not sufficient for the purpose of meeting the employer’s statutory duties and legal obligations in regard to health and safety at work);
- that reviewed and updated individual risk assessments (i.e. VERAs) will be provided for staff/pupils with vulnerable clinical conditions and those at higher risk;
- that staff who can work from home will be able to do so. Where any aspect of a teacher’s work can be undertaken off-site, e.g. attendance at meetings, there should be no expectation for teachers to remain on-site;
- the additional measures in place to encourage the effective use of lateral flow device (LFD) tests on reopening;
- the arrangements for the effective implementation of mass on-site testing of pupils, where applicable;
- that all measures are in place to ensure full compliance with the relevant Government guidance, including full compliance with rules on self-isolation.
A template letter has also been provided for members to use with your school/college to seek reassurance and confirmation that appropriate Covid-safety measures will be in place at your workplace in light of the emergence of the new Omicron variant.
The Union has also written to the Secretary of State for Education to urge the government to step up the measures and guidance across all schools and colleges in response to Omicron.
The Frequently Asked Questions on the website are also being refreshed and updated in response to this rapidly developing situation. Please continue to check the Coronavirus Hub for updates. We will also continue to keep our members up to date via the COVID-19 section of our website.
We recognise that this is a difficult and uncertain time for members generally. However, we want you to be assured that the Union is doing everything possible to ensure that members continue to be supported through the pandemic and prior to schools and colleges reopening in the New Year. As this situation develops, we will, of course, continue to keep members updated.
Classroom Ventilation Survey
The decision to issue schools with CO2 monitors, although long overdue, was one that the NASUWT welcomed. However, ventilation remains crucial, and we have serious concerns about the effective use of the monitoring devices and the inadequate response to high readings. To assist with the Union’s advocacy on this issue, please fill in our short (3 minute) survey on classroom ventilation and CO2 levels. The link to the survey is available in the email.
Annual Conference 2022
You will have received an email from our General Secretary, Dr. Patrick Roach on 13th September 2021 and a reminder email on Wednesday 1st December 2021 about being a delegate at the Annual Conference in Birmingham which is being held from Friday 15th April to Monday 18th April 2022. Please follow the instructions in the email and submit your form by Friday 14th January 2022 if you would like to attend.
Local Association Elections
You will have received notifications via email or by post from the West Midlands Regional Centre about our Local Association Elections for 2022/23. We are seeking nominations for the positions of Vice-President, President, Negotiating Secretary, Treasurer and eight Executive Committee members. Nominations close on Tuesday 8th February 2022. For further details please refer to the email.
Next Local Association Meeting
The Coventry Local Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday 8th March 2022 at 5pm with the venue to be confirmed. 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.
Click here for dates and details of our local meetings taking place this academic year.
National Elections
You will have received your voting forms for the national position of National Honorary Treasurer for 2022/23. Please ensure you vote and post back your form by Tuesday 21st December 2021.
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 keep you informed of developments, and you are requested to please continue to monitor your emails and the NASUWT Coventry (www.nasuwtcoventry.org) and NASUWT websites (www.nasuwt.org.uk) for updates.
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 Christmas break and a Happy New Year.
Stay safe.
NASUWT Coventry 