Dear Members,
We hope you have had a restful festive break and we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy New Year. The NASUWT recognises the concern and anxiety that many members may be feeling about this term, so we wanted to provide an update.
Since we last wrote to you to share our latest Omicron guidance, the Department for Education (DfE) published additional COVID-19 Operational Guidance on 2nd January 2022, which confirmed:
- the requirement that all pupils in year 7 and above to wear face coverings in all school classrooms and communal areas, until at least 26th January 2022;
- the requirement for schools to update their health and safety risk assessments;
- the importance of schools ensuring they have in place a contingency plan to manage a Covid outbreak;
- the requirements governing isolation of close contacts;
- essential Coronavirus control measures.
The Joint Unions (NASUWT, NEU, GMB, UNISON and Unite) have produced a safety checklist and guidance for medically vulnerable and for those at higher risk in response to the updates to the operational guidance and all the guidance in this email has been shared with employers locally including the Local Authority in Coventry.
As previously shared, 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 are in place at your workplace in light of the emergence of the new Omicron variant.
Teacher absence cover
The DfE issued an email bulletin to schools on 2nd January 2022 which stated that:
‘Where workforce issues arise, you may wish to use existing teaching, temporary and support staff more flexibly where required to ensure your setting remains open, whilst ensuring that you continue to have appropriate support in place for pupils with SEND. As pupils do not need to be kept in consistent groups, you may wish to consider combining classes.’
NASUWT wishes to make clear that this statement in respect of absence cover is advisory only and is not mandatory. The NASUWT position remains that teachers at a school may be required to undertake cover for absence rarely and only in circumstances that are not foreseeable. Given the ongoing nature of the Coronavirus pandemic, teacher absence arising from staffing shortages due to COVID-19 are foreseeable. Appropriate alternative arrangements, including the use of supply teachers, should be relied upon by schools where teacher absences arise. Splitting classes or combining classes is not an appropriate response where this results in a teacher being asked to cover for absence. We are seeking assurances from employers that the statutory and contractual provisions in respect of rarely cover will continue to apply.
Employers must also demonstrate that they have updated their risk assessments including individual risk assessments (i.e. VERAs) in consultation with staff and trade unions, including their legal obligations to take all reasonably practicable steps to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of staff and pupils. Risk assessments must also make clear how the school intends to address the issue of staff absences where they arise whilst also maintaining COVID-safety at all times.
The NASUWT has made clear to the Department for Education and we have made this clear locally, that it is not appropriate when seeking to manage staffing shortages for schools to require teachers, who are not contractually required to undertake absence cover, to do so. When dealing with compromised staffing levels due to absence, schools retain the option to send pupils home where the safety of provision cannot be maintained.
Remote education
The latest DfE guidance confirms that the requirement to continue to provide remote education for pupils who cannot attend school remains in place. The NASUWT continues to expect that schools organise provision in line with the Union’s advice on remote and blended learning. Where the use of live streaming is contemplated, the NASUWT is clear that provision should meet the criteria set out in the Union’s live streaming checklist.
The Union continues 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. As this situation develops, we will, of course, continue to keep members updated.
Return to Work Survey
The survey asks questions about your experience on returning to work and the impact of COVID on the start of the new school term. To assist with the Union’s advocacy on this issue, please fill in our short (3 minute) survey on your experience. Please refer to the email for the link to the survey.
Wellbeing at Work Survey
NASUWT members are reminded to take part in our annual Wellbeing at Work Survey. We need your views to inform our work our teacher wellbeing and mental health – so if you can fill in our survey, it would make a real difference.
The extraordinary pressures that COVID-19 has placed on schools and the staff who work in them has placed unprecedented demands on the UK’s teachers and school leaders. The NASUWT is keen to gather your views on the impact the pandemic has had, as we continue work with our members to identify and tackle barriers to teacher wellbeing and positive mental health in the workplace.
Your responses will help shape our work to represent and support teachers and school leaders on these critical issues. Please refer to the email for the link to the survey.
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.
Stay safe.
NASUWT Coventry 