Safety concerns are real insists teaching union in plea to government

AN education union has warned the Government not to “overlook” safety concerns from teachers as pressure mounts for schools to stay closed.

A letter from NASUWT, which represents teachers in the North East as well as other parts of the country, said it would “be wholly inadvisable to wait weeks or months” to find out the impact of new coronavirus variants on schools.

The union wrote to the Education Secretary on Monday demanding further action on school safety.

The letter urged Gavin

Williamson to allow schools to move to remote learning for all pupils, except those deemed to be vulnerable or the children of key workers, in the highest tier areas.

It also pointed to “continuing uncertainty over whether schools and colleges can remain open safely”.

And it said “that schools can only remain open to all pupils where it is safe for them to do so”.

The letter also claimed that coronavirus safety advice previously given to schools “may no longer be sufficient” amid news of new variants.

The letter, also endorsed by Simon Kennedy, regional organiser for the North East, raised five action points with Government.

These include action to limit coronavirus transmission in schools and colleges, and updated guidance for schools which takes into account new variants of the virus.

It also pointed out that “delaying the return of pupils to schools and colleges at the start of the spring term will also enable all school and college employers to undertake and consult as required on new risk

assessments”.

The letter said that schools and colleges should be required to implement coronavirus control measures, such as mass testing and social distancing.

Finally, it wants “clinically vulnerable” staff to be required to work from home.

Earlier this month, the Government said exam-year students would go back to school as normal after the Christmas holidays, but the majority of secondary school pupils would start the term online to allow headteachers to roll out mass testing of children and staff.

A meeting was held between ministers, Downing Street officials and the Department for Education on Monday to discuss the plan further, but the DfE would not comment on its outcome.

The Times reported Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove were among those who suggested that a delayed reopening would be necessary, while Mr Williamson wanted to “push ahead” with the current plan which involves mass testing of students.

The letter can be read in full on our website at chroniclelive.co.uk