It’s not safe to reopen schools yet, say support workers

SCHOOL support staff across Wales say it isn’t safe for schools to reopen on June 29 and called on the Welsh Government to delay until September.

Their main fear is that it will be impossible for children to keep two metres apart to ensure safe social distancing.

They also fear there are not enough cleaners to keep schools as clean as required to reopen safely in two weeks.

Nearly 4,000 support staff including teaching assistants, cooks, cleaners, caretakers and administrators, working across all 22 local education authorities in Wales, responded to a survey by their trade union Unison about school reopening. Seven in 10 believe June 29 is too early to start bringing all children back.

They highlighted how some hub schools for vulnerable and key workers’ children have been working during lockdown as evidence of their worries.

The survey, carried out over six days, found More than seven in 10 support staff who responded don’t believe there are sufficient cleaners to keep schools safe if they reopen on June 29.

It found...

■ More than 70% believe reopening schools on June 29 is too soon;

■ 72% felt schools should not reopen before September;

■ 78% said their main concern is how social distancing can be maintained;

■ 72% do not believe there are enough cleaning staff to keep schools safe; and

■ 20% are confident their work setting has the staff, resources and expertise to ensure all health and safety measures and risk assessments are in place.

Support staff have helped keep Wales’ school hubs open for vulnerable children and children of key workers during the lock