Search News and Blogs, Events, Text Modules tagged schools

New range of materials available to promote Stars in our Schools campaign

Campaign highlights school support staff, the Stars in our Schools

Article, News on the UNISON National site.

New career framework for TAs – but professional standards still delayed by DfE

“Delay to government professional standards document has been a step back for a profession that has been largely neglected by the government since 2010”

News on the UNISON National site.

All in a day’s work for… a school cook

Preparing lunch for 100 hungry kids is all in a day’s work for school cook Fay Hart

Magazine on the UNISON National site.

‘Solidarity’s day has come’ says Dave Prentis

UNISON members have a ‘mountain to climb’ on local government pay, the NHS and the welfare state, but are equal to the task, says general secretary

Article on the UNISON National site.

Make the living wage the minimum wage in UK schools

One in four school support staff describe their financial situation as “struggling to survive” or “difficult”

Article on the UNISON National site.

UNISON calls for action on school children with health needs

UNISON and RCN call for urgent action as survey reveals school support staff being pressured to carry out complex treatments

Article on the UNISON National site.

Cash-strapped school support staff are paying for pupils’ essentials

Dedicated staff using food banks and cutting back on heating to cope in cost-of-living crisis

News, Press release on the UNISON National site.

Invite us to your school to help with professional registration

We can help learning support staff in Wales prepare for registration – just ask us in

Article, News on the UNISON Cymru/Wales site.

Suffolk primary school plans to sack half its teaching assistants

Nearly half of teaching assistants at Pot Kiln Primary School in Suffolk face the sack, UNISON reveals today. The Sudbury school plans to lay off up to 15 of its 36 classroom assistants and midday supervisors, blaming an “unforeseen” budget shortfall of £75,000 and flagging student numbers. Pot Kiln claims it has more teaching assistants […]

News, Press release on the UNISON Eastern site.

Striking Suffolk school support staff take jobs fight to council

Striking Suffolk primary school staff will take their jobs fight directly to county councillors next week as they hand in a 600-strong petition at the council’s HQ. Hundreds of parents and Sudbury residents have signed the petition urging Pot Kiln Primary leaders and the council to abandon plans to sack classroom assistants and midday supervisors. […]

Article on the UNISON Eastern site.

Schools risk support staff exodus over pay in east of England, warns UNISON

More than two in five (42%) teaching assistants, caretakers, cleaners and other school support staff in the east of England are actively looking for better paid jobs because of the rising cost of living and persistent low pay in education, according to a UNISON survey released today. The survey responses paint a bleak picture of […]

News, Press release on the UNISON Eastern site.

Back to school like never before

With many schools across the UK reopening classrooms this week, UNISON Eastern acting regional secretary talked to activists in Thurrock about going back to school for his latest blog post. The government’s rush to reopen classrooms has been the main front in UNISON’s battle against coronavirus in recent weeks. Many schools have encouraged extra students […]

News, Regional Secretary’s Blog on the UNISON Eastern site.

Hertfordshire school support staff win back contractual sick pay

Teaching assistants, caretakers, cleaners and other school support staff in Hertfordshire will no longer have their wages stopped when they go off sick, UNISON announces today. Staff in schools run by Hertfordshire County Council were having their pay stopped for two days when they were too ill to work after the council changed its contractual […]

News, Press release on the UNISON Eastern site.

Staff at troubled Harlow academy commence vote on industrial action

Staff at scandal-struck Aspire Academy in Harlow are voting on industrial action over concerns for their health and safety, UNISON announces today. The school for students outside mainstream education, part of the TBAP multi-academy trust, was the subject of a BBC Panorama investigation in March after the head teacher blew the whistle on serious financial […]

Article on the UNISON Eastern site.

Facing the present, looking to the future with UNISON member learning

Covid-19 continues to disrupt our daily life both at home and in work. We continue to need things to look forward to and help us manage what we are facing. In UNISON learning, we believe that education is one way of doing this – either by learning about what we face or strengthening our skills […]

Learning News on the UNISON College site.