Search News and Blogs, Events tagged schools

Staffing, safety and vulnerable children must be priority for schools’ return

Responding to plans published today (Thursday) by the government for the full return of schools from September, UNISON head of education Jon Richards said: “Everyone wants all children to return to the classroom as soon as possible. There are still issues, though, around staffing and safety. “Test and trace must get a whole lot better for social […]

Article, News on the UNISON East Midlands site.

UNISON urges co-operation over reopening schools

‘Headline-catching announcements’ are not dealing with the practicalities needed to ensure pupils can return to school safely, says union

Article, News on the UNISON National site.

UNISON gives cautious welcome to COVID-related schools funding

School support staff will have a vital role in bringing pupils ‘back up to speed’

Article, News on the UNISON National site.

UNISON’s Campaign for Safety Reps in Schools Gets off to Flying Start

UNISON’s campaign for union safety representatives in schools has got off to a great start.  School support staff members and local UNISON contacts have begun actively finding out about the union safety rep role.  Within a couple of hours of the launch a teaching assistant in Nottingham, had come forward as a safety rep. Louisa Wass-Griffiths, UNISON […]

Article, News on the UNISON East Midlands site.

Lessons must be learned by government after limited schools’ reopening

More than one in five support staff say primary schools have class sizes bigger than the 15 pupils per group maximum

Article on the UNISON South East site.

Lessons to be learned by government after limited schools’ reopening across East of England, says UNISON

Rushed government reopening plans have led to guidelines on ‘safe’ class sizes being ignored by some schools in the East of England, according to a survey published by UNISON today. Nearly a quarter (23%) of support staff say primary schools have operated class sizes bigger than the 15 pupils per group maximum recommended to maintain social distancing. The data was compiled from the responses of […]

News, Press release on the UNISON Eastern site.

Lessons to be learned by government after limited schools’ reopening, says UNISON

Rushed government reopening plans have led to guidelines on ‘safe’ class sizes being ignored by ​some schools, according to a survey published by UNISON today (Friday). More than one in five (22%) ​support staff say primary schools have operated class sizes bigger than the 15 pupils per group maximum recommended to maintain social distancing. Nursery school ‘bubbles’ – where infants remain in small protected […]

Article on the UNISON Northern 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.

The vanguard of the fight against racism

UNISON has always actively challenged racism, and will always do so, wherever it raises its vile head

Article on the UNISON South East site.

Academy chain failing to protect staff and pupils, say unions

UNISON and GMB make formal complaint about David Ross Education Trust to Health and Safety Executive National academy chain the David Ross Education Trust has failed to consult staff properly on Covid-19 risk planning ahead of a wider reopening of its schools, say UNISON and GMB today (Tuesday). The unions have made a formal complaint […]

Article, News on the UNISON East Midlands site.

Support staff losing sleep and suffering anxiety ahead of return to school in England

UNISON head of education Jon Richards says delay needed so schools have time to complete risk assessments

Article on the UNISON South East site.

South East counters national trend as number of Covid-19 related deaths increases

Responding to figures published today (Tuesday) by the Office for National Statistics showing that more Covid-19 related deaths are now being recorded in the South East’s care homes than in hospitals, and that the total number of recorded deaths in the region has risen week-on-week, UNISON South East regional secretary Steve Torrance said: “These latest ONS figures […]

Article on the UNISON South East site.

UNISON Eastern welcomes firefighters’ support for education workers

UNISON Eastern has welcomed the Fire Brigades Union Eastern Region’s backing for education workers opposing the reopening of schools. Nine unions representing teachers, support staff and heads issued a joint statement this month urging the government not to push on with increasing pupil numbers until it is safe to do so. In a letter to local […]

Article, News on the UNISON Eastern site.

Government should listen to the independent scientists and pull back from 1 June start date, says UNISON

Commenting on the report on school safety from the committee of independent scientists chaired by Sir David King published today (Friday), UNISON regional secretary, Clare Williams said: “This is the evidence school staff and parents have been waiting for. Not only do these scientists say the government’s plans for schools in England are premature, they also suggest […]

Article on the UNISON Northern site.

Government should listen to scientists and pull back from 1 June start date

Independent scientists report says waiting just two weeks would halve the risks

Article on the UNISON South East site.