Schools should also follow alerts from the app to self-isolate when directed. If you are asked to work on-site and you’re not happy, or if you’re asked to work from home and struggling with childcare, our advice remains: Please make sure you talk to your line manager about your concerns. Fast turnaround testing is vital and it is important that staff, parents and unions are alerted to any positive tests as early as possible to look out for others who might show symptoms. Please also see the FAQs in the section below called ‘Special schools/colleges and alternative provision’. UNISON remains clear that members who work in early years have a right to a safe working environment. During the spring/summer lockdown it was expected that small classes/bubbles would be kept intact to restrict movement. Early years settings in Northern Ireland and Scotland have closed to help prevent the spread of the virus, yet the DfE in England has said that it will withdraw funding from any nursery in England that closes, leaving many in an impossible position. Just you, turning your dream life into your real life. Please raise this with your school. The overwhelming majority of school members, including in academies, are covered by protections under the NJC ‘Green Book’ terms and conditions. In order to maintain PPA time, many schools operated an adjusted timetable, for example closing classrooms to pupils for a day or afternoon a week, using that time for staff to take PPA and for the school to be deep cleaned. We do not think that the DfE should make this blanket statement. © Copyright 2021 Privacy policy A full list of FAQs for school support staff and early years staff in England is provided below. UNISON has produced FAQs about your rights at work during the coronavirus crisis. A key sentence in the DfE guidance is: ‘…discuss and agree any proposed changes in role or responsibility with the member of staff.’ Schools should not impose new roles or duties on staff. Some schools are operating an adjusted timetable to maintain smaller bubbles and facilitate PPA time. We  expect that changes which impact on others should be discussed with all those affected, and that the local UNISON reps/contact should be involved. With a home co-investment from Unison, you get cash today in exchange for a share in the appreciation or depreciation of your home. This will include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves and appropriate cleaning solutions along with instructions. This includes statutory home to school transport, but may also include some existing or new commercial travel routes, where they carry school pupils only, by public transport services, they mean routes which are also used by the general public, how pupils are grouped together on transport, where possible this should reflect the bubbles that are adopted within school, use of hand sanitiser upon boarding and/or disembarking is to be available, organised queuing and boarding where possible, distancing within vehicles wherever possible, through ventilation, fresh air (from outside the vehicle) is maximised, particularly through opening windows and ceiling vents, that children and young people aged 11 and over use face coverings when travelling on dedicated transport, Review their transport provider’s risk assessment, Make arrangements for supervision of social distancing and measures on face coverings and seating on school transport, Make arrangements for additional cleaning of vehicles. Schools should not use rooms which lack adequate ventilation, for example due to windows which cannot open. School employers have a legal duty to make sure that a risk assessment has been undertaken to identify the measures needed to reduce the risks from coronavirus (COVID-19) so far as is reasonably practicable and make the school COVID-secure. UNISON believe that head teachers and school staff should work closely with parents to establish what is best for the child/young person given the numbers of staff and resources available in the school setting. On 5 Jan, both England and Scotland went into lockdown. All evidence to date suggests that ventilation is hugely important in helping reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading (risk decreases outdoors). For all other legal queries. Join today and you’ll receive our support – with membership costing less than you might think. When calling this number members should have their UNISON membership number to hand. If you have issues with your employer, please raise them with your UNISON rep or local branch for advice and assistance. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that those care homes which offered full contractual sick pay to their staff carried lower risk of infection to their residents. Their advice recommends that schools refer to safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care settings for more information about infection and PPE. has already been purchased, you can access this purchase via the ‘Downloads’ button below. If your manager continues to insist then contact your local UNISON branch and seek support. The government is strongly advising people in this category to stay at home at all times and avoid any face-to-face contact for a period of at least 12 weeks from the day you receive your letter. Your school has a legal requirement to update its risk assessment to include additional/revised control measures needed for the school to remain open safely and to consult with trade unions. For example, a child/young person with an EHC Plan may present with underlying health problems that would put them at risk should they be exposed to Covid-19 unnecessarily. See section 8, ‘keeping occupied spaces well ventilated’ of the Dfe guidance for more information. Whilst we know that UNISON members working in special education always go above and beyond for the young people in their care we believe that the blanket definition of vulnerable issued by the DfE is very unhelpful and does not reflect the needs of pupils and learners. Join UNISON (Health and social care students) £ 0.00 View more details about "Join UNISON (Health and social care students)" If your employer still refuses, contact your local branch. UNISON can help you in many ways, both at work and at home. We will notify members by email when new FAQs are added. Statement on government announcement that schools and nurseries in England will remain open during the forthcoming lockdown, Letter from Jon Richards, UNISON head of education, about important issues that need addressing for schools and colleges to operate safely, School Food Plan Alliance checklist for COVID-19, UNISON head of education writes to Gavin Williamson asking why support staff have been ignored in government guidance and praise. View more details about "The temporary register - guidance for overseas nurses. The government’s advice on cleaning in a non-health care setting covers educational settings. In the meantime if you wish to wear a face covering and your employer is refusing to allow you to, please draw their attention to the HSE advice. UNISON’s advice is that employers should instead seek to maintain smaller groups – preferably no larger than a normal class in primary and KS3 and half a year group in KS4. 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