Covid-19 update

Important Message from Merton NEU

Monday 23/3/2020

These are highly stressful times for all of us and, as teachers, we have the additional 'burden of responsibility' which comes with our positions as key workers in the education sector to embrace. The NEU at all levels - national, regional and local - is looking to worth with all the stakeholders in education to carry out these responsibilities as best we all can taking all circumstances into consideration. In accordance with this I have attached the latest guidance from the NEU:

1. Everything should be negotiated with you, not imposed upon you.
2. You should not be in school if you are vulnerable or if a family member is vulnerable. This is NEU advice supported by senior NAHT and DFE officials.
3. The NEU is demanding that the Government provide Covid19 testing for all school staff. Heads won’t have enough staff to open schools if they need to self-isolate and can’t be tested.
4. Heads should not demand that all staff attend work from Monday, 23 March. The NEU expects head teachers to negotiate with staff and establish rotas for school opening. Heads need to negotiate Easter holiday opening arrangements and seek volunteers.
5. Rotas to attend work should be drawn up from staff who are well and not in a vulnerable category.
6. The DFE guidance says that “the Government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend”.  This means only the most vulnerable students and those whose parents are key workers and can’t make other arrangements.
7. Where they can safely do so, the NEU thinks that parents of children with EHC plans should keep them at home and seek support from local authorities.
8. It is not feasible for every special school to remain open, or reopen on Monday. Special schools will need to work together, co-ordinated by the local authority, to work out what will be feasible for children with an EHC plan.
9. Heads are feeling extreme pressure to run schools, plan for a limited opening with changing rotas and support home learning. Heads should negotiate with staff to ensure whole school community well-being.
10. The Government should instruct local authorities to co-ordinate schools, regardless of status, and encourage them to work together. NEU representatives should be part of planning arrangements for education settings.

Advice from all relevant sources will be on-going, and I will arrange for the Merton NEU website to be updated accordingly.

Best wishes

John Gourlay

(Branch Secretary Merton NEU)

NB: the views and opinions expressed on this website are not necessarily those of the NEU

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COVID 19 Bulletin #1 23/3/2020