School students concerned that they are being silenced over the Middle East conflict

 Michaela School in Wembley has made an impact on some neighbouring Brent secondary schools which have taken up the 'strictest school' challenge.  There is currently a hot debate on the Next Door website about what constitutes bullying by adults, rather than strict discipline, at Wembley Technology College.

There is a new headteacher at Preston Manor High School whose approach is causing waves amongst students and parents. The current conflict in the Middle East has resulted in complaints that children are being disciplined over their support for the Palestinian cause.

One student said:

We see the bodies of children killed by Israel on the internet and want to speak out. The school is supposed to teach British Values. Isn't 'freedom of speech' supposed to be a British Value?  Isn't it our human right? We are being denied our freedom of speech.

Back in the 1970s and 80s teachers developed educational resources to address racism and sexism so that the issues could be discussed in a safe and open environment. A disciplinary approach with detention or exclusion punishments for views expressed was rejected as it tended to harden and polarise attitudes.

Controversial issues are tricky for teachers but surely it is an education establishment's job, whether school, college or university, to address the issue, rather than silence all discussion?

An article in the Guardian LINK  describes how students at a Luton 6th College are demanding lessons about the context of the conflict in Gaza.

The National Education Union has produced guidance for its members on the Israel/Gaza conflict LINK.

Meanwhile groups of school students across the country have been striking over Palestine and there is a rally at lunchtime today.

 

At the end of October the National Education Union issued a statement on the conflict:

Further to our statement on 14 October, the NEU is distressed and alarmed by the rising death toll of Palestinian civilians, particularly children, caused by Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza. Half of Gaza’s two million population are children and 40 per cent of all those killed in Gaza since 7 October are children. 

According to Save the Children, child fatalities in the besieged enclave since this date have surpassed the annual number of children killed across the world's conflict zones since 2019.

We call on the UK Government and wider international community to work for an immediate ceasefire and ongoing peace settlement that secures the release of Israeli hostages, ends the bombardment of Gaza, and restores the flow of vital humanitarian aid, including food, fuel and medical supplies into Gaza.  

More than 1.4 million people in Gaza have been internally displaced, with some 671,000 sheltering in 150 UNRWA facilities. We decry the attacks on UNWRA schools and hospitals and reiterate the call from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for “all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure [including] health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities.”

The NEU is committed to challenging racism in all its forms, and we will continue to speak out against the alarming rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia that we are witnessing in the UK and elsewhere. Attacks on, or harassment of, Jewish or Muslim people are abhorrent and inexcusable. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their schools, colleges, places of worship and communities.

We encourage all NEU members to take peaceful action in support of calls for a ceasefire, including joining peaceful protests and contacting their members of parliament.

 A group called Teachers for Palestine has been formed and will be holding a solidarity vigil tomorrow:

 

The strong advice to any parent of a student who has faced expulsion/sanction for advocacy for Palestine is to get in touch with the European Legal Support Center as soon as possible where you will be asked to fill in an incident report. https://elsc.support/

It would be useful to hear about any local schools where a positive educational response has been taken.

TEACHERS ON PICKET LINES AT TWENTY BRENT SCHOOLS AS STRIKES HIT SCHOOLS ACROSS ENGLAND - BRENT TEACHERS SAY ENOUGH! ON REDUNDANCIES

 From Brent National Education Union

 

NEU members across Brent are striking this week in the fight for a fully funded pay rise in education. This follows multiple “restructures” in Brent primary schools which have led to redundancies.

 

Teachers across Brent will be on picket lines this Wednesday and Friday as part of a national strike campaign across England. Cuts to funding in schools and non-funded pay awards have led to redundancies in several Brent schools this term.

 

Teachers and supporters will be on picket lines at 20 Brent schools this week and many more will attend a demonstration in Westminster this Wednesday.

 

Jenny Cooper of Brent NEU and the NEU national executive said:

 

This government does not care about the dire state of our schools- our staffing shortages, our increased class sizes and our lack of money for basic resources. They do not care that those who were key workers in the pandemic are now being made redundant and our SEND kids are being left without adequate support. Well we say “Enough!”- we will not accept this for education- we believe another world is possible.

 

Brent schools face bleak financial future as budgets fail to keep up with inflation and other costs, impacting on staff and children

 

 

Changes in the National Funding Formula mean that Brent is gradually adjusting to a lower National Funding Formula (NFF) and this along with huge increases in energy bills, the cost of salary increases (which is why education unions are calling for them to be fully funded by the government), inflation and falling pupil numbers means that schools will facing extremely difficult financial circumstances in financial year 2023-24.

 

Many are already expecting an in-year deficit and (if they have them) will be digging into reserves to balance the books.

 

Our secondary schools have been academised and are directly funded by the DfE, so this is recouped from the Schools Block funding.  A proportion of funding is allocated the Higher Needs Block) funding for Special Educations Needs and Disability) where demand is increasing.

 

A report going to the Schools Forum makes sombre reading:

 

Of the total £249.7m Schools Block budget allocated by the DfE to Brent, £131.9m has been recouped and allocated directly to academies. £1.2m has been transferred to the Higher Needs Block (HN and £1.8m has been deducted for National Non-Domestic Business Rates to be paid by the DfE directly to billing authorities, leaving £114.8m directly allocated to Brent maintained schools and to fund centrally retained items including the growth fund.

 

In 2022/23, the number of Brent schools projecting an in-year deficit has increased to 67%. 23% of these schools plan to use over 50% of reserves to balance their budgets. Schools are feeling the impact of rising inflationary costs and increases in energy prices alongside the prospect of teachers pay increasing by 5% in 2022/23 and starting salaries rising by 8.9% to £30k.
 

The DfE expects schools to manage these pressures within the allocated funding increase of 3.6% in 2022/23 and 1.2% expected in 2023/24.

 

A number of Brent schools are also experiencing falling rolls and as a result will have significant reductions in funding. This is requiring schools to make strategic decisions to mitigate the impact of this, including the consideration of staffing restructures.

 

In response to this, alongside measures to support schools, such as capping admission numbers, a School Place Planning Working Group will be established to review the sustainability of provision in some primary planning areas.

Staffing restructuring inevitably means the loss of some jobs and will have most impact on support staff such as teaching assistants and admin staff. These are predominatly women and often ethnic minority. As teaching assistants often have a teaching role through intervention programmes this could affect the quality of provision and pupil achievement.

 

The last paragraph regarding a review of the sustainability of provision could mean a reduction of the form of entry in some schools (i.e., the number of classes in each year group) when pupil numbers have dropped significantly and even, at the extreme, potential mergers or closures. 

 

At first sight it might be assumed that fewer pupils will mean lower costs, but it is not that simple. A class of 24, rather than 30. will still need a teacher and teaching assistant and their classroom will need the same amount of heating and lighting. There may be a marginal reduction in the cost of per-pupil teaching material but that will be eaten up by inflation. Staffing costs take up to 85% of school budgets. A further cost that puts Brent schools at a disadvantage is that schools pay a greater proportion of staff costs to the Brent Council Local Government Pension Scheme that schools in other London boroughs.

 

6 pence extra for 3 and 4 year olds 

 

Similarly, Brent nurseries are facing a reduction in real terms via the Early Years Block. There are government plans to worsen the staff-child ratios, but this would be catastrophic in Brent with its high number of EAL and disadvantaged children who need the best possible provision as a foundation to success in education:

 

Indicative rate increases for the Block are as follows:

Nationally, the 2-year-old rate will see increases ranging from 1% to a maximum 8.6%. The London average is 8.3%, whereas Brent will see an increase of 7.6% i.e., the 2022/23 funding rate of £6.29 will increase by 48p to £6.77.

Nationally, the 3 and 4 year old rates will see increases ranging from 1% to a maximum of 4.5%. The average increase for London is 1.7%. Brent will see an increase of £0.06, which represents a 1% increase i.e., from £5.81 for 2022/23 (including the illustrative TPPG rate) to £5.87.95% of the funding rate is passed on to providers and 5% is used to funding Early Help local authority services.

 Local councils have little power as this Direct Schools Grant comes directly from government so it will need a concerted campaign of councillors, education unions, parents and carers and the support of our local MPs to challenge the government on education funding.

 

 

Brent Council asked to issue health warning to residents and schools over Wealdstone Brook sewage contamination

The resident whose request to Brent Council to designate the Wealdstone Brook sewage contamination a 'major incident' was refused, has responded asking for residents and schools in the area to be notified of the public health danger:

Dear Mr Lunt

 

Thank you for your quick response to my email of the 19^th April requesting that the Leader of Brent Council and the Chief Executive of Brent Council declare a ‘Major Incident’ with regards to the severe and dangerous pollution of the Wealdstone Brook and its impact on the health, safety and well being of Brent residents in the Kenton area around the Brook.

 

I am disappointed at your response. However, could I ask that the various medical surgeries around the Kenton area and the A&E Department at Northwick Park Hospital are asked by the Brent and Harrow Health Authorities to monitor patients who come to them with Covid-19 symptoms but test negative for Covid-19 and check whether they have been near the Wealdstone Brook or indeed have had some of the water from the Brook touch their skin or have actually ingested it.  We are warning as many youngsters as we see in Woodcock Park not to go near the water in the Wealdstone Brook but again a notification from Brent Council to the schools in the area – particularly Claremont High School Academy, St.Gregory’s High School and Uxendon Manor Primary School – warning them about the dangerous and toxic nature of the water in the Brook would be helpful – particularly if the situation continues into the school holidays.

 

I have now been informed that Thames Water is intending to flush the Brook on numerous occasions throughout the summer months in order to attempt to reduce the very serious situation whilst they attempt to locate and deal with the source(s) of the pollution

Let's talk as a community about the future of our Brent primary schools

The Government has issued an Education White Paper that expresses the intention that all schools should be academies by 2030.  In Brent most secondary schools have academised, either as a stand-alone conversion from a local authority school or becoming part of an academy chain or multi-academy trust (MAT).  They are directly funded by the Department for Education and no longer under local authority oversight. This removes local democratic accountability and in some cases reduces the role of local governing bodies and parental representation.

The story with  primary schools is quite different with only a handful academised, often as a result of 'forced academisation' when the school has a poor Ofsted report. Readers will remember the battle over the forced academisation of Gladstone Park Primary School. The low number of voluntary primary academisations has frustrated the idealogues in the Conservative Party.

The position of special schools is mixed but there was a major battle over  The Village School in Kingsbury.

Recently  Brent primary schools have formed informal geographical clusters that cooperate and support each other, sharing expertise and able to underatke moderation of pupil work. 

One potential way of keeping some sort of local authority input and accountability would be for the local authority (Brent Council) to itself become a MAT or for the clusters to form a network of several MATs. This would require new powers and thus legislation and schools have been urged not to panic and rush to academisation for fear of being left behind, but to stand back and research the potential opportunities as well as the pitfalls.  2030 is some distance away. 

Like the NHS schools have much to deal with in the Covid era and all the disruption involved, without the diversion of a massive reorganisation,

Sustained cross-party opposition to the proposal could lead to a government u-turn and we could have an entirely new government at the next General Election.

Brent Green Party would like to see a full public debate in the borough about future organisation involving schools, education unions, governors, parents and pupils to produce a vision that would address the specific needs of our young people, families and the wider community.

Meanwhile the Anti-Academies Alliance have produced the briefing below for the Easter education union conferences that considers academisation and the wider issues in some depth.

Brent Education lead joins urgent call for practical action on air filtration in schools as pupils return

 Most Brent schools return today amidst concerns over the spread of the Covid Omicron amongst young people and its impact on their families and school staff

Cllr Thomas Stephens, Lead Member for Education in the Brent Cabinet joined councillors from other London boroughs in a call to Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, forpractical action on air filtration in schools.

1 in 14 secondary students have Covid: education unions unite in powerful call for additional safety measures in schools

 

From the Guardian

 

Five education unions have written to the Secretary of State for Education, Nadhim Zahawi, asking him to urgently reconsider the reintroduction of additional safety measures in schools, given the rising rates of Covid infection and absence among school students.

 

The five unions – GMB, NASUWT, NEU, UNISON and UNITE – will also be writing to all local authorities and directors of public health asking them to consider measures in their local areas.

 

The unions have pointed to measures now being readopted in several local authority areas in response to rising cases, including social distancing measures, reintroduction of bubbles, avoidance of large gatherings such as assemblies and meetings, and reintroduction of face coverings in secondary schools.

 

The unions have warned that without such measures, students’ education and the health of students, their families and school staff will all be damaged unnecessarily.

 

Avril Chambers, GMB National Officer, said: "Yet again we appear to have denial of the facts from this Government. Covid cases among school pupils are growing exponentially and it is clear further mitigation measures are needed immediately. School staff have kept our schools open throughout the pandemic: they deserve to stay safe and our children deserve not to have their education interrupted any more than it already has been. The minister needs to act now."

 

Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT said: “As cases rise, ministers need to look again at supporting schools with onsite testing into the spring term, rather than relying on home testing, which is less effective. There is an urgent need for the Government to consider reinstating the requirement for pupils to self-isolate if they are in close contact with someone who has tested positive. Proportionate safety measures and appropriate support for schools are essential in breaking the continuing chain of virus transmission.”

 

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary, National Education Union, said: ‘We are concerned that the Government is standing by while COVID cases surge across schools. It is evident that more needs to be done, and sooner rather than later, to prevent further massive disruption to children’s education, caused either by children contracting covid-19 or covid-related staff absence. The most effective way of keeping children in educatiois to do more now to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in schools.’

 

Jon Richards, UNISON assistant general secretary, said: “Ministers must do all they can to stop continued disruption to classroom learning as infections rise. To offer pupils and staff greater protection, face masks must return right away, along with school bubbles and other sensible precautions that were ditched. Air filters are also key to limiting the virus spread and ensuring pupils have a more stable academic year.”

 

Jim Kennedy, Unite national officer for education, said: “Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has a great opportunity to reset the safety agenda for schools, following the departure of Gavin Williamson. With winter fast approaching and with Covid still rampant the whole range of measures to keep school children safe needs to be deployed – the rising level of infections in schools demand it.”

 

The full text of the letter is as follows:

 

The Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi MP

Secretary of State for Education

Department for Education

20 Great Smith Street

London

SW1P 3BT 8 October 2021

 

Dear Secretary of State

 

We are writing as unions representing school leaders, teachers and support staff to urge you to give all education settings the guidance and resources they need to keep pupils safely learning for the rest of this term. We began this term hoping for better times and a more normal feel across the education system but, as the weeks have gone by it has become clear that the DfE guidance published on 23 August requires urgent updating.

 

Thresholds in the DfE contingency framework for even seeking advice following cases are set too high; meaning that cases can already be spreading across a school before additional measures are considered.

 

Government data shows that confirmed Covid-19 cases amongst school-aged children surged to 102,000 on 30 September, a 67 per cent rise since 16 September. Over 204,000 pupils were absent from school on 30 September for covid-related reasons. Staff absence is also impacting on education with some children suffering disruption as a result of staff absence, and staff and leaders under enormous strain as a result.

 

It is unclear when the impact of the vaccination programme for 12- to 15-year-olds will begin to be felt and so in the meantime more needs to be done to prevent the spread.

 

Many other countries in Europe that have kept in place proportionate mitigation measures in schools, such as face coverings and quarantine of close contacts whilst rolling out a vaccination programme, and have not experienced the back-to-school surge in cases that we have seen in England.

 

In addition, a growing number of councils are now using the freedoms they have under the Department for Education guidance to bring in additional mitigations in schools. This reflects their responsibilities for public health, and also under health and safety legislation.

 

Staffordshire County Council for example is encouraging all schools to introduce a range of measures including to stop whole-school assemblies and bring back classroom bubbles and face coverings; all close contacts to get a PCR test; and reintroduction of staggered start, finish and lunch times because it is "time to be proactive" about rising cases.

 

Additional mitigations have been recommended in areas including Cambridgeshire, City of Wolverhampton Council, Cumbria County Council and in some London boroughs. For example, in Cumbria, siblings of children diagnosed with Covid should be kept at home until their test comes back negative.

 

These are all important measures that we believe need to be implemented across all schools. Combined with a relentless focus on ventilation, with use of HEPA filters where ventilation cannot be improved in any other way (a focus which will reap benefits far beyond the end of the pandemic) these measures could make a real difference in England.

 

Without a change of direction, we risk damaging the education of thousands of children at some point before Christmas. The health of some children, but particularly that of vulnerable staff, parents or grandparents, could be compromised.

 

This is an urgent problem, and we look forward to your swift response. We would also welcome the opportunity for an urgent meeting with you to discuss these matters further.

 Jenny Cooper, Co-Secretary of Brent National Education Union told Wembley Matters:

 We asked Brent Council officers to bring in additional measures in schools that reach the DfE threshold. But they appear to be toeing the government line of minimum disruption to schools so no return to bubbles etc. However we know from our members that in the long term such an approach causes more disruption.

Sign the NEU petition asking DfE to invest in better ventilation in schools as a Covid & other respiratory disease prevention measure

 To: Department of Education

We are concerned that when children return to school in September very few mitigations to slow the spread of Covid 19 will be present.

For example, according to DfE guidance, it won't be necessary to keep children in consistent groups, only very limited numbers of children will be contact traced by NHS Test and Trace and in general face coverings are 'not advised' for pupils, staff, or even visitors, anywhere on school premises.

In these circumstances there is a strong possibility of steeply increasing Covid cases in the Autumn, with some children suffering from Long Covid as a result. There are also concerns about a new wave of other respiratory diseases such as flu and RSV which are worse for children than Covid.

School staff, some of whom will not be double vaccinated, or are in a vulnerable group, are also in some cases still at risk of serious illness. Staff who are fully vaccinated are also still at risk of catching the virus and potentially developing Long Covid, which is already afflicting tens of thousands of school staff.

So we are very concerned that in an answer to a parliamentary question the DfE has confirmed that they have 'not provided specific additional funding for schools to improve classroom ventilation since January 2021' and that they are only now working on a pilot scheme to measure the adequacy of ventilation in classrooms.

The benefits of ventilation in the control of airborne diseases are already well understood and accepted - what we need now is concrete action to support schools rather than pilots which should have been undertaken more than a year ago.

Therefore we, the undersigned, call for urgent action by the DfE to invest in ventilation measures in our schools, including but not limited to the provision of CO2 monitors to monitor air quality and other measures, including where appropriate HEPA filters, which can help slow the spread of such diseases.

Brent Central Labour condemn Starmer's stance on school closures and praise Dawn Butler for her support of the NEU and Unison

Spot the Leader of the Opposition
 

Brent Central  Constituency Labour Party last night passed a motion condemning Keir Starmer's position of pressing for schools to stay open as cases rose during the pandemic. Secen members of the CLP voted against the motion on the grounds that the leader of the party should not be publicly attacked. They agreed with the demands of the of the motion. Starmer's failure to hold the government to account was contrasted with the robust efforts of Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain.

The motion:

Brent Central CLP congratulates Dawn Butler and others in supporting the coalition of trade unions – particularly the NEU and UNISON – and other organisations which called for learning to be shifted to remote teaching and learning, and for schools to be physically closed except to key worker children and those deemed vulnerable.

We condemn Keir Starmer's failure to oppose the government stance of keeping all [schools] physically opened, contrary to the scientific evidence that supported closure. This led to millions of primary children attending school on 4 January 2020 before the government was compelled by the weight of scientific evidence, the unions, Labour councils, MPs and wider public pressure to close them. This one day of mixing is likely to have risked teachers, support staff, parents, grandparents and other members of the community to coronavirus.

Currently early years and nursery schools continue to be pressured by the government to stay physically open or lose funding. Brent Central CLP urges Keir Starmer and the Labour Party to now oppose this with utmost urgency, and to demand that the government does not tie funding for early years and nursery schools – Dedicated School Grant (DSG) – to the headcounts of attending students. Staff are being unnecessarily exposed to danger, and parents are already rightly keeping their children away from early years and nursery schools. These settings deserve state support, not threats of punishment.

Safe schools support grows: two on-line meetings tonight

 

Schools: Green GLA candidate slams 'chaotic and dangerous government' and backs Harrow Council's action

Emma Wallace

 

Reacting to yesterday's events Green Party GLA candidate for Brent and Harrow said:

Thank you to Harrow Council for taking decisive and sensible evidence based action, advising Harrow's primary schools that they can move to online learning from Monday. 

 

The government's decision to leave out Harrow, whilst all surrounding London borough's including Brent, Barnet, Ealing and Hillingdon having been listed as being able to delay their opening, despite having very similar rates of Covid-19 infection, was inconsistent and nonsensical.  

 

To find out that Gavin Williamson has announced a last minute U-turn advising that all primary schools can now close, except for vulnerable and key worker children, reveals once again the complete incompetence that we have now come to expect from this dangerous and chaotic government.  There is no evidence that the Conservatives are adhering to specialist medical advice or 'following the science' as they so proclaim.

 Vix Lowthian, Green Party Education Spokesperson said on Twitter on Labour Party nationally:

Labour must not ignore the unions, educators, parents and entire communities. Schools have been opened without adequate safety measures. Now as we reach a crisis, teaching must move to distance learning. Labour have to change tack - it's not about chaos, its about safety.

The National Education Union  Executive is meeting today to discuss their reaction to events as the Covid rates amongst young people continues to rise.  There will be a zoom meeting for all members on Sunday where thousands of school workers are expected.

Commenting on the latest decision by Government to close all London primary schools until 18 January at the earliest, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the NEU, said:

 

It is welcome that, albeit in their usual last-minute fashion, ministers have corrected an obviously nonsensical position - one that it could not justify by evidence or sense.

 

But the question has to be asked: why are education ministers so inadequate and inept? Who is advising them? 

 

And what is right for London is right for the rest of the country. With the highest level of Covid-19 infection, and hospitals buckling under the tsunami of very ill patients, it is time for ministers to do their duty - to protect the NHS by following SAGE advice and close all primary and secondary schools to reduce the R rate below 1. 

 

It is time for the government to protect its citizens, and in particular its children, by shutting all primary schools for two weeks in order for the situation to be properly assessed, schools made much safer and children and their families protected.

Vix Lowthian, Education Spokesperson for the Green Party, will be speaking at a Green Party Trade Union Group Meeting at 4pm this afternoon. The meeting is open to all Green Party members. Email  yrrumuk@googlemail.com for joining details.

 

Independent SAGE: Safe re-opening of schools not an option for at least a month Another 100,000 Covid deaths possible by end of June 2021

 

 This morning's Independent SAGE Briefing

 

This is part of the statement issued this morning by Independent SAGE.  The full statement is available on their website HERE

INDEPENDENT SAGE

With a highly effective vaccine being rolled out, with more vaccines to be approved shortly, it is unconscionable that Covid-19 be allowed to run rampant through our communities just when protection is on the horizon. We urgently need a new plan to control Covid-19 into 2021 and aggressively drive down cases across England. 

 

Delayed and tentative decision making will result in the deaths of tens of thousands more people. 

 

Modellers from the SAGE modelling subgroup estimate that even under national Tier 4, another 100,000 people could die before the end of June 2021. In that scenario, hundreds  of thousands others would go on to suffer long term effects from Covid-19 and the NHS would be brought to its knees. The government needs to act now to prevent this catastrophe.  

 

We strongly urge that  the following strategy be adopted immediately.

1.  A nationwide lockdown with immediate effect is vitally necessary now. 
2. Schools contribute to the increasing transmission (R rate). We all want staff and children in schools safely, but sadly that is not an option now for at least a month. The unprecedented crisis requires Government immediately provide digital access for all children, recruiting retired teachers and others to help provide excellent online teaching, enabling children who can’t work from home to attend school along with vulnerable and key worker children. The Government should use January to make schools safe, e.g. extra space from unused buildings to enable 2 metre distancing, free masks and encourage all to wear them, multiple sanitiser stations and support for improved ventilation. There should be an immediate Government taskforce, including teaching unions, local authorities, governing bodies and parents, to implement this plan. 
3. There must be a clear strategy to mark the end-point of the new lockdown.  This is when the number of new cases has dropped to the point where all those with the disease and in contact with them are isolated, with support where necessary,  from the rest of the population.  A fully operative Find, Test, Trace, Isolate and Support system must be in place through local public health services and the army, which will need appropriate funding.
4. Meanwhile, an explicit strategy for vaccine rollout is required. Current rates of immunisation, whilst a good start, are insufficient to ensure coverage of priority groups by Easter 2021. The necessary primary-care-led upscale requires new resources and staffing now. Appropriate support and messaging to all communities is required to ensure sufficient uptake to establish population immunity, and minimise death, disease and long-term physical and mental ill-health. 
5. We must also support and contribute to the rapid roll out of the vaccine to low and middle income countries – the more Covid-19 is allowed to spread, the more opportunities it has to develop new mutations. 
6. We must institute an effective Covid control strategy at our borders. As in other countries, personal travel, especially international travel, must be monitored and regulated effectively, with advance application for travel to and from the UK, a negative PCR test prior to travel and managed isolation on arrival. 
   

 

The lesson should by now have been learnt by the decision makers.  Prompt action will be better for the health of the country and our economy.  Delay can only lead to further rapid growth of this pernicious disease, paralysing our ability to manage it.  

 

 

This is what unity looks like: Education unions warn mass Covid tests are undeliverable by start of spring term

 Well this government is certainly good at uniting people - against them. 

Joint media release from AoC, ASCL, Church of England Education Office, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, NGA, and SFCA

 

Friday 18 December

 

Education unions warn mass Covid tests are undeliverable by start of spring term

 

Education unions and associations have today joined together in advising secondary schools and colleges that they are not required to begin mass Covid testing from the start of the spring term.

 

The government yesterday announced that all secondary schools and colleges in England will be able to test staff and students from the first week of January.

However, organisations representing school and college leaders, teachers, and governors are concerned that the plans outlined by the government for rapid testing are not deliverable by the start of next term given that there are only two weeks to plan for this programme over the Christmas holiday period and numerous outstanding issues that must be addressed.

 

The plans require schools and colleges to recruit and train staff, and put in place processes to manage a large-scale testing programme. There are a number of unanswered questions including exactly what staff are expected to do, and what costs will be covered by the government, which have to be resolved before testing can begin. It is imperative that any testing programme is sufficiently resourced with suitably trained staff.

 

The Association of Colleges (AoC), Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), Church of England Education Office, National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), NASUWT teachers’ union, National Education Union (NEU), National Governance Association (NGA), and Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA), are sending joint advice to their members today.

 

The advice states: “If a school or college decides it is unable to set up such testing systems, based on the current plans, you will receive the full support of our respective organisations. Any of our members who come under unreasonable pressure are advised to contact us immediately.”

 

It goes on to state that schools and colleges stand ready to support the national effort to roll out mass testing, and that our organisations invite the government to discuss with us what support will be needed for the roll-out of lateral flow tests.

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

 

“It is extremely regrettable that the government has given the public the impression that a mass Covid testing programme will begin in secondary schools and colleges from the start of the spring term. 

“This is not the case. The plans that have been outlined by the government are not deliverable in that timescale and it is irresponsible of the government to have created the perception that this could be done with so little preparation, resources and notice. The government has put schools and colleges in an intolerable position, and misled parents and pupils. 

“Schools and colleges very much want staff and students to be able to access rapid Covid testing as soon as possible, but the plan has to be feasible or otherwise it is meaningless.”

Sam Henson, director of policy and information at the National Governance Association, said:

 

“Large scale testing is clearly an important priority but the lateness of this announcement and the huge degree of pressure that this places on school leaders as a result is unacceptable and irresponsible. The expectation for schools to assemble a workforce and roll this out in the next few working days is both unreasonable and unviable.”

 

David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges, said:

 

“Colleges and schools have done everything they can to protect students and staff whilst keeping learning happening, and they will continue to do so. This is not about whether or not testing is the right thing to do – it is about doing it properly. The announcement on Thursday simply puts unfair pressure on leaders and staff who have already had to endure so much over the last nine months because having mass testing in place by 4th January is an impossible target for most. College and school leaders are being set up to fail and that’s not right. I know they will do what is achievable and they have shown throughout the pandemic that they will always deliver on urgent priorities, but sadly, this proposal is not realistic and nor is it currently backed up with the resources, guidance and support necessary to achieve it.”

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT General Secretary, said:

 

“We all want pupils and school staff to be as safe as possible in school but an unplanned, uncoordinated and unworkable approach to mass testing without the provision of adequate resources and additional trained personnel risks undermining, rather than enhancing Covid safety.

 

“The Government must work with schools and colleges on a sensible timescale for the roll out of testing which is backed with the necessary practical and financial support to ensure safety and support the continued fight against Covid-19.”

Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

"The rising infection rates amongst secondary pupils has been alarming and mass testing has been necessary for many months. The Government’s last minute and ill thought through plans for schools and colleges to administer these tests is unacceptable and could jeopardise something that is so essential to bring down Covid rates in schools, colleges, and society. Government needs to get around the table with education unions to discuss how we salvage this situation and get a testing system that is operable and effective.”

 

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said:

 

“The government have handed schools a confused and chaotic mess at the 11th hour. By dropping this on schools minutes before the end of term, leaders are left with no time to implement government’s instructions. Covid testing should be administered and organised by those with the relevant expertise and experience, schools and colleges simply do not have the capacity to staff and run Covid testing sites themselves, whilst also providing education and vital pastoral support. Once again, an announcement that, if properly planned and executed could have been positive, is poised to fail.”

 

Bill Watkin, Chief Executive, Sixth Form Colleges Association, said:

 

“Schools and colleges have made herculean efforts to play their part in protecting and teaching young people throughout the last year. They should not feel rushed into a testing programme for which there has been insufficient time and opportunity to prepare.”