From today, schools are only open for vulnerable children, and those whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said that in England the aim is to provide support in school for an estimated 10% of pupils. The government is clear that any children who can be safely cared for at home should not attend.
This week many schools will be arranging rotas and schedules for support staff in order to provide safe care for children who need to attend, while minimising the number of people on site to reduce the potential for spreading the virus.
UNISON is doing everything it can to support branches and to safeguard our school members’ health, financial position and working rights.
We have a dedicated page on the UNISON website with our latest advice for school members and reps dealing with schools.
This page will be our main portal for advice and will be updated regularly so please keep an eye on it.
We know our members and activists are committed to doing everything possible to help the country through this health emergency. Thank you for your dedication. It will not go unnoticed.