NEU Members FAQs on NI School Restart Programme _ (003)

NEU Advice on NI School Restart Programme ‘New School Day’ NEU accepts that the ‘School Restart’, along with adequate childcare, is a vital mechanism to enable the wider economy to restart The interest of the Government is to get as many teachers and pupils in school to restart learning, and to enable a wider return to work, and an ease-out of furlough NEU have taken a responsible stance on behalf of our members throughout the Covid19 emergency This paper builds on the Guidance and FAQ issued by DENI, and incorporates the questions and concerns asked by NEU members at our NEU Zoom meeting on 23 June The DE Guidance published on 19 June was developed for education settings to support a safe, phased reopening of schools in line with the Northern Ireland Executive’s “Coronavirus Executive Approach to Decision-Making” which was published on 12 May 2020 https://www.executiveofficeni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/execoffice/execuitveour-approach-todecision-making.pdf For NEU, the starting point is that the Guidance states: Nothing in this guidance affects the legal obligations of education settings with regard to health and safety and public health Education settings must continue to adhere to all such duties when implementing this guidance Under the Coronavirus Act 2020, they must have regard to the advice relating to coronavirus from the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland (page2) And, It is neither practical, nor indeed would it be helpful, to be prescriptive about the arrangements that every school must follow – flexibility will be key to facilitate planning by schools that best meet local circumstances whilst recognising staff contractual arrangements with TNC 2020/1 and relevant JNC circulars (page 4) Covid-19 Risk Assessment Question: The Guidance said that a risk assessment template for use across schools would be issued to schools, not available yet as far as I am aware Answer - There was an original Covid-19 Risk Assessment issued by EA in April but that has not been updated to take account of wider reopening of schools in line with the DE Guidance of 19 June The Guidance was updated on 26 June to be read alongside the latest Public Health Agency (PHA) /Government guidance, to support Principals/line managers and staff when planning their return to the workplace https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/guidance-supporting-staff-returnschools The guidance includes key considerations and to support staff returning to the workplace It should be used to supplement any specific guidance and social distancing protocols linked to schools and it recognises that for the majority of school-based staff it may not be feasible to work from home In respect of Risk Assessment, the NEU view is as follows: everyone returning to work must so to a workplace that has been risk-assessed for Covid-19 Every employer should be required to carry out a risk assessment, developed in consultation with unions and staff This must: • identify what risks exist and set out steps to mitigate them, including through social distancing; • be agreed with the staff trade unions; • be signed off by a trade union health and safety reps, or by a Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) inspector; and • be completed and communicated to workers before they are expected to return to work – so employers should start work on their assessments now Failure to complete risk assessments or put appropriate safety measures in place should be highlighted and reported to DENI and HSENI Question from one of our voluntary grammar teacher members - what can we about risk assessments which are not fit for purpose? Answer – members should raise concerns within the school first If not satisfied, contact NEU Question from one of our SEN members - will there be separate guidance for pupils with special educational needs? Answer – yes, while the broad principles will be similar across all settings, it is recognised that Youth, Early Years and Special Education Needs sectors will require separate guidance The guidance for specials schools is: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/northern-ireland-re-opening-schoolguidance-special-schools Question from a voluntary grammar school rep - Can we ask to see the RA and when can we see it? Answer - yes, staff should and must see the risk assessment If schools withhold the Risk Assessment, please contact NEU Question from one of our primary members - I am quite concerned about our risk assessment (completed by a consultant) It seems to protect non-teaching staff incredibly well Teachers- not so much Would you be willing to have a look at the assessment/policy and give me some advice? Answer - yes, this has now been received Clarification of the DE Guidance 19 June and the DE ‘FAQ’ Alongside the DE Guidance of 19 June, DENI have now also published a FAQ: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/faqs-education-restart-programme-24-june-2020 The FAQ has link to scientific evidence: https://www.educationni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/Education%20Restart%20%20Paper%20summarising%20the%20scientific%20evidence%20on%20Coronav _ 0.pdf DE Guidance Section The Basics of a “New School Day” Minister of Education, Peter Weir MLA, has stated that Primary (for transition purposes) and Years 12 and 14 in post-primary (to facilitate preparation for key exams) should return to school on 24 August 2020, if safe to so It is appropriate for vulnerable children and young people to be considered as a priority cohort also These priority groups should return on a full-time basis until the full phased return to school for other children All other children should return to school by the normal school starting date Question: What consideration has been given to those small schools which have composite classes and where class teaching and blended learning is to occur at the same time? Primary school children return to full time education with social distancing, where practical, while implementing a ‘protective bubble’ strategy In some schools classroom size may make this more challenging and we expect education settings to use all available space within the school to best facilitate a normal return to school (page 5) Where full classes cannot be accommodated – minimum 40% face to face teaching contact time (remainder by remote learning) (page 7) Start of term is 24 August 2020 for Primary 7, Year 12 and Year 14 and all vulnerable children Staggered arrival and pick up times to limit interactions New Attendance Patterns: Primary Schools: - Protective bubble strategy - Maximise full use of school building - Where full classes cannot be accommodated – minimum 40% face to face teaching contact time (remainder by remote learning) Post – Primary Schools: - Where possible protective bubble strategy (for younger years) - Where full classes cannot be accommodated – minimum 50% face to face teaching contact time (remainder by remote learning) Social distancing and increased hygiene measures will be introduced throughout the school Where pupils cannot be in school for all or part of the time, a ‘blended learning’ approach will be implemented Settings should develop School Re-Opening Plans that incorporate the principles and expectations set out in this guidance and that meet the needs of local communities Thereafter, risk assessments should be developed and implemented on a setting-by-setting basis (page 11) In developing these plans, there should be close engagement and partnership working wherever appropriate between: o Managing Authorities, Boards of Governors (BoGs) (including in their role as an employer); o school leadership teams, teaching and non-teaching staff, support staff and trades unions; o parents and carers; and o children and young people In accordance with relevant legislation and guidance, trades unions should be consulted on and involved in the development of risk assessment templates for use across schools to be provided by the EA Local plans should be clearly communicated to the school community This is vitally important given the expectation that educational provision may look different in settings across Northern Ireland (see section 14 communications) (page 11) Rearranging teaching spaces to minimise the risk of transmission and infection by • • spacing seating as widely as possible within a teaching space; and giving consideration to maximising space for individual pupils by removing non-essential furniture from teaching spaces Considering flexible use of existing non-teaching space (where it is appropriate to so) examples may be repurposing resource areas, halls, or sports halls Question: When will children and young people return to school? The start of term will be 24 August 2020 for Primary 7, Year 12 and Year 14 pupils and for vulnerable children across all year groups Schools will be opening from the week commencing 17 August 2020 for preparation purposes All other pupils will return at normal start dates, which may vary depending on school • • Primary is a vital transitional year as children prepare to leave primary school and enter post-primary education This is a major change in their educational journey Year 12 and Year 14 are key examination years Other jurisdictions (e.g England, Scotland, and Wales) are all bringing similar cohorts back earlier in August for similar reasons Question: I have heard mixed interpretations about the P7 group returning to school on the 24th August Some schools seem to think this is the current P7 group (stating Y8) and the intention is to prepare them for transition to secondary and yet other schools are seeing it as the current P6 year group who will be going into P7 in Sept Can you clarify exactly what is meant by the P7 group starting on 24th August please? Minister of Education, Peter Weir MLA, has stated that Primary (for transition purposes) and Years 12 and 14 in post-primary (to facilitate preparation for key exams) should return to school on 24 August 2020, if safe to so (page 4) The Department has also stated that they are cognisant of staff contractual arrangements and the Minister has asked that the conditions of service are honoured with alternative arrangements for time off being made later in the year TNC have agreed that: • • • A teacher will not be directed to work on more than 195 days or 1265 hours in the academic year as a direct consequence of the change to the restart date Teachers, Principals and Vice-Principals who have pre-booked holidays or have other commitments that were arranged prior to 18 June 2020 shall be allowed to honour those commitments without detriment Teachers, Principals and Vice-Principals who have pre-booked holidays arranged prior to the announcement of quarantine arrangements and who may be required to isolate after travelling abroad, will be required to work from home during any isolation period Question from one of our primary teacher members - In our area there is a real pressure for all P7 to be in full time from 24th August yet remainder of school operating other 40% model I have 30 in my class, my class is 58m Answer – the Guidance and advice form DENI is clear that they envisage that there will be a minimum 40% face-to-face teaching time within primary schools and a minimum 50% face-to-face teaching time within post-primary schools with the balance provided through blended learning As regards the size of the classroom – this should be factored into the Risk Assessment to ensure that all social distancing measures are achieved Question from a voluntary grammar rep - Can you clarify whether Principals will have the autonomy to decide whether we start on the 17th or later Answer - yes, the Principal has that discretion Question: Will 31 August 2020 remain a public holiday for schools? The Department expects 31 August 2020 to remain a public holiday for schools, however ultimately this is a local planning decision for schools Question: Why are only certain groups returning to school on 24 August 2020? Primary is an important transitional year as children prepare to leave primary school and enter post-primary education This is a major change in their educational journey Year 12 and Year 14 are key examination years Other jurisdictions (e.g England, Scotland, and Wales) are all bringing similar cohorts back earlier in August for similar reasons Question form primary member in maintained school - our principal has said all year 12, 14 will be back full time in September how can this be achieved? Answer - This seems over-ambitious We would need to see the school’s RA and classroom ‘maps’ (whereby desking and lay-out arrangement are normally laid out in a triangular matrix NEU would recommend a 0.7 radius to achieve actual 1m distancing, rather than 0.5 which disregards to space occupied by the pupil’s body-mass and assumes perfect behaviour and zero pupil movement Question from primary school teacher member – The Principal is proposing that we take in all the children every day Half in the morning and half in the afternoon This would not give us the respite of a day in between to plan and manage any remote learning Would this be advised? Answer - This appears over-ambitious within the constraints of the 195 days / 1265 hours directed time budget, and likely to exhaust both teachers and the ‘1265’ allocation long before June 2021 Question: What will the attendance patterns be when children return to school? The strategic objective is to achieve maximum face-to-face teaching time for all pupils at the earliest opportunity Whilst the aim is to get as many pupils back to classroom teaching as quickly as possible in September 2020 with some schools able to accommodate all pupils, there will be circumstances where, due to small classrooms and other limitations, it may not be possible for all schools to move towards this at the same rate The Department has asked that there will be a minimum 40% face-to-face teaching time within primary schools and a minimum 50% face-to-face teaching time within post-primary schools with the balance provided through blended learning Question: What is the scientific evidence basis of the DE guidance on school reopening? The Department has worked closely with the Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health, and the Public Health Agency in developing guidance for the return to school Information on the scientific evidence in relation to Covid-19 can be found here Question: What is blended learning? Some schools will need to take a blended approach to learning, whereby schools will combine classroom-based teaching and learning methods within school with a range of remote learning, to deliver the Northern Ireland curriculum There are many ways to blend face-to-face classroom time and out –of-class learning There is no prescribed, one size fits all approach Question: Will every school operate in the same way from the start of term? On some aspects the Department expects consistency in schools and the guidelines set out these types of issues including start dates, minimum face-to-face teaching times and cleaning practices However, the Department has not prescribed a ‘one size fits all approach’ – this is not possible and would not be practical School leaders are asked to consider the strategic guidance and put this into practice in their own schools to the best of their ability Every school is different, every classroom is different Therefore, there will be variances in how schools approach the return to school Some schools will be able to safely bring back all pupils immediately, whilst others will need to follow the guidance on minimum class time and implement blended learning Question: Why is guidance that has been issued not more prescriptive? It is neither practical, nor indeed would it be helpful, to be overly prescriptive about the arrangements that every school must follow – every school setting has different physical characteristics and flexibility will be key to facilitate planning by schools that best meet local circumstances Question: Why does the Northern Ireland Schools Re-opening Guidance not refer to other issues (curriculum, well-being, transport etc.)? The Northern Ireland Schools Re-opening Guidance will be supplemented by a suite of further documentation, including guidance on issues such as curriculum, supporting and improving well-being and operational delivery of transport, catering, risk assessments and HR management Question from a post- primary school teacher member – Is there any updated guidance on the delivery of practical subjects? Cleapss guidance issued a few months back was quite onerous and suggested a max of pupil per workbench in TD From Lindsey Bell - I am a drama teacher in the secondary setting My CCEA advisor has said they are working on what is to happen GCSE Delivery; however, I would love some guidance specifically as to what can happen in my classroom in terms of practical acting activities for September Answer – DE have issued guidance (DE Circular 2020/06) that provides advice and support to schools as they consider how to tailor and adapt delivery of the curriculum to support recovery when pupils return for the new academic year: https://www.educationni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/circular%20curriculum%20plannin g%20202021.pdf NEU are meeting with the CCEA at CEO level on Wednesday st July We may be able to update further after that Question from post-primary PE teacher - Any advice on PE lessons? Answer - No subject specific advice has issued on PE (nor many other subjects) NEU may need to consult the Association for Physical Education to develop member guidance Questions from a post-primary NEU rep - Has the NEU surveyed members as to general well-being and mental health as they cope with online learning and pressures of working from home when normal working hours have become blurred? I have had to go into work to tidy my science lab because he felt it was untidy stating a deep clean was not possible He knows we have no technician the lady who is the technician spends half her time in the office and does not come near Chemistry We have full time science staff Our technician took redundancy and was not replaced We had a past A level student in for a few hours some days for practical GCSE prep in March but that was it I went in and tidied the lab and left a basin of test tubes to soak as I had no brush small enough to clean them It was also pointed out to him that we had no functioning dish washer this has been ordered but not arrived I received an email from one of the secretaries today to say I was to return before Friday to clean the sink as a message he had asked to be sent What you advise? It had been suggested in our school that we had a two day then 3-day timetable depending on social distancing guidance Every day would see a new set of 10 students No allowance made for cleaning We would also blended learning and prep Every second Friday we collaborate learning online and put resources online A bit of a mine field Answer - The idea of surveying members in respect of well-being during lockdown is a good one We will refer to NEU’s policy and comms department who undertake member surveying DE Guidance Section Social Distancing Increased Separation – the default position is that adults should stay 2m apart in line with PHA guidelines, but children and young people should aim to maintain 1m where a protective bubble strategy is in place Decreased Interaction – where social distancing cannot be applied, children should be kept in a small group (‘Protective Bubble’) to decrease interaction up to and including year 10 While travel in corridors is viewed as low risk, schools should encourage a ‘one way’ system to maintain distancing Parents and carers should be discouraged from congregating at school gates perhaps with staggered start and end times (page 14) Question: What social distancing will be required in schools? The decision of the Executive was that schools should use a planning assumption of 2m social distancing for adults/ adults and the pupils they are working with and 1m between pupils and, where possible, further mitigate that by use of protective bubbles The Executive has decided that this applies to all year groups within a school setting including pupils in Years 11-14 10 This reflects the decision taken by the Executive on 18 June 2020 that schools should use a planning assumption of 2m social distancing for adults/adults and the pupils they are working with, and 1m between pupils and, where possible, further mitigate that by use of protective bubbles The Executive decided that this applies to all year groups within a school setting including those young people and adults in Years 11-14.” Question from one of our primary school leaders - Is there going to be more detailed early years guidance? Answer – yes DE have produced some supplementary guidance: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/northern-ireland-re-opening-schoolguidance-new-school-day-pre-school-education-supplementary Question form teacher member in post primary - If teachers are moving between rooms and pupils are in one room in a classroom, who supervises them in the room between teacher movement? Answer – schools should consider timetabling smaller groups across the week, for example with two days per week with two bubbles The school could be thoroughly cleaned on Wednesday between the two bubbles, and consideration of further cleaning on Saturday / Sunday between the bubbles Question from a NEU member of EA staff - I am currently a teacher working for the EA autism pupil support service (AAIS) We are discussing service delivery for the new academic year and I was wondering what your advice would be regarding school visits, classroom observation and intervention Would it be realistic for us to be completing these for a range of children in different schools over the course of a day/week? Will there need to be risk assessments completed by our organisation and by the individual schools? Is there not a possibility that we will continue to provide support remotely and indeed to be home rather than shared office based? Answer – we continue to engage with DE on this issue and will issue guidance as soon as we can 16 DE Guidance Section Space Utilisation In addition to maximising safe use of existing spaces, consideration may also be given to gaining access to additional spaces on a short-term basis This could include use of conveniently located public, private or third sector estate For example, there could be opportunities to use council office space, libraries, leisure centres or cultural venues (Page 24) Education settings should seek to maximise the ability of their existing space to accommodate pupils by: • • • Rearranging teaching spaces to minimise the risk of transmission and infection by: o Spacing seating as widely as possible within a teaching space; and o Giving consideration to maximising space for individual pupils by removing non-essential furniture from teaching spaces Considering flexible use of existing non-teaching space (where it is appropriate to so) Examples may be repurposing resource areas, halls or sports halls Page 24 also states: In parallel with the indoor environment, education settings should consider appropriate use of the outdoor environment to enrich the learning experiences of children and ensure as many children as possible can benefit from formal education at school Question: How many pupils will be able to be in a classroom? The available space and numbers of pupils in the classroom will vary considerably between schools Not all classrooms are the same size, not all classes are the same, not all space available is the same and we must allow School Leaders, who know their children best, to plan accordingly for what will work best for the children in their school The guidance advises that protective bubbles can be used alongside social distancing and schools should seek to use all available space within their school to maximise the number of pupils who can return to school Question: Should schools be purchasing desks and chairs, or hiring local halls? Schools should maximise available space within their own premises in the first instance and utilise existing resources 17 Question: Will additional funding be available for schools to cover costs associated with Restart? The Department recognises the financial impact the current Covid-19 pandemic is having on society as a whole, including the education sector, and will continue, in conjunction with the Education Authority, to assess the financial impact of Covid-19 responses on grant aided schools Once the detailed plans are established for the reopening of schools, the resulting funding requirements will be further assessed DE Guidance Section Workforce Staff who are clinically vulnerable should be supported to work from home where possible, by asking them to support remote education If they not wish to work from home, they should be offered safest available on-site roles in line with social distancing Staff who live with someone who is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable) can attend their education or childcare setting Staff who are shielding (clinically extremely vulnerable people) will have received written confirmation from their GP These staff should not attend school in person Staff living with someone who is shielding should only attend the education setting if they are able to stringently adhere to social distancing Such staff should have an individual work assessment The most up to date guidance and list of underlying health conditions that necessitate shielding should be checked on the PHA website (page 26) People who have household members who are clinically extremely vulnerable (requiring 'shielding') should only attend the education setting if they are able to stringently adhere to social distancing and all other advised hygiene measures Such staff should have an individual risk assessment conducted before the most appropriate place of work is determined (page 27) EA will provide schools with detailed operational guidance to support engagement with staff Education settings should undertake a review of the availability of teaching and support staff, including caretaker, cleaning and office staff, 18 to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the workforce to prepare settings and deliver education under a blended model of education (page 43) Question: How will teachers or pupils who are vulnerable be accommodated? The Northern Ireland Schools Re-opening Guidance explains circumstances where staff or pupils should not attend education settings and processes for the application of the Department of Health’s “Test, Trace and Protect” strategy Question from one of our post primary school principal members - I have a member of staff who is pregnant and due in November I am presuming that with current guidance she is not expected to be in come September so I will need to look for a replacement? NEU, and other unions are lobbying the Minister and DE on this We expect there to be some sort of revised or reconstituted “signature project” to provide employment for teachers to cover those absent due to pregnancy or other underlying conditions and who will remain at home DFE Have now published specific Risk Assessment advice for pregnant workers https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/guidance-supporting-staff-returnschools A risk assessment should also be completed for the work place which considers any risks to new and expectant mothers other than those presented by COVID-19 (for example, from working conditions, or the use of physical, chemical or biological agents) Any risks identified must be included and managed as part of the general workplace risk assessment Where possible pregnant women should work from home or at least partially from home Any pregnant woman in the third trimester (more than 28 weeks’ pregnant), or have an underlying health condition – such as heart or lung disease – should work from home where possible, avoid contact with anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, and significantly reduce unnecessary social contact If a pregnant woman cannot work from home, ensure they can constantly maintain metres away from others whilst in the workplace If necessary, offer other on-site roles which can ensure metre social distancing can be achieved at all times 19 Question: What will happen if someone starts to display symptoms of Covid19 onsite? If anyone becomes unwell with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature / fever or anosmia (a loss or a change in your normal sense of smell, which can also affect your sense of taste) in an educational setting they must be sent home and advised to follow the guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection A child awaiting collection will be moved, if possible, to a room where they can be isolated behind a closed door and with appropriate supervision Ideally, a window should be opened for ventilation If it is not possible to isolate the child, move them to an area which is at least metres away from other people If the child needs to go to the bathroom while waiting to be collected, they should use a separate bathroom if possible The bathroom should be cleaned and disinfected before being used by anyone else DE Guidance Section Pupil Attendance Schools should follow latest guidance on attendance for children and young people who have health conditions, who live with people with health conditions or who are pregnant Pupils who are clinically vulnerable are those with pre-existing conditions who have been advised to stringently follow the social distancing guidelines and should learn from home where possible A small minority of pupils will fall into this category Pupils who live with someone who is clinically vulnerable (but not clinically extremely vulnerable), including those who are pregnant, can attend their education or childcare setting Pupils who are shielding (clinically extremely vulnerable people) will have serious underlying health conditions These pupils should follow shielding measures and should not attend school in person Schools should consider the distance learning and support needs of pupils who are shielding Pupils living with someone who is shielding should only attend the education setting if they are able to stringently adhere to social distancing Such pupils should have an individual risk assessment conducted before the most appropriate place of learning is determined (page 30) 20 Question: What protective measures will be in place in schools? Teachers and pupils will wash their hands as soon as they arrive at school and regularly through the day School cleaning will be carried out in accordance with Public Health Agency Guidance and routine cleaning will take place daily, with regular cleaning of door handles, desktops etc Schools should also remove unnecessary items from the classroom A normal summer clean will have been undertaken through existing Education Authority arrangements in advance of the new school term PPE will only be required in a very small number of cases, such as working with pupils who require intimate care needs and administering medication PPE should not be worn by children DE Guidance Section Hygiene Children will wash hands as soon as they arrive at school and regularly through the school day Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will only be required in a very small number of cases e.g dealing with intimate needs/ giving medication PPE should not be worn by children All cleaning will be carried out in accordance with PHA Guidance Routine general cleaning should take place at least daily Regular cleaning of door handles, desktops etc will take place throughout the day Schools should remove unnecessary items from classroom e.g soft toys, lego, learning materials that are hard to clean (page 34) Question: I would like to know what PPE, if any, will be used in schools; and whether hand sanitiser is being provided from a national level or if schools have to source and finance their own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will only be required in a very small number of cases e.g dealing with intimate needs/ giving medication and PPE should not be worn by children (page 34) 21 The guidance is that: routine use of PPE within education settings is not required other than for certain tasks deemed to be of higher risk of transmission PPE is only needed in a very small number of cases These are: • • working with children, young people, and pupils whose care routinely already involves the use of PPE, due to their intimate care needs; and giving children medication PPE in the following situations means: fluid-resistant surgical face masks; disposable gloves; disposable plastic aprons; and eye protection (for example a face visor or goggles) However, page 35 then states: If the risk assessment identifies that there is an identified need for PPE, then it should be readily available and provided in line with guidance Regular and thorough attention to hygiene is essential to deter spread of the virus Children should wash their hands thoroughly on arrival at the education setting – this must be a repeatable discipline throughout the school day Hands should be washed thoroughly and regularly in the school at existing facilities using soap and water, and this can be with tepid / lukewarm water Hand sanitising material should also be made available at entrance points It should be noted that hand sanitising is only a support mechanism for hand hygiene and does not negate the need to wash hands Disposable paper towels / hand dryers are appropriate – not shared / ordinary towels Younger children should be supervised/assisted when washing hands (page 9) 22 Question form a voluntary grammar school senior teacher - who is paying for PPE? Answer – there is no additional funding available at present to support schools If the risk assessment identifies that there is an identified need for PPE, then it should be readily available and provided in line with guidance Question form a primary school leader - If the virus is more easily transmitted in confined spaces indoors, should we not all be wearing face coverings? Answer – the Risk Assessment should identify all issues around ventilation and what mitigation factors can be implemented to reduce risk If the Risk Assessment identifies a need for face coverings, then they should be worn The Guidance from PHA and the Government is under constant review and there may be further clarification before – and after the return date NEU are also seeking information on the impact at ‘the school gate’ if public transport (including school buses) start to make face masks mandatory and schools not Question from post primary teacher member - Who will check that proper hygiene practices are put in place Will there be inspections of schools? Answer - The guidance (see reference to pages 37 and 36 below) talks about schools implementing a cleaning protocol that should address how/who/when cleaning and hygiene practices are adhered to NEU would like to see the capacity of local government’s Environmental Health staff applied to the role of checking and advising schools In extremis, where a school is reported to NEU as acting irresponsibly, we will have no hesitation in reporting to the Health and Safety Executive, Northern Ireland (HSENI) DE Guidance Section 10 Cleaning A normal summer enhanced clean should be arranged in advance of the new school term via the normal process whether on EA cleaning service or where cleaning staff are directly employed by the school All cleaning activity will primarily focus on surface cleaning, such as desktops, handles The normal cleaning regime should continue thereafter using the same cleaning materials used throughout a normal school year with specific attention to surfaces and door handles 23 Should a COVID-19 confirmed case occur, the EA cleaning service should be notified Following notification, the normal process is undertaken of isolating the prevalent location within the school where any incidence of COVID-19 is likely to have happened Then after three days of isolation an enhanced clean of the isolated location will be conducted The normal cleaning regime then resumes thereafter (page 37) Question from one of our post primary teacher members - The expectation is to set homework; how will that work in a covid-19 environment? Should pupils be taking books home and returning books/sheets for marking? Question form primary school rep - I thought I read that books and equipment e.g pens pencils etc, being brought home and back was discourage Answer – we would expect all these matters to be addressed in both the Risk Assessment and any subsequent Covid-19 specific cleaning protocol in the school It is not good practice to have multiple books being carried to and forth between home and schools DE Guidance Section 11 Personal Hygiene Schools should encourage all staff, pupils, volunteers, contractors, service users and visitors to maintain personal hygiene throughout the day This includes: • • • • • frequent washing (in tepid / lukewarm water) for 20 seconds and drying thoroughly (hand dryer / not shared towel), particularly when entering/leaving the building and always before/after eating as set out by PHA; note that sanitiser is not a substitution for hand washing young pupils will require supervising / assistance with hand washing encouraging pupils/staff to avoid touching their faces including mouth, eyes and nose; and using a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze and use bins that are emptied regularly for tissue waste (page 40) 24 Question from NEU primary school leader - Are there any guidelines yet about the sharing / washing of equipment, construction materials etc in the early years? Answer – we are waiting for clarification from DE and will issue updates when we have them Question form post primary NEU rep - I teach children who are out of school due to illness and we go into their homes will this be safe to and if we are expected to this can we insist on PPE? Answer – we would insist on a separate and specific Risk Assessment before any school staff visit pupils at home At this point, NEU would advise against home visits We would also insist on all PHA and Government guidance to be adhered to DE Guidance Section 12 Workforce Planning The blended model of education that we expect to see on reopening and for some time after may lead to requirements for workforce flexibility and increased staffing These may stem from, for example, more teachers or support staff being needed for a greater number of smaller classes (whether in the usual education setting or alternative venues), alongside a requirement to provide support for home learning and wider support for children and young people A proportion of staff may also be shielding or absent due to COVID-19 symptoms, which may affect their ability to attend physical settings Staff may require access to childcare to allow them to attend school under the blended model of education There will be a specific workload pressure arising from the need to adapt existing resources to align with a blended model, providing in-school learning for an increased number of groups and support for offsite learning The deployment of additional staffing is expected to be critical to ensuring this can be managed (page 43) The NEU View is that all teachers should have a Time Budget before the start of the academic year Teachers Negotiating Committee (TNC) as a consequence of the current exceptional circumstances, have agreed that the start of the academic year 20/21 will be from the week commencing 17 August 2020 25 The TNC agreement covers all grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland • • • A teacher will not be directed to work on more than 195 days or 1265 hours in the academic year as a direct consequence of the change to the restart date Teachers, Principals and Vice-Principals who have pre-booked holidays or have other commitments that were arranged prior to 18 June 2020 shall be allowed to honour those commitments without detriment Teachers, Principals and Vice-Principals who have pre-booked holidays arranged prior to the announcement of quarantine arrangements and who may be required to isolate after travelling abroad, will be required to work from home during any isolation period Question form a post primary school NEU rep - what exactly what is meant by the workload agreement when it states that we are entitled to 10% PPA time within our directed time budget I have just finished my departmental allocations and it is exactly the same as last year where every teacher is at their maximum and there hasn't been any time factored into the timetable to our HoD/HoY jobs Does this extra time have to be in our timetabled time, or can a head just say that it can all be done after school? If this is the case, then how can that be measured? HoD/HoY will likely have the same after school time as staff without any extra responsibilities It seemed following the discussion yesterday that the time had to be specifically labelled in your timetable Should union reps also be given an extra period to this job? Answer - The Time-Budget, and the 10% PPA to be set out within it is not optional Raise within the school first If there is resistance, contact NEU who will discuss with you (and colleagues in the school) action to be taken In the ‘worst case’ scenario, NEU will be prepared to ballot members in the school to take industrial action Question from post primary principal member – Can I ask about the time budgets Was speaking to another principal earlier who said that guidance would not be available to principals until 1st September Can you share any light on this? Answer - The guidance is already available, within TNC 2020-01, though not on the DE website Contact NEU and we will send you documentation Question from one of our primary school teaching members - What if you live with a vulnerable person and have been shielding to protect them - are we expected to be at school in September? Answer - No, you should remain at home, and work from home 26 Question from voluntary grammar school NEU rep - How will teachers manage if their own children are not at school? Will they be able to access the key worker scheme? Answer - If the children of a teacher or teachers are not at school, and your normal childcare arrangements are not available, you should work from home and/or homeschool your children It is unclear what the arrangements for the children of key workers will be by 24th August school-restart date NEU will update members when we have fresh information Question from a primary school NEU rep - we have been told we are to teach 50% of the students in the class with a webcam live streaming the lesson for the other half to follow at home what are your thoughts on this? And, Question from voluntary grammar school NEU rep - In terms of blended learning can teachers be expected to have webcams in classrooms, recording live lessons with the camera pointed at the board? Sounds like Big Brother?? Answer - Unless the school has consulted the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and taken appropriate safeguarding advice which has been shared with teachers, NEU could not support webcam learning NEU are nonetheless keen for teachers to be offered professional development opportunities to develop the (very different) pedagogies associated with e-learning, distance learning or supporting pupils remotely In extremis, NEU will represent members and contest unsafe or unsatisfactory webcam or” live-lessons” concerns Question from voluntary grammar school NEU rep - how will pay be affected if you must stay at home to home school? Answer - If at home, you will be either home-schooling, caring for children or working from home In these scenarios, your pay will be unaffected Question form post primary school leader - How collaborative lessons work in the new academic year if different schools are operating different practices? Several our Sixth Form go to other local schools for lessons and their pupils come to us Any guidance? Answer - DE have developed ‘high-level’ guidance on e-learning, blended learning etc in the form of DE Circulars NEU can send these to you if you contact us 27 Question from post primary school NEU rep - Has there been any guidance from CCEA regarding reduction of content to be delivered Answer - No, but guidance is anticipated and pending Question from post primary school rep - how are the consequences for PPA time being considered by school and additional time demands of prepping both in class and online learning? Answer - All directed time (i.e the work you are directed to by your line-manager or Principal) must be recorded on the time-budget If it is not, then you are not contractually obliged to it It would be useful for NEU to find 15-20 ‘volunteer’ members (different phases and settings) to undertake “time-diaries” from 24th August to guard against teachers undertaking excessive workloads Question from NEU Special School teacher - What is the situation regarding shielded teachers, of which I am one? Answer - Government advice is “if you can work from home, so” You cannot be obliged to attend school with an underlying condition Question from voluntary grammar school NEU rep - Given that planning and preparation time is not included in the 1265 hours, I am concerned that teachers preparing and delivering BL will be working far more than their 1265 can this Time spent on Blended Learning be part of directed time? Answer - PPA time is to be included in teachers time budgets If it is not recorded in the Time Budget, contact NEU and we will contest this Question from NEU primary school principal - We are proposing kids home at 2pm teacher contact with parents on Wed only or, if needed, 2pm - 3pm Answer - This is the prerogative of the Principal and the school The DE guidance is not prescriptive, and schools have flexibility to make arrangements that best suit their school and pupils 28 DE Guidance Section 13 Catering Flexibility in relation to location of meal consumption and timings of meals will be required Given that alternative catering arrangements will be required it may not be possible to accommodate pupils in canteens and a reduced service may be likely Potentially this may require pupils to eat at their desk, or alternative locations such as outside, using disposable containers, packaging, and cutlery Catering will be flexible on choice and while there may be a reduced menu, it is likely that the menu will include a choice of meals from hot meals to packed lunches (Page 46) DE Guidance Section 14 Communications Education settings should ensure regular, timely and clear communication with their school communities about the approach they are adopting to a phased return to schooling in line with the Education Restart Programme and supporting guidance (page 47) Question: How will school transport work? The Department of Education, Education Authority, Department for Infrastructure and Translink are working closely to minimise the disruption to families It is a hugely complex issue with many challenges that are being worked through as a matter of urgency Social distancing will require a reduction in home to school transport vehicle capacities While the Education Authority is seeking to maximise the number of pupils that can be safely transported, it is unlikely that all pupils will be able to be provided with a place on a vehicle Detailed operational guidance is being prepared by the Education Authority and will be published shortly Question from NEU voluntary grammar school principal member - Will EA and Translink buses available from 24th August to transport pupils to school Answer – this is still to be agreed – we will continue to raise the question in discussions with DE School Transport is critical to the success or otherwise of School-Restart and NEU will be making representations on this issue 29 NEU also have concerns about the impact on pupil transport if school start and finish times are staggered and the subsequent need for additional bus journeys We also have concerns about the impact on pupils who are in a ‘protective bubble’ sharing transport with other pupils (potentially form other schools) who are not part of their protective bubble Answer - This is a tricky issue, and may mean that smaller forms of transport are part of the transport “mix” (e.g minibuses, large taxi’s) Where it is possible to segregate (toa degree) several ‘bubbles’ within a single bus (for instance, by leaving an extra row of seating vacant between ‘bubbles’ this should be considered The basic rule is to minimise contact as far as possible Compiled by NEU NI 27 June 2020 30 ... https://www.educationni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/Education%2 0Restart% 20%20Paper%20summarising%20the%20scientific%20evidence%2 0on% 20Coronav _ 0.pdf DE Guidance Section The Basics... for schools, however ultimately this is a local planning decision for schools Question: Why are only certain groups returning to school on 24 August 2020? Primary is an important transitional... settings: https://www.education -ni. gov.uk/publications/northern-ireland-re-opening-schoolguidance-new -school- day-pre -school- education-supplementary Question form one of our post primary teachers