Covid-19 update for members in Schools and ELCs

Colleagues

Below is a letter that is being issued to all members in Schools and early years establishments.

Robin Taggart
Branch Secretary
Unison (Inverclyde Branch)

“To all staff in schools and early years settings,

As you will be aware the First Minister made an announcement on Monday 4th January about the new restrictions to combat COVID 19. This included the stay at home guidance which came into effect on January 5 2021.

This purpose of this letter is to explain to you the arrangements that will be in place in Inverclyde Council Schools and Early Years establishments.

Schools have an exceptional closure day on 6 January. This day is to plan for childcare/ in-school learning and to plan for remote learning. On this day the key task for senior management teams and office staff is to allocate places for those who require childcare. Preparation for remote learning may also take place.

Because of the First Minister’s announcement, only staff who need to be in schools and early years settings to complete a task, provide a service or to support pupils should attend their establishment. As schools and early year’s settings remain open for some pupils and staff, all janitorial, cleaning, catering staff will be required and should attend as usual from 6 January.

Staff who are not required to attend their establishment should nevertheless be available to attend if needed. There are a variety of tasks that could also be undertaken at home if staff are unable to attend.

Childcare for ‘key workers’ and vulnerable children will be offered on 7 and 8 January. As well as providing childcare, teachers and other school staff will be preparing for remote learning and in school learning provision. Staff in schools and early years establishments are key workers so will be able to access childcare if there is no alternative childcare provision available.

Remote learning will start on 11 January. This means that some staff will need to be in schools to supervise children. Teachers will begin teaching their classes remotely from this date.

Tomorrow, 6 January teachers, early years, and learning support staff are not required to attend school on unless they are required to do so. However, all staff should be available for communications or meetings during school hours.

This is certainly not the start to 2021 that anybody had hoped for.

Please be assured that we are doing everything possible to ensure that everyone is kept as safe as possible whilst meeting the needs of our young people and families.

Yours faithfully,

Ruth Binks“