Author Archives: Stefan Simms

Good News: At Risk Staff & Sadiq Khan

1. Pass The West London NEU Motion In Your School.

2. Please Sign The Open Letter To Sadiq Khan Mayor of London And All London Councils.

3. Put Your Views And Questions To Sadiq Khan Tues 10th Nov 5:30 pm NEU London Meeting.

4. The DfE advise ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’ Staff To Work From Home. Plus Pregnant Women In 3rd Trimester.

1. Please Pass The West London NEU Motion In Your School

This motion is designed to support all at risk staff not just CEV staff and ensure that our classrooms are well ventilated. A similar motion was passed at a very well attend Ealing wide union meeting. Further, Ealing school reps agreed unanimously to organise a school union meeting and win its approval. Finally this motion has been adopted by West London NEU Districts. It has already been passed in a few Brent schools. Harrow and Hounslow are strongly promoting this motion too. Many Ealing schools have set up meetings for this motion. Join the campaign to support our at risk colleagues. No-one should have to go to work and fear being hospitalised or worse dying!

Committing your school alongside many other schools to collective action in support of our at risk staff will have a massive impact on politicians locally and nationally and thus help save lives!

Below is the motion and speakers notes that can be used to motivate members. Not got a school rep? Then please contact Stefan Simms Ealing NEU on 07817 643 546. Could you be a Covid rep?

West London NEU Sch Motion

PPT & Speakers Notes For West London School Motion

2. Please Sign The Open Letter To Sadiq Khan Mayor of London.

This petition is an absolute priority please sign it.

Here is the link for you to sign this open letter. Please encourage all staff not just NEU members to sign it. This is a London NEU initiative. Petitions do work, look at the intense pressure the Government is feeling due to Marcus Rashford’s campaign to extend free school meals.

3. Put Your Views And Questions To Sadiq Khan Tues 10th Nov 5:30 pm London NEU Meeting.

Have your voice heard on education issues such as workload and pay as well as any Covid related issues. Like the petition a well attended meeting will put pressure on local and national politicians to listen and act upon our concerns. Mary Bousted Joint NEU General will also be speaking.

This is a massively important meeting. Please pre- register and attend.

Please register here for the meeting with Sadiq Khan.

4. Government advises ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’ Staff To Work From Home. Plus Pregnant Women In 3rd Trimester

This is welcomed news and a result of the NEU and other groups campaigning. Are you CEV? Please go to Government website to find out, link here.

The RCOG and the NEU advises women in their 3rd trimester to also work from home. This position is also broadly supported by Ealing LA.

BUT

The Government does not advise those who live with or care for loved ones who are CEV to work from home. The NEU does and urges all members to support these colleagues by passing the West London School motion.

Sept: At Risk Staff & Pay Progression

At Risk Staff

Please see here Joint Union Advice Coronavirus SEPTEMBER checklist v7 for ‘vulnerable’ and ‘extremely vulnerable’ staff.

All these points below must be adhered to. If they have not been adhered to them do inform your school and Ealing NEU. Please also note that this is not the same guidance as Ealing. Nonetheless you will have the full backing of the NEU in ensuring you are safe and that these points are adhered to.

It may well be that your own HT will take a far more sympathetic, supportive approach and in line with this guidance.

Further Guidance and advice can be found on the national NEU website here

* Has the school agreed to carry out individual risk assessments for each employee taking account of their personal and household circumstances and local circumstances with regard to COVID-19?

* Has the school in particular agreed to individual risk assessments for staff who are clinically extremely vulnerable, clinically vulnerable (including pregnant employees) or at increased risk (in particular older staff, disabled staff and Black staff) or who live with such people?

* Has the school agreed that these risk assessments will be reviewed as at the start of September term taking account of any changes to personal or local circumstances? Has the school agreed that all employees who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) or live with CEV people will be permitted to work at home in September if they wish to do so?

* Has the school agreed to consider appropriate measures for employees who are clinically vulnerable or at increased risk, such as working at home, working in amended roles at home or amended roles in school where it is possible to maintain social distancing, or wearing PPE where desired?

* Has the school agreed to plan for September on the basis that not all members of staff will necessarily be able to attend school then?

Pay Progression

The NEU believes all staff should move up the pay scale this year due to the Covid 19 crisis. Unless you had received written communication from your HT stating that they had concerns regarding your performance prior to the start of the Covid 19 Crisis.

Please see model HT letter link here.

If there are any problems again do Ealing NEU.

Black Children’s Lives Matter

The NEU Left meeting on De-Colonising the Curriculum was a huge success, 320 members took part. The discussion was considered by many to be both inspiring and informative.

Above is a recording of that meeting. In addition please see link to NEU Black Educators Facebook group, organisied by Daniel Kebede National Executive for Black Members.

Finally; there is NEU Black Educators: Zoom Check every Friday at 4pm. A space to share our experiences and answer questions. This is also organised By Daniel.

Brent, Ealing Harrow Hillingdon & Hounslow NEU again wish to thank Dawn Butler MP, Rupa Huq MP, Daniel Kebede and Weyaman Bennett from Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) for making the meeting such a success and inspiring members to work in their own schools to de-colonise the curriculum.

Please; Share, Post & Tweet Widely

Public Meeting

The Government is risking peoples lives for the sake of companies profits. Schools should open only when it is safe to do so. Independent SAGE say June 1st is not safe to do so. The Government has not even listened to its own SAGE advisors. Staff from 37 Primary schools in Ealing have said they will not return to work until it is safe to do so.

Please join this meeting and share as widely to all your groups, friends and family.

Instagram Flyer

FaceBook Flyer

Twitter Flyer

Open Schools When Its Safe!

^{Sign The National Petition}

^{Persuade All Staff To Sign The NEU School Statement}

Boris Johnson has signalled the reopening of schools. The NEU has said this must only happen when these five tests have been meet. See further below.

Please will you;

1. Download this School Statement

2. Ask all colleagues to agree to have their name added to it.

3. Email it to your headteacher, Julian Bell, your schools’ MP and Stefan Simms Ealing NEU. Or just email it to stefan.simms@neu.org.uk and I will send it on your behalf.

4. Sign the National Petition

The NEU’s Five Tests To Ensure Its Is Safe For Staff and Pupils

Test 1: Much lower numbers of Covid-19 cases

The new case count must be much lower than it is now, with a sustained downward trend, with confidence that new cases are known and counted promptly. And the Government must have extensive arrangements for testing and contact tracing to keep it that way.

Test 2: A national plan for social distancing

The Government must have a national plan including parameters for both appropriate physical distancing and levels of social mixing in schools, as well as for appropriate PPE, which will be locally negotiated at school-by-school and local authority level.

Test 3: Testing, testing, testing!

Comprehensive access to regular testing for children and staff to ensure our schools and colleges don’t become hot spots for Covid-19.

Test 4: Whole school strategy

Protocols to be put in place to test a whole school or college when a case occurs and for isolation to be strictly followed.

Test 5: Protection for the vulnerable

Vulnerable staff, and staff who live with vulnerable people, must work from home, fulfilling their professional duties to the extent that is possible. Plans must specifically address the protection of vulnerable parents, grandparents and carers.

“If you are falling from the sky and your parachute is safely slowing your descent, you do not cut the parachute strings until you have landed!” Kevin Courtney NEU Joint General Secretary

“Given that an early return to full school populations will mean an increased risk to our members and the children in their care, we are writing to ask the Prime Minister to share modelling, evidence and plans.” NEU

Its Impossible To Social Distance In Any School, This Link Shows Why.

You Have The Legal Right To Leave School If You Think You Are At Risk.

Simon Hester was an Inspector for the Health & Safety Executive for 18 years. He explains why in this Link.

Kevin Courtney Joint NEU General Secretary Says

If the Government makes an announcement setting a date for schools to open more widely then we will:

1 Call an emergency national executive meeting,

2 A branch officers zoom call,

3 A workplace reps zoom call,

4 All members telephone town hall,

5 Produce a video aimed at parents and carers,

6 Write to all heads, MAT chief execs and Local Authorities.

On the calls we will:

– Analyse the Govt announcement

– Discuss how Govt has responded to our demands for authoritative peer reviewed science.

– Discuss how the law protects people from working in unsafe environments –

– Including Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act (Health & Safety at work) 1996.

If you want to join in these calls then please contact stefan.simms@neu.org.uk