School staff will be offered new support as part of a £1.5 million funding package to help manage additional pressures as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Barnardo’s Scotland and mental health charity Place2Be will offer new mental health support for staff with the intention this will be available after the October break.
Education Scotland and the General Teaching Council for Scotland will also offer new professional learning opportunities for post-probation teachers and develop a new coaching and mentoring offer for teachers who need it most.
The funding package also includes the continuation of the Scottish Government’s commitment, in partnership with the Hunter Foundation, to the values-based leadership programmes delivered by social enterprise and charity Columba 1400.
The package of support for school staff has been developed in partnership with organisations represented on the Education Recovery Group.
Education Secretary John Swinney said: “Supporting the health and wellbeing of teachers and other staff is of paramount importance.
“This was true before COVID-19, but it is of crucial importance as school staff support our children and young people to recover from the pandemic. This additional package of measures will complement the excellent practice which is already taking place to support the wellbeing of staff in schools across Scotland.”
Ken Muir, Chief Executive, of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, said: “GTC Scotland is pleased to deliver this important support to hard-working teachers in collaboration with our partners in education.
“GTC Scotland has invested heavily in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of education professionals and we look forward to continuing to do so.”
Gillian Hamilton, Strategic Director at Education Scotland, said: “Ensuring school staff feel well supported, particularly at this time, is essential.
“This new support package, designed collaboratively with partners in the Education Recovery Group, provides direct access to a range of focused supports including coaching, reflective supervision and opportunities for school staff to learn together through the challenges presented by COVID-19.”
Laurence Findlay, Aberdeenshire Council Director of Education and Children’s Services, said: “I am delighted with the support package being put forward as part of ongoing efforts to support the education workforce. I hope as many practitioners as possible make use of these resources.”
NHSGGC’s Director of Public Health has produced a helpful video for parents worried about when to get their children tested for Covid.
Dr Linda de Caestecker worked with Glasgow City Council on the video, after a dramatic rise in requests for tests for children after the schools returned in mid August.
Dr de Caestecker said: “The idea of the video is to explain in some detail the work that goes on in Public Health when a positive case is confirmed in a particular school.
“In each case a Public Health doctor will work with teachers, the headteacher of the school and the Education Department to carefully calculate who are close contacts of a case.
“There is also lots of information in the video about the symptoms to look out for and who does and does not need to be tested.
“I really do understand the anxiety that some parents may have but it’s vital we make sure the system is not overloaded. This means it’s really important to keep those testing slots for the people who really need them.
“I hope parents find the video reassuring in what are fairly uncertain times. The NHS inform website is another great source of information – www.nhsinform.scot.”
A survey of EIS union Reps in schools has confirmed that there is still a considerable amount of work to be done to ensure that schools are COVID-secure environments.
The EIS issued the survey last month following the re-opening of schools and received responses from almost 600 schools across the country.
Amongst the key issues of concern identified by school reps were:
92% of Reps reported no reductions in class sizes to enable effective physical distancing
30% of Reps reported that physical distancing between staff and pupils was not in place in their school
49% of Secondary school Reps reported no change to timetables or class groups to support physical distancing measures
10% of Reps reported that physical distancing between staff is not in place in their school
43% of Reps reported deficiencies in the delivery of agreed COVID mitigations in schools
31% of Reps reported that face coverings were not being worn where physical distancing was not possible
7% of Reps reported that teachers in more at-risk groups (such as those previously shielding, those who were pregnant, teachers from BAME groups) had not received support in requesting individual risk assessments to ensure their safety.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The results of our survey of school Reps make for worrying reading. While local authorities have taken numerous steps to make schools safer, there is still much to be done to ensure that all schools are as COVID-safe as they can possibly be.
“It is clear from the results of our survey that class groups are still too large to facilitate effective physical distancing measures, potentially placing staff and pupils alike at greater risk of COVID infection. While this is an issue in all schools, it is a particularly acute concern in the secondary sector where older pupils are at a greater risk of developing symptoms and of spreading the virus.”
Mr Flanagan added: “Teachers and pupils have a right to work in a safe and secure environment, so all possible steps must be taken to ensure that our schools are COVID-secure.
“The most effective means to ensure this is through physical distancing, which will require smaller classes and an increased number of teaching staff. Local authorities and the Scottish Government must act urgently to step up the deployment of the additional teaching staff required to ensure that all schools can operate safely in the weeks and months ahead.”
A copy of the report on the EIS national Reps’ survey is available here, for information.
It seems parents may be erring on the side of caution as over 100,000 pupils were marked absent from school last Friday, many suffering from cold-like symptoms.
Earlier this week national clinical director Dr Jason Leitch wrote an open letter to parents, offering advice and guidance on what parents and carers should do if their children are suffering from bugs and colds.
A Granton Primary School pupil has tested positive for COVID-19, it has been confirmed.
The information was revealed to councillors at a full council meeting this morning.
Local North and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson said: “I am in touch with the Head Teacher and the Council, and will continue to monitor this situation.
“The Council have said that they are working closely with NHS Lothian’s Health Protection Team to provide parents and the wider school community with information and reassurance.”
Dr Duncan McCormick, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, NHS Lothian and Chair of the Incident Management Team (IMT), said: “NHS Lothian is investigating after a child at Granton Primary School in Edinburgh tested positive for COVID-19. The pupil is self-isolating at home with their family.
“A multi-disciplinary Incident Management Team (IMT) has been established to assess the situation and decide any next steps required.
“Enhanced cleaning measures are in place in schools in line with national guidance. The Health Protection Team has traced close contacts of the case.
“Following a robust risk assessment by the expert group, the school will remain open and pupils should continue to attend as normal. Appropriate advice has been provided and anyone who came into close contact with the case has been told to self-isolate for 14 days. The situation will continue to be closely monitored.
“For anyone else, the risk to their health is extremely low, but they should continue to be vigilant and aware of the symptoms.
“If you experience a high fever, persistent cough or loss of taste or smell, you must self isolate and book a test via the national COVID-19 helpline on 0800 028 2816 or go to www.nhsinform.scot”.
ClickView announces partnership with City of Edinburgh’s Local Education Authority, highlighting commitment to inclusive, innovative, and transformational digital learning:
It has been a big month for many families across Scotland, as most pupils returned to school for the first time in nearly five months.
With schools staff, students, parents and care givers adjusting to a new normal and tackling ongoing uncertainty, some positive news to start the term has been announced, with staff and students across all City of Edinburgh schools returning with access to world-class video resources.
ClickView are delighted to have partnered with City of Edinburgh’s Digital Learning Team to provide all Primary, Secondary and Special schools with access to 1000s of high-quality teaching and learning videos and resources, all mapped to the Curriculum for Excellence.
Already in motion pre-school closures following positive feedback from Edinburgh schools, the roll out of the ClickView platform across all City of Edinburgh schools has been accelerated, given the undeniable pressure felt by staff, students, parents and care givers throughout lockdown and need for digital learning resources.
Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener for City of Edinburgh Council explained: “As demand for digital learning resources has increased, ClickView fulfills what has been a growing need, guaranteeing our schools staff and students have access to world-class digital resources.
“The launch of ClickView is another step in our journey to bridge the educational equity gap, ensuring every student and teacher in Edinburgh has our commitment and support for an inclusive, innovative, and transformational education, which can be sustained inside and outside of the school gates.”
Following months of disruption and an uncertain school year ahead, the access to ClickView is a huge step forward for City of Edinburgh’s education system, providing schools with resources to complement and enhance their teaching and learning strategies; supporting a reduction in teacher workload, increasing engagement and ultimately supporting the best possible outcomes for students.
Putting world-class teaching and learning resources at the fingertips of educators and students, the introduction of ClickView will also give parents and care givers peace of mind that schooling for the year ahead is safeguarded; with unrestricted access for schools to curriculum-aligned video content, teaching resources and the best of broadcast TV for educational purposes.
UK Managing Director of ClickView, Michael Wilkinson, commented: “For a number of years, ClickView have proudly supported teaching and learning across many schools and colleges in Scotland.
“It is fantastic to see Edinburgh’s leadership in this space, with a systemic approach to ensure the highest possible standards of teaching and learning, supporting their passionate educators and improving the life chances of so many young people.”
The world’s leading video content resource for primary schools, secondary schools and further education settings, ClickView supports over 4500 schools, colleges, and universities around the world.
On a mission to transform and revolutionise how video can be utilised to increase student engagement and boost student outcomes; the roll out in schools across Edinburgh follows the recent decision by ClickView to extend access to the free platform, which was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A diluted version of the main platform, the free site enables teachers to access hundreds of ClickView’s most popular videos and learning resources.
To find out more about the curriculum-aligned video content or to explore the free version of the site, visit Clickview.co.uk.
BREAKING NEWS: Secondary school pupils to wear face coverings from Monday
GMB has this morning (Tuesday 25 August) called on the Scottish Government to bring forward a COVID testing regime for every school across Scotland, after a survey of its members found that two-thirds of support staff in schools and nurseries do not feel safe at work.
The union has written to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education John Swinney MSP, urging him to follow the interventions made in the social care sector by giving workers the opportunity to access COVID testing in their workplace.
Following a survey conducted between Thursday 20th and Monday 24th August of over 1,400 members employed in support staff roles, including cleaners, janitors, caterers and pupil support assistants, the union learned that:
The vast majority (96 per cent) believe regular testing should be offered at work;
Two-thirds (63 per cent) do not feel safe at their work;
Over one-fifth (23 per cent) have confirmed a suspected or positive case of COVID at work; and
Just under half (46 per cent) would not know what to do if there was a suspect or confirmed case of COVID at their work.
The results are published against the backdrop of increasing concerns over COVID 19 infection and transmission in Scotland’s schools.
GMB Scotland Organiser Helen Meldrum said:“Over a week since the return of Scotland’s schools, it’s clear that many support staff do not feel safe at their work and overwhelming majority of them want to be able to access a COVID test at work.
“If support staff need to book a test, they must absorb the financial costs and time implications to do so, and for a chronically low-paid workforce with many employed on multiple contracts across multiple workplaces, that’s just not credible.
“The failure over the summer months to listen to the voices of school support staff echoes what we witnessed in care earlier this year, and in this case the political focus has been on teachers and pupils while support staff have been forgotten.
“You cannot have a safe return to full-time education if a significant chunk of the workforce needed do not feel sufficiently safe, valued or heard by our decision-makers, and that’s why we urged the Deputy First Minister to intervene now.”
A school in Dundee has been closed with pupils and staff asked to self-isolate after it was linked to 27 new cases in the city.
JUST ANNOUNCED:
Scottish secondary school pupils will have to wear face coverings in corridors and communal areas from next Monday, Education Secretary John Swinney has confirmed.
Statement given by Education Secretary John Swinney’s statement to the Scottish Parliament yesterday (11 August, 2020):
Presiding Officer, the COVID pandemic has inflicted much suffering and hardship on our society.
Many of our young people have had to face that pain across different aspects of their lives.
I want to make clear I understand that anguish and I can see that, for some, the SQA results process made that worse.
We set out to ensure that the system was fair.
We set out to ensure it was credible.
But we did not get it right for all young people.
Before I go any further, I want to apologise for that.
In speaking directly to the young people affected by the downgrading of awards – the seventy-five thousand pupils whose teacher estimates were higher than their final award – I want to say this : I am sorry.
But, Presiding Officer, sorry as I am, I know that an apology is not enough.
I watched the pictures of the spirited, articulate young people demonstrating in George Square on Friday. I have spoken directly to pupils who wrote to me. To Nicole Tate, Lauren Steele, Eva Peteranna, Erin Bleakley, Subhan Baig and Eilidh Breslin and I want to thank them for the passion and the clarity they brought to our discussions. And I have heard from parents and teachers.
I have listened and the message is clear. They don’t just want an apology. They want to see this fixed and that is exactly what I will now do.
Presiding Officer, the exceptional circumstances of this year meant it was not safe to hold exams in the Spring.
I said we would need to do our utmost to ensure that we protect the interests and life chances of our young people who were due to sit exams. It has always been imperative that their achievements had to be rightly and fairly recognised. I wanted the 2020 cohort to be able to hold their heads high and gain the qualifications and awards that they deserve after many years of hard work.
Covid meant there was no established process for how to achieve this. All of this had to be developed at pace after we announced that schools required to close on 20 March.
I asked the SQA to develop an alternative approach to certification to ensure that young people could receive awards this year.
The SQA developed a model, in a very short space in time, which gathered teachers’ and lecturers’ estimates in the absence of any other information and involved moderation of these estimates across all centres to maintain standards.
This resulted in an increase in the pass rate at National 5 of 2.9%, Higher at 4.2% and Advanced Higher of 5.5%.
Before I go any further, let me congratulate those tens of thousands of young people who achieved that strong result.
But the system also meant some people did not receive awards they felt they were capable of achieving – and that their teachers believed they deserved.
The focus has, understandably, been on the impact on young people from deprived backgrounds.
The defining mission of this Government is to do all that we can to improve the life chances of children and young people living in poverty and we have been focused intensely on that mission throughout this Parliament.
The fact is the results last week produced higher increases in the pass rates amongst young people from deprived backgrounds than from any other group.
I commend these young people on their achievements.
But that picture does not disguise nor detract from the clear anger and frustration amongst some young people and their families about their results.
That anger stems from the unfairness they feel is at the heart of the model for certification we put in place.
This process relied on the professional judgement of teachers and lecturers, and we know that it was subsequently the case that the overwhelming majority, around three quarters of these grade estimates, were not adjusted at all.
This is a demonstration of the strength within our teaching profession, the sound understanding of standards across the suite of qualifications and through Curriculum for Excellence. I want to thank the teaching profession for the care and attention which went in to making every individual estimated grade.
The estimates received in May showed an increase in attainment at grades A-C by 10.4 percentage points for National 5s, by 14 percentage points for Highers, and by 13.4 percentage points for Advanced Highers. These estimates, if awarded without moderation, would have represented a very significant increase in the pass rate across the board and a one year change without precedent in Scottish exam history.
To ensure that they carried out what I asked of them, that the results were to be certificated on the basis of maintaining standards across all centres, the SQA judged that increases of this nature could not be sustained without moderation.
Moderation is not a new process. It is an annual process, and is widespread across all countries where exams take place.
It helps to ensure that standards are maintained over time.
In previous years moderation was applied to quality assure centre assessment judgements of performance. This year it was applied to teacher and lecturer estimates.
The SQA have provided a significant amount of information regarding how their methodology works which I will not re-state again today. Some have called for this to have been done earlier. But every year, SQA provide the details of their marking methodology on results day, and whilst the methodology has changed this year, the principle remains the same of publishing on results day.
The moderation methodology consisted of both national and local moderation and was robust and based on a number of principles which SQA have set out.
There was always going to be a risk with this approach that despite best efforts some learners would see a grade adjusted in a way that did not reflect their own potential. That is why the SQA included an open, free appeals process from the outset in their approach.
As a result of the SQA moderation process, 134,000 teacher estimates were adjusted, with just under 76,000 candidates having one or more of their grades lowered when compared to the teacher estimate.
Despite the headline improvements in the pass rate at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher, despite the fact that the pass rate amongst pupils in the most deprived areas increased at a sharper rate than those in the least deprived communities, and despite the fact there was progress in closing the attainment gap, the results left many young people feeling that their future had been determined by statistical modelling rather than their own capability and capacity. That has left a feeling of unfairness in the minds of young people.
I draw three conclusions from all of this.
Firstly, we were concerned that grade inflation – through accepting the original estimates from teachers – would run the risk of undermining the value of qualifications in 2020.
In the light of events, and of listening to young people, we now accept that concern, which is not without foundation, is outweighed by the concern that young people, particularly from working class backgrounds may lose faith in the Education system and form the view that no matter how hard you work, the system is against you. Education is the route out of poverty for young people in deprived communities and we cannot risk allowing that view to take hold.
Secondly, there is a view that relying on teacher judgment this year alone may give young people an incomparable advantage with pupils in other years.
That view has to be weighed against the massive disadvantage that Covid has given young people through the loss of schooling, social interaction, pressure on mental wellbeing and, in some cases, the heart break of bereavement.
Perhaps our approach to maintaining standards for the 2020 cohort alongside every other year – even though 2020 is so unique – did not fully understand the trauma of COVID for this year group and did not appreciate that a different approach might actually help to even things out.
And thirdly this year is and must be seen as unique.
2020 has turned our society upside down. It cannot fairly be compared to previous years and nor can it set an automatic precedent for future years. But it perhaps merits taking a different approach in relation to certification.
Before I move on to how we resolve this issue, I want to be very clear today about the role of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. As I have made clear already, I asked the SQA to ensure that the qualifications of 2020 would be comparable to the qualifications of any other year despite the extraordinary times in which we are living.
The SQA undertook the task I set them and did so in good faith and I make no criticism of their actions in so doing. I am grateful to everyone at the SQA for the professional approach they have taken.
I will therefore now set out how I intend to resolve this issue. I can confirm to Parliament today that all downgraded awards will be withdrawn.
Education Secretary John Swinney
Using powers available to me in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996, I am today directing the SQA to re-issue those awards based solely on teacher or lecturer judgement.
Schools will be able to confirm the estimates they provided for pupils to those that are returning to school this week and next.
The SQA will issue fresh certificates to affected candidates as soon as possible and, importantly, will inform UCAS and other admission bodies of the new grades as soon as practical in the coming days to allow for applications to college and university to be progressed.
As the First Minister confirmed yesterday, in those cases where moderation led to an increased grade, learners will not lose that award. Many of those young people will already have moved on to secure college or university places on the strength of the awards made to them. To unpick them now would not in any way be fair.
Finally, due to the unique circumstances of this situation, we will this year make provision for enough places in universities and colleges to ensure that no one is crowded out of a place they would otherwise have been awarded.
The outcomes from the 2020 SQA national qualifications this year will be updated and a revised statistical release will be available from 31 August. However, I can confirm that the provisional revised 2020 results, based on the professional judgements of Scotland’s teachers and lecturers, can be summarised as follows:
A National 5 pass rate of 88.9%, this is 10.7 percentage points higher than 2019. A Higher pass rate of 89.2%, 14.4 percentage points higher than 2019; and an Advanced Higher pass rate of 93.1%, which is 13.7 percentage points higher than 2019.
I can also confirm that that the final new headline results for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers will be published by the SQA on 21 August.
A result of this change in approach to awarding qualifications, means there will no longer be the need for exactly the same appeals process that was planned to consider cases where awarded grades were lower than teacher estimates.
There remains the need for the option of an appeal in some circumstances and detail on this will be set out by the end of the week.
Presiding Officer, there are many lessons we need to learn from our experience through this pandemic, and the difficult decisions we have had to make in unprecedented circumstances.
The 2020 SQA results have sparked a lot of debate about the future of assessment and qualifications in Scotland and the best way to recognise learners’ achievements.
We have already commissioned the OECD to conduct an independent review of Curriculum for Excellence. A key focus of this exercise is curriculum design and this already includes looking at our approach to assessment, qualifications and other achievements and how well they articulate with the curriculum, learning and teaching.
We will work with our partners at the OECD with a view to extending the remit of the Curriculum for Excellence review to include recommendations on how to transform the Scottish approach to assessment and qualifications, based on best practice globally.
Even before a broader review takes place, however, we need to quickly look at the immediate lessons of this year’s awards process.
Coronavirus has not gone away and, while we expect next year’s exams to go ahead, we need to put in place the right plans to make sure we don’t find ourselves in the same situation again.
I am aware that many teachers will be keen to understand fully the arrangements for national qualifications in 2021. The Education Recovery Group has discussed a number of options in relation to this, and I confirm that the SQA will begin a rapid consultation exercise on options for change later this week.
This will include consideration of key issues such as increasing optionality in question papers, removing components of course assessment and adjusting the volume of evidence required in coursework tasks.
In addition, however, I am today announcing that an Independent Review will be led by Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University.
The review will look at events following the cancellation of the examination diet and the alternative certification model put in place by SQA. Areas to be considered include:
the advice provided to awarding centres by the SQA and local authorities;
the approach developed in relation to estimating learners’ grades;
teachers’ estimates;
the moderation methodology used by the SQA;
the proposed appeals process;
the impact on young people, and their families;
transparency and the role of scrutiny of the process, and
feedback received from teachers and lecturers on the grades awarded last week.
Given the urgency, I have asked for an initial report with recommendations on how we should go forward this coming year within five weeks.
These are exceptional times, and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions have to be made.
It is deeply regrettable that we got this wrong.
I am sorry for that.
We have listened to young people and I hope that all will now feel satisfied that they have achieved the grades which their teachers and lecturers judged that they deserved.
I assure Parliament that we will look to learn lessons from the process of awarding qualifications this year that will help to inform any future actions.
Finally, I would like to thank all of Scotland’s children, young people and adult learners for the incredible resilience they have shown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic .
We are immensely proud of all that they have achieved.
I hope that our pupils now move forward confidently to their next step in education, employment or training with the qualifications that teachers or lecturers have judged were deserved.
COVID has placed, at times, unbearable pressures on us all and I wish our learners well in building on the achievements they have justifiably been awarded in these most difficult of days.
Mr Swinney faces a vote of no confidence at Holyrood tomorrow.
Pupils whose results were downgraded by the SQA are to receive new grades based solely on teacher estimates.
The SQA’s alternative certification model was put in place after exams were cancelled due to coronavirus (COVID-19). After listening to the concerns of affected young people, parents and teachers over the last week, Ministers are directing the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to re-issue downgraded awards solely on the basis of teacher judgement, without reference to historical patterns.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney today apologised to the 75,000 young people whose estimated mark was reduced by the SQA and said that the downgraded awards risked ‘young people, particularly from working class backgrounds may lose faith in education and form the view that no matter how hard you work, the system is against you.’
As a result:
Where a teacher estimate was adjusted down by the SQA, candidates will receive the grade the teacher awarded
Candidates whose entries were adjusted up by the SQA will retain the higher grade
The SQA will inform schools of the revised results by Friday 21 August for schools to tell pupils. New certificates will be issued in due course.
The SQA will provide new grades to UCAS and other college and university admissions bodies, and the Scottish Government will ensure enough places at colleges and universities so that all places awarded to young people can be taken up
In order to learn lessons and plan for next year:
Ministers have asked Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University to conduct an independent review of the events following the cancellation of the examination diet and make recommendations for the coming year. This will initially report within five weeks.
The OECD’s ongoing independent review of Curriculum for Excellence will be asked to include recommendations on how to transform Scotland’s approach to assessment and qualifications, based on global best practice.
Mr Swinney said: “These are exceptional times, and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made. In speaking directly to the young people affected by the downgrading of awards – the seventy-five thousand pupils whose teacher estimates were higher than their final award – I want to say this: I am sorry.
“I have listened and the message is clear. They don’t just want an apology, they want to see this fixed and that is exactly what I will now do. To resolve this issue all downgraded awards will be withdrawn. I am directing the SQA to re-issue those awards based solely on teacher or lecturer judgement.
“We now accept that the risk of undermining the value of qualifications is outweighed by a concern that young people, particularly from working class backgrounds, may lose faith in education and form the view that no matter how hard you work, the system is against you. Education is the route out of poverty for young people in deprived communities and we cannot risk allowing that view to take hold.
“The SQA will issue fresh certificates to affected candidates as soon as possible and, importantly, will inform UCAS and other admission bodies of the new grades as soon as practical in the coming days to allow for applications to college and university to be progressed.
“I would like to thank all of Scotland’s children, young people and adult learners for the incredible resilience they have shown throughout the COVID-19 epidemic. We are immensely proud of all that they have achieved. I hope that our pupils now move forward confidently to their next step in education, employment or training with the qualifications that teachers or lecturers have judged were deserved.
“We will look to learn lessons from the process to awarding qualifications this year that will help to inform any future actions. An Independent Review, led by Professor Mark Priestly of Stirling University, will look at events following the cancellation of the examination diet and given the urgency, I have asked for an initial report with recommendations on how we should go forward this coming year within five weeks.”
Mr Swinney faces a vote of No Confidence in parliament on Thursday.
Read Education Secretary John Swinney’s statement to Parliament
TWO surveys by Scotland’s biggest teaching unions have highlighted teachers’ concerns as children return to school this week:
A major study conducted by the EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, has confirmed that the majority of teachers retain serious concerns about COVID-19 safety measures ahead of the return of pupils to schools from today.
A total of 29,867 teachers took part in the survey. The clear message from the results is that, while teachers support the decision to reopen schools, they remain unconvinced that sufficient measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the wider school community.
Key data from the final survey results includes:
A total of 29,867 teachers completed the survey from its launch on Tuesday 4 August to the morning of Monday 10 August – the largest survey return we have ever had – with 60% expressing support for the decision to reopen schools but a similar figure, 66%, expressing anxiety and a lack of confidence that sufficient mitigations would be in place.
Only 1 in 5 expressed confidence that schools are currently safe – indicating that much more needs to be done to reassure staff that schools are safe to work in.
53% expressed a lack of confidence that an established capacity to test, trace and isolate is in place to support a safe return, with only 28% of teachers being ‘confident or very confident’ of this.
72% of teachers indicated support for the testing for asymptomatic members of staff to help supress the spread of COVID.
63% expressed support for the mandatory wearing of face coverings by senior pupils in classrooms.
65% indicated that enhanced cleaning regimes would make them feel safer in schools.
Commenting on the findings, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said yesterday: “These findings issue a stark warning to local authorities and the Scottish Government ahead of pupils returning to schools from tomorrow.”
“Our survey findings confirm that, even as they return to schools across the country today, Scotland’s teachers are extremely concerned about the risks associated with potential COVID-19 infection in schools.
“This worry will be particularly acute for the significant percentage of teachers identified as being in an ‘at risk’ category (16% of respondents), as well as those living with a family member who is in a high-risk group.
“There is significant concern amongst all teachers on issues such as the large number of pupils in each class, inability to maintain social distancing, and the need for the wearing of face coverings to ensure safety in some circumstances. These concerns grow more acute based on the age of pupils being taught, with secondary teachers expressing a particularly high level of concern over the potential risks of teaching young adults for long periods of time in an enclosed classroom environment.”
Mr Flanagan continued: “The EIS has consistently said that we support the principle of re-opening schools so that teachers can, once again, offer their full support in a classroom setting for pupils. But we have also been consistent in the demand that schools can only re-open to pupils if this is managed in a way that can assure the safety of those pupils, staff and the wider community.
“The very clear message from these findings is that teachers are far from convinced that all necessary steps have been put in place by the Scottish Government and local authorities to make schools safe. This must be addressed now, with pupils returning this week.”
Mr Flanagan concluded, “The EIS will be sharing the results of our survey with local authorities and the Scottish Government, and continuing talks at national and local level to seek resolutions to the concerns raised by our members.
“It is in everyone’s interests for solutions to be found, to ensure that our schools can operate safely as pupils return to the classroom this week.”
A majority of teachers are returning to schools this week without knowing what safety measures their schools are taking to deal with Coronavirus, an NASUWT survey of Scottish teachers has found.
Teachers have been given little or no time to prepare for the return of their pupils and have in many cases not been given basic information about what measures will be in place to ensure the health and safety of staff and pupils.
The majority (67%) of teachers responding to the NASUWT survey do not feel prepared to return to their school/college and the vast majority (87%) feel anxious about returning to their school when it is reopened to all pupils.
The NASUWT survey found teachers in Scotland have not been given assurances on social distancing or the provision of PPE. The survey also highlighted major concerns around the lack of consultation with teachers, especially staff who are at greatest risk from contracting Coronavirus.
A majority of teachers (57%) had not been informed of new arrangements for their school for Monday/Tuesday and the majority (60%) were not consulted on any arrangements for opening and also a majority (65%) were not consulted on risk assessments.
For those who were in extremely vulnerable groups or had characteristics for whom coronavirus would have a disproportionate effect, (69%) had not had any contact from their employer regarding their individual risk assessment.
NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach said: “Teachers need to be given the same level of protection as employees in any other workplaces.
“Our survey has highlighted that teachers have not been given assurances that even basic hygiene measures to help supress the virus, such as paper towels and soap and hot water, will be made available to them. This is deeply concerning and must be addressed immediately.
“We have also heard from many cases teachers who have not been told about the safety measures that will be in place to help prevent virus spread.
“The Scottish Government and school employers have a duty to listen to and address teachers safety concerns and take urgent action to ensure that schools reopen safely this term.”
Jane Peckham, NASUWT National Official Scotland, said: “The fact that almost half of teachers have told us they don’t feel their school will be a safe environment for pupils to return to should be a major cause for concern.
“The majority of teachers tell us they are anxious about returning but assurances about routine testing in schools and rigorous monitoring systems for Coronavirus will help provide reassurance that everything that can be done to keep schools safe is being done.
“School leaders and staff have been working phenomenally hard in very difficult and uncertain circumstances to ensure that they can safely reopen and many pupils and staff are looking forward to returning to school and college.
“But ministers and school employers must do more to reassure parents and the schools workforce that everything is being done to minimise transmission of the virus and that rigourous safety measures and procedures are in place should any outbreaks occur.”
COSLA PRAISES HEROIC EFFORT AS SCHOOLS PREPARE TO REOPEN
COSLA’s Children and Young People Spokesperson, Councillor Stephen McCabe, and Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “As schools across Scotland prepare to welcome pupils back this week, we would like to pay tribute to our school staff teams – cleaners, janitors, catering staff, teachers, support staff and youth workers – their response during the COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing short of heroic.
“They have continued to work quickly and effectively in unprecedented circumstances to support and guide children through home learning, whilst striving to ensure pupils could return to their classrooms in safe and timely manner.
“This has been no easy task, and we thank them for their unwavering efforts and dedication during the most challenging of times over the past five months.
“We’d also like to take this opportunity to recognise the support and patience from parents and carers as we all navigated uncertain times following the closure of schools back in March.
“And lastly, to our children and young people – we have continued to be impressed by your resilience and we are sure your teachers are incredibly proud of your attitude and efforts through this pandemic.
“We hope you enjoy returning to your classrooms with your friends and settle back into the routine quickly.”
Edinburgh’s children begin the return to school tomorrow with a phased return to begin on Wednesday 12 August, with all pupils back full-time from Monday 17 August. There are in-service days on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th (today).
