GMB Londons' Schools Team would like to hear from school support staff members about issues they are facing in their schools regarding coronavirus outbreaks and delays with testing

16 September 2020 Download as PDF

GMB London takes seriously its' responsibility to represent the real issues and concerns members are facing. We know we only emailed you a few days ago but given the serious nature of the reports surrounding the problems schools are facing because of a lack of testing and outbreaks, we wanted to contact you to ask if you are experiencing similar issues in your school.

GMB London will be making representation about this matter and it would be really useful if you would take a couple of minutes to email schoolsteamlondon@gmb.org.uk with your experience. If you would kindly take the time to tell us about your school, it would be much appreciated e.g. has your school had to send pupils or staff home to self-isolate? Does your school have a supply of Covid-19 testing kits and who is eligible to use these? Are you waiting for a test because either you or someone in your household has symptoms?

You may be surprised to learn that the Department for Education (DfE) does not hold information on the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in schools and therefore GMB London is writing to all Local Authorities to ask if they are collating the information of confirmed cases of Coronavirus within their schools. This is important information as it helps to provide a wider understanding of what is happening. If schools are to be a safe working and learning environment there needs to be an effective Test, Track and Trace system in place. It is shambolic that pupils and school staff cannot get tests and with the infection rate increasing this is something which needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. The Government wants everyone to return to their workplace but for people to do so there has to be confidence in the systems designed to facilitate this.

If you have already completed our online survey, thank you. If you have not yet completed it, there is still time. It is a quick one-page survey and your response will provide us with useful information about how school support staff are feeling and what is happening in schools since they fully reopened.

The survey can be found here:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Schools_RTW_Sept20

The closing date is Friday 18th September.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to hearing from you.

Lisa Bangs, GMB London Region Organiser — Schools and Academies

Keith Williams, GMB London Region Senior Organiser

Email- schoolsteamlondon@gmb.org.uk