Category: Information for Members

The SSTA reaffirms the advice to members issued on Friday 20 March. Please follow this advice and all members will be supported in your actions by the SSTA.

The first consideration for members must be your own personal safety.

• If you, or a member of your household, have any of the symptoms then you must follow the health guidance and isolate.
• If you have an underlying health condition, or are a part of a vulnerable group, you must work from home.
• If you have caring responsibilities and are unable to make alternative arrangements then you must stay at home.

Members who volunteer:

• Please inform your Headteacher that you are available and that you wish to volunteer your services.
• Schools must ensure a ‘risk assessment’ has taken place that includes social distancing, provision of necessary cleaning materials and measures to prevent close contact before asking staff to attend.
• Schools need to prepare a schedule for the supervision of pupils and a rota for available staff.
• Do not attend work if you have not been assigned a specific child caring responsibility.
• Must avoid all unnecessary journeys.

Further updates for members on Home-Working and National Qualifications will follow in due course.
 

The First Minister made a statement on Wednesday 18 March that all schools are closed as from the 17.00 on Friday 20 March. The closure of schools is on medical and scientific advice. There must be no normal lessons, including senior classes, taking place after this date as schools are closed.

Arrangements for making provision for children of key workers and vulnerable children in school buildings is at an early stage. The number of pupils and the number of staff (teacher and other workers) required has not been determined as yet.

Local authorities are making arrangements for meals for vulnerable children and this may involve the use of school buildings.

The detailed arrangements for pupils in S4 to S6 to meet the requirements of SQA during this emergency have not issued to schools. Until such time members are advised to work remotely and create no new work for pupils.

At this time no senior phase pupils should be in school and this was confirmed by the DFM John Swinney last night on television. No member should be asked to attend school to teach senior pupils at this time. SSTA would like to remind all members that it is important that teachers act professionally and with integrity during this difficult time. Any deviation from this may lead to claims of malpractice.

SSTA Advice

The first consideration for members is your own personal safety.

• If you, or a member of your household, have any of the symptoms then you must follow the health guidance and isolate.
• If you have an underlying health condition, or are a part of a vulnerable group, you must work from home.
• If you have caring responsibilities and are unable to make alternative arrangements then you must stay at home.
• If you are not able to attend work please inform your employer in the normal way. Early notice is important.

If you are fit for work

• Please inform your Headteacher that you are available and that you wish to volunteer your services.
• Schools must ensure a ‘risk assessment’ has taken place that includes provision of necessary cleaning materials and measures to prevent close contact.
• Schools need to prepare a schedule for the supervision of pupils and a rota for available staff.
• Do not attend work if you have not been assigned a specific child caring responsibility. Avoid unnecessary journeys.
• Do not attend work to take part in a meeting. This is an unnecessary risk.
• All meetings must be conducted remotely.
• All planning work should take place at home.

Supply Teachers

During this difficult time of staff shortages all supply teachers are required. If you are fit to work please inform your local authority and ask to be assigned to a school. Please follow the advice above.

The situation is constantly changing and we will issue further advice in the coming days.

Thursday 19 March 2020

The situation is still changing and it will change further this afternoon following the Deputy First Minister Statement. The SSTA will be issuing advice on Friday once the implications have been considered.

Please find a link to a COSLA document that was finalised on Wednesday evening. This document is focused upon ‘working at home’ and applies to all Local Authority employees. This hopefully clarifies the situation for teachers.

The SSTA is in constant contact with the Government and employers regarding guidance to members and schools during this difficult time. The situation and guidance on COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is continually updating and changing. I have tried to lay out the current position and guidance to help answer most of your questions. Please follow the link to previous advice.

The Government has made the decision to keep schools open where possible

“We recommend all educational settings remain open unless you have been advised by the local Health Protection Team to close. Children appear to be less affected than other age groups however handwashing should be encouraged before and after any activity, such as meal times, break times and sporting activities. Your local public health team will provide advice if you have had a symptomatic case of COVID-19 on site. At present school closure is not usually required but the local health protection team will support you to make a risk assessment”.

Please find below the links for updated information on COVID-19 from the HPS and SNCT. I have indicated the sections that will be helpful to you

Health Protection Scotland (HPS).The updated source of advice for all schools and educational settings
contains useful information and the following would be of particular interest to members:

1.4 Contact with a case of COVID-19
1.5 Actions to take if someone who may have COVID-19 becomes unwell whilst on site at your organisation
1.6 Environmental decontamination (cleaning and disinfection) after a possible case has left a workplace or other non-healthcare setting
2.1. Employers and Businesses Employees will need your support to adhere to the recommendation to stay at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to others.
2.3. Educational settings

SNCT  – Emergency Provision CORONAVIRUS (COVID – 19): MAINTAINING CONTINUITY OF EDUCATION
Members attention is drawn to the following contained in the document:

(3) Class Arrangements
(4) Working Hours
(6) Relocation
(7) Self-Isolation
(8) Vulnerable Staff
(9) Pregnant Staff
(10) Care Arrangements

In addition, that latest announcements included

• Everyone should avoid gatherings and crowded places, such as pubs, clubs and theatres
• Everyone should work from home if they can
• All “unnecessary” visits to friends and relatives in care homes should cease
• People should only use the NHS “where we really need to” – and can reduce the burden on workers by getting advice on the NHS website where possible
• By next weekend, those with the most serious health conditions must be “largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks”
  • People over the age of 70
  • Other adults who would normally be advised to have the flu vaccine (such as those with chronic diseases)
  • Pregnant women

SSTA Advice

The first consideration for members is your own personal safety.

• If you, or a member of your household, have any of the symptoms then you must follow the health guidance and isolate.
• If you have an underlying health condition,  or are a part of a vulnerable group, you can only work in a place of safety which could be away from the school. The employer has a duty of care to ensure you are not put at risk.
• If you have caring responsibilities then arrangements must be made to allow you to carry out these responsibilities.
• If you are not able to attend work please inform your employer in the normal way. Early notice is important.

 The situation is constantly changing and we will issue further advice in the coming days.

The situation and guidance on COVID-19 is changing and will continue to change in coming days and weeks. The SSTA will continue to update you on any changes that may occur.

Please find below the official links for information on COVID-19.

NHS Scotland. COVID-19 can cause respiratory illness of varying severity. Currently, there is no vaccine and no specific treatment for infection with the virus.https://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus

Health Protection Scotland (HPS). The key source of advice for all schools and educational settings including early learning and childcare settings.  https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/covid-19-guidance-to-educational-settings/
Scottish Government guidance issued for education providers https://news.gov.scot/news/coronavirus-guidance-issued-for-education-providers


SSTA ADVICE TO MEMBERS

This advice is intended to reassure members of employment matters and the potential of exceptional measures being put in place by the employers/government. Members are advised to be aware of the following issues:

SELF-ISOLATION
Self-isolation involves staying indoors following the advice of a medical professional and avoiding contact with others where possible. It also means that members should remain at home and should not go to work, school or public areas or use public transport or taxis. Members who are undergoing self-isolation should advise their council immediately.

The situation of permanent and long term supply teacher is covered by the SNCT regarding the classification of the periods of self-isolation. Paragraph 6.34 of the Handbook applies when a teacher is self-isolating due to potential contact/travel from affected areas and is staying away from work to self-isolate.  This is the paragraph that sets out that paid leave should be provided with regard to contact with a notifiable disease:

Infectious Diseases
6.34 An employee who is prevented from attending the place of employment because of contact with notifiable infectious diseases, shall advise the council immediately and shall be entitled to full pay during absence. A period of absence, in this case, should not be reckoned against his/her entitlement to sickness allowance.

Please Note: SSTA expects teachers on a daily supply contract but have been undertaking regular work in the same school(s) over a number of weeks should be covered by the same SNCT paragraph.

SICKNESS
If a teacher becomes ill then normal sick pay arrangements and employer reporting arrangements apply. Members who are sick are not required to complete any work.

SCHOOL CLOSURES
Should a school be closed due to lack of staff/pupils to maintain the service the employer may require teachers to relocate to other schools where it is practicable. Travel expenses will be meet by the employer. However, should the school be closed for medical/containment reasons all staff and pupils should adhere to the medical guidance on self-isolation.

CARE ARRANGEMENTS
There could be a significant reduction of workforce due to care demands of young people, vulnerable persons and the elderly. In such circumstances Councils are required to be sympathetic to the pressures on staff. Councils will already have arrangements for granting leave with pay in these exceptional circumstances.

TEACHING AND LEARNING
The employers will be taking steps to maintain the continuity of education in the coming weeks. The focus for members during this time is to continue to prepare for teaching and learning, and the  normal preparations for the forthcoming national qualifications. However, members should not be expected to produce additional materials or qualification evidence.

WORKING FROM HOME
Requests may be made for teachers to work from home during school closures. Members should focus on their normal teaching commitment and not be diverted to additional tasks required by others. Where online facilities have been created within the school network members can submit work and answer sheets where appropriate for pupils when the school is closed. Members may be asked to take home laptops or tablets to assist with their work but must strictly adhere to the rules and procedures when asked to engage with individual pupils. Where these facilities are not in place work can be submitted to the school for posting to pupils. Please be aware that not all pupils have access to suitable computer facilities or broadband.

CHANGES IN TIMETABLE
Members should continue to work normally and follow the normal arrangements for covering absent colleagues. The employers should be providing additional supply teachers to all schools in an attempt to cover any potential loss of teachers in the coming weeks.

FUTURE ADVICE
The SSTA is involved in further discussions taking place within the SNCT regarding arrangements to be put in place if COVID-19 reaches a level that impacts on the education service.  Further guidance will issued.

For further information and advice please contact SSTA Head Office at info@ssta.org.uk or 0131 313 7300