Star date: 21st September 2020

TEACHERS' UNION CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT STUDENTS AND STAFF

Salford has forty new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 2,508. There have been no new virus-related deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the National Education Union have written to the Prime Minister urging emergency measures, including Nightingale Schools, to ensure staff and pupils are protected.

Full details here...

Salford has forty new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 2,508, up from the previous day's 2,468.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, cases in Manchester rose to 5,748 (up from 5,635), followed by Bolton 3,866 (up from 3,783), Oldham with 3,632 (up from 3,583), Wigan 2,840 (up from 2,786), Rochdale 2,814 (up from 2,787), Tameside 2,550 (up from 2,510), Stockport 2,352 (up from 2,336), Trafford 2,001 (up from 1,980) and Bury 2,102 (up from 2,073).

There have been no new virus-related deaths announced by Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, it appears that there's chaos in Salford schools as parents told the Salford Star what is typically happening... "There is no testing for parents and children in school, just for staff"... "My son was sent home from school as two of his class mates are off waiting for tests. Now he's got a high temperature but there are no home kits available, and the NHS website is asking me to take him to Bolton. He's been back at school just over a week and he's ill. I'm fuming..."

Indeed, teachers' union, the National Education Union, has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, demanding urgent, emergency action if schools and colleges are to remain safe and open.

"It is now clear that your Government has not managed to ensure that testing is sufficiently available to meet the predictable need when 12 million children and their staff returned to school in England" write joint NEU General Secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney.

"Gavin Williamson wrote to heads on 7th September, saying: 'I want to reassure you again that all your staff and pupils have access to testing if one of them should develop COVID-19 symptoms'" they add "But we know this promise was being broken, even as it was being sent..."

The union leaders outline three problems – that schools do not have the information to act quickly to stop viral spread when children who would be positive can't get a test; that many children are out of school who would be negative if tested, but cannot get a test; and that many school staff are also at home waiting for a test which may well be negative. 

"Children and staff should be a high priority for the testing regime" they urge "Indeed, you should move towards asymptomatic testing of staff and older pupils as you have done in the NHS and care homes."

They also call for a Plan B which includes a reduction in class sizes by setting up Nightingale Schools, similar to Nightingale Hospitals and courts; delivery of broadband and laptops to children who still don't have them, and "Urgent clarity and realism on exams and tests for next year. There needs to be fairness for children across the country who will miss varying amounts of schooling as a result of isolation and local lockdowns...

"School leaders, teachers and support staff have supported the wider opening for all pupils and worked hard to make it as safe as possible, but you cannot, and must not, take this support for granted" they conclude "You must show that the virus levels will be able to fall again and that you have a plan for education that is sustainable in the mid to long term, not just for tomorrow."