Star date: 27th January 2021

TEACHERS HELP TO PAY FOR LEARNING MATERIALS

Salford has 125 new coronavirus cases, up from the previous day's 82, while the seven day rate per 100,000 population stays the same at 354.7. There have been four new virus-related deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, teachers' union, the National Education Union has donated £1million as it launched its Help a Child to Learn appeal to supply learning essentials to families in hardship. It comes after 95% of NEU members surveyed said they are teaching students with limited or no access to learning resources at home.

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Salford has 125 new coronavirus cases, up from the previous day's 82, bringing the cumulative total to 19,154. The seven day average of cases has remained at 918, as has the seven day rate per 100,000 population which stands at 354.7.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, the seven day average of cases in Bury is 634 (down from 659), with a seven day rate per 100,000 population of 332 (down from 345), Bolton 971 (down from 1,032), with a rate of 337.7 (down from 358.9); Manchester 2,035 (down from 2,143), with a rate of 368.1 (down from 387.6); and Oldham 600 (down from 622), with a rate of 253 (down from 262.3).

Rochdale has a seven day average of cases of 715 (up from 712), with a seven day rate of 321.5 (up from 320.1); Stockport 883 (down from 934), with a rate of 300.9 (down from 318.3); Tameside 711 (down from 732), with a rate of 313.9 (down from 323.2); Trafford 719 (down from 743), with a rate of 302.9 (down from 313); and Wigan 1,132 (down from 1,176), with a rate of 344.4 (down from 357.8).

There have been four new virus-related deaths at Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, teachers' union the NEU, or National Education Union, has donated £1million as it launched an appeal fund with the Daily Mirror to supply essential learning materials like pens, paper, card and crayons for pupils who do not have them in their homes.

It comes after a new survey of over 2,500 members of the NEU revealed that 95% are teaching students with limited or no access to learning resources at home; that over a quarter (27%) said that half or more of their pupils were in that situation; and that 75% of members agreed that access to practical materials will boost engagement and self-confidence when learning from home.

The union is contacting schools with the greatest number of pupils on free school meals, and offers will be made proportionate to school size, in gradients of £500, £1,000 and £1,500. The funds will be in the form of a voucher, distributed by Viking, and schools themselves will decide on which learning materials will suit their pupils best.

"Teachers and school leaders tell us that their poorest and most disadvantaged children's learning is hampered because they do not have the basic essentials in their homes" say Kevin Courtney and Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretaries of the National Education Union "Pupils cannot learn if they do not have paper to write on and pens to write with. They cannot engage in creative learning if they lack crayons and glue. Cardboard and toilet paper are not substitutes for exercise books.

"Our Help a Child to Learn campaign is driven by the level of need NEU members see in their pupils" they add "The sheer scale of child poverty and its effects on children's learning is heart-breaking. It should not be necessary, in 2021 to supply pupils with the very basics they need to participate in remote learning, but it is necessary and this campaign will rise to the challenge.  With public help, and in addition to the £1million pound contribution from the NEU, we will grow this fund to support more schools and even more pupils."

The NEU is also asking for the public to donate towards the appeal, and there is a 'help children to learn' website that tells how many children are in poverty in your constituency – Blackley and Broughton 14,869 – before you donate to help them – click here for details