Page 190 - Patrick Roach News Today

WITH Covid-19 hospitalisations soaring over Christmas to surpass the highest figures from April, ministers continue to mislead the public on the risks of schools opening normally. Teachers’ union NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach calls for a majority of pupils to switch to online learning in January. With the National Education Union already campaigning for a delay to reopening schools to allow mass testing and vaccination of education workers, this means the government is on a collis...

NICOLA Sturgeon has warned that she may have to keep kids out of the classroom for longer than planned because of the impact of the new mutant coronavirus variant. The First Minister told MSPs yesterday that her intention was to have pupils back in their primary and secondary schools by January 18. But she warned this would need to be kept under review. The new strain is thought to spread 70% faster than other forms of the virus, and there are fears may spread more easily in children. ...

Teaching unions have called on Education Minister Peter Weir to make the move to remote learning immediately after he told the Assembly that it will operate from January 25. Mr Weir announced yesterday that remote learning will only affect pupils in years 8 to 10 for at least two weeks. Primary schools, special schools and pupils in years 11 to 14 will remain in school. All schools will open as planned when the new term begins in January for face-to-face learning. Defending the decision to dela...

Teachers brand Peter Weirs remote learning proposal bizarre Peter Weirs proposals would see some pupils engaged in remote learning from January 25 Michael McHugh, PA 21 December, 2020 16:20 It would begin on January 25 and involve non-exam year mainstream post-primary pupils until the end of half-term, Mr Weir suggested. Unions said the threat from Covid-19 had increased significantly. Nasuwt general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said: "Quite frankly t...

Recent events have brought greater public awareness of the conversation about racial inequality, Mr Vernon said. In the past year, issues ranging from the racialised impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Britain to the murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests in the United States have sparked international outrage and numerous discussions, both online and in politics. Mr Vernon said: “We’ve been trying to have these conversations for a long time, but this is the first time that the na...

Chairman of the Kent Association of Headteachers says schools being asked to co-ordinate mass testing of pupils and a staggered start to next term represents an absolute nightmare  |  Updated: 08:27, 21 December 2020 A senior Kent head teacher says asking schools to roll out mass testing of pupils is "like asking a nurse to teach A-level Shakespeare". The Government has announced that secondary school pupils’ return to class in England will be staggered in the first week of January to he...

The NASUWT union has also called for schools in Scotland to move immediately to remote learning. Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT, added: “As the First Minister has set out, the situation is now grave and level of risk to everyone’s health and welfare has now escalated considerably. The most important thing we have learned through this pandemic is that failing to act quickly, decisively and preventatively in the face of this virus is always a mistake. “Given the ver...

Calls to close schools early amid concerns of new Covid-19 strain Schools should close immediately following the announcement of tighter restrictions to follow Christmas, Scotlands opposition leaders have urged. The First Minister scaled back Christmas plans and households will only be allowed to gather indoors on December 25 amid concerns of a rapidly spreading variant of Covid.  Measures to prevent the spread of the new strain include prolonging the school holidays.  Instead of endi...

TEACHING unions in Scotland upped pressure on the Scottish government today over the dangers facing school staff around January’s shift to “blended learning.”  Workers in some parts of Scotland will return to classrooms on Monday following an announcement that schools will continue as normal until the Christmas break, with the holiday being extended until January 11 for most pupils. The measures are part of restrictions imposed over the weekend, with online learning to resume for...

Call for immediate shutdown of Scots schools from teaching union Union calls for immediate switch to online learning and says government plans for extended Christmas holiday dont go far enough. Teachers union chiefs want schools closed immediately (Image: PA) Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.Invalid EmailSomething went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these news...