Two primary schools in Weymouth & Portland closed after staff say it's unsafe to work
They're taking the advice of the NEU
Two primary schools in Weymouth and Portland will not be opening today. (4 January)
They are Holy Trinity Primary and St George's Primary.
Parents of pupils at St George's on Portland were told yesterday in a letter from the headteacher.
The letter states that the majority of staff at the school have taken the advice of their Unions and Sage.
They say it's not safe for them to go into work due to the new variant causing higher rates of infection.
In a statement on the NEU’s website they say:
“The NEU’s advice to members is that it is, in our view, unsafe for you to attend the workplace at present. We have written to all employers and all head teachers and principals giving this same advice and asking them to make preparations for a move to remote learning instead.
“This advice applies to all primary and secondary schools, special schools and SEND settings, colleges and early years settings.
“The advice given by SAGE has only been adopted in relation to secondary schools and to primary schools in some Tier 4 areas. Given the overall increase in infection rates, however, we believe it is unsafe for schools and colleges to reopen in any area at present.
“Infection rates are far higher than at the end of last term. This increase has been promoted by the new variant of the Covid-19 virus which was not properly understood at that time. These developments mean, in our view, that the risk assessments in place in schools and colleges at the end of last term cannot now be relied on by employers to demonstrate that workplaces are safe in these changed circumstances. We are calling on all employers in all schools and colleges, whatever their age group they serve and whatever the local tier of restrictions, to review their risk assessments and safety measures before asking employees to return to the workplace.”
St Georges Primary on Portland will now be closed for two weeks to everyone apart from children of key workers and youngsters receiving support from external agencies.