2nd December 2021
DE Guidance and PHA advice continues to inform all health and safety steps a school must be following. These are:
- Ensure all mitigations are in place. Where mitigations outlined in the DE guidance have lapsed now is the time to reinstate and strengthen them. Social distancing, ventilation, regular cleaning and hand sanitisers are the key elements of these mitigations.
- Indoor events which are unavoidable (business critical) must be fully risk assessed and mitigations put in place to ensure the safety of all present. INTO reminds school leadership teams that nativity plays, parent teacher meetings, open days/nights can be accommodated online.
- Risk assessments are legally required to be done in consultation with Health and Safety Reps or a representative chosen by staff. Coordinated sharing with everyone who may be affected by the risk is required. You have the right to input and to see a risk assessment if it impacts on you.
- Changes, including the scaling back of mitigations, can only be made through the review of risk assessments or when new guidance from DE or the PHA has been issued. Otherwise, the existing mitigations must remain in place.
- Broader safety considerations are critical to any decision making concerning continuing educational provision. Schools facing staff shortages which impact safe staffing levels must actively consider remote learning.
- Schools must comply with the Workload Agreement TNC 2011/8 regarding cover.
TNC 2011/8 Appendix 1 (6.1):
“In dealing with short term absences Principals will make decisions regarding the cover of absent colleagues based on:
- the extent to which continuity of learning can be maintained.
- the length of time the pupils would be working without a qualified teacher.
- the particular needs of the class concerned.
- the skills and experience of the teacher concerned.
Such arrangements will include:
- Compositing of classes providing this is for a short period and does not exceed Departmental guidance on class size.
- Employment of a teacher from the Northern Ireland Substitute Teacher Register (NISTR).
- Utilisation of Classroom Assistants or other non-teaching staff, in a supervisory capacity, in emergency situations or exceptional circumstances only, where the absence is unexpected and for a short period of time.
- Use of teaching staff from within the school to cover classes.”
INTO advise, in relation to cover by Classroom Assistants or other non-teaching staff, “a short period of time” must not be in excess of an hour.
If members have any concerns, they should contact their local area representative. https://www.into.ie/ni/about/our-people/committees/northern-committee/