Created on: 01 Apr 2020 | Last modified: 01 Mar 2021
Colleagues,
Firstly, a thank you to members for the work you are doing in supporting continued learning for children and students across the country and all education sectors. A big thank you also to those members who have volunteered to staff the support hubs, including over the Easter break, as a means of supporting NHS staff and other key workers.
It has been a challenging time for everyone but as we move towards the main Spring break period, with some areas having already started this, I hope that you manage to get time over the holiday period to simply recharge your batteries and, lockdown provisos permitting, to spend time with those you love.
In the meantime, please find below some updates on key issues of ongoing concern.
Best wishes,
Larry Flanagan
General Secretary
Colleagues, the latest EIS guidelines on working from home can be found here. The context for this advice is primarily the school sector, although the principles involved apply across Colleges and Higher Education, also. Sector specific advice for FELA and ULA is being worked on and will be issued as soon as possible.
Discussions have continued within the SNCT on ensuring that supply staff without current employment, will suffer no detriment as a result of the impact of COVID 19 on the school sector. Understandably members in this category are anxious about the lack of news but progress is being made. The EIS has been pressing hard to reach an agreement, and we are hopeful that confirmation from COSLA will happen shortly.
Some Councils, Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire, have already reached agreement on local arrangements.
We expect a statement from the SQA this week confirming approaches to accreditation for this session. This will be circulated as soon as it is published but in the meantime the Working from Home Guidelines indicate that members should not be asked by schools to accelerate or alter the normal arrangements around the submission of estimate grades.
The Scottish Government has provided further details around the rules for social distancing in educational establishments. This includes ensuring only the most vulnerable children and the children of key workers continue to attend schools. Further information can be found on the Scottish Government website.