This briefing gives guidance on health and safety precautions for staff and pupils working with information & communications technology (ICT) equipment, including computers, keyboards, display screens, laptops, tablets and smartphones.
NEU along side NI teacher unions (Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council) have written to the First and Deputy First Minister to highlight concerns regarding Special School Provision during the current lockdown.
An NEU toolkit to support members affected at work by domestic abuse. Model policy, guidance, poster, FAQs and a checklist for reps and leaders. #NEURNotAlone
NEU Health and Safety Month was to empower members, reps and officers with skills and knowledge to ensure schools and colleges are as safe as they can be, during the pandemic and beyond.
This briefing sets out the objectives and benefits of safety committees, in addition to advice and guidance on their composition, inception, and remit.
NEU health and safety representatives play a vital role in promoting safety in the workplace by representing members and employees’ interests on health and safety issues.
Advice on your legal rights and NEU union policy on the maximum and minimum temperatures under which staff and pupils should be expected to work in schools.
This briefing sets out advice on the requirements for reporting accidents, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences which happen in schools and colleges and on supporting NEU members in casework arising out of such events.
The NEU strongly urges all members who are able to receive the COVID vaccine to take it and here are frequently asked questions on vaccination for education staff.
Department of Education NI publishes supplementary guidance to the DE Coronavirus guidance for education settings (December 2020) previously issued to all schools.
NEU continues to meet with DENI, the Education Authority, and the PHA and to raise a wide range of concerns for staff and pupils on substantive matters of health and safety.
The union supports the concept of regular mass testing for staff and students as one of the measures to help prevent schools and colleges becoming Covid-19 hot spots. This is an important control measure following the return to full opening in March.
This advice sets out how to spot hazards in low/“child” height working environments, and includes simple practical measures to prevent and reduce, pain, strain and injury.
During the winter months, staff and students will be spending more time indoors. Ventilating indoor work areas, whilst at the same time ensuring a comfortable working temperature, will become more and more challenging.
Ten points on the wearing of face coverings to reduce the risk of transmission and on circumstances where medical masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) may be appropriate.
Our major priority, during this awful crisis, is the health and safety of our members who are continuing to go to work to care for vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers.
NEU Guidance for Members, Reps and Local Officers on how health and safety reps can use their powers can work with members to address excessive workload.
This policy forms part of the employer’s overall commitment to safety, good employee relations and the promotion of health, safety and welfare at work.
This harassment and bullying model policy is comprised of two sections: a model policy statement and a model procedure for dealing with complaints of harassment and bullying.
This briefing sets out NEU advice on the requirements of the fire legislation covering schools and on fire safety precautions to be followed in schools. It takes account of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
This guidance document is aimed at NEU members who are worried that their mental health is suffering because of the demands of their work. It will also be of use to NEU members who are considering returning to work following a spell of absence due to a mental health condition.
This page outlines the key legal requirements for drivers and operators of school minibuses and describes the support school staff should be given before they agree to drive a school minibus.
This NEU briefing provides guidance to safety representatives and members on taking action to reduce the incidence of accidents and injuries due to falls from height, including the legal requirements on employers, practical steps which can be taken and sources of further advice and information.
Safety representatives play a vital role in promoting safety in the workplace. This briefing covers the appointment of safety reps and their rights and functions.
In response to requests for assistance with undertaking stress surveys, a system has been developed which enables the NEU to provide an online staff stress survey as a resource for local officers, reps and safety reps.
The NEU offers an online staff stress survey as a resource for local officers, reps and safety reps to assist them gather evidence about stress levels within a school and establish the causes and impact of this workplace stress.
This briefing considers the management of health and safety in schools and colleges and the respective roles of the employer, governing body, head teacher and other staff of the school.
This NEU briefing tells you about the framework of health and safety law - in particular about the legal duties placed on employees, employers and others by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and about other sources of health and safety law.
This briefing examines the various means by which branches can attempt to secure adequate levels of paid time off for health and safety advisers to perform their various functions and the legal provisions which can be used to support them.
As a school leader, it is important to ensure that your school is a great place to work, with a happy and healthy workforce and low levels of sick leave.
It is important to understand the extent of governing body’s responsibilities for managing health, safety and welfare of teachers and ways in which the NEU and governors can work together to safeguard the mental health of teachers.
This advice explains the ‘resilience’ approach, why it does not lead to meaningful improvements for employees and how safety reps should instead seek to tackle work related stress in their school or college.
This advice gives information on the legal requirement for employers to carry out risk assessments and the extent to which teachers and school staff can be required to assist in
the process.
This advice gives NEU guidance on the law’s requirements on assessing the safety of practical activities and on taking steps to ensure that these do not pose risks to the safety
of staff or pupils.
This advice considers a number of health and social issues which may affect older school staff and suggests sources of further information and support.
This advice contains advice about health and safety matters which both newly qualified and student teachers should be aware of when entering the profession.
This is a guide to using the data which has been made available via the DfE Asbestos Management Assurance Process (AMAP). It aims to assist local officers in extracting information about asbestos in schools in their area, and in seeking to fill in some of the gaps.
The menopause is an occupational health issue for women educators, as well as being an equality issue. It is important that schools and colleges are suitable workplaces for menopausal women. The purpose of this guide and checklist for reps is to signpost you to advice, and to support you
in improving workplace conditions for menopausal women.
NEU leadership members are key to supporting women going through the menopause in the workplace. As a leader, you’re not alone. Collaboration between leaders, governors, workplace reps, health and safety reps and a staff support network can go a long way towards creating a supportive environment for women experiencing menopause symptoms at work.
The purpose of this guidance is to suggest practical ways in which the school and college environment can be improved for women who are going through the menopause.
This model policy sets out how employer will seek to prevent workplace violence in its schools, and the procedures that will be followed if a violent incident occurs.
Health and safety issues for supply teachers, including those employed directly by local authorities, schools and academy trusts and those employed via supply agencies.
Advice for teachers on voice care, including spotting problems, simple preventative measures and information on how and when to seek appropriate specialist help
Excessive workload and working hours are continually cited by teachers as one of the main causes of their workplace stress. This advice explains how to tackle stress at a local level in your workplace.
It is common for teachers to offer private tuition to students. Before doing so, there are several important issues to consider, such as legal and insurance protection and health and safety issues.
A stress risk assessment is a careful examination of what in a workplace could cause staff to suffer from work-related stress, so that you can weigh up whether you have done enough, or should do more to prevent harm.
There is a vast range of legislation on health and safety matters which applies in whole, or in part, to schools in Wales. This briefing identifies those which will be most relevant and the areas which they cover.
There is a vast range of legislation on health and safety matters which applies in whole, or in part, to schools. This briefing identifies those which will be most relevant and the areas which they cover.
Every year, many schools are damaged or destroyed by fires, affecting the education of thousands of pupils, and causing millions of pounds worth of damage. The impact of fires is significantly reduced by fitting sprinklers in schools.
Excessive workload is a key cause of mental health problems among teachers and education professionals. This advice explains what to do if you are struggling with mental health and outlines the different ways you can get support.
Who is responsible for the management of health and safety in schools and colleges and the respective roles of the employer, governing body, head teacher and other staff of the school.
Advice on the appropriate hygiene procedures for schools which will help to prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis A, B and C, and conditions such as dysentery.
Advice on the heating levels in schools and classrooms in England, and how to deal with the various types of heating problems which are commonly encountered during cold weather and snow.
Advice on the heating levels in schools and classrooms in Wales, and how to deal with the various types of heating problems which are commonly encountered during cold weather and snow.
At least 86 per cent of schools contain asbestos, all of it old and much of it deteriorating. Unless your school was wholly built after 1999, it is extremely likely that it contains asbestos.
Frequently asked questions in relation to staff car parking on school premises. It includes information on provision of school car parks, charges for car parking, car park safety and malicious damage to cars.
Mark Langhammer, Northern Ireland regional secretary's shares his concerns on the effect of low isolation figures on Covid-19 transmission in Northern Ireland.
How has Northern Ireland’s economy coped with lockdown, and how might the workplace change as we gradually emerge? By Mark Langhammer, Northern Ireland regional secretary.
It is understandable that the Government would not have an off-the-shelf plan for schools having to operate under an extended lockdown, as was the case from March 2020, but it continued to dither and delay over many months.
The Labour Party is right to highlight this important issue. The proportion of pupils in outsized secondary classes is at its highest point in the last 40 years with 1 million children being taught in classes of more than 30.
Today’s announcement that all pupils will return to English schools and colleges on 8 March demonstrates, again, that Boris Johnson has, despite all his words of caution, failed to learn the lessons of his previous mistakes
Early years, schools and college staff must be prioritised for Phase 2 vaccinations, union and education leaders warn following reports of government row-back
The number of pupils eligible to go to school and colleges is higher than in the previous lockdown but even given the increase in student numbers staff attendance rates could be much lower.
We have always supported the idea of mass testing in schools as a means to facilitate safe on-site learning, but this has to be consistent with scientific understanding.
The principle of trusting teachers rather than algorithms is absolutely the right one to take. The fact that the Government originally did not do so last summer was what caused upset and chaos for students.
The National Education Union and UNISON have highlighted a series of funding and safety issues ministers must address to ensure community safety around the care and education of young children.
The NEU and UNISON have written to Gavin Williamson about the effect a significant extension to the number of pupils allowed back into school will have on Coronavirus transmission rates.
We are informing our members of their legal right to protection to be guided by the science. In order for viral levels in children and in the community to decrease to below R1 primary schools should not open in the first weeks of January.
NEU presses Government to release advice from Chief Medical Officer and reiterates position that schools and colleges should start the New Year with a period of online learning
These attendance figures that have been hidden from the public for so long show just what a profound impact coronavirus has had on schooling in many areas.
This announcement gives almost zero notice for unions to assess the plans, or for schools to implement them. The Government’s suggestion that the preparation for the roll-out of testing should happen this week is ridiculous.
This Government really has taken a step too far. They should hang their heads in shame. Parents, students and school staff will not forgive this wilful neglect of their safety.
The latest ONS Coronavirus survey figures should be very worrying to the Government - especially in the run up to Christmas. They show that cases are again rising in secondary and primary schools.
Rolling out testing in these two areas is a start, but the Prime Minister needs to urgently address those other parts of the country where infection rates remain high.
The latest figures from the last week of national lockdown are deeply depressing. One in five secondary pupils and one in ten primary pupils were absent last week
We are deeply concerned by the results of the REACT-1 coronavirus survey which show that over the lockdown coronavirus has continued to increase amongst school age children
The NEU has raised concerns with Government in relation to the wearing of face coverings in schools, and its lack of consistency with guidance on other public places.
Leaks of proposals for school re-opening in September are not helpful. Schools and parents need to see from Government a clearly thought-out plan outlining the scientific reasoning behind a return for all pupils.
The Prime Minister's hopes are not enough. He needs a plan for more teachers, to ask teachers who have left the profession to return, and he needs to be finding extra spaces in which they can teach smaller groups.
The NFER report shows that a quarter of pupils have limited access to IT at home. Gavin Williamson confirmed in the Commons last week that only around half of requests for the Government’s free laptop scheme for disadvantaged students have so far been met.
The figures released show what a very long way the Government has to go to convince the nation’s parents and teachers that a wider opening of schools is safe.
The government’s social distancing rules made it impossible for primary schools to admit all pupils before the summer holidays. Primary schools and secondary schools will not re-open to all pupils until September at the earliest.
The NEU calls on the Government and Public Health England to develop urgent advice on the issues of greater health risk identified in the Fenton Review.
The Minister’s statement in which she has opened schools to all year groups with effect from 29 June does not sit well with NEU Cymru. It is too much, too soon.
Respondents to a survey conducted by the National Education Union between 31 May and 1 June, reveals the pragmatism of schools when asked to open more widely under easing of lockdown.
The NEU sends its solidarity to the family and friends mourning George Floyd. We condemn the systemic racism that caused George's death and we support the urgent demands for justice for George Floyd, for his family and his community.
Today, two months since lockdown was introduced, the Government has finally granted access to some of the scientific modelling behind its proposal for schools to open more widely from June 1.
NEU Cymru welcomes no date set for opening schools in Wales. Like everyone, we want learners to be back in their classrooms. But not until it is safe to do so.
We are pleased that Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government on Covid-19 has told the NEU that information and papers from SAGE would be published and that they will prioritise its release.
It's really important that we are absolutely clear what the level of safety is and if it remains the case that we believe it to be unsafe, we will not back the wider opening of schools.
These studies raise real concerns about the impact that a wider re-opening of schools would have on the rate of Covid 19 transmission and its incidence in families.
On the eve of Sage meeting at which lockdown measures will be reviewed, NEU petition demanding schools re-open only when safe to do so nears 350,000 signatures.
The General Secretaries of 10 teacher trade unions across the UK and Ireland have written to the Education Ministers in all 5 jurisdictions urging “significant caution in any consideration of reopening schools.
NEU has launched 5 tests for Government before schools can re-open. We believe that these test must be capable of being passed in order to create the necessary confidence amongst parents and staff.
For our members, parents and learners themselves, staying safe at this difficult time is critical. We look forward to hearing more details from the Welsh Government in the coming weeks.
NEU welcomes Government's announcement that practical steps will be taken to test school staff for Covid-19. It is essential that staff who are self-isolating at home get immediate access to the test.
NEU Cymru welcomes the Welsh Government’s revised guidance today. Our members will be heartened to see that the Welsh Government is thinking about those children most in need of support.
Some pupils will need much more individual support than is possible, and many will need support for their wellbeing before any meaningful learning can take place.
We're pleased the Education Minister has focused on wellbeing in launching this policy statement. Like the Minister says, the wellbeing and safety of learners and education professionals alike is centrally important at this difficult time.
Extra £1.25 million for school counselling services will be invaluable to support the anticipated increase in need for mental health services as a result of social distancing and school shut down measures.
In the light of speculation on the re-opening of schools and colleges, the joint General Secretaries of the National Education Union have called on the Prime minister for clarity on how the Government will make such a decision.
NEU Cymru welcomes the Welsh Government plans to ensure social distancing in the workplace. These are challenging times, and it is right that we try and keep those in work as safe as possible.
Schools should only remain open to those whose parents are key workers. The vast majority of children should stay at home. This is the safest place for them.
This is a very long list and could result in some schools having the majority of pupils attending. This will not achieve the goal of slowing the spread of the virus.
We welcome the Education Minister’s announcement to close schools from Friday. We are pleased that Wales is the first UK nation to take this practical and pragmatic approach.
Schools have an important role to play, but we are concerned about suggestions in recent days that larger class sizes will be recommended for indefinite periods.
The British Lung Foundation (BLF) and the National Education Union (NEU) has produced guidance with support from Living Streets, the UK charity behind the National Walk to School campaign.
Given that “the science” is clearly having to bend to political will, at a time when the spread of the virus is accelerating and dangerous, we feel it is beholden on us as your union to meet with you, hear your views, and do what we can to support you.
This is a one-day induction course for all new NEU H&S representatives and will provide initial training on the role and responsibilities of the rep as well as an update on current issues.
