Coronavirus: Safety measures compromised in return to nurseries and schools

12 June 2020

Safe class sizes are just one of the measures that have been ignored by some nursery and primary schools as they reopen to more children, according to a survey published by Unison today (Friday).

The union said that rushed Government reopening plans had led to schools failing to follow the guidelines on social distancing.

More than one in five support staff (22 per cent) surveyed by Unison said that their primary schools have operated in class sizes bigger than the 15 pupils per group, the maximum recommended to maintain social distancing.

This figure increased to almost half - 48 per cent of employees in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes within schools – who said that their ‘bubbles’ contained more than the eight maximum children recommended in the Government guidance.

The data was compiled from the responses of more than 8,000 employees, of which seven in 10 (71 per cent) are teaching and learning support assistants working in primary, nursery and special schools in England.

The survey results also highlight failings in ensuring measures are in place to keep staff and pupils safe. Four fifths – 80 per cent - of respondents said their school or nursery has not provided any detail on how the Government’s ‘test, trace and isolate’ system will work in their area.

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