“Our members, who are key workers, deserve better than this and it is now down to the Head and the Governors to convince staff and ourselves that they will take safety more seriously going forward”, say GMB
GMB, the union for school support staff, were shocked to discover that management at Eastbourne’s Cavendish Academy have kept secret the fact that there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19 in the school.
A recent GMB poll of school support staff shows that around 96% of them are very concerned about opening schools to early placing pupils and staff health at risk of exposure to coronavirus.
Yet the school’s Headteacher Peter Marchant is making the appalling decision that there is no need to inform parents, instead hiding behind Public Health England, who say schools do not need to inform all staff and parents, and that staff and pupils in direct contact do not need to self-isolate unless they have symptoms, thus potentially risking further spread.
The school has accordingly delayed a deep clean on the site, which has been acting as a hub for up to 4 schools in the area too.
Lib Whitfield GMB Regional Organiser said:
“It’s bad enough that this government’s actions are leaving parents and staff feeling scared and confused about whether pupils will be returning to school on 1st June.
“It now appears that Peter Marchant has chosen to further up the stakes by knowingly keeping information about actual cases in their children’s school from them.
“GMB now have no choice now but to request that a deep clean is carried out on site and that a new risk assessment is carried out immediately with the findings published openly.
“Our members, who are key workers, deserve better than this and it is now down to the Head and the Governors to convince staff and ourselves that they will take safety more seriously going forward.
“We call for the most stringent hygiene measures and isolation for all suspected cases, to protect vulnerable people and to avoid schools becoming Covid-19 hotspots.”
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Contact: Regional Organiser, Lib Whitfield on 07583 182 085
GMB Sussex Branch 