Archive of Voice comments on COVID-19

Back to Coronavirus information (updated)

Resources

• Blog: The virtual teacher in the COVID-19 pandemic (23 April 2020)
• Key worker in focus (25 March 2020)

Comment and Statements:

February 2021:

England: Voice Community: A phased return to classroom learning: letter to the Education Secretary

Scotland: Community General Secretary's Letter to Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd MSP

Letter to Children's Minister Vicky Ford MP (England)

.@VoiceGenSec .@CommunityUnion We have been pressing for vaccinations for teachers & teaching assistants and for strengthening of other mitigating factors, including social distancing, smaller bubbles, higher standard masks, and assessing the value of rotas in giving a firebreak. https://t.co/KVWo3pSJXE

— Voice Community Cymru (@VoiceCymru) February 5, 2021

We would welcome your opinion on whether a consistent approach across Wales and/or local authorities is best, or for each school to make operational decisions taking into account the strength of their local knowledge.

We will continue to update members. Contact us re any queries https://t.co/KVWo3pSJXE

— Voice Community Cymru (@VoiceCymru) February 5, 2021

January 2021:

Update 29 January 2021:  England: Joint letter from Voice Community and others: Lack of support for agency workers

England: Blog: Vaccination must include support staff and early years staff as well as teachers

Northern Ireland:

.@VoiceGenSec Good news. .@CommunityUnion wrote to the Minister calling for priority for #education and #earlyyears staff. https://t.co/uN8Znk7oX5 #vaccine #priorityvaccine #coronavirus #COVID19 https://t.co/yIY15WnIeY pic.twitter.com/DaxWfnCh1q

— Voice Community (@Voicetheunion) January 22, 2021

England:  Interview: Who should get priority for the vaccine? 

We welcome the comments from the Minister for COVID Vaccine Deployment @nadhimzahawi today, stating that professions who are more likely to come into contact with Coronavirus and cannot work from home should be prioritised in the next stage of the vaccine rollout. pic.twitter.com/u4aJi4ptLc

— Community Union (@CommunityUnion) January 18, 2021

Read more here.

Letters call for priority access to vaccine 

Education and early years staff must be tested and vaccinated now, says Voice Community after survey

Update 8 January 2021: Update for members in early years, AP and SEND provision

Update 5 January 2021:  AGS Deborah Lawson interviewed on BBC Radio Derby

Updates 4 January 2021:   Voice Community:

England:  Statement on national address by Prime Minister

Scotland: Comment on First Minister’s lockdown announcement

Wales: Statement on new term arrangements in Wales

Updates 3 January 2021 England: Voice Community statement on safety of schools and other settings 

Voice Community: Statement on mass COVID testing in schools and colleges in England in 2021 + further DfE info December 2020

Joint TUC statement (pdf)

December 2020: England and Wales: Keeping our schools and colleges safe places for staff and learners

6 November 2020: England:

Voice Blog: Staff need to know they’re not an afterthought

Voice Blog: Staff need answers

• Voice:  Clarity, confidence and a Plan B (August 2020)
• Voice: Statement on face coverings in schools in England (28 July 2020)
• COVID-19 - Survey Results (July 2020)
• Wales: Voice Cymru comments on September plans and extra  (9 July 2020)
• England:  Voice comments on Autumn term plans (2 July 2020)
• England: Focus on threats and fines is not the correct approach  (29 June 2020)
• England: Voice welcomes delay to reception baseline assessment (25 June 2020)
• Government must act now to save childcare sector (25 June 2020)
• Wales: Minister's response deeply disappointing   (24 June 2020)
• Voice Cymru campaigns to overturn childcare decision  (23 June 2020)
• Statement on re-opening of schools in Scotland  (23 June 2020)
•  

• Ask Voice  (7 July 2020)
• Voice welcomes publication of scientific evidence and calls for early years guidance. (22 May 2020)  
• Blog: Divide and rule rumours aren’t the real picture (21 May 2020)
• Reopening schools, early learning and childcare provision in Scotland (21 May 2020)
• Voice welcomes acknowledgement of local approach to wider opening of schools  (20 May 2020)
• Voice comments on Government guidance on wider opening of education and childcare settings  (12 May 2020)
• Voice comments on Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy (11 May 2020)
• “Safety first and foremost.” General Secretary interviewed on BBC Essex about schools reopening fully, 3:08:00  (7 May 2020)
• SNCT Teachers' Side letter to COSLA (6 May 2020)
• What Voice would like to see before schools and nurseries reopen (5 May 2020)
• Returning to school in Wales: a little clarification after the confusion (5 May 2020)
• Media speculation about schools ‘reopening’ premature, unrealistic and causing anxiety (4 May 2020)
• Letter from General Secretary to Education Secretary about coronavirus (21 April 2020)
• Voice comments on Education Secretary’s COVID-19 briefing  (19 April 2020)
• Voice comments on Ofqual's exams statement (3 April 2020)
• Voice's statement on school closures in England (18 March 2020)

 

.@VoiceGenSec on .@BBCDerby "deeply disappointed" that members are still waiting for the promised list of key workers and other school closure details. https://t.co/4ex4Ulq1Yl

— Voice Community (@Voicetheunion) March 19, 2020

• Interview with the General Secretary on BBC Radio Derby  (17 March 2020)

Archive of resources

Coronavirus: Proposed Protection for Self-Employed and Freelancers

Rights for members with absence relating to Coronavirus / Covid-19

Advice for members about Coronavirus: services and contacts

Coronavirus update for members in Wales (17/18/19 March 2020)

SNCT update on COVID-19 and self-isolation  (3 March 2020)

NCSC Home working guidance (17 March 2020)