With schools now moving back to remote learning again, teachers and school staff with dependents face some tough decisions. Parents and carers might find themselves stuck for childcare, or struggling to juggle remote learning, in-school provision and their caring responsibilities.
Coronavirus school closures: The rights of teachers who are parents
We asked Voice: The Union for Education Professionals to answer some of your questions about your rights as a parent during this time.
I’m a teacher with a school-aged child who needs supervision at home. Their school has closed, but I’m needed to teach in person at my school. What should I do?
The government has said that teachers and those working in schools are considered key workers. Whilst there might be occasions when the school is completely closed, most of the time your child should be prioritised for a place. If you are not able to access any form of childcare (either through school or through a childcare/social bubble) then the first thing to do is explain this to your headteacher. Everyone has to be flexible at the moment - your employer included - and so this might mean you taking a day for emergency childcare, working from home or even teaching from home if you can do so safely.
Government guidelines explain that there needs to be only one parent who is on the critical worker list to access a place in school.
I am a teacher and a parent without my normal wraparound childcare, but my school wants me in every day. What can I do?
As above, we expect employers to be flexible.
Schools will have staged start and end times to support social distancing, and this means that teachers could work slightly altered hours, too, although no teacher should be on site after the children have left, to allow for the building to be properly cleaned.
There is also the option to take dependents’ leave or even unpaid leave, though we do not believe this is appropriate in these circumstances.
I’m a teacher with a child who is shielding, and therefore cannot use the critical worker scheme. Can my school make me come to work?
Where children are shielding, the government guidance suggests that parents should continue to have physical contact to provide essential care.
Therefore, unless the employer can guarantee safety for the teacher (including social distancing at all times), the teacher should continue to work from home.
I have young children and my normal wraparound childcare isn’t available. My school is asking me to do unmanageable hours. What can I do?
Workload continues to be a major issue for school-based staff and this is something we continue to work with the government to seek to address.
It is unreasonable to expect teachers to plan work for full-time classroom delivery while simultaneously planning work for remote learning. It is our understanding that the government does not expect a full curriculum at this time.
School leaders need to consider how to deploy their staff and must be mindful of workload and wellbeing.
