News Updates

Take a look at what's been happening in the world of education and health and safety since our last issue...

Proposed Schools Bill gets Second Reading

On Monday, 23rd May, members of the Lords discussed the main principles and purpose of the Schools Bill.

The Schools Bill will empower the government to make new regulations concerning the operation of academies, school attendance, the register of independent institutions, funding for mainstream schools, and teacher misconduct.

Members discussed the main issues in the bill and any amendments which were needed during the second reading. Topics included:

  • Improving the standard of reading, writing and maths in primary schools;
  • Supporting schools to join multi-academy trusts;
  • Reforming the school funding system to give all children the same opportunities;
  • Developing an attendance policy for schools, trusts, governing bodies and local authorities;
  • Introducing a register for children not in schools;
  • Broadening the scope of the current teacher misconduct regime;
  • Careers advice and development for teachers and students;
  • Funding areas of educational underperformance;
  • Keeping schools well maintained, safe and operational;
  • Doing more for children with special education needs and disabilities;
  • Children's mental health; and
  • Powers for government in the bill and capacity of the Department for Education to deliver regulation.

Baroness Barran (Conservative), Minister for the School System, opened the debate and responded on behalf of the government. Other speakers included:

  • Baroness Brinton (Liberal Democrats), former chair of the Cambridgeshire Learning and Skills Council
  • Lord Lingfield (Conservative), director of the Centre for Education & Finance Management Limited
  • Baroness Morris of Yardley (Labour) adviser to the Institute of Effective Education
  • Lord Nash (Conservative), trustee of the Education Policy Institute

The first chance for line by line examination of the bill, is scheduled to begin on Wednesday 8 June.

For more information, CLICK HERE

Revised Advice on Chemical Spills

Following revised advice from NHS England and First Aid bodies, CLEAPSS a leading advisory service for science and technology in the UK has changed its advice on irrigation after chemical exposure to a minimum of 20 minutes.

This has caused some schools to claim that this may disrupt lessons, particularly if several students spill a few drops of something relatively low-hazard on their hands. CLEAPSS have concluded that it is reasonable to treat spillages of clearly low-hazard solutions, such as sodium chloride, more lightly, taking care to ensure that the spill is well rinsed off and no symptoms are present.

However, CLEAPSS would advise that in more serious cases, in order to make a judgement staff need to have some understanding of the nature of the chemical and how the skin has reacted to it. This can be supported by another experienced teacher/technician, or, indeed, a trained first aider. Under these conditions, it may be appropriate to irrigate the skin for less than 20 minutes.

This sort of judgement must be made at the time of the treatment with the evidence clearly in front of you. If you are unsure, irrigate and call for a first aider or ask for someone to call 111. On the CLEAPSS Helpline, we will do our best to guide you, but CLEAPSS cannot make this judgement for you.

After any immediate remedial measure, check that the casualty no longer has symptoms. Advise them to return immediately if symptoms arise later, and at the end of the day anyway to enable you to check for any remaining problems. Follow your school’s policy regarding such incidents.

This sort of judgement must be made at the time of the treatment with the evidence clearly in front of you. If you are unsure, irrigate and call for a first aider or ask for someone to call 111.

If schools use the CLEAPSS Helpline they must remember that CLEAPSS cannot make this judgement for you.

After any immediate remedial measure, check that the casualty no longer has symptoms. Advise them to return immediately if symptoms arise later, and at the end of the day anyway to enable you to check for any remaining problems. Follow your school’s policy regarding such incidents.

South Wales School Closed "On Health and Safety Grounds" After an 11-Year-Old Boy Loses Finger "Fleeing Bullies"

Gwent Police are now investigating a report of an assault on Raheem Bailey who was allegedly beaten by a group of children at school and broke his finger while climbing a fence to escape his tormentors. Unfortunately, the finger had to be amputated. Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council said the school was working with Police to establish what happened.

Raheem’s mother Shantal Bailey said he had faced "racial and physical abuse" and had been "beaten, attacked and kicked", since he started secondary school at Abertillery Learning Community in South Wales in September. She alleges her son was attacked by a group of children at the school and was beaten then kicked after being pushed to the ground. She said Raheem made a desperate attempt to leave the school grounds but got his right-hand ring finger caught while climbing a fence, causing a severe injury. He underwent six hours of surgery to save his finger but it was unsuccessful.

Almost £94,000 has now been raised on a Go Fund Me page to go towards a prosthetic finger for Raheem and his ongoing recovery.

Speaking on Sunday, Ms Bailey said: "It is difficult, as a mum, having to tell your child that people might not like you because of your skin - not because you're mean, not because you're horrible, but just because of the skin he was born into." She added that she was "truly grateful" for the generosity shown by so many towards Raheem.

Gwent Police said: "A multi-agency meeting has taken place and we're working with the school as part of our ongoing inquiries."

In an interview on Sky News, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi called the incident "sickening."

The Welsh Government have issued a statement which said: "We condemn bullying and racial harassment in any form and expect allegations and incidents of bullying and racism to be fully investigated by schools, with appropriate action taken to address the matter and prevent further instances from happening."

Every School Pupil in Scotland Could Be Told to Wear a Gender-Neutral Uniform

SNP and Greens reveal plans for a Scottish uniform policy to cut costs for parents and promote equality in classrooms. They say that the plan was designed to “cap the cost of school uniforms”.

A consultation launched by Nicola Sturgeon’s administration has revealed plans to create a national uniform policy and could see items such as expensive blazers or branded PE kits banned. This would mean that traditional items of clothing, which in some cases date back more than a century, would not be acceptable in their current form.

The proposals have provoked a backlash from private schools after the consultation documents stated that they would also be made to follow the new rules and argued that that the smartness of pupils was a major selling point to parents when they viewed schools.

The initial agreement said that mandatory guidance would be produced to “increase use of generic items of uniform and reduce costs for families.” However, no mention was made of independent schools coming within the scope of the policy and it is understood that many private schools were shocked when they found out that it would apply to them.

John Edward, the director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools, said: “I’m not sure why it’s the business of government ministers what children in non-government schools wear. The whole point of our schools is they’re run independently.”

Mr Edward said it was “not a particular shock” to learn the policy had been pushed by the Greens. Ross Greer, the Greens’ education spokesman who has previously called for private schools to be banned and demolished said it also presented an opportunity to “promote equality in our classrooms” by removing “unnecessary rules around what each gender should wear”.

He said that schools already had their own policies in place to address issues such as affordability for low-income parents, whose children may receive bursaries, and gender equality.

Mr Greer said: “This new national guidance is an opportunity to let young people, parents and carers choose good value clothing which meets their school’s rules without needing to buy from expensive specialist retailers.”

Mr Edward said; “Uniform is really important to many of our schools, it’s part of who they are and their identity. Others prefer not to have one at all, but that’s their choice. Our schools work day in, day out to make sure uniforms are ethical, gender-appropriate, resilient. This is a conversation they have all the time, but I’m not sure why it’s a conversation they need to have with anyone else.”

Grants of at least £120 are already available to help low-income families with the cost of uniforms, rising to £150 for secondary pupils.

The Scottish Government said it was not considering mandating specific uniform items but was instead writing a set of rules to “inform local authorities and schools policies. There are no plans to abolish uniforms entirely."

Turkish Restaurant Fined £70,000 After Eight-year-old Boy Traps Hand in Mincing Machine

In a hearing held at Thames Magistrates' Court, the director of Gokyuzu, a Turkish restaurant in Walthamstow, north-east London, has been fined £70,000 after an eight-year-old boy’s hand was trapped in a mincing machine. The boy was left with life-changing injuries following the horrific accident on 7th April, 2019.

Veysel Yavuz, pleaded guilty to one count of failing to ensure the safety of employees and one count of failing to ensure dangerous machinery had the required safety measures in place. A third charge of failing to control access to the kitchen was dropped.

After the accident, Environmental Health Officers visited the restaurant and discovered that there were no written risk assessments and no evidence of training or other safety procedures. Officers found that the in-built fixed guard to the mincing machine had been removed with an angle grinder.

Deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council, Clyde Loakes said: “This incident has left a young child with life-changing injuries – and all because Gokyuzu Walthamstow failed in their health and safety obligations by removing the safety guard from their mincing machine. The restaurant was fined £70,000 with costs of £16,557.27 awarded to the Council.

HSE Investigation Reveals College Broke Covid Rules

Burnley College has been found to have broken several health and safety laws relating to Covid-19, after it was investigated by the HSE following the death of an employee. Donna Coleman, who worked at the college as a professor, died in January 2021, aged just 42, after she contracted Covid-19.

Although the HSE report was ‘inconclusive’ over whether the professor caught the virus at work, experts say the case is still a ‘stark reminder’ of the importance of workplace safety.

Prior to her illness, Coleman had expressed worry about the Covid measures at the college, telling her sister that she was “scared” to go into work. However, she did not raise her concern with the college because she had been afraid of reprisals. The HSE pointed out that there was “no evidence to indicate that Donna Coleman did not take suitable precautions to protect herself."

Although the HSE said it was “inconclusive” as to whether Coleman had contracted the virus at work they added that the college had not been “taking all reasonably practicable steps” to prevent the spread of the virus at the time and that it had failed to enforce social distancing requirements during in-person meetings with external parties. They cited video evidence showing staff, including Coleman, standing “side by side” and without face coverings during the meetings. Coleman had also been sharing a “relatively small” office with two other colleagues, which “didn’t allow for social distancing” and had no ventilation apart from a window, “which relied on the confidence of employees to open the window during the winter months”.

The college held its staff Christmas party on 18 December, when Lancashire was on a ‘very high alert’ tier, and Covid infections were increasing among staff. An anonymous source informed the HSE that there was no social distancing at this event, and an accompanying video clip showed this to be the case.

Although the college had improved its Covid health and safety measures in early 2021, they will be required to pay a fee as a consequence of its failure to enforce health and safety measures during the pandemic.

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, said that the investigation should be a “stark reminder to employers that they need to take workplace safety seriously and engage with unions when we raise health and safety concerns”.

UCU and Coleman’s family are appealing the HSE’s ‘inconclusive’ finding on whether the professor had contracted Covid at work.

Ofsted Report Says English is ‘Fundamental’ to Pupils’ Educational Success

Ofsted are currently publishing a series of reviews into different subjects across the curriculum. The most recent review, concerning how English is taught, discusses how curriculum content and sequencing, as well as subject-specific pedagogy, best enable pupils to achieve the national curriculum aims for English. It identifies themes that contribute to an effective education in English, including:

  • Strong foundational knowledge for reading, writing and spoken language as essential aspects of the early years curriculum;
  • Developing vocabulary is fundamental to pupils’ progress and narrows the word gap between pupils who are word-rich and word-poor;
  • An effective reading curriculum ensures that pupils read large amounts of text and focuses on providing pupils with the knowledge they need for comprehension;
  • A reading curriculum incorporating carefully chosen texts of increasing challenge; and
  • The English curriculum for novices, who are likely to learn more effectively through direct instruction, is structured differently in many aspects from the curriculum for experts.
This review attempts to identify factors that can contribute to high-quality curriculums, pedagogy, assessment and schools’ systems for managing the subject.

English is a complex subject that combines the disciplines of English language and literature. Studying English is vital to understanding the rest of the curriculum, as well as for educational success beyond school. But more than this, English allows pupils to explore the power and beauty of literature and language.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman said; “More than any other subject, English – and especially reading – is fundamental to pupils’ educational success. But English is so much more than the gateway to success in other subjects. Through studying literature, pupils’ eyes are opened to the human experience; they explore meaning and ambiguity as well as the beauty and power of language. We hope that this review helps teachers and school leaders raise the quality of education in English and inspire a love of literature and language in all young people.”

For more information CLICK HERE

NASUWT Calls for Action on Islamophobia in Scottish Schools

The NASUWT union says all school staff should be trained on how to tackle Islamophobia and promote equality and is calling for more action to tackle Islamophobia in Scottish schools.

The union’s annual conference passed a motion saying it was “appalled” that 75% of Muslims said Islamophobia was an everyday issue, according to a report released last year. It was also revealed that a cross-party inquiry at Holyrood found 18% of Scottish Muslims said they had experienced discrimination in school.

NASUWT is demanding that understanding the issue should be integrated into the curriculum. 78% of those who responded said Islamophobia has an impact on the educational outcomes of Muslims.

Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said: “The inquiry highlighted how recognition of and action to address Islamophobia in Scottish society has been very limited to date. The fact that 78% of Muslims who responded to the inquiry felt that Islamophobia is getting worse in Scotland highlights the key role that education can and must play in addressing prejudice and promoting understanding. Including an understanding of Islamophobia in the school curriculum, accompanied by training for all school staff, would help to counter ignorance, intolerance and hatred and help ensure that all young people, whatever their faith or ethnic background, feel safe, welcomed and valued in our schools. Education is a building block for the future and is critical in fostering positive attitudes amongst the younger generation in which Muslims feel accepted as part of Scottish society and where Islamophobia has no place.”

Report Reveals Educational Progress and Social Development of Younger Children Most Affected by Covid Lockdowns

Research published by the Education Endowment Foundation has found parents and teachers are concerned that children in England were struggling with their emotional wellbeing as well as their ability to learn language and numeracy skills, after starting in reception classes after the earlier spring lockdown. The new research has found that the educational progress and social development of four and five-year-olds has suffered severely during their first year at school.

Teachers said the disruption had left some infants with “low self-esteem.” Others highlighted increased behaviour problems including “biting, hitting, unable to share”, leading to teachers having to focus more on helping children settle back into school.

The study looked at more than 3,000 children who began their reception year in September 2020. Many of those children had missed out attending daycare or other early years settings during the March 2020 lockdown.

Claudine Bowyer-Crane, of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, said the findings were worrying: “Not only does it suggest that children who started reception in 2020 are struggling in the specific learning areas of literacy and maths but also that a smaller proportion of these children are achieving a good level of development.”

Ruth Coleman, headteacher at Highfield school in Ipswich, said: “When children returned to our nursery after the pandemic, many struggled with vital aspects of early years development, such as personal touch, or coping in bigger groups of children. We saw more children who had separation anxiety from their parents too. Some children were further behind with speech and language development than we’d expect.”

The study reveals that more children finished reception year behind in their expected goals than in pre-pandemic years, with the equivalent of three fewer children in every classroom not reaching expected levels of academic, personal and physical development.

HSE Announces Programme of Radiactive Sources Inspections

The HSE’s Field Operations Division is undertaking a programme of inspections across England, Wales and Scotland to see how schools manage the safe use and storage of the radioactive sources used in science teaching. These inspections started in April 2022.

Although the sources held in your school or college may be comparitively small, low risk does not mean exemption from inspection.

CLEAPSS who are advising the HSE with the inspections has offered advice to schools and colleges to make sure that are compliant. They have pointed out that, on their own science department audits they have noticed;

  • Leak tests on sealed sources not done within the last year;
  • Records disorganised or missing;
  • Location of the radioactives cabinet is unsatisfactory; and
  • Old editions of L93 (radiation guidance) are being used.

They recommend that:

  • If you have sealed radioactive sources, they must be inspected and leak-tested at suitable intervals, preferably yearly;
  • If you do your own leak tests, you should have the appropriate detection equipment and a way to show it is working satisfactorily;
  • Records can be digital, but make sure you are able to show them to an inspector;
  • Section 4 of L93 gives details about suitable locations for a radioactives cabinet. It should not be in the flammables or corrosives store, and not in an outside store and
  • Ensure that you are using the current edition of L93 which is dated November 2019. If you hold the typical small teaching sources for science, your employer should have consulted and, if necessary, appointed a suitable radiation protection adviser. The school or college should also have registered the use of radioactive sources with the HSE. If you are unsure, it would be worth checking both have been done.

Handsam now offer client access to the CLEAPSS Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA) service. This service will replace that which many schools, trusts and academies previously purchased or were provided through the Local Authority. FIND OUT MORE HERE

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CLEAPSS HERE