Education unions - re-opening schools on June 1st is not safe

• Government warned that staff, students and communities will be put at risk 

Education unions have today (Tuesday) warned the government’s approach to re-opening schools could put staff, students and communities at risk. 

In a joint statement – signed by the NEU, NASUWT, NAHT, GMB, UNISON, Unite, AEP and NSEAD – the unions call for urgent talks with ministers to agree a safe plan for re-opening schools. 

The statement reads: 

The government’s approach to re-opening our schools is in danger of cutting across the guiding principle that safety and well-being of the students, staff, parents/carers and the communities schools serve is paramount. As it currently stands the Government’s plan reveals a complete lack of understanding about school circumstances and what is possible  

We are calling on the Government to meet with the education unions urgently to agree a plan for safely reopening our schools based on the principles and tests we have set out previously. Only then will we feel able to recommend that schools can safely be opened more widely.  

We call on the government to delay the planned re-opening of schools on 1st June until we have met and agreed the new plan.