Covid: Union warning as staff ‘expected’ to attend Bushey schools

Urgent meetings have taken place over concerns raised this month by staff at Bushey Meads Secondary School, Hartsbourne Primary School and Little Reddings Primary School in Bushey.

The schools are all part the Bushey St James Trust – an academy trust led by executive principal Jeremy Turner.

The National Education Union (NEU) in Hertfordshire wrote to Mr Turner last week after the Watford Observer contacted it with claims of staff unnecessarily being made to come into school, despite government guidance urging people to work from home where possible.

In the letter, NEU in Hertfordshire joint branch and district secretaries Joyce Field and Barhey Singh say they write to "raise concerns about practices that we believe endanger staff and students of Bushey Meads School, and the wider community".

The letter asks for the "the true facts" over allegations that all staff are "expected" to attend school, and are "expected" to attend briefings and meetings, and gather in large groups.

It also questions whether students are being "encouraged" to attend school, whether some staff and students not wearing face coverings inside buildings are going "unchallenged", and if opportunities to avoid gatherings of students are "not being fully taken".

A copy of the letter sent by the National Education Union to Bushey St James Trust executive principal Jeremy Turner. Credit: Supplied

The NASUWT, The Teachers’ Union, is also aware of the situation at the trust and recently held a meeting with its members.

Before that meeting, regional organiser Keith Anderson told the Observer: "We would like Mr Turner to reconsider that he is expecting all staff to attend school because there is no requirement to do so.

"He should follow the good example of other schools in Hertfordshire in trying to ensure whenever possible, people stay at home."

The Watford Observer was contacted by a number of sources earlier this month claiming that staff – even those not teaching face-to-face and non-teachers – are expected to come into school, with some who have to use public transport exposing themselves to further risk.

One source said: "Every single member of staff is in. Those not on the rota (to teach face-to-face) and not teaching virtually still have to come in, even if they are just setting work or marking.

"It’s also expected to attend face-to-face briefing three times a week."

Another said "staff were angry and upset" at being told to come in.

Concerns have also been raised at Hartsbourne Primary School, pictured, part of the Bushey St James Trust. Credit: Google Street View

Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised with the Observer about the number of pupils that have been coming into school.

Government guidance states during the period of national lockdown, primary and secondary schools and colleges will remain open to vulnerable children and young people and the children of critical workers only – although critical worker parents "should keep their children home if they can".

But the Observer has seen several emails sent home to parents daily in early January by Mr Turner in which he appears to encourage pupils to come in.

On January 3, he suggested that staff at Bushey Meads are aiming to teach their "very best lessons" and those coming into school would "gain a boost in their learning and make even more progress".

On January 5, he wrote to parents saying "I would encourage all keyworker and more vulnerable children who are entitled to attend school to do so. The school is safe and Covid secure", before reminding parents "only one parent or carer needs to be a keyworker for the child to attend school".

He also wrote: "As effective as our remote learning approach might be however, it is hard, if not impossible to better the experience of actually being in the classroom".

An extract of an email sent home to parents by Jeremy Turner at the beginning of January

Another email sent home to parents by Mr Turner in early January

A source told the Observer there have been around 150 pupils at Bushey Meads on some days while another secondary school in the area had under ten in.

They added decisions made by the head teacher in January are "baffling" and "make little sense", particularly in light of the number of students at Bushey Meads self-isolating by the end of the December term.

They said there have been more students in on some days in January than back in December, when schools were legally still open to everyone.

Government figures show Bushey had one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in Hertfordshire in late November and December, with 103 cases in Bushey Central ward in the seven days to December 18, and 80 in Bushey Heath.

County council data shows the most common age group in Hertsmere of those testing positive for Covid in early December was those aged 10 to 19 before it spread to people in their 40s and 50s by the middle of the month.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council refused to say how coronavirus cases at Bushey Meads compared to other schools but did say: "We are aware that there have been Covid-19 cases linked to the school and we have been working with the school to help them manage these."

All of the concerns raised at the trust to the Observer were passed on in a call to the county council.

The council responded to say it has been working with Bushey Meads school, which has included a "number of visits" by its infection control team and also review of the school’s risk assessment – and "neither have thrown up any significant concerns".

The council added determining what a "safe number of pupils in school" is depends on the size of the school buildings and the number of staff available.

Mr Turner was contacted by the Observer but failed to respond while the chair of governors at the trust declined to comment.