THE National Education Union has accused the government of ignoring warnings from scientists and putting people at risk as pupils return to schools.

The NEU has advised teachers and support staff in Swindon and Wiltshire to invoke section 44 of the employment at work act and state that it is unsafe to be in school with a class of children.

Even Swindon Primary School staff acted on the union's advice which led head Alison Lowe to decide to close the school on Monday.

Shaw Ridge Primary School then announced that it too would be staying closed on Monday as an emergency but did not provide further details.

The prime minister has insisted that schools are safe and that parents should send primary-aged pupils back to the classroom on Monday, but there have been worries over infection risks.

The NEU's Swindon secretary Debbie Brown said: "Our union is calling on all primary schools to move to remote learning for the first two weeks of January except to vulnerable children and the children of key workers.    

"We are writing to employers, urging them to look at the advice of SAGE, the government’s scientific advisory group, and we are urging our members, on the basis of that science, to use a model letter which was provided by the NEU stating that it is unsafe for them to be in school – in crowded buildings with no social distancing, no PPE and inadequate ventilation   

"We are asking members to be available to work from home and to support remote learning.  

"We are also asking our members to be in school to provide teaching for key workers’ children and those children who are classed as ‘vulnerable’. Our members are still providing learning for all children.

"This is a step we take with huge reluctance. But this government is failing to protect children, their families and our communities. And it is failing in its duty of care to education staff who have worked tirelessly to look after children during this pandemic."  

Debbie highlighted warnings from the union which she said the government had ignored just before most of England was moved into the highest possible Tier.

She added: "In December, we called for schools to be closed for two weeks at the start of the spring term in order to provide a circuit breaker and lower infections.

"Our view was ignored but our call has become even more urgent as the new variant of Covid-19 is spreading far more quickly than in March.    

"We now know that SAGE also called for all schools to be closed in January to keep the R rate below 1. This advice was issued on December 22 and ministers have done little to follow it.    

"The science now tells us that, although children largely do not become ill with Covid-19, they spread it to others. To their parents, their families and into their communities.  

"That is why SAGE wanted schools to close – as a way of keeping the public safe. If government does not act to follow the science, we must.     

"Our NHS is on its knees – infection rates are at their highest since March, hundreds are dying every day and hospitals are struggling to cope with a tidal wave of new cases.     

"Ambulances are queuing outside hospitals in the worst-affected areas, with patients being treated in car parks and some having to transfer intensive care Covid patients hundreds of miles to receive the care they need.   

"We cannot stand by and see our members, our pupils, their families and the communities we serve put in harm's way like this.     

"Our NHS heroes have been working flat out since March and are exhausted and fearful of how they will cope with the hugely increasing number of very sick patients.    

"We are education professionals, and we all want schools to be open for all pupils. We know, to our very core, how important education is to children’s wellbeing and life chances.    

"But we will not sit by and see the worsening of a health catastrophe in this way."