AN education union has called for external school reviews to be suspended as a result of the likelihood of Covid-related disruption during the opening weeks of the new term.
As pupils and staff return to school today after the Christmas holiday, the National Education Union has said that carrying on with reviews would be inappropriate.
Unions and parents expressed concern last week that schooling would be disrupted as a result of the high number of Covid cases seen in recent weeks, with teachers and pupils among those who have been obliged to isolate.
Mark Oliver, president of the NEU Jersey District, said: ‘We believe the government should suspend external school reviews until student and staffing levels consistently return to normal so that valid assessments and support can be identified and then embedded.
‘By the end of last term, staff were supporting large numbers of isolating colleagues, teaching lessons online and in the classroom simultaneously, and supporting returning students with catch-up work.
‘Until schools return to normal, we feel that it is not appropriate for Jersey schools to be externally reviewed.
‘Schools will need time and additional resources to plan and deliver the support that pupils will need throughout 2022.’
The JEP has asked the government whether external reviews will carry on as planned but had not received a response at the time of going to print.
