Typical classroom scene where an audience of school children

Teaching assistants covering twice as many lessons in the pandemic

UNISON survey reveals huge rise in numbers doing higher-grade work as teachers fall ill or fail to get tests

Councils forced to pick up the pieces from failing test and trace

UNISON calls for urgent improvements to a ‘chaotic’ system in England

Pupil funding still leaves schools worse off than 10 years ago

Government announcement on pupil funding still below pre-austerity levels in real terms

Staff serving school meals to pupils

UNISON urges co-operation over reopening schools

‘Headline-catching announcements’ are not dealing with the practicalities needed to ensure pupils can return to school safely, says union

UNISON gives cautious welcome to COVID-related schools funding

School support staff will have a vital role in bringing pupils ‘back up to speed’

Support staff have little confidence in government school safety plans, says UNISON

Only 2% of employees felt reassured

Government must explain how school staff and pupils will be kept safe 

Ministers need to work with unions to create safe schools

Frightened workers self-isolating to protect vulnerable loved ones shouldn’t be punished

Extend furlough and sick pay for those protecting loves ones

Portrait of Jon Richards

Blog: Worth more than a clap

How you can support the campaign for a decent, fair pay rise for all our key workers in councils and schools

Local government pay – UNISON statement

Union will continue to campaign for more funding for the pay of key workers in local government and schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

UNISON calls for government to prioritise staff safety before re-opening schools

Suggestions that the government in England is considering reopening schools has caused huge anxiety amongst school staff and parents

Staff serving school meals to pupils

UNISON challenges government’s claim that education staff don’t need PPE

Union raises strong concerns with Department for Education’s latest guidance

Don’t forget to thank school support staff too, says UNISON

UNISON has written to the education secretary urging the government to show its thanks to all school staff, and to clarify urgently what personal protective equipment they should be using.

School technician cuts put safety at risk

Survey finds growing concern amongst staff

From school star to star MP

Fledgling MP Rosie Duffield has a very personal reason for supporting UNISON’s Stars in our Schools celebrations