Covid: Schools in Wales still face chaos, teachers warn

Pupils still face disruption, say teachers

Disruption caused by Covid in schools is as bad as it has been at any point over the pandemic, teachers have said.

One union described the situation as "chaotic" and "stressful" as schools struggle to plug staffing gaps.

It has led to calls on the Welsh government to extend asymptomatic testing of staff and provide extra funding for supply teachers.

Education Minister Jeremy Miles said the Welsh government was trying to help alleviate staffing pressures.

On Friday the government confirmed most of the remaining legal Covid restrictions in Wales are being lifted as society takes another step towards normality.

However the UCAC union said schools "certainly aren't in any form of normality and there are still huge challenges ahead".

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The union's deputy general secretary Rebecca Williams told the BBC's Politics Wales programme: "It's still very chaotic and stressful despite everybody's best attempts and all the precautions that are being taken.

"I think it would be very misleading if anyone were to get the impression that things are normal in schools."

Neil Butler of the NASUWT union told the programme that mitigations including testing and the requirement to wear face coverings should continue in schools.

The routine asymptomatic testing of school staff and secondary school pupils is due to end at the start of the Easter holidays.

"We're certainly not out of the woods yet," Mr Butler said.

"We've got a widespread problem with Covid in schools because of this absenteeism so now is not the time to ease off on the main mitigations that we need to maintain in schools such as testing and face coverings."

With exams around the corner, Mr Butler also called for "an injection of funding" so schools can bring in supply staff to release some teachers to concentrate on older pupils.

Unions are warning however that there is also lack of supply cover to be bring in.

Meilir Tomos, headteacher of Ysgol Glan Morfa in the Splott area of Cardiff, said Covid challenges continue in schools

Meanwhile the NAHT union has called for other potential reforms to be put on hold, including changes to the school day.

"It adds additional stress and we don't need that at the moment," NAHT Cymru president Kerina Hanson said.

"It just feels like a bit of a juggernaut that isn't stopping."

Meilir Tomos, headteacher of Ysgol Glan Morfa in Splott, Cardiff, said: "The last two years have been difficult but I feel that the last couple of weeks have been even more challenging.

"When we come in in the morning and staff have to isolate it's really difficult because we then have to move staff around which means some pupils might have to lose that support for the morning which does have a real impact then on standards as well."

Education Minister Jeremy Miles told the programme that he "absolutely recognised that this is a challenging situation" and that the Welsh government was "continuing to fund the programme that provides additional staff in schools in Wales for this financial year and beyond".

"We're working with local authorities and the supply agencies on some of the pressures," he added.

He also announced that a scheme which has been in place since September, funding 400 newly-qualified teachers to work in schools, will be extended into the summer rather than finishing at the end of this term as had been planned.

• Politics Wales is available on BBC One Wales, 10:00 BST on 27 March and on BBC iPlayer.