Over a quarter of school support workers would quit if holidays were changed, says UNISON

Over a quarter of school support workers would quit their jobs if Welsh government plans to shake-up the school year go ahead, says UNISON today (Friday).

Rosie Lewis

Cash-strapped school support staff in Wales are paying for pupils’ essentials, says UNISON

School support staff across Wales are using their own money to help pay for pupils’ food and clothing says UNISON today (Friday).

Jessica Sim

‘Worn out’ teaching assistant quits after more than a decade as wages fall and responsibilities rise

A teaching assistant who joined the profession after the loss of her own child is leaving in the face of low wages and rising responsibilities.

Schools risk support staff exodus over pay in Wales

45% of teaching assistants, caretakers, cleaners and other school support staff actively looking for better paid jobs

Top poet to perform for Welsh school support staff

All school support staff in Wales are being offered the opportunity to watch a special virtual performance from one of Britain’s best-loved poets, John Agard, this Saturday (27 March)

Welsh schools must remain closed until February

School support staff want Welsh schools to remain closed to face-to-face teaching for the whole of January and UNISON urges Welsh government to urgently consider, as in England, staying closed until after the February half-term because public safety is at risk with spiralling infection rates.

Schools support staff central to safe return to schools

School support staff will be central to the success of the full return to schools in September and Welsh Government’s operation guidance must reflect this, says UNISON.

Thousands of schools support staff across Wales believe schools should remain closed until September

Over 70% of school support staff across Wales believe opening schools June 29th is too soon, says the results of a UNISON survey

“Include us in Covid planning”, school support staff urge Kirsty Williams

UNISON Cymru Wales urged the Minister not to overlook the views of the thousands of support staff in planning for schools to re-open to all students

Ceredigion school support workers: “We feel worthless”

Staff have told UNISON they are fed up at being targeted each year when schools need to make cuts and morale could not be lower.

Low paid female staff heaviest hit by school cuts

Each year, predominantly female low paid teaching assistants, cooks, cleaners, receptionists and more, are told by their school they must reduce their working hours or help make other savings if they wish to keep their jobs

Support staff win protections for medicine administration in schools

For the first time in Wales, school support staff in Swansea will benefit from new guidelines on the administration of medicines to children in their care. Their union, UNISON has said more children than ever in mainstream education require specific health care, yet support staff receive little or no training in this area and many […]

Glaring omissions in education taskforce report

  Responding to Cabinet Secretary Kirsty Williams AM’s statement today on how school supply staff will be managed in future, Jess Turner, UNISON Cymru organiser for schools said, “We believe that support staff make up to half of the supply workforce and they will feel the taskforce has completely ignored them with this announcement. To not […]

Neath Port Talbot becomes latest Welsh council to agree to pay fees

Neath Port Talbot set to pay as registration fees for school support staff as UNISON campaign continues

Caerphilly joins councils pledging to pay school support staff fees

Caerphilly council’s decision to pay fees comes as a result of an ongoing campaign by UNISON