A TRADE union has called on the Welsh Government to move learning online for the last week of the school term to keep staff and students safe.

UNISON Cymru has written to Kirsty Williams, the Welsh minister for education to raise concerns school support staff have about working in a classroom until the end of term.

Concerns have also been raised over the potential need to isolate over the Christmas period.

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The letter signed by the regional organiser, Rosie Lewis, and chairman of UNISON Cymru Wales regional schools, Jonathan Lewis, calls on the Welsh Government to move to a blended learning approach until the end of term.

It says: “School support staff have worked incredibly hard over this term to help ensure schools are COVID safe. Many learning support assistants are unable to socially distance from pupils because of the nature of their roles, which includes one-to-one support at proximity as well as personal care.

“This group of workers have already made huge sacrifices during the pandemic. The autumn half-term holiday formed part of the all-Wales firebreak, which restricted school support staff from being able to fully enjoy a break.”

The Welsh Government has since confirmed that the priority is to keep children in school until the end of term on December 18.

Local authorities, however, have been making their own decisions on what their schools will do for the few weeks of term with some opting for blended learning, while others will remain open.