Association of Teachers and Lecturers
ATL OLDHAM BRANCH
e-News February 2008
Branch Secretary: jasonsharp@ntlworld.com
The government released the School Teachers' Review Body's (STRB) report on 15 th January 2008. The STRB have recommended a 2.45% increase from 1 September 2008 and provisionally recommended a 2.3% increase from 1 September 2009 and a further provisional 2.3% from 1 September 2010. The provisional increases will be dependent on a review undertaken by the STRB prior to September 2009.
There now follows a period of consultation on the recommendations which runs until 11 February 2008. The full STRB Report can be viewed at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/payandperformance/pay/News/ .
ATL have made the following comments on the STRB recommendations;
• Teachers will recognise today's pay award is better than other public sector deals, says the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).
• This 3-year award should give stability for schools to plan their budgets and help in the recruitment and retention of teachers. “However, this deal doesn't match the current rate of inflation. ATL will continue to argue that pay awards should protect teachers' pay in real terms.
• We are pleased the STRB held a firm and principled position by not capitulating to the Government's demands to keep public sector pay to two per cent.
• The Government should be commended for accepting the level of pay recommended by the STRB.
• ATL will keep a close watch on recruitment and retention of teachers to be ready to make a strong recommendation to the STRB pay review in 2009.
• The over 2% "award" is surprising in view of what Gordon Brown has previously stated as his un-breachable line with the public sector of nothing over 2%. However, it is not quite so surprising when you consider the perception that to have stuck to 2% or below might well have provoked the education unions collectively to have taken action, or threatened to take action, if not now, later, as occurred over pensions.
• As to being “delighted” with it as John Dunford of ASCL said, I don't agree that teacher, our members, will be “delighted”. It is below inflation and therefore represents a pay cut, and it is clear that there is virtually zero prospect of inflation falling below 2.3 % next year which will be a further pay cut, ditto the year after. Most teachers' real pay has been reduced over the last two years already. We should not reduce our expectations (and demands) to such an extent that we are happy with a whipping instead of a severe flogging.
• There is no mention of the review of the current award-has the government ignored the re-opening of the award as the RPI had risen above the level where that clause had to be invoked. The Daily telegraph that the cost of the average basket of groceries has risen by 12% in last year, factor in petrol, energy, council tax etc and although the deal is better than expected we will still be worse off.
• I believe it is time to set out to reverse the decline we have suffered. It is true that we can do this only as and when the members are up for it, but we have an important and serious task to educate members as to the reality of what has, and is, happening. Also to explain the obvious reasons behind it and the preference of acting, or threatening to act, to rectify the situation sooner rather than later if possible. Our ability to do this has been strengthened by the Government's recognition of its own weakness but they hope to head off, or emasculate the upward and burgeoning pressure to regain and maintain our real salary levels by division within the education union ranks. Divide and rule or divide and conquer, same as it ever was.
ATL will have to prepare thoroughly for the 2009 pay review. It is anticipated that the government will resist any attempt to suggest that inflation has reached a level sufficient to revise the multi-year pay offer.
ATL will send out an e-mail consultation to ascertain members' opinion on the current pay offer. Executive members were asked to sound out opinion in their constituencies. To date headquarters has received no telephone calls on the issue and the relevant part of the website has received no hits. Have your say at www.atl.org.uk
Could teachers walk out over pay? ANALYSIS
By Mike Baker
There is no doubt what is top of education ministers' agendas just now: what to do about teachers' pay. They are caught between a desperate desire to dampen down public sector pay and real concern that the unions may be ready for a fight over salaries. Pay is also likely to be pretty high on most teachers' lists of concerns, with the retail price index at over 4%, no further cut in interest rates this month, and big rises in domestic fuel bills already announced. Could 2008 be the year when industrial unrest returns to schools?
• The prime minister also wants to put the public sector onto three-year pay deals. Teachers in England and Wales , of course, are already on a multi-year deal. But the current deal comes to an end this year.
• Could 2008 be the year when the whole structure of long-term deals and the School Teachers Pay Review Body - which advises the government - comes to an end?
• The omens are not good. Last April, at the teacher unions' annual conferences, there was a determined mood over pay. It was the first time for many years that salary issues had dominated all other concerns. Indeed, the National Union of Teachers' conference unanimously backed a motion ordering preparations for a one-day walkout in schools as the "first stage" in a campaign against a pay squeeze.
• The current teachers' pay deal was announced in December 2005, when inflation was thought to be under control. It offered 2.5% in September 2006 and a further 2.5% in September 2007.
The next deal is due to cover the period from September 2008 to August 2011 and ministers have told the review body to recommend a deal within the 2% inflation target.
Teachers' leaders say that effectively means a pay cut.
• As it is, the unions are angry that a clause in the last pay deal, which allowed extra increases if the RPI went above 3.5%, was not triggered even though the retail price index rose to well above that last year.
This will be a crucial year for the review body. It was set up in the late 1990s, following years of industrial action that affected schools (although the last national strike was back in the late 1980s).
During this period teachers' pay has fared pretty well compared to other sectors.
• Between 1997 and 2005, teachers' pay increased by around 40% in cash terms and 15% after taking inflation into account.
• Latest evidence suggests that the number of hours worked by teachers, while still high, has fallen.
• Pay levels are not yet seriously affecting either recruitment or retention. The latest official teacher vacancy rate is just 0.6%, well down from 1.4% in 2001. Teacher shortages remain in certain key subjects and areas, but are not a problem across the board.
So, despite the genuine anger over pay, there must be some doubt how far the unions will be willing to push it just now. But a below-inflation award, after two years in which pay has started to fall behind prices, would certainly end their confidence in the School Teachers Review Body and could just spell disruption in schools.
The new pensions fact sheets are available to download from the ATL website at http://www.atl.org.uk/atl_en/pay/Your_pension/pension/default.asp
Part-time work Guide
We have just published a new publication as part of our employment advice series: This guide covers the rights and responsibilities of those who are currently working part time as well as those who seek to work part time. A PDF of the publication is also available to download from our website at: http://www.atl.org.uk/atl_en/resources/publications/advice/default.asp
Breezehill/Counthill sponsor ‘withdraws'
Praise should be given to Oldham Council for rejecting one of the proposed academy sponsors following their statement that they would only employ Christians in the new academy. As a consequence the meetings at Counthill & Breezehill have been cancelled. The remaining schools will still meet with their proposed sponsors on the specified dates. A list of questions teachers might like to ask is attached to this e-News.
Jennifer Caola's positive examples of Academies' best practice, in Bristol :
• Academies there have implemented STPCD and Burgundy Book for teaching staff and Green Book for support staff.
• Regular meetings take place between union reps and the management to discuss school policy and get regular facilities time for this and to support members.
• Academies have adopted policies in line with LA recommended ones.
• Important to work alongside the other TUs, as collaborative approach has proved be to successful in getting fears and concerns of all sides
• A number of protocols have been established at the Academies
Good Practice :
• Pay - One Branch Secretary reported better than statutory pay for teachers in an Academy
• Pensions - Example given of an Academy retaining participation in TPS [– are some Academies seeking to avoid doing this?]
• Campaigns: - One Branch Secretary gave the example of a local campaign against proposed Trust status for all schools in an area and as a result 75% of Heads rejected the plans – important to share campaigning info between branches
Bad Practice:
• No communication and a lack of properly arranged meetings between union representatives and sponsor/Academy.
• Admissions practices against Admissions Code. One Branch Secretary told us of an Academy that was not admitting siblings as a matter of course, causing parents to have children in different schools. It also has a knock-on effect to the local authority, which is having its admission's policy made more complicated by the Academy's actions
Concerns/further points raised:
• Prospect of all-through Academies opening, for 3-18 year olds, and the impact this may have on workload etc
• The increasing size of schools, particularly primaries, with PFI schools becoming Academies
• Universities sponsoring Academies – is this better than other types of sponsors?
• Admission to a certain Academy can be put on a child's Statement of Educational Need and must be adhered to. DCSF will pursue if not so, as the document has legal status
• What happens when a new school is built, then that school transfers to Trust status and LA is left paying for new build? This issue will come up soon in some instances.
Trust schools.
Executive approved this position paper whose statements include:-
• Government centrally and at local level, through locally elected and accountable authorities, should be responsible for schools and the part they play in the community.
• The ultimate leadership of schools should remain in the hands of a qualified and experienced teacher.
• Many of the freedoms trumpeted for Trust schools are options already for maintained schools.
• ATL believes that Trust schools should be returned to the local authority family and new schools should not be created as trust schools. The local authority is best placed to make decisions on the half of its community.
• The government should tighten up admissions to promote fairer education for all, rather than increasing the opportunities for schools to deviate from guidelines. ATL is concerned that ultimately not all parents will have the same level of choice when applying for the most suitable school for their children, if indeed any choice is afforded to them at all.
• ATL is concerned the governing bodies can have a majority of Trust appointed governors.
• ATL needs to be involved in discussions concerning any school that has considered for Trust status in order to help prevent the following:- The school deciding not to the adhere to the Schoolteachers Pay and Conditions Document and the Burgundy Book entitlements. The school deciding to withdraw from the Teachers Pension Scheme for its teaching staff and The Local Government Pension Scheme for its support staff.
Executive was told that the details about the regulation and rules governing Trust schools have not been entirely clarified by the government. ATL will try to is seek clarification of these details before the position paper is finally published. It seems as if the government itself is unclear over several
Specialist Schools and Academies Trust
Sir Cyril Taylor is reported as saying that four hundred failing schools were being considered for specialist, trust or academy status. None of the five schools, which are likely to close, is failing; indeed the most recent inspection (of Breeze Hill School ) is very positive. Can we assume that, as Oldham 's schools do not meet the Government and Sir Cyril's criteria for replacement by academies, the plans will be halted?
At the same meeting, Christine Gilbert, the Chief Inspector for Schools, commented on the specialist schools programme. She is reported thus: “Across a range of subjects inspectors reported that they visited some schools where there was little to suggest that specialism had made a difference in terms of the fundamentals of classroom teaching. This is a serious criticism. If teaching had not improved, it's hard to see that learning would."
In other words, much public money has been wasted. This could have been avoided if there had been a trial of the specialist schools programme had been rolled out across the country. The comment shows that simply giving schools extra money does not guarantee improved results; targeting specific areas, such as reducing class size for the 7-11 age range, would have much better spent the money.
Results from the first academies show an even worse situation – academies' results are worse than normal community school. Academies cost £5m - £10m more to build than state schools. It is to be hoped that Ms Gilbert realises it is likely she will be making the same criticism of academies in a few years' time. The most sensible thing to do now would be to halt the academies programme so that the effect of the few, which have opened so far, can be properly assessed. To do otherwise is to play roulette with our children's future.
GENERAL REPORTS
UNIONS BACK MOVES FOR SEARCH ARCHES AT SCHOOLS
Plans to install airport-style metal detectors at some of the country's toughest secondary schools in a bid to curb knife crime among pupils were tonight welcomed by teaching unions.
The measure is expected to form the centrepiece of the Government's new action plan for tacking violence, which will be unveiled next month by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
• “We would support measures to protect the safety and security of pupils, teachers and school support staff.
• “As a headline-grabber it is pretty good initiative, but we have concerns about implementation and the evidence on which the Government based its decision. We suspect most incidents involving knives and young people don't occur on school or college premises.
12 to 20-year-olds commit more than three quarters of knife crime, and the most practical way to stop such assaults is by stopping the carrying of knives. In addition to scanners at key points, the police should be giving higher priority to stop and search for offensive weapons in danger areas. Even in London , only a small fraction of stop and search is targeted on knives and guns."
ATL COMMENT ON NAO REPORT ON 14-19 EDUCATION REFORMS - January 2008
Mary Bousted, general secretary at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:
• “The NAO report clearly highlights the lack of proper planning before introducing diplomas or a proper review of 14-19 education to give young people the best choices to suit their needs.
• “We are increasingly nervous about these reforms, not least because the Government failed to involve teachers in their review of 14-19 education.
• “Teachers are the ones with the best knowledge about how to educate children and they should be trusted to get on with their job, free from constant interference from the Government, quangos and employers.
• “We are also worried that insufficient thought has been given to how partnerships between education providers will be run and managed.
• “You can't design curriculum reforms on this scale before working out staffing, how the partners will work together and who will be in charge.”
ATL COMMENT ON McDONALD'S, NETWORK RAIL AND FLYBE BEING ALLOWED TO AWARD NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS - 28 January 2008
Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: “We are pleased McDonald's, Network Rail and Flybe are taking the training of their staff seriously – something which all companies should be doing. “However, we have concerns about whether the qualifications will provide employees with skills which will be recognised by other companies and in further and higher education, and whether the skills can be built upon in what ever career the trainee wants to pursue later on. “Instead of companies creating new qualifications, we believe it would be far more useful if their training led to more widely accepted qualifications. “The days of jobs for life are long gone, so people need to have skills, which are useful in a variety of companies and sectors. “Companies have long said employees lack important personal and communication skills – such as problem-solving, team-working, flexibility and the willingness to continually learn. “The Government must accept the need to reform the national curriculum and the post-16 curriculum so that it incorporates these skills and ensures all learners gain these important abilities.”
John Denham, Secretary of State for the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills said:
“It is right that we recognise and accredit employers that have shown a commitment to training and developing their staff. This is an important step towards ending the old divisions between company training schemes and national qualifications, something that will benefit employees, employers and the country as a whole."
For more information on the QCF, details on taking part in the trials and the QCF consultation, visit: www.qca.org.uk/qcf .
INFORMAL REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE DEFENCE COMMITTEE January 26 th 2008
If you have an accident...
In my last report I stressed how important it is to ensure that you report its cause as accurately as possible and do not in the interests of levity suggest an alternative explanation. Regrettably the case that led me to give this advice was lost at trial. In this case, the member claimed to have tripped as a result of a defect in the playground surface. The case was not helped by the explanation given immediately after the accident in which the member said, “I tripped over a pupil.” The judge found that whilst the member's employer was in breach of their statutory duty in failing to keep the playground area in a safe state, it could not be proved, on the balance of probabilities, that this breach had caused the accident.
Barring and ill health retirement.
Those who have been barred from teaching/lecturing because of misconduct or who are under investigation for alleged misconduct are not eligible to receive ill health benefits. If the teacher/lecturer has been accused of or dismissed for misconduct, the application for ill-health retirement benefits will be put on hold pending the outcome of the investigation by the DCSF. These investigations can take many months to complete. Where the ill health predated the alleged misconduct an ill-health retirement may be granted. If however the ill health was brought about by the alleged misconduct then the application will not be successful.
Whistle blowing.
Under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 workers have the right to bring proceedings for compensation for being victimised as a result of making a protected disclosure? To succeed, a member will have to show that: -
• S/he disclosed to the school information which s/he reasonably believed intended to show a person had failed, was failing or was likely to fail to comply with a legal obligation to which the school was subject;
• That the employer's treatment of her/him was motivated by the disclosure, and
• That the treatment caused her/him a detriment.
• Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: “Ofsted needs to support better teaching and learning, not place teachers on a treadmill of continuous preparedness for inspections.” Schools face lightning inspections in which Ofsted would turn up without warning under radical plans announced today. Inspectors will take more notice of "local" intelligence about the performance of a school, such as concerns raised by parents about the quality of teaching. A pilot project will see the current 48 hours' notice before inspectors arrive cut to nothing to make the Ofsted system more effective and more efficient.
• Chief Inspector of Education Christine Gilbert said: "We are considering representations from parents and pupils that inspections should take place without any prior notice. "We will look at the practicalities of no-notice inspection as part of our planning for the new school inspection framework. "At the heart of any new arrangements will be the observation of teaching and learning by skilled and knowledgeable inspectors." The changes could come into force in 2009 and reflect concerns that the current "light touch" inspections, in which Ofsted visits are shorter, could fail to spot schools that take a turn for the worse. There have also been fears that, even with just two days' notice, teachers are tempted to rehearse lessons for the Ofsted visit. Inspectors want to see schools as they really are and giving teachers no notice before they turn up is intended to reveal a more accurate picture of standards.
• Shadow children's secretary Michael Gove said: "I'm delighted that Ofsted is seriously considering our suggestion that they should do surprise inspections, not give notice. "International league tables show we are falling behind other countries so it is more important than ever to have surprise inspections for failing schools. "There is no point inspectors treating all schools the same - they should focus on failing schools and give successful schools more freedom."
Government policy should reflect complexity of children's needs, says ATL
In response to the latest research from The Primary Review, Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:
“ATL calls again on the government to listen to the findings from this round of reports. The reports highlight, once more, the vital role of teachers and support staff in developing curriculum and assessment that meets the needs of the children they teach, rather than categories of children as defined by national data and education policies.
In order to better support those children, teachers' need:
• Proper recognition as professionals, with opportunities for continual learning and development
• Freedom to develop assessment that focuses on children's needs and interests, rather than whether children have reached a particular level
• A role in the local development of curriculum content, in the context of a skills based national framework
• Support to develop teaching based on children's needs and expressed concerns, and for children to be agents in their own learning
• A government policy that reflects the complexity in classrooms and schools, rather than simplistic solutions that overlook real need – a proper balance between national policy and local professionalism.
“These reports come at a time of intense focus on education following the announcement of the Children's Plan. ATL hopes that the government will listen to what the professionals are telling them; our children deserve no less. ”
ATL CALLS FOR COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF NATIONAL SCHOOL TESTING - 14 January 2008
The current systems of endless testing and assessment should be scrapped, says the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). Giving evidence to the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee on testing and assessment ATL general secretary, Dr Mary Bousted, said:
• The national testing and examination system is not fit for purpose and should be scrapped because it's unreliable; and does not reflect pupils' real ability. Many of the tests are heavily reliant on pupils' memory, and test their ability to take tests rather than their skills and knowledge.
• Preparing for tests takes too much school time, leaving less for learning, and ends up de-motivating pupils and staff alike. Too many pupils see passing tests as their main aim.
• To be successful in life young people need to be lifelong learners, but our current system does little to encourage this.
• The current system demoralises lower-achieving pupils, who believe they are failures.
• Teachers are frustrated with the increasing number of tests, and many feel highly pressured because of the league table culture to “teach to the test” rather than teaching a wider curriculum – so many teachers are also de-motivated.
• Performance league tables are damaging, undermine school collaboration and offer little real information to parents. If we want to prepare young people for the challenges of the future, we need a more engaging curriculum with an assessment system, which supports it.
Instead of the current system, Dr Bousted suggests learning from the Scottish system which uses sample testing to get a more accurate picture of how well year groups are learning, and also making greater use of teacher assessment, which already provides more meaningful data to parents than any paper-based grade.”
SCHOOLS ON COURSE TO MEET PRIME MINISTER'S AMBITIOUS TARGET
Schools Minister Jim Knight today welcomed record GCSE results and congratulated schools who have raised their game, but warned that there would be no let up in pressure on low performing schools.
New figures today show there has been a big drop in the number of schools below the floor target of getting at least 30% of their pupils to the bench mark of five higher level (A*-C) GCSEs or equivalent including English and maths. The figures are down from over half of all schools in 1997 to one in five now, but Jim Knight has reiterated the Government's commitment to reduce this to zero by 2012.
The headline figures out today show:
• 60.8% of 15-year-olds achieved five higher level GCSEs or equivalent meeting our target a year early
• 46% of 15-year-olds achieved five higher level GCSEs or equivalent including English and maths (up 0.7 percentage points (ppts) on last year and 10.4 ppts since 1997)
• A significant drop in the proportion of schools with less than 30% of their pupils getting five higher level GCSEs or equivalent including English and maths (down to 639 from 1,610 in 1997 and 789 last year).
The Prime Minister has committed to getting all schools above the floor target of 30% of their pupils getting five higher level GCSEs or equivalent including English and maths in the next five years. The figures today show that, continuing on the trajectory set over the last few years, the Government is on course to achieve this by 2012. There are 170 schools that are just a few percentage points away from this level now and we are confident this shows the potential for major further improvements next year. We have also set an ambitious PSA target of getting 53% of 15-year-olds through five higher level GCSEs or equivalent including English and maths by 2011 and have made steady progress towards this in today's results.
Also released today is a list of the most improved maintained schools in the country and also a list of those, which show the best Contextual Value Added (CVA) scores. CVA shows how well schools are doing compared to schools in similar circumstances. This gives schools that may not have great raw results, but do very well for the pupils they have, a chance to have their hard work recognised. Commenting on these lists, Jim Knight said:
“These schools should be very proud of themselves. The teachers, parents and pupils have worked incredibly hard. Many of these schools are in challenging circumstances, but they have refused to let this hold them back. Education is all about constantly striving for more and raising your game and that is why these schools should be seen as an example to everyone.”
BALLS LAUNCHES FUNDAMENTAL REVIEW OF PRIMARY CURRICULUM 09 January 2008
A comprehensive independent root and branch review of the primary curriculum to create a smoother transition between early years and school education and help boost standards was launched by Ed Balls today.
The Children, Schools and Families Secretary has written to Sir Jim Rose - who led the highly influential phonics review - setting out the terms of reference for the wide-ranging review, the most fundamental primary review in a decade. The letter from Ed Balls to Sir Jim Rose is attached.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/pnattach/20080003/1.pdf >
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:
• “It's a shame the Government is going for a cut-price review rather than getting the QCA to carry out a proper review of the primary curriculum. If the Government were really serious about improving children's learning in primary school it would have sanctioned a fundamental review of what children are learning and how they are assessed. Doing it this way the curriculum will be dictated by the tests, instead of the right way around.”
• “The GCSE league tables are of no educational value, undermine collaboration between schools, and tell parents little about schools or their child's learning. “It is time the Government overcomes its obsession with narrow targets and allowed changes to the curriculum and testing regime to give children a more rounded education which fully develops and recognises their skills and abilities.”
AND FINALLY
Has anyone spotted our Branch secretary in the new issue of the ATL magazine?