Association of Teachers and Lecturers
ATL OLDHAM BRANCH
e-News DECEMBER 2007
Branch Secretary: Eileen Orriss Email
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As you will be aware Stuart retired as ATL branch secretary in September after many years of service to ATL members in Oldham. On Friday November 30th Stuart and his wife Jean enjoyed a final farewell with ATL members and colleagues at the Alpine restaurant. It was lovely meal and thanks must go to the many people that came or contributed to Stuart's special evening. |
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In recognition of his wife's support and patience over the years she was presented with a beautiful bouquet of flowers…. Oh! …. And …. Stuart also received a digital photo frame to mark his contributions. Thank you Stuart for all your work, you will be sadly missed. |
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ATL OLDHAM join march against AcademiesOn Sunday the 2nd December nearly 300 people joined the NUT organised demonstration march against academies. ATL were there along with the NASUWT, Unison and AAA. Our very own Mark Baker gave one of the best speeches of the afternoon and the people I spoke to found it a very positive and heartening event, especially for those of us involved in anti-academy campaigns in our areas. http://www.oldhamagainstacademies.org.uk/ |
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PAY & CONDITIONS
Teachers' pay increases may be 2% for each of the next three years.
Because of the low level of the minimum funding guarantee to schools, Ministers assume the only way to afford a 2% rise will be for schools to make "efficiency gains" of 1% a year. Obviously teachers' unions are unhappy.
Mr Knight said the DCSF was working with external partners to develop support mechanisms for schools to help them make the best use of their resources.
NASUWT teachers' union, Chris Keates, said: Her union would oppose vigorously any attempt by schools and local authorities to make the efficiency savings at the expense of teachers' pay, working conditions and jobs.
It would appear that attempting to bargain on pay with this government is akin to supping with the devil-you need a very long spoon. Our members will be horrified that promises to look at the failure to pay cost of living increases in the last pay round (year 2 of the deal) have been dishonoured in this settlement. How can teachers have any confidence that their standard of living will be in any way safeguarded should inflation begin to bite in the years 2008 to 2011?
ATL must make every effort to change the government's mind over this insulting and derisory figure of 2.1% and it must make clear the effect that such a settlement will have on teachers, support staff and pupils' education.
ATL comment on review of Academies
• " Academies are the wrong answer to the persistent problem of student underachievement in areas of urban deprivation and social exclusion.
• “We are pleased the Government is going to carry out an urgent review of academies. We have always questioned their purpose and lack of local accountability, and we continue to have concerns. We are keen to see them become part of the local authority family of schools - accountable to local people and set up to serve the best interests of their local communities.
• "We also have major concerns about the failure of many academies to allow union recognition, even where staff have transferred into academies which have taken over existing schools. Everyone should have the right to belong to a union to protect their employment rights.”
Academies ask teachers to halve paid maternity leave and work longer hours
Academies run by a high-profile sponsor are asking staff to sign contracts giving them tougher conditions, including halving the amount of paid maternity leave. Teachers are subject to a six-month probationary period and written warnings remain live on file for twice as long. They are also required to work around five extra days per year.
Following the diligent and delicate negotiations of Jenny Greenwood, ATL Regional Officer, ATL is the only union recognised by Hulme Grammar. ALL concerns from independent sector members should be directed to Jenny to maintain that positive equilibrium she can be contacted at E-mail Address: jennifer.vmgreenwood@virgin.net or Mobile: 07885 047901
ATL's new handbook: Working in the Independent Sector
We have just published a new publication for members called Working in the Independent Sector. This publication covers a range of topics including:
• Contracts of employment
• ATL model policies on discipline, capability and grievance
• Family rights and sickness entitlement
• Pay
• Redundancy
• Working hours
• Consultation, recognition and the role of the ATL rep.
This handbook is intended as a guide for ATL members working in the independent sector and a resource for ATL school reps, branch secretaries and regional officials. Copies are available from ATL's publications despatch line on 0845 4500 009 or by emailing despatch@atl.org.uk . Please quote product code PE30. 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
GOVERNMENT WISHY WASHY ON FIRE SAFETY IN SCHOOLS - ATL
The Government has again failed to act decisively to make schools install fire sprinklers, says ATL. Commenting on the fire guidelines put out today by the DCSF, Martin Pilkington, head of legal and member services at ATL, said: "This is another case of the Government being wishy washy. We are disappointed the Government has not yet accepted the need to make it a legal requirement for fire sprinklers to be installed in all new build or refurbished schools, let alone all schools.
The lives of children are far too important to be left to chance. ATL will continue its campaign for schools to be fitted with fire sprinklers so that all the children in the UK are properly protected against the dangers and disruption of school fires.
" About 40 people are injured in school fires every year, and over 90,000 pupils have their education disrupted as a result of fire damage to classrooms or school property. On average every week one school is destroyed by fire - 2,000 schools a year - and school fires cost UK taxpayers £74 million in 2006. Yet only one per cent of UK schools have a sprinkler system. This is false economics, and it is time the Government woke up to the facts. The dangers of buildings without sprinklers are only too clear after the tragic loss of life in the warehouse fire in Warwickshire just last week.”
PRIMARY - See e-News Primary supplement for further details (Click for link)
Another Victory for Primary Teachers
At last there seems to be the prospect of Primary Teachers being paid for responsibilities they are given, if the School Teachers' Review Body (STRB) accepts the evidence given to it in October by the Rewards and Incentives Group (RIG)
RIG has suggested that the following should be the responsibilities, which apply to all teachers
• Plan and teach lessons to assigned classes
• Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of school policies, practices and procedures
• Assess and monitor learning needs, progress and achievements of pupils
• Promote the safety and well-being of their pupils in school
• Deploy the resources delegated to them
• Direct and supervise support staff assigned to them
• Participate in professional development
• Communicate with pupils, parents and carers
• Collaborate and work with colleagues within and beyond the school
• Work in teams on curriculum or pupil development
Anything beyond this would need to be recompensed through the payment of a TLR or a leadership post.
Public gives teachers a glowing report
A recent survey finds public perceptions of teachers, and of teaching as a career, is quite surprising.
Everyone has a view about teachers be it the concerned parent, the school child or the person on the street who is willing to conjure up memories of their best, or worst, teacher.
Until recently, those in the profession, spurred on by negative stereotypes in the media and a lack of government support, have often believed the public did not have a very high opinion of teachers. A number of studies in the early 1990s helped to emphasise this, with recurring themes of low status, poor pay, and problems with teacher numbers. However, according to the findings of a recent survey, these myths should be reconsidered.
Published last month by Cambridge University's Faculty of Education, the results of a survey of nearly 2,000 members of the public makes for interesting reading.
• The study found that 50% of the public think teaching is an attractive career, a higher percentage than expected.
• Men - especially older men aged over 55 (the survey divided people into three age groups: 16-24 years, 25-54 years and 55-plus) - are most likely to see teaching as an attractive career.
• The survey found no obvious difference in the comparative status accorded to primary and secondary teachers.
Government's continued focus on systems and structures does nothing to inspire teaching and learning, says ATL
‘World class education systems' shouldn't be dominated by systems and structures that don't work, says ATL.
In response to Gordon Brown's speech calling for a cultural change in education , Martin Johnson, ATL's acting deputy general secretary, said:
• “ ATL welcomes Gordon Brown's aspirations for all children to experience the liberation of imagination that comes from successful education. Teachers work hard to offer education that is relevant, challenging and inspiring, within a system dominated by exams and continued prescription of what and how they teach.
• “We would like to believe that the Prime Minister's vision signals a new era of creativity, innovation and trust in the professionals who can best bring about a ‘world class education system'. However, the Government must show how much the teaching profession is valued by investing in teachers and in the professional development of the existing workforce .
• “We are disappointed by Gordon Brown's continued focus on systems and structures that have been shown not to work. The increasing pressure on schools to meet more targets, with the threat of closure or amalgamation hanging over those that don't, will only lead to a narrower education, not inspired teaching and learning, and will not attract and retain creative and engaged professionals. Promising to turn failing schools into Academies ignores the available data that shows that all but one of the first 14 Academies failed to meet the ‘floor targets' of 30% A*-C including English and Maths.
• “ATL members, through their own experiences and research, know that the current excessive testing regime underpinned by a damaging league table system is dominating curriculum and teaching within our schools, turning children off learning and labeling many as failures. The time for a review of assessment is long passed. Now is the time for change. ”
Changes to the current system of excessive accountability and testing are required if every child really is to matter, says ATL. In response to the latest research from The Primary Review on standards, quality and assessment in English primary education, Martin Johnson, ATL's acting deputy general secretary, said:
• “ATL welcome these reports which provide a strong voice for all those linked with education; education staff, children and parents. And their message is clear; that real change is required to end the culture of targets, tests and league tables.
• “ATL believes the current system of excessive accountability and testing is failing our children, leading to disengagement and disaffection for many. We continue to call for an end to national testing at primary level, with stronger support for ‘assessment for learning' and more effective ways of holding schools accountable for learning which really matters.
• “We agree with Gordon Brown's assertion that assessment must be kept under review to ensure that it supports learning and achievement and does not dominate teaching. These reports, along with previous reports from ATL and others, show that this review is already happening.
• “ATL hopes for a meaningful government response to these reports which avoids platitudes of dubious reliability and finally engages with what teachers and researchers are saying. If every child really is to matter, then changes need to happen now.”
TES SUMMARY
DROP OUTS DROP BACK. (Catch the dropouts early.)
Schools will play a vital role in bringing about a culture change when all young people are expected to stay on in education or training until they are 18. The reform will not become law until 2015, but ministers want schools to do the groundwork now. However, The TES has learnt that one of minister's key schemes for reaching pupils most at risk of becoming NEETs (not in education, employment or training) is in jeopardy. By 2010, all schools will be expected to offer childcare and activities outside school hours. But more than 100 after-school clubs in the country's most deprived areas have closed this term.
NO WAY BACK! (Tories will give leaders final say on exclusions.)
A future conservative government would prevent pupils and their parents from legally challenging heads' decisions on exclusions. Michael Gove, Conservative shadow education secretary, has told The TES that his party is confident it can prevent parents from appealing in the courts, giving heads the ultimate say on who they exclude. “We are in the process of copper-bottoming the legal position,” he said. “But if the law needs to be changed to give heads the power then we will act on that basis.”
REGIME CHANGE. (Test regime must change.)
Children's reading standards have barely improved in 55 years, despite ministers spending £500 million on the National Literacy Strategy, the biggest inquiry in primary education in 40 years has been told. In a strong critique of Labour's record, academics denounced the testing regime as “inadequate”: it provides unreliable information on standards, encourages schools to neglect lower achievers, narrows the curriculum and increases pupils' anxiety.
GORDON SAYS… (A week in education.)
The Prime Minister gave his first major speech on education, threatening to shut schools where fewer than 30 per cent of pupils gained five A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and Maths. Gordon Brown urged local authorities to ensure there were no failing schools by 2012, either by closing them, turning them into academies or bringing in private support. He also announced a new focus on recruiting “the brightest and best” to teaching.
e-News asks - Are the 13 of the 14 academies which entered pupils for GCSE in 2006 going to close as they got results below the 30% of pupils gaining 5 A* - C?
AND FINALLY…DODGY BEHAVIOUR. (Taking the law for a ride.)
Discovering your pupil is a fare-dodger is rarely a moment of pride but staff at a secondary school in the German city of Hanover should be celebrating one of their student's sharp thinking and attentiveness. The pupil known as Sirin F for legal reasons, has found an ingenious method for riding the city's buses without paying. She discovered that local law prohibits fare-dodgers who “do so surreptitiously”. So she is not surreptitious at all. She currently travels for free wearing T-shirts which clearly proclaim: “Legal note: I have not paid the fare and am thus a fare dodger”.