The New Performance Management Regulations
At the recent meeting of the association, Jerry Glazier outlined the new regulations. Their introduction has been put back to October 2007 with the first cycle to be completed by October 2008.The governing body should have a policy and protocol for classroom observation. Governing bodies have to consult and reach agreement with unions on this. There must be consistency and fairness between teachers with similar levels of responsibility. Heads can now delegate the reviewing to a line manager who has to determine the recommendation on pay progression for threshold or progression up the leadership spine. The 3 hours of observation suggested should be a MAXIMUM not the standard. There is a need for 1 hour of directed time for the review of the classroom observation but this should NOT be in PPA time. Primary schools will need to budget for supply cover to allow for the reviewers classes to be covered.
The NUT wants :-.A limit to the total classroom observation similar to the 2001 regulations of 1 hour per cycle. Protection against random and bunched observation i.e. several in one week. A limit of 3 on the objectives set.
Review meetings to take place during the school day. A limit of 3 for the number of reviewees per reviewer.
Guidance will be provided by the Union and a survey on workload is to take place in November.
Rally and Lobby of Parliament
Hundreds of pensioners from all over the country (including your secretary) gathered at the House of Commons last month at a well organised rally to try to persuade the Government to :-
Increase the state pension to £114 NOW
Restore the link with earnings
Pay men and women equally
The latter because very few women receive the full state pension because they did not work for long enough due to family caring.
The rally started with a parade of skeletons. Why skeletons? Well by 2012, the date at which pensions may change, over 3 million pensioners will have died. What a good way to save money! Speakers at the rally included M.P.s Kate Hoey, Kelvin Hopkins and Jeremy Corbyn.
All our retired members and those attending the last meeting have been asked to write to their M.P. asking them to sign the Early Day Motion on pensions. Please let the secretary know of any responses.
March
|
National President visits Mid Essex Association
The AGM of the Mid Essex Association took place on the 13th March this year. We were pleased to welcome Hilary Bills, the current National President of the NUT to our meeting. She accompanied her husband, John Bills who had come to speak about the work of the Teacher Support Network (TSN) John told members about the free help that can be given to ALL teachers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This includes financial advice and also help with stress management. More than 17,000 teachers received help and support in 2005. The phone number to ring is 08000 562561 or the website is www.teachersupport.info
The Mid Essex President with the National President
Directed Time and PPA
Do you know what is part of directed time? Have you had problems at school regarding what you should or should not be doing ? What about PPA? Is it protected if you are away from school on a course? Come and hear all about it from Jerry Glazier at the Red Lion on 26th April at 7 p.m. Bring us your schools problems and we will try and answer them.
Free Training
The TUC is running free courses at Basildon college for union members. These include a computer course starting on 25 April at 17.30 for 10 weeks, plus handling stress and carrying out risk assessments. For more details contact the secretary.
National Pensioners Convention
We are already associated to the National Pensioners Convention. They are opening up membership to individuals (and not just retired teachers) as well as organisations. Contact the secretary for more details.
Local Officers
These are unchanged except that Pauline Bowers has taken over the role of Equal Opportunities officer.
NUT Conference
A report on the Easter conference to be held at Torquay, will be given to members at the next meeting on 26th April. The secretary and treasurer are the Mid Essex delegates this year
December
|
Disruptive Pupils
Many teachers leave the profession after 3 years because of the problem of dealing with difficult pupils. It’s not just the big issues that cause the most ‘aggro’, but all those day to day happenings that make teachers stressed out. The pupil who won’t listen, the one that won’t do as he/she is told, and says quite blithely, “You can’t make me.” Recognise the scenarios? Just what does a child have to do to get excluded? And can you refuse to teach a boy or girl who has consistently caused problems? Hear answers to all these questions and more at the next General meeting . on 19th January at the Red Lion, New London Rd. Chelmsford at 7 p.m. when our Regional officer, Alan Williams, will talk about this subject and the new NUT charter “Learning to Behave” It would be a good idea to bring this along with you to the meeting. Book your place by 17th January to be sure of your free meal. We will also be choosing the motions we would like to see on the agenda paper at the Conference next Easter. We still have places if any other member of Mid Essex would like to attend. Priority will be given to young and practising teachers. All expenses are paid and you are entitled to the Tuesday off school.
MAs to TLRs
By now this exercise should be well under way. Staff should have been consulted on the proposed new structure before it is placed before the governing body. This is a statutory requirement. The amended plan should then be circulated to staff for further comments and the whole exercise should be completed by the end of the year. The union has recently sent further helpful documents into schools. One is called “From MAs to TLRs. What’s happening now” plus a checklist for school representatives. There is also a model letter to the head where members are not happy with the proposals and a second one where nothing seems to be happening at all. Ultimately if there are serious threats to salaries and careers it is possible for the members to ballot to take action, but this must be done via the union. Finally I would ask all school representatives to complete the checklist on the back page and return it to the secretary in the new year so that we have a clear picture of what is happening in our area.
PPAs
Should be in place in all schools by now. If you are having any problems in this respect please contact the secretary.
Pensions
In spite of what you read in the press, we have been assured that the deal on pensions for public sector workers still stands. Currently employed teachers will therefore be able to retire at 60 on a full pension. The problem for those who have lost their MA is still being looked at since after 3 years their salary will reduce with a likely drop in pension.
October
|
TLRs
This is a subject which is causing a lot of problems in many schools. All school representatives were sent an A4 size guidance document called “from MAs to TLRs.” This explains that you have a statutory right to be consulted on the timetable and the procedure for the review. Not just told what the new plan is. The Union has sent a letter to all Headteachers emphasising the requirement for consultation during the review. The Union believes that all teachers who are currently receiving responsibility payments should continue to do so. The initial proposals should be shown to staff and union representatives between July and October, with a chance for them to comment. The initial report should then be shown to governors in November who can then publish a draft staffing structure which again is open to comment by the NUT representative. By December the Head should then submit a further report to the governors who can then consider the plan and the comments before agreeing the final version. The school budget is of obvious importance so representatives should ask for the school’s budget statement for the current and coming year plus the current pattern of overspend or underspend and the current level of balances. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO CHANGE THE STAFFING STRUCTURE. All that has to be changed is the way in which teachers receive additional payments for their responsibilities .
Lobby of Parliament
The National Pensioners Convention is organising a lobby of Parliament on the 12th October in respect of pensions. Any retired member who would like to join in please contact the secretary who will advise you on procedure. It is important that you write to your MP, for example, before the day. Those attending are asked to assemble at 11.30 a.m. onwards outside St. Stephen’s entrance with the lobby taking place from 1 p.m
Women’s Pension Booklet
Many of our members received their free booklet on pensions during the summer term. However, because a reprint was necessary, the remainder did not go in to schools until the start of this term. Inevitably, especially in secondary schools, the membership will have changed. Will school representatives please contact the secretary if they did not receive enough.
Welcome Function
A packed house listened to Hilary Bucky from regional office. Any NQT who did not receive a welcome pack get in touch with the secretary. The pack includes a free diary and help with joining the union (free this term)
All change
The regional office has moved to Elm House, Kennett Park, Moulton Rd. Kentford, CB8 8GF. They can be reached on Tel. 01638 555 300, Fax. 01638 555 330, or eastern@nut.org.uk
May
|
Send My Friend To School
As part of the “Make Poverty History” campaign, the NUT has joined with other organisations in the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) to focus on the 100 million children who don’t go to school each day. They have produced a DVD in conjunction with Richard Curtis (well known for his films such as “Four Weddings and a Funeral”) to illustrate the problem. A copy for showing in your school can be obtained from the secretary*. Schools are also being asked to register on :- www.sendmyfriend.org to find out about ‘making buddies’, cut outs that represent real children out of school. The aim is to produce 1 million buddies to make an impact when the G8 leaders meet in July. Lesson plans, case studies and buddy templates plus all details of the campaign can be found on the ‘friend’ website. What else can you do? Sign up on the website for ‘MPs back to School’ to inform MPs what schools are doing and to get them to make a buddy. Wear a white ‘Make Poverty History’ wrist band, or even attend the rally to be held in Edinburgh on 2nd July just prior to the G8 meeting. Anyone interested in representing Mid Essex contact the secretary asap.
How Many Meetings ?
At a recent meeting, Mid Essex members complained of the number of meetings they were attending each week. Several had regular pre-school meetings in addition to staff and/or departmental meetings after school. At the request of Mid Essex, an Essex NUT News has been sent to all schools clarifying the position. Nothing has changed. On average there should be no more than 60 minutes of meetings per week. If a staff meeting AND a parents consultation evening fall in the same week, then this should be compensated by a week with no meetings. All parents evenings plus any meetings before or after school count towards directed time. Lunch time is NOT part of directed time and should not be used for meetings. If you are having problems at your school show the Essex News to your Head Teacher. School Reps. can start to monitor the proposed timetable of meetings for the next academic year to ensure a sensible distribution of meetings.
No Change for our Officers
All our officers were re-elected at the AGM.
President John Bowers
Secretary Marion Wilson
Treasurer Jack Mortby
TSN Sec. Jack Mortby 01245 354979
Equal Opps. Paul White
March
|
No arm twisting required!
The AGM of the Mid Essex Association will take place on 15th March at the Red Lion, New London Rd. Chelmsford at 7 p.m. Traditionally people try to avoid attending AGM’s for fear of being persuaded into taking on a job. However, all the current officers are prepared to stand again so you have nothing to fear by coming along. The AGM should not take too long and there will be time for members to talk about items of interest to them and their school. We will also look at the current thorny problem of teachers’ pensions. Free food and drink will be available. Just let the Secretary know by 11th March if you will be present. Travelling expenses of 40p a mile will be paid.
Pensions Campaign
A consultative survey is being sent to all teachers employed in maintained schools to vote on what action they would be prepared to support in opposition to the Government’s proposals to raise the age at which teachers receive their pension from 60 to 65. The options are a one day unsustained strike, a day of action short of strike action or campaigning activities other than strike action. This is your chance to say what should happen in Essex. Decisions as to what will happen will be based on a division by division basis Do it now or it will be too late. In addition school representatives have been asked to call a meeting asap to endorse the resolution on teachers pensions which has been sent in to all schools and then post it to their local M.P. Don’t forget to make use of the stickers “60 not 65”
A First in Essex
Chelmsford has become the first Fairtrade town in Essex. Look out for events in and around Chelmsford during Fairtrade fortnight at the beginning of March. Check out the website www.fairtrade.org.uk . Remember your school can take part by ordering Fairtrade tea and coffee. But it’s not just about food, Fairtrade is about other products too, such as clothing.
Motions for Conference
At a general meeting in January members of Mid Essex made the following motions their priority for inclusion on the agenda for annual conference:- Workload reform and workload reduction Assessment and the Curriculum Extended Schools PPA/Funding 14-19 Education Pensions All have been included on the agenda except for the one on PPA/Funding.
January
|
More of the same
As a result of the success in October of the less formal general meeting, when members of Mid Essex met at the Red Lion in New London Rd., Chelmsford , we will be repeating this on 19th January, again at the Red Lion at 7 p.m. There will be a free buffet and free drinks, so make sure you don’t eat before you come! Travelling expenses of 40p a mile will be paid. Why not come along and join us? Just phone the Secretary on 01277 626321 or email her at marion.wilson@tiscali.co.uk by 17th January. We will need to look at motions for Conference but there will be plenty of time to chat and exchange news of what is happening in your school and get help if you need it.
Mid Essex AGM
This will take place on March 15th. Any resolutions or nominations
for officers should be sent to the Secretary by 18th February
A nomination form will be in schools shortly.
FAIRTRADE
If your staffroom has adopted a Fairtrade policy for buying tea, coffee etc., please let Malcolm Wallace of Chelmsford TUC know at maljan@blueyonder.co.uk . They are hoping that Chelmsford will be the first Essex town to achieve Fairtrade status. If you don’t yet buy Fairtrade products, think about it.
National Election
Voting will shortly take place for the post of Deputy General Secretary of the NUT. Mid Essex, together with Southend, South East Essex and 76 other local associations have nominated John Bangs as their chosen candidate. John is currently the Head of the Education and Equal Opportunities department at Hamilton House and so has experience of working at national level. He is also frequently the spokesman for the Union when the media need comments on educational issues. John's website with his policies is www.johnbangs.com
USE YOUR VOTE
Voting papers will be despatched on 7th January and the closing date for receiving ballot papers is mid-day on 28 January. Anyone not receiving a ballot paper by 14th January should contact the election hotline on 020 7380 4825.
Essex Training Weekend November 2004
This was a very successful weekend with four young Mid Essex teachers present and providing one of the sessions. For a photo see the meetings page on the website There was information on the role of the school representative, pupil behaviour and bullying, performance management, union organisation, continuous professional development, management allowances and pensions and feedback on the first term of teaching. Something for everyone whatever their age
October
|
Time for a Change
Normally the Mid Essex Association organises General Meetings each term which take place after school and an expert is invited to talk about a topical issue. Because we cover such a big geographical area, from Brentwood in the west, through Chelmsford and Maldon, to Burnham in the east, we rotate the venue and hold it in different schools. However, it has become increasingly obvious that teachers do not want to ‘stay behind’ after school for yet another meeting after a long and stressful day. For this reason we are going to try something different this term. On November 2nd, there will be an informal meeting at the Red Lion, New London Rd. Chelmsford at 7 p.m. There will be no set agenda or talk, just a chance for people from different schools to get together for a chat and exchange ideas. If there are problems at your school come and share them with us and we will try to help. We will however, be making a nomination for the post of National Deputy General Secretary. There will be a free buffet and drinks and travel expenses of 40p a mile will be paid. NQT’s are especially welcome. If it is successful we will repeat it again next term. Just contact the Secretary* by 31st October if you would like to come so the food can be ordered; or just turn up on the night and take pot luck. We look forward to seeing you there.* marion.wilson@tiscali.co.uk
Keep in Touch
The best way to find out what is happening locally or nationally
is to use the websites shown below.
Mid Essex is www.midessexnut.org.uk
Essex NUT is www.essexnut.org.uk
National NUT is www.teachers.org.uk
You will be able to find details of local meetings, national courses and seminars
and lots of other useful information.
NQT? And Feeling Stressed Already?
Help is at hand. The Teachers Support Network has just produced a brand new guide for new teachers, a booklet containing practical support on classroom and staffroom issues with tips on voice care, language in the classroom and case study anecdotes from teachers. It can be ordered or downloaded from the website. www.teachersupport.info The TSN is for all teachers and it can provide help with counselling, financial matters such as debt, housing problems, whether for home owners or for those who rent and even advice on residential care. TSN can be contacted free on 08000 562 561 Essex County also runs a free, confidential, self referral counselling service for teachers on 0800 5870014.
Essex Training Weekend November 2004
Mid Essex will be represented by 3 young teachers at the conference at Stoke Rochford in November. Look out for other events on our website.
June
|
14-19 Education- A Step Forward– or a Step back in Time?
The working Group, headed by Mike Tomlinson, former Chief Inspector
for schools, has published proposals for the 14-19 age group. It proposes
four diploma levels, entry, foundation, intermediate and advanced. Achievement
at one level will provide a basis to progress to the next level. Pupils do
not need to qualify at each level but will enter the framework at the level
appropriate to them. Post 16 students will be able to choose between open
or specialised diplomas. The core covers mathematical skills, communication
and ICT, but also a project or personal challenge, activities which could
include community service and personal planning. The personal challenge could
be a piece of experimental science, a video etc. It will be internally and
externally assessed. The wider activities can include work experience, school
or college service or personal interests e.g. sports or arts. Common skills
such as problem solving, independent learning and teamwork skills, the development
of active citizenship and inter - national awareness will be embedded in the
learning experience. The main learning programme corresponds to GCSE’s, A
levels and GNVQ’s. The diplomas will not replace the examinations but there
will be fewer written exams. and assessment will be more important. At the
NUT conference held last November, Mike Tomlinson said that the proposals
will change education from “teaching by age to teaching by stage”. Shades
of the past?
change education from “ teaching by age to teaching by stage”. Shades of the
past? A medium term objective is the “decoupling” of the AS and A level qualifications.
The main reforms will be introduced over the next ten years if the final report,
due out this November, is accepted by the Government. The NUT’s concerns are
the implications for teachers of the proposed increases in learning time and
that, although there are references to reduction in teacher workload, there
is no provision for the involvement of teachers in the design and assessment
of the diploma. To hear more, come to the General Meeting on 22nd June at
Chelmer Valley High School, Court Rd., Broomfield at 4.15. The speaker will
be Helen Hill from Hamilton House.
USE YOUR VOTE
By now you should have received your voting paper for the election of the General Secretary. Details of all candidates will be found on their personal websites given in the previous newsletter and on the Mid Essex website. Voting closes at mid-day on 28 June. The future of the Union is in your hands.
Thank you to all those who have returned the pro forma re the current school representative If you have not done so it is not too late.
April
|
Conference 2004
x members of the Mid Essex Association attended the annual conference at Harrogate, the maximum we are allowed. This year was notable for the amount of agree-ment amongst all delegates, very few card votes and we even finished the agenda; the first time for many years that this has happened. Outside speakers included Phil Willis of the Liberals, Tim Yeo for the Conservatives and the General Secretary of PCS who gave a rousing speech on Friday evening advocating the importance of public service unions showing a united front to the government's policies for public sector workers. An innovation this year was the hustings when the four candidates for General Secretary were each given four minutes for a presentation of their views. This was followed by two minute answers to written questions by each of the candidates. All candidates have websites so that you can check out their views yourself. They are:- John Bangs, www.johnbangs.com Ian Murch, www.electianmurch.org Martin Powell-Davies http://elect-martin.tripod.com Steve Sinnott www.stevesinnott.org.uk Voting takes place in June, the closing date for receipt of votes is 28th June. This was Doug McAvoy’s last conference and he received a prolonged standing ovation for his final speech.
OFSTED A cause for concern?
Colin Richards, Professor of Education at St. Martin’s College, Cumbria spoke on Easter Monday about the changes to OFSTED inspections. He questioned whether the reduced notice would lower stress or in fact lead to a constant state of anxiety. He would prefer to see the phrase ‘focused’ used instead of ‘sharper' inspections, with the focus chosen by the school as well as by OFSTED. Smaller inspection teams could lead to the danger of very small schools being inspected by just one person.
“OFSTED -in need of Special Measures ?” The role of self assessment has been acknowledged but forms only a minor part. Only 2 out of 8 aspects are to be self assessed. Support for schools is not mentioned at all. Professor Richards believes that someone should be attached to work with the school after the inspection. Our next General Meeting is on the 6th May at Heybridge Primary School, Rowan Drive, Heybridge at 4.15 p.m. entitled, Recent Changes to OFSTED Inspections A chance to hear more about how these changes will affect schools.
January
|
Overwhelming Vote in Favour of Boycotting the SATS, But- - -
Of those teachers voting in the recent campaign to boycott the
KS1 and KS2 test this year, over 86% voted YES. Under the rules of the Union
however, this was not sufficient to go ahead. It requires not only a majority
from those balloted, but also a two thirds vote in favour from those who did
vote. Although the latter was achieved, not enough members returned their
ballot papers, though the view of those that did was made very clear. Perhaps
it wasn’t the best time of year for those working in Primary schools with
all the end of term plays etc. Why did the Union want to boycott SATS ? The
view is that SATS are not the best method of assessing pupils progress and
that a teacher’s professional judgement is of more value. In addition it has
narrowed the Primary school curriculum. Gone are the days when English Primary
schools led the world in teaching with the integrated approach giving relevance
to Maths. History and Geography by placing them in a context which was both
interesting and informative. Now league tables rule the roost and Primary
schools have to compete in the market place for pupils with their neighbouring
schools by ‘performing’ well.So must teachers continue to ‘Teach to the Test’
? Helen Hill is a Principal Officer at Hamilton House in the Education Department.
She will be speaking at the next General Meeting of the Mid Essex Association
on the subject of:-
EDUCATION versus SATS Maintaining the Balance on 22nd January At
St. Mary's Primary School, Hall Lane, Shenfield at 4.15 p.m. Free Refreshments
at 4.00 p.m. Travel expenses paid at 40p a mile Come and hear what Helen has
to say and express your views as to what the NUT should do next. (see also
item below re Conference.)
ADVANCE WARNING
The AGM will be held on 24th February . Any resolutions must be sent to the Secretary by 31st January along with nominations for the committee. Nomination forms will be sent into schools shortly. Our speaker will be Arthur Jarman, who is currently head of the Union’s Membership and Communications department. Arthur will take a light-hearted look at his path from classroom teacher at Shenfield in the 60’s (and secretary of the then Brentwood Association ) to a Head of Department in Hertfordshire before becoming a Field officer for the Union and then subsequently transferring to work at Hamilton House. Arthur runs one of the most important sections of the Union but is still ‘one of us’
Prioritisation of Motions for Conference will take place at the General Meeting on January 22nd. To give more time for the speaker please decide on the 6 motions you would like to see on the Agenda at Conference before the meeting. All schools will have received copies of motions.
November 2003 |
What Price Professional Unity Now?
The appointment of Eamonn O’Kane as General Secretary of the NAS/UWT brought a real chance of Professional Unity moving forward. However, in little over a year the teachers have gone from unprecedented total unity with joint resolutions at conferences to almost total disarray. How did this happen ? Because the NUT was the only one of the teaching Unions not to sign the government agreement. Were they right to do so ? Hank Roberts who is a member, not only of the NUT, but also of NAS/UWT and ATL (and is an executive member of both NUT and ATL ) has strong and sometimes radical views about the NUT’s stand. He argues that sometimes you have to let things get worse before they can get better! He also believes that the recent issues of NUT NEWS which have denigrated the position of the other unions is counterproductive and likely to set professional unity back. He says it is not the other unions but the Government who is to blame for the current situation in which we now find ourselves. Is there really shortage of teachers or is it truer to say that there are qualified teachers out there who are no longer willing to work under the present conditions and for the inadequate pay? So do we need unqualified classroom assistants teaching our classes or should the Government be doing more in the fields of recruitment and particularly retention? At school level there has always been good deal of co-operation between members of dferent unions Brendan Barber the General Secretary of the TUC says about the disagreement that “a public exchange has magnified the extent of difference rather than acknowledge that people have different views- - - - ” There has always been co-operation between members of different unions at school, though this has not been true for the national scene. At the General meeting to be held on 18th November Hank Roberts will be giving his views. (See below for more details). Do you think the NUT was wrong not to sign the agreement? Should it continue to publish articles, which for example ,say that only the NUT is seeking to amend the proposals? (hotly denied by the NAS/UWT ) Is the non signing of the Agreement affecting relationships in your school ?
Meeting on Professional Unity at Chelmer Valley High School Court Rd. Broomfield, Chelmsford At 4.15 p.m. Free Refreshments at 4.00 p.m. Travel expenses paid at 40p a mile
USE YOUR VOTE
Elections for National Officers are currently being held. Make sure you return your voting papers by the deadline of 19th November
Prioritisation of Motions for Conference
will take place at the General Meeting in January. To give more time for the speaker please decide on the 6 motions you would like to see on the Agenda before the meeting
FreeTUC Courses for Union Representatives
Courses ranging from Stress at Work to Risk Assessment and Computing are available at Basildon College. For more details contact Mick Sullivan on 01268 461639
September 2003 |
A New Term – A New Concept of Work?
From September, in order to provide time for PPA for teachers, the Government has stated that a person without teaching qualifications can ‘teach’ whole classes provided the Head believes they can carry out core teaching responsibilities. Powerful influences such as the school budget and the availability of qualified staff could well be a factor in who stands in front of a class. The Govt. has in fact removed the word “teaching” and refers to “specified work” such as :- planning and preparing lessons, delivering lessons, assessing development of pupils, reporting on progress and attainment of pupils. Now doesn’t that sound like teaching to you? What affect will this have on pupil behaviour and will the workload of teachers who will need to liase with the ‘stand in’ be less? How will it affect any OFSTED report on that class and will the unqualified teacher be assessed by OFSTED too? These are some of the factors which persuaded the Union NOT to sign the agreement signed by all the other teacher unions. If any adverse changes are made to your job description, teaching hours, class size, conditions of service or workload, contact the Regional Office on 01638 664538
From the start of this term too, there are changes to the administrative tasks that teachers can ‘routinely’ be expected to carry out. These range from collecting money, collating reports, administration of cover and of public and external exams., producing minutes of meetings, ordering supplies and equipment, keeping and filing records, preparing and setting up classroom displays, distributing bulk communications to parents and pupils, to investigating pupil’s absences. And so it goes on, 21 tasks in all you should not normally be expected to do. Confused? Not sure of your position? Come along to the next General Meeting of the Mid Essex Association to be held on 13th October at 4.15 p.m. at The Sawyers Hall College of Science & Technology (formerly The Hedley Walter School) and hear what Jerry Glazier, the Essex Division Secretary has to say. See the poster for more details.
Fair Trading
Chelmsford TUC has launched a Fairtrade campaign which endeavours to obtain a fair deal for (usually small) producers and are asking members of Unions to ensure that for example the tea and coffee used in their staff rooms has the Fairtrade mark.
Farewell and Thank You
To our President, Geof Lynn who is moving to Devon. We wish you all the best for the future.future. John Bowers takes over as President
Welcome Back
To Alan Williams, who returns as Regional Officer for Essex. Hilary Bucky has married (congratulations Hilary) and is now for the rest of the year. focussing on Norfolk .
June 2003 |
Disruptive Pupils
Keith Naughton, an NUT member currently working in a PRU in Essex but formerly the head of a Special School, gave a PowerPoint demonstration to members of Mid Essex Association in April about strategies for dealing with difficult pupils. He advocated a positive approach by building into lesson planning how to react to situations which might arise with a class which you know is likely to cause trouble. Pupils actions are often meant to provoke the teacher and if aware of this you can plan a more relaxed response which may surprise them. There is a need to control your own emotions as pupils are trying to ‘wind ’ teachers up. This is more likely to get other children in the class on your side than if you lose your temper and become aggressive with one individual. He said that many pupils lead inconsistent lives and teachers can provide some consistency. Keith also suggested the use of circle time where the whole class, including the teacher, can talk through why the lesson is not succeeding. He thought that excluding pupils for swearing can be counter productive since that is often part of their everyday language
What is happening in your school?
Already heads are planning the implementation of the Government Agreement next September. This is likely to have important consequences for all staff, but particularly those in Primary schools. The NUT is in favour of the use of T.A.’s , but as assistants, not as teachers. The problem arises in finding the necessary non contact time for primary school teachers within the timetabled school day, without resorting to the use of T.A.’s being solely in charge of a class. Supply teachers are also beginning to feel the pinch, in some cases being warned that their regular employment with a particular school is in jeopardy since it is planned to use T.A.’s for cover. If your school is proposing actions with which you are not happy for September, come to the meeting on 7th July at Moulsham Junior School, Princes Road, Chelmsford when John Dixon, the Regional Secretary, will talk about Non Contact Time for All, But at What Price? The meeting starts at 4 p.m. with free refreshments. A travel allowance of 40 pence a mile is given.
Are there problems in your school because of financial cuts?
Essex NUT are carrying out a survey to look at the implications such as redundancies or the non filling of vacancies; reduction in staff hours; impacts on the curriculum; replacing teachers with non teachers. One head said that 98% of her budget was spent on staffing costs. Reps. were asked to return the proforma to Jerry Glazier as soon as possible
April 2003 |
The Problems of Pupil Behaviour and Inclusion
In June of last year the Union commissioned a survey on Unacceptable Pupil Behaviour, carried out by Warwick University. It showed that 80% of teachers thought that pupil behaviour had deteriorated and it was the continuous low level harassment that sapped teachers morale which was causing many staff to contemplate leaving the profession rather than the fewer more violent incidents. Very often a minority of pupils were taking up a disproportionate amount of staff energy and time. The policy of inclusion was also felt to create a climate where often no effective sanctions were in place to deal with the problem, so that both the teacher and other pupils in the class suffered. Two thirds of staff experienced disruption either weekly or daily and inclusion and the inflexibility of the National Curriculum contributed both to behavioural problems and the frustration of the under achiever. HMI’s have called for fewer exclusions but have not said how to achieve this without further classroom disruption. Two thirds of staff face offensive language weekly and over a quarter received insulting and abusive comments regularly and this was not confined to young or inexperienced teachers. The Union supports inclusion but argues that to be successful staff must receive adequate support and training Come and hear one NUT member’s experience in helping teachers cope with the difficulties facing them on :- 8th May at The Plume School, Maldon when Keith Naughton from West Essex PRU will be talking to members of Mid Essex NUT
Calling All Retired Teachers
A one day Conference for retired teachers is being organised by the Union on 10th June at Hamilton House in London. The programme will include sessions on pensions, healthy retirement, information on income tax and holiday and travel advice. This is a first for the Union. The cost is likely to be £15. Mid Essex is happy to pay the cost plus travel expenses for a limited number of retired members on a first come basis. If you are interested contact the secretary on 01277 626321 by 23rd April.
Annual School Reps. Meeting
This will take place this year on 12th June at The Red Lion in Chelmsford from 7-9 p.m. Put it in your diary now! The speaker will be Hilary Bucky.
New TSN Secretary
Our thanks to Jan Wallace for all her hard work as TSN Secretary . Her place has been taken by Jack Mortby who can be contacted on 01245 354979. Geof Lynn is now Equal Opportunities Officer. Other officers remain the same.
January 2003 |
What you said about the role of Support Staff
The results of the recent survey of members on the Government’s proposals on a new role for support staff was published just before Christmas. Teachers welcomed their use in performing administrative tasks but were quite clear that they were totally against teaching assistants taking charge of a class unless adequate training was given. “This is simply a ‘watering down’ scheme so that the teacher recruitment looks better”; “As a supply teacher I am appalled that an unqualified person could replace me” ; and “What would be the point of taking all the study and training (to become a teacher) if you didn’t need to?” were some of the comments made. Supply teachers in particular felt their jobs to be under threat. As many pointed out, would classroom assistants want the extra responsibility on the poor pay they receive and would they be able to control a class particularly in Inner City areas? One support assistant said that she would not want her own children supervised by unqualified people. Additional workload was forecast for staff who would have to monitor the work of assistants in the classroom. Other issues such as TA’s as site managers, human relations, facility and lead behaviour managers was also addressed. To hear more and to express your views come to the meeting on 29th January at St. Martin’s School, Hanging Hill Lane, Hutton at 4 pm. to hear Karen Robinson from Hamilton House talk about the results of the survey and what happens next.
Fringe Strike
Many Brentwood schools were again closed for the second time this year on November 26th as a protest about the fringe allowance. Most of the Secondary schools including the Ursuline Convent and Anglo European were closed completely or only open for the 6th form and even Primary schools such as St. Mary’s Shenfield joined in.
Good News for Essex Schools
Essex CC agreed to cancel its plans for a Strategic Partnership at its meeting on 16th December. Common sense prevailed at last and centrally employed members of the NUT can breathe a sigh of relief.
Annual General Meeting
This takes place on 25th February at The Red Lion New London Rd. Chelmsford at 7 p.m. Any resolutions or nominations for the committee must be received by the secretary by 31st January
A reminder to all school representatives.
Please let me have updated membership lists as soon as possible. If you are not receiving enough newsletters for all your members please let me know.
September 2002 |
Mid Essex Welcomes NQT’s
Earlier this month the Mid Essex NUT invited all NQT’s to meet the officers of the Association and to listen to John Dixon, the Regional Secretary talk about hat they should expect from their school and how the Union could be of help to them.
More Strike Action?
Those members who teach in schools which receive a fringe allowance are to be balloted to see if they will take part in another days strike on the 14th November. In March of this year all four Brentwood comprehensive school were either closed or only had 6th form students attending. Ballot papers will be dispatched on 11th October and must be returned by 29th October. At the start of a new academic year there are likely to be many changes of staff, it is important therefore that Hamilton House has an accurate list of members in ‘fringe’ schools. If you are a new member of staff, in order to exercise your right to vote you need to make sure Headquarters knows of your change of school. It would be helpful if school Reps. could notify HQ of members who have left.
National Health and Safety Week
This will take place in the week 14-21 October and this year the emphasis is on work-related stress. The Union is asking school safety reps to undertake inspections during that week with particular reference to the week’s theme. The Essex Code of Practice includes risk assessment and stress audits. The Union has produced a leaflet, ‘Tackling Stress’, copies of which can be obtained from Hamilton House. Chelmsford TUC are holding an exhibition in the Chelmsford library during that week and Chelmsford Borough Council are giving two presentations about stress on 15th and 16th October. Details can be obtained from Malcolm Wallace , the Chelmsford TUC secretary on 01245 601373
June 2002 |
Teachers May face the Axe
Jerry Glazier, the National Executive member for Essex, and Division Secretary, warns that schools could be put under pressure to make teachers redundant unless they get more money. This was as a result of the poll of 1400 headteachers by the NAHT, 45% of whom said that they would have to let staff go next year because of rising costs chiefly due to salaries. Jerry said that if this happened it would put those teachers remaining in schools under yet greater pressure. Add to this the current teacher shortage and the news that Essex LEA are now actively recruiting teachers from Australia and we could be facing chaos at the start of the Autumn term. To quote one headteacher. “Bringing in Australian teachers is not the answer. They tend to like to travel for a year or so and then go back. We need people to stay and provide some stability” If the situation in your school is causing concern, don’t wait until September. Contact the Regional Office NOW for help and advice .
Heads to Take Action?
Headteachers across South Essex could take action unless the Government cut workloads. This was the overwhelming vote by members of the NAHT at their recent Conference. This would take the form of a work to rule and heads would boycott any orders from the Government or the LEA which they felt amounted to ‘excessive workload.’ Iris Pummell, the Essex cabinet member for schools said she was not surprised. “We have tried to cut down on the amount of paperwork but if anything things have got worse Some teachers are joining schools and just staying for one or two terms” Jerry Glazier added “One of the main reasons we have a teacher shortage is because the workload is so great. The Govt. needs to pay for more teachers, non-teaching assistants and support staff.”
Annual School Representatives Meeting
A reminder of the meeting on 4th July at the Red Lion, New London Rd., Chelmsford at 7 p.m. entitled “What Do I Do If?” It’s a chance to find out answers to all those awkward questions you are asked in school! Don’t forget to reply by 1st July.
April 2002 |
History Repeats Itself
For the second year running all three major teachers unions, NUT, ATL and NAS/UWT have passed the same motion unamended. This year on teacher workload. The motion states that the excessive workload faced by teachers must be resolved by improvements in the contracts of teachers with specified limits to contact time, professional duties and an allocation of time be given for marking and preparation. The wind of change was very evident this year with respect to Professional Unity. With the change of General Secretary of the NAS/UWT there is now a real possibility that a new unified Union will emerge in the near future, reflecting the co-operation at staffroom level which has been in existence for some time.
Brentwood Schools closed
All four comprehensive schools in Brentwood were closed to 11 to 16 pupils on March 14th in the campaign for an increased fringe allowance. Rallies held in London were well supported in the bid to persuade the Secretary of State to increase the London, Outer London and Fringe allowances so that teachers can afford to live near to where they work. Already many London teachers have to move far out of the capital in order to afford the necessary mortgage.
Change of Officers
Geof Lynn was installed as President at the AGM and Jan Wallace took over as Equal Opportunities officer. All other officers remained the same.
Education Review
Please remember to return the pro-forma by half term if your school would like to receive the next edition of Education Review free. If you have lost the pro-forma please contact the secretary (see below for contact details). Comments both on the new format and the contents would be welcome.
January 2002 |
The New Education Bill
At a meeting at Hedley Walter High School, Jerry Glazier, the Executive member for Essex, spoke to members about the effect on schools of the new Education Bill. Successful schools would be given more flexibility with pay and conditions of service which could lead to a divisive situation in the staff room. Should one teacher be paid more than another for doing the same job? If the Government would tackle the main problems facing teachers, namely, workload, pupil behaviour and pay, there would be no need for such measures as the teacher shortage would not exist. These schools would also have autonomy over the curriculum. He said the proposal to make greater use of unsupervised N.T.A.’s in the classroom would not be in the best interest of pupils and would need someone to manage their use; yet another increase in workload. Jerry told us that Essex are looking to employ a private firm to deliver services to schools. Three firms have been shortlisted. It is not clear what benefits would result from such a change either for schools or for the LEA. One company was surprised that an LEA with such a good OFSTED report would even be considering such a move. The prime motivation seems to be the desire to sell services to other less successful LEA’s. At the same meeting members voted on the motions they wanted to see on the Agenda at Conference. They included Non Contact Time, Professional Unity, Workload and the National Contract , Primary and Early Years Education, Associate Support Staff and Teacher Morale
Survey of teacher absences
Essex are to employ RioMed, a specialist human resources firm, who will examine in detail the causes of absences in schools with either high or low sickness levels, and how schools manage these absences. It is hoped that the survey will give an idea of stress related illnesses in the county and unveil effective ways of dealing with the problem. A preliminary report is expected in April. Nationally it is known that 3 in every 10 employees will have some kind of mental health problem in any one year and that the cost to the country is £4 billion. See the Dept. of Health website www.mindout.net
September 2001 |
Welcome Function
Newly Qualified Teachers met the Mid Essex committee and Jerry Glazier last week at a pleasant evening get together in Chelmsford. The NQT’s were reminded that they should have a reduced timetable and non contact time should be in usable blocks of not less than half a day. Valuable information can be found in the NUT leaflet, A Guide to Induction for Newly Qualified Teachers, which has been sent to all School Representatives. For photographs see the Meetings page.
Changes, Changes
All members should have received an update form from Hamilton House with the recent edition of the Teacher. Please take time to check that all the information concerning you is correct. This is especially important for those who have changed schools, retired or moved house. The lists of members in each school can only be as accurate as we, the members make it. A reminder too that the Mid Essex website and email address have changed
Congratulations !
To Agnes Bishop, Secretary of Braintree NUT who has been elected to serve on the Union’s working party to review Annual Conference. If you would like to pass on your views contact Agnes on 01376 343922
Look Out for:-
World Space Week 4th to 10th October. For a teacher’s pack or
to find out what is happening visit the website www.secuk.org/spaceweek.
Chelmsford TUC’s conference “Trades Unions after the General Election” on
10th November. For more details contact Secretary Malcolm Wallace on 01245
601373.
Science Year on their website www.scienceyear.com to find out about events,
information and downloads.
Worried about Inclusion?
Many teachers in mainstream schools are still wondering what problems may arise as more children with special needs join their class. To find out more come along to hear Sandra Page, the Inclusion Project Officer for Essex on 15th October at Barnes Farm Junior School, Henniker Gate, Chelmsford. Details on the Meetings page.
June 2001 |
WORKLOAD AND BUREAUCRACY
At a meeting last week , Jerry Glazier the Executive member for Essex spoke to members about Workload and Bureaucracy. He said that the biggest problem for the Government is teacher shortage. For teachers, the biggest problem is workload; Primary school teachers working an average of 53 hours a week and Secondary, 51 hours. He reminded members that the directive on meetings was still in force, i.e. on average only one meeting a week of 60 minutes and this time should include any pre-school briefings. Jerry said the NUT has secured an agreement that if there are not enough teachers, pupils will be sent home (see below) or action will be reintroduced. The Government has now agreed to a review of teachers’ workload by Price Waterhouse; the results are expected soon. The Union is now pushing the Government to make an agreement similar to that achieved in Scotland of a 35 hour week with a phased maximum contact time of 22.5 hours for all teachers.
Will your school face teacher shortages next year?
With the exit of Year 11 and 13 student, many secondary schools are currently dealing with teacher shortages by re-timetabling this term. Barry Fawcett, Assistant Secretary at Hamilton House for Pay and Conditions, advised members that this was acceptable if an equivalent reduction in other ways was achieved. However, come September this ‘papering over the cracks’ will no longer be possible How will your school cope then? Essex is currently short of some 200 NQT’s for both Primary and Secondary schools. If there is going to be a problem, don’t wait till next term. Contact either Jerry Glazier on 01702 207780 or Regional Office on 01638 664538
Calling all School Representatives.
The annual meeting will be held this year on 11th July at The Red Lion Pub, New London Rd. Chelmsford from 7 to 9 p.m. Come and meet John Dixon the Regional Secretary . Talk to other school Reps about your problems and have a free meal and drinks with the local committee Remember to reply to the secretary by Friday 6th July. If you have not yet received your invitation phone the secretary on 01277 626321
.
February 2001 |
I didn’t cross the Threshold What do I do now?
All teachers who failed to cross the threshold do have the right of a review. Some headteachers are telling their staff this is not the case. Ask your Head for the two leaflets entitled :- “Guidance for teachers who have not yet met all the Threshold Standards” and “Threshold Assessment : Application for Review” . You must apply within 40 days of receipt of written feedback and no later than 31st March . Before completing your application you are advised to consult with the Regional Office, by sending them the form “Threshold Watch-Outcomes” which your school representative has.
Beating Back Bureaucracy
The recent leaflet sent to school representatives re-iterates that there should be no more than one meeting of 60 minutes on average each week and that a mid-day break of reasonable length is not part of directed time and teachers cannot be required to attend management convened meetings during their lunch breaks. Advice is also given on pupil reports, updating lessons, schemes of work and lesson plans, pre– school briefings and parents evenings. Any members who are having difficulties should contact Regional Office on 01638 664538
Unacceptable Pupil Behaviour
Juliet Greeley from Hamilton House answered members queries at the General Meeting in January. She said that headteachers were responsible for promoting good behaviour and discipline. The Union is sending them detailed guidance on the creation of school discipline policies. She recommended that it should include who staff should turn to for support when dealing with difficult pupils and where pupils should be sent if excluded from the classroom . The Union pamphlet gives advice on the use of force to restrain pupils. An ‘Incident Book’ should be kept to record all incidents involving the use of force. If the Head and/or Deputy Head are out of school someone must be designated in authority to deal with difficult situations if they arise.
Membership Lists
The secretary uses membership lists to make sure, for example,
that enough newsletters are sent into each school. These lists are only as
accurate as members make them. All members will have received an update form
recently with their new membership card, so if you transfer to another school,
become retired or a supply teacher please complete it and return it to Hamilton
House in the pre-paid envelope.
December 2000 |
Don’t Do It !
Year 5 teachers have or will shortly be receiving training on the latest catch up programme, Springboard 5 , a numeracy programme aimed at schools with more than eight pupils who will get level 3 in year 6 .They will be given a 50 minute mathematics lesson with the teacher each week followed by a 45 minute session with the T.A. It should not be necessary for the teacher to take these lessons in the lunch hour or after school, Emily Evans, from Hamilton House advised our members at the meeting on 9th November, since there is sufficient money to pay for supply teachers.
Do you have to deal with unruly pupils?
The NUT has just published its leaflet on Unacceptable Pupil Behaviour (which has been sent to all school representatives) as a result of the cases recently highlighted in the press which showed the need for teachers to be properly protected when carrying out their duties. The leaflet gives advice on who is responsible for discipline. Each school should have a written policy defining amongst other things, the standards of behaviour expected. Governing bodies have also to agree written statements of general principles to accompany the school discipline policy. The Union’s leaflet outlines when it is permissible to use force to control or restrain pupils, and discusses the question of pupil exclusions. If you have had difficulty in dealing with disruptive pupils come along to the next General Meeting and talk to Juliet Greeley from Hamilton House who was involved in writing the leaflet.
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