report
MAY 2014
THE MAGAZINE FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS & LECTURERS £2.50
ATL Conference
Ofsted, pay, workload and privatisation all up for debate at our Manchester event
Reflective teaching Taking time to stand back from your practice and look at the way you do things
ATL’s manifesto for education ahead of the 2015 general election
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Contents
Alison Sherratt,
Welcome national president, ATL
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10 08 Your ATL
Features
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News Including more members meeting their MPs to explain what needs to be done in education, and the launch of two new equalities networks
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Shape Education ATL’s education manifesto for the 2015 general election calls for a new deal for children and young people to help them develop the skills and knowledge they need
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Noticeboard Advice, information, events and opportunities to get involved
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Serious subjects Dinah Caine on how creativity is good for helping to rejuvenate the economy, and fun too
Join the debate 10
ATL Annual Conference From Ofsted to FGM, creativity to curriculum, and support staff to Sherlock Holmes, all the debate from Manchester
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Letters ATL members on older women being forced out of their jobs, judging on pupil progress, and lifelong learning
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ATL in Wales and Northern Ireland Comment from Philip Dixon and Mark Langhammer Final word Team spirit can see you through hard times, says rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio
Report is the magazine from the Association of Teachers & Lecturers, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD Telephone: 020 7930 6441 Fax: 020 7930 1359 Email report@atl.org.uk or membership@atl.org.uk Internet www.atl.org.uk Managing editor Victoria Poskitt Editors Alex Tomlin, Charlotte Tamvakis Advertising sales director Samantha Overton 01603 772520 Advertising sales Lisa Marrison 01603 772521
03 Contents.indd 3
Help and advice 24
Administering medication Know your rights when dealing with pupils’ medical needs
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Contact All the details you need to get in touch with ATL
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Reflective teaching The importance of standing back and taking a good look at the things you do
Resources 27
Classified advertisements
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Crossword Your chance to win £50 of Marks & Spencer vouchers
nnual Conference is over for another year and delegates have returned home for a well-earned rest over the Easter break ahead of the frantic summer term. The three days we spend at Conference are arguably the most important in the ATL calendar. It is the place where members from all over the country debate education issues that they and their branches feel are important. Conference is the decision-making body that sets the policy agenda for the year ahead. Now resolutions have been passed, the professional staff are busy formulating a handling plan for the Executive Committee and themselves to work with. This year the main concerns have been around the usual suspects: Ofsted, the work-life balance, performance-related pay, and the recruitment and retention of education staff. However, ATL is not afraid to tackle difficult new issues. There have been debates about female genital mutilation, workplace homophobia and the poverty crisis, to name but three. Conference is also the venue for ATL to showcase itself to the wider public and in particular to the people in charge of education nationally. In this issue you will find a comprehensive report about Conference, and you will also find out about the launch of our manifesto created from the Shape Education campaign. You will remember that all year we have been inviting you to write postcards to MPs, put your views on Twitter and to add flesh to the bones of the six bullet points listed on the postcards that encapsulate ATL members’ views about an education system fit for the future. You can see the full manifesto at www.atl.org.uk/manifesto. On 14 May, ATL’s manifesto was due to be launched in Westminster and it forms the basis of our election campaign. Now is the time to share your vision for education with your MP as the parties write their manifestos. You are the professionals; use your voice. And finally, may I extend a personal thank you to all the delegates and staff who made Conference 2014 very special for me in my presidential year.
Report is produced and designed for ATL by Archant Dialogue Ltd, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE. Email: mail@archantdialogue.co.uk Production editor Lucy Mowatt, Art editor Claire Leibrick, Creative director Nick Paul, Managing ad production controller Kay Brown, Publishing director Zoë Francis-Cox, Managing director Gavin Miller Printed in the UK on FSC-accredited stock. Subscription: Non-members, including libraries, may subscribe at the rate of £16 per year. ATL accepts no liability for any insert, display or classified advertisement included in this publication. While every reasonable care is taken to ensure that all advertisers are reliable and reputable, ATL can give no assurance that they will fulfil their obligation under all circumstances. The views expressed in the articles in Report are the contributors’ own and do not necessarily reflect ATL policy. Official policy statements issued on behalf of the Association are indicated as such. All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of ATL.
07/05/2014 16:36
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your ATL / news
Leading the way for women
ATL’s Theresa Devenney (left) chairs the ICTU women’s conference in March
ATL Northern Ireland’s regional officer chaired the biennial Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) women’s conference in March. Delegates from 200 trade unions debated 21 motions and heard from guest speakers at
the event in Wexford, which had the theme ‘Women organising for decent work’. Theresa Devenney said: “The main thread emerging from the conference was how women are most affected by austerity
Closures continue Independent schools are continuing to close despite an upturn in the economy. Grosvenor School in Edwalton, Nottinghamshire, is one of the most recent schools to announce its closure. It is set to shut in September after 138 years as a prep school for four- to 13-year-olds. ATL is seeking reassurance from auditors to ensure members who have lost their jobs receive pay they are entitled to. ATL is aware of six independent schools that have closed or are due to close in 2014, while a number of independent schools are
converting to free school or academy status. Last year 15 independent schools closed. ATL’s national official for the independent sector John Richardson said: “Despite the upturn, independent schools are continuing to close. The recession is particularly affecting certain sectors of independent schools, namely prep schools, girls’ schools and those in northern England. ATL will always work to support members in an independent school that is due to close, to ensure they get any payments and redundancy pay they are due.”
Funding fallacy A new funding “boost” for schools will do nothing to create enough school places, ATL is warning. In March, the coalition government announced an additional £350 million in 2015-16 for “the least fairly funded local authorities in the country”. Announcing the extra money, Schools Minister David Laws said the funding system the coalition inherited was unfair because it did not reflect pupil need. www.atl.org.uk
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Martin Freedman, director of economic strategy and negotiation at ATL, said: “This government has been in power for four years, yet has done nothing to ensure funding for schools is made fairer. “Drip-feeding money to local authorities to compensate for taking out huge sums to set up academies and free schools will not provide sufficient school places for the majority of children in this country.”
measures. They are in sectors that are not heavily unionised, in the lowest-paid jobs in the economy with no full-time work and no security of permanent work. “A motion close to my heart was ‘Leadership training for women’. I participated in a women-in-leadership programme a few years ago that helped me develop new skills, build self-esteem and create lasting bonds and ongoing encouragement from other women. They taught me so much and believed in me.” Issues discussed included women’s experience of income inequality, insecure work and a “two-tier” workforce, while resolutions covered the importance of investment in childcare, respect for gender identity, mental health and domestic workers, among other issues.
Managing mental health Dozens of ATL members took part in a pilot training session in March on mental health issues among children and teenagers set up in response to members’ needs. The twilight session organised by ATL in Southend, Essex, saw representatives from the Adolescent Support Clinic speak about the changing adolescent world and the pressures and expectations that come from today’s society. The session also looked at self-harm and eating disorders in boys and girls. One member who took part said: “It really was fantastic. I am meeting with colleagues to see how we can strengthen the mental health support in our school.” More ATL regions are looking at offering similar sessions, and ATL’s London Wide group holds workshops on the subject. If you are interested in the issues raised, contact the ATL learning organiser in your region or email learning@atl.org.uk. May 2014
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More ATL members have met their MPs to discuss their vision for education and shape political parties’ policies ahead of the next general election as part of ATL’s Shape Education campaign. On 3 April, members in Merseyside met with Labour’s Bill Esterson, MP for Sefton Central, when they discussed what is taught in schools, how pupils are tested, and the proper training and support needed by education staff. ATL member and primary teacher Brenda Hayes said: “It was great to meet my local MP, to talk to him about life in the classroom and my concerns and vision for the future of education. The conversation ranged from preparing young people for life, the curriculum, pay and working
ATL members after their meeting with Labour MP Bill Esterson (centre)
Members share their vision with Green Party leader Natalie Bennett (fourth from right)
conditions, assessments and an education system that is not for profit.” Mr Esterson said: “The values that underpin ATL’s Shape Education campaign are paramount to any positive education system. The important role played by our teachers and support staff in helping all our children and young people to develop should never be undervalued.” The same month, ATL members met with Vernon Coaker, Labour MP for May 2014
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Gedling, and Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion. In March, members in ATL’s eastern region met the leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett, with whom they discussed long working hours for teachers, the lack of facility time and the low rates of pay for teaching assistants. In March, ATL’s Bolton branch secretary Barry Lingard spoke to David Crausby, Labour MP for Bolton North East. “I outlined our Shape Education campaign, drawing attention to the damage inflicted on education by Mr Gove’s policies,” said Mr Lingard. “He admitted we have been letting down the pupils and families who live in poverty and that a joined-up approach was needed. We also discussed the implications of new SEN legislation and how schools will have to be more accountable when addressing the needs of these pupils.” The same month, ATL members met with Julian Huppert, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge, and Nick Brown, Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East. Speaking after the meeting, Mr Huppert said: “It was refreshing to have an open and honest discussion about education and the concerns you and your members have, particularly in relation to the impact of localisation on schools and the difficulties teachers are facing because of difficulties with human resource professionals in academies and independent schools. “I particularly share your concerns about the narrowing of the curriculum for secondary-school-age pupils and regret league tables and exam results are increasingly becoming the only drivers in education.” Mr Brown said: “The campaign is welcome and is about the future life chances of the very young; their life chances are not a commodity to be sold off.” Read more about ATL’s election manifesto on page 8 and at www.atl.org.uk/manifesto where you will also find links to information about how you can help shape education
SARAH TURTON
MP meetings
New networks
ATL members Chris Lubbe (left) and Avie Kaur (right) are joined by Neville Lawrence (centre) at a meeting during ATL’s Conference
Two networks for ATL members were launched at ATL’s Conference in Manchester last month. A network for the union’s black and minority ethnic (BME) members was unveiled at a packed fringe meeting whose speakers included Neville Lawrence, the father of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. When asked by a member if there are still tensions between police and the black community, Neville said he had tried to explain to police they could not tell a group in a community they are “all thieves and robbers”, yet expect them to help with information when something happens. He also answered questions about forgiveness. ATL member Chris Lubbe spoke of his experiences as Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard, while Avie Kaur, union learning rep, joint branch secretary, and a member of ATL’s Equality and Diversity Committee and the TUC’s race relations committee, talked about her experiences in education. ATL is supporting the songwriting competition ‘A Song for Stephen’, and members can download a promotional song to raise funds via www.grmdaily.com/ the-voice-newspaper-launches-song-forstephen-lawrence-competition. ATL’s new lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) network was launched at a twilight meeting where a number of speakers shared their experiences. Speaking afterwards, ATL lead equalities officer Wanda Wyporska said: “Many, many members have offered support. They voiced the opinion that they were proud of ATL for setting up the networks and would be looking forward to organising events.” For more information and to get involved with both ATL’s LGBT and BME networks, email wwyporska@atl.org.uk
www.atl.org.uk
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your ATL / news
Noticeboard Executive Committee 2014 -16 ATL’s Executive Committee recently endorsed proposals to reduce its size. For the 2014-16 cycle, there will be 53 seats with the officer group retaining six seats, Northern Ireland and Wales two seats each, Scotland retaining one seat, and AMiE three seats, leaving 39 seats to be split between six English regions. Nominations for these Executive Committee seats closed on 31 March 2014, and where nominations exceeded the number of available seats, a ballot will be held. The results of the nominations are shown below. National officers (six seats in total): Mark Baker, Alison Sherratt, Kim Knappett, Ralph Surman, Stephen Buck, AMiE president. South west (seven seats in total) • Avon and Gloucestershire (two seats): Alan Porter, Veronica Rodriguez • Dorset and Somerset (two seats): Clare Kellet, one vacancy • Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Swindon and Wiltshire (two seats): Stella Jales, Helen Thompson • Cornwall and Devon (one seat): Trevor Cope Eastern (seven seats in total) • Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire (three seats): Adam Van Asch, Allison Barnes, Phillipa Kearns, John Laidlaw – subsequently there will be a ballot in this region • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Essex, Southend and Thurrock, Germany, Norfolk and Suffolk (three seats): Geoff Pye, Niamh Sweeney, one vacancy • Lincolnshire (one seat): Ray Amoss South east (seven seats in total) • Inner London, Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston,
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Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond, Sutton and Waltham Forest (three seats): Graham Edwards, Deborah Parren, Hank Roberts, Jovan Trkulja – subsequently there will be a ballot in this region • Kent, East Sussex/Brighton and West Sussex (two seats): Julie Huckstep, John Paul • Berkshire, Surrey, Jersey and Guernsey (two seats): Tamsin Honeybourne, Helen Porter North west (six seats in total) • Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan (two seats): Marie Holden, one vacancy • Cumbria, Isle of Man and Lancashire (two seats): Kathy Eagar, Mandy Turner • Cheshire, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral (two seats): two vacancies North east (six seats in total) • Barnsley, Doncaster, Humberside, Rotherham, Sheffield and Wakefield (two seats): Colin Cranmer, one vacancy • Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and North Yorkshire/York (two seats): Fiona Barclay, Shelagh Hirst • Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Teesside and District (two seats): Sue Coates, Kirstie McAlpine, Debbie Polwarth – subsequently there will be a ballot in this region Midlands (six seats in total) • Birmingham, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Shropshire/Telford and Wrekin, Staffordshire, Stoke, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire (three seats): Stephen Baker, Bea Harvey, Ed Loft • Coventry, Derby and Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Solihull and Warwickshire (three seats): Avie Kaur, Ken Wheatley, one vacancy
Other seats (eight seats in total) • Northern Ireland (two seats): Mark Montgomery, John Pollock • Scotland (one seat): Alastair MacPherson • Wales (two seats): Alec Clark, Gareth Lewis • AMiE (three seats): Robin Bevan, Julia Neal, Fiona Rawlings In the areas where a ballot will take place, ballot papers were posted out to members in the relevant areas on 6 May and the ballot closes on 3 June. Each election is by the single transferable vote (STV) system, so ballot papers should be marked with a ‘1’ in the box next to the first preference candidate, a ‘2’ in the box next to the second preference, and a ‘3’ in the box next to the third preference. This is a statutory election and is being run according to ATL’s by-laws. ATL has appointed an independent scrutineer: Popularis Limited, Nutsey Lane, Totton, Southampton SO40 3RL (tel: 02380 867335, email: annehock@popularis.org). The general secretary will act as the returning officer.
NQ Job Finder ATL knows finding your first job can be daunting and time consuming. Our personalised Job Finder service, brought to you in association with Hays, the UK’s number one recruitment consultancy for permanent vacancies, offers a range of benefits and expertise to help finding your first job as stress-free as possible. • Search hundreds of NQ teaching jobs with partner schools nationwide � Hays works with more than 700 schools to facilitate their recruitment needs.
May 2014
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• Sign up for free email alerts to be notified about new jobs as soon as they are advertised. • Take part in regional ‘headteacher assessment centres’, with advice on competency-based interviews. • Get personal help from dedicated, expert Hays consultants and partnership school account managers for support when searching for your new teaching position. Our understanding, experience and expertise in education gives NQ teachers an advantage, with access to a network of top employers at schools and colleges of further education, as well as tailored careers advice. Access ATL’s Job Finder service at www.hays.co.uk/jobs/atl. For more information email atl@hays.com, and for details of your local Hays office call 0800 716 026. For tips and advice, take a look at the Hays NQT Facebook page www.facebook.com/haysnqtuk.
May 2014
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Festival of Learning May 2014 sees the start of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) Festival of Learning, which invites individuals, families, communities and workplaces to celebrate and take part in learning events across the country. The Festival culminates in Adult Learners’ Week, from 14 to 20 June. This celebrates the fact that adults who continue to learn throughout their lives are healthier, happier and have greater self-confidence and self-esteem. To find out what events
are taking place near you, visit the events calendar at www.alw.org.uk/events/find-anevent. Members may also want to visit www.atl.org.uk/learningzone to see the wide range of courses ATL offers members to ensure continuing professional development. ATL’s unique partnership with Edge Hill University offers ATL members the opportunity to study for an MA in education flexibly and at a substantially reduced cost.
www.atl.org.uk
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cover story / ATL manifesto
Shape Education: ATL’s manifesto for 2015
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or the past year ATL has been meeting with and listening to you, the members, through events, surveys and postcards. We have heard the issues that matter most to you and have reflected them in our manifesto, which we will now use to influence the political parties as they plan their policies ahead of the general election in May 2015. Our manifesto looks forward to a new deal for students and education staff. We know our young people urgently need the skills and knowledge to enable this country’s economy to grow, and failure to develop these will leave Britain unable to compete with other advanced nations. It is vital our schools and colleges offer the highest quality education, led by the best and most experienced education professionals.
Education matters — talk to us
ATL works with its teacher, lecturer, support staff and leader members to achieve high standards of education. This is a time of profound change. The world of work has been transformed by the communication revolution — the way knowledge is accessed, the way information is disseminated, the way skills are developed, the way working patterns are adapting. Our education system cannot ignore the consequences for everyone involved — those who teach and those who learn.
Transition to FE, HE and work from school needs financial support and excellent careers guidance Young people need a stake in society. More than one million young people are unemployed, while those in work often suffer from low pay and job insecurity. The coalition government has starved the FE sector of funding, created inequality in school and FE pay, and has made it more difficult for disadvantaged young people to continue their education and training. The loss of the education maintenance allowance, the cut in funding for 18-yearolds in full-time education, the new student loans and fees system and the abolition of the national careers service are actions of a government that is not investing in the
nation’s most precious resource — its young people. We are in danger of losing a generation because they feel they have no stake in society; a lost generation with no access to the life their parents could reasonably hope for. WE WANT a new deal for young people so they have a productive future in our society. We want to restore financial support and careers advice so young people understand education is the most powerful route to improving their life chances.
Children and young people need a broad and balanced curriculum The curriculum must focus on skills development as well as academic excellence that prepares young people for life. Yet so many exams are taken that the system is creaking. Schools have lost faith in the ability of exam boards to award the right grades and appeals have risen. The coalition government’s return to an over-reliance on testing only through final exams that will assess just a small part of pupils’ achievements, and a narrowly academic curriculum, ignores the skills and attributes young people need to live fulfilled personal and professional lives. WE WANT young people to gain qualifications that assess both academic knowledge and its practical application. We want to develop and assess the skills that employers say they need: communication and analytical skills; IT skills; creativity; interpersonal skills; resilience; a strong work ethic; and empathy.
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Education professionals need a better working life It is now recognised the quality of teaching is the single most important factor in raising standards of learning. Yet, as a nation, we treat education staff badly. The profession’s workload has rocketed as morale has plummeted. Constant criticism by the media and ill-informed comments by politicians have left the profession battered and bruised. The loss of the requirement for QTS, piecemeal approaches to CPD and increasing challenges around recruiting heads — whose jobs are as secure as their last Ofsted judgement — all means teaching is becoming less attractive as a career choice. At the same time, we are facing a huge increase in pupil numbers. Yet the coalition government’s rush towards school-based teacher training means there’s no nationwide system for ensuring enough trainees in the right subjects in the right places. Soon, we will face a teacher shortage. WE WANT a return to a nationwide system of teacher training where trainees gain a professional qualification awarded by an institution focused on giving the broadest preparation for a career in teaching. We want teachers to maintain their skills and knowledge through a contractual right to CPD, dedicated time to research their subject, the opportunity to learn with expert colleagues and freedom to innovate – all to the benefit of their students.
May 2014
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Education and students’ futures should be prioritised over profit money that should be used to educate our children is being diverted to shareholders and chief executives.
Students deserve schools, colleges and universities where their education and their futures are prioritised over the desire by private companies to make money. Public money for the education of children and young people should not be used to create profit for private companies or individuals. State education is one of this country’s success stories. Evidence shows nearly £80 million has been spent on legal, accountancy, recruitment, property services and other
consultancy fees connected with academy conversions. The coalition government has also diverted at least £637 million from the education budget to set up free schools that educate fewer than 22,000 pupils — including £45 million on a proposed free sixth form college in Westminster, despite a lack of need. For every excellent academy promoted by ministers, there’s an equally excellent local authority school. Yet the government is dismantling state education, and public
Teachers need an end to excessive working hours and a genuine career path through a national pay structure
Schools need an accountability system based on collaboration, with local inspection and a new role for Ofsted
Recent analysis shows primary teachers work around 60 hours a week and school leaders even longer. This is not sustainable for staff and means pupils do not receive the high quality education they deserve. Much of this work is not connected to teaching and learning, and stems from a lack of trust in teachers’ professionalism: detailed lesson planning, supplying vast quantities of data for inspections and assessments, and assembling evidence for the new pay structure. We want the accountability and assessment systems to be slimmed down so teachers can teach. WE WANT a consistent national pay structure for teachers so they can plan their future, with sufficient local flexibility that enables heads to manage their schools fairly. We want support staff to have a national pay framework, and we want an end to exploitative conditions such as term-timeonly contracts.
May 2014
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The current accountability system for schools is not working. Ofsted is no longer trusted to make accurate and reliable judgements on schools and requires radical reform. We are spending over £157 million a year on an inspection agency that has endemic internal quality control problems. Until school leaders can focus on much wider education outcomes than just those understood by poor quality Ofsted inspectors, we will not develop the highest quality education system. Higher standards can
WE WANT an end to schools, colleges and universities being run for profit, either directly or indirectly. We want publicly funded education institutions to be democratically accountable to their communities, with fully transparent funding and governance structures.
only be achieved if the expertise of teachers and leaders is fostered in an environment of professional respect, appropriate challenge and clear accountability. WE WANT a local accountability system where schools are required to work together to share good practice and local partners provide support, with a new role for Ofsted to evaluate these arrangements.
Finally, a message to politicians Education policy-making has been marked by impatient politicians wanting simple answers to complex questions, the selective use of evidence, and political interference in issues that should be left to professionals’ judgement. In contrast, higher-performing education systems are characterised by policy coherence, long-term goals and proper consultation with a range of stakeholders, including parents, employers and education professionals. These systems invest in staff through
high quality initial training and entitlement to effective CPD. Time taken to build consensus with the profession, who want to be worked with, rather than done to, is time well spent. You can read ATL’s manifesto in full, and download a copy, at www.atl.org.uk/ manifesto. You can share your vision for education with your local MP; see ATL’s guide at www.atl.org.uk/lobbyyourmp or you can email organise@atl.org.uk for support. www.atl.org.uk
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join the debate / Conference
Making our voices heard
ATL general secretary Mary Bousted called for a return to a national pay framework and a radical transformation of Ofsted at ATL’s Annual Conference in Manchester. Photos: Sarah Turton
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he teaching profession views for ‘having a go’ at Ofsted,” Mary said, “and I governments as worse than am proud of that, because someone has to useless when it comes to stand up for teachers and someone has to education, Mary Bousted told stand up to bullies. Conference delegates. “We “Ofsted is a busted flush,” she stated. “It have to put up with one daft idea after can no longer claim its inspection reports are another, dreamt up by non-experts without worth the paper they are written on.” How real consultation with experts, often rushed much higher would standards of education and botched in implementation instead of be, she asked, if teachers and school leaders being piloted and reviewed,” she said. were not so distracted by the fear Ofsted “The current government is particularly brings, having to jump through pointless guilty, by putting at risk the achievements of hoops so that all would be ready when the millions of young people with its hasty and inspector called? highly contentious changes to curriculum “Ofsted is so damaged, so tarnished and assessment — an area, above all, where that it has to be radically and completely careful and transformed,” Mary said. “Fiddling at the edges will consensual All education staff not do.” development is must get an annual cost- Policies creating needed,” she added. The so-called unnecessary work lead of-living pay award freedoms given to to the “shocking and schools — to pay undeniable” results of the teachers more, to hire and fire, to spend teacher workload diary, which show that, taxpayers’ money on HR, IT and leadership when unpaid overtime is taken into account, consultancies — all these freedoms come teachers now work the most overtime of any with big, heavy, iron chains. Politicians, profession. Mary said, “wake up at night troubled and “How can any government hope to recruit sweating, thinking ‘how do I know the highest quality graduates into a profession mayhem is not ensuing because I have let a that is so desperately overworked?” Mary thousand flowers bloom?’” asked, explaining that no education system Governments of all ilks attempt to can outstrip the quality of its teachers. “It’s teachers that make the difference,” counteract their worries by putting in place a huge bureaucratic framework of data she said, adding, “Any government really demands so school leaders can committed to doing the best for the next demonstrate their teachers are teaching generation would look after teachers and pupils properly, while taking away from lecturers and would ensure we are a teachers control over curriculum, confident, empowered profession.” assessment and approaches to teaching that And part of that is, of course, through pay, are essential in freeing teachers to teach. Mary said, highlighting Chancellor George Osborne’s announcement in his March Another major cause of unnecessary workload that takes the focus away from Budget speech that the government wants to teaching is Ofsted. “I have a bit of a reputation reward hard-working people. As the teacher
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workload diary proved, teachers are hard-working people, but no pay increases in 2011 or 2012, and just one per cent rises for the foreseeable future, don’t seem like much reward for hard work, Mary said. “ATL has worked out that, from the 2010 general election to the next general election in 2015, teachers’ pay will have fallen 12% against inflation,” she added. “And it’s worse for lecturers and support staff. I wonder what effect that will have on recruitment and retention in education?” In Michael Gove’s education marketplace, she continued, instead of one national pay framework, there could be a different one in every school. “ATL prefers rational debate to shouting matches,” she said. “But on this occasion we will have to raise our voices, just a little, so what we’re saying is perfectly clear: we must restore a national pay framework for teachers. Teachers need to know where their careers will be in five or 10 years’ time. Already we are hearing stories of banks refusing mortgages to teachers because their future pay is so uncertain. This cannot continue. “All education staff must get an annual cost-of-living pay award or they will not be able to afford to stay in the profession. Public funding for education should go to schools and colleges and not line the pockets of academy sponsors and private companies.” Mary concluded by urging members to carry on their great work in promoting and arguing ATL’s education manifesto to MPs and not just saying what ATL is against, but what it’s for. “We are for teachers and lecturers, school leaders and support staff. There is a mountain to climb, but let us climb it together, proud of our profession. And proud to be part of this great union — ATL,” she concluded to a standing ovation. May 2014
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Motions and debate Delegates lobbied for action on issues including Ofsted, child poverty and QTS. Resolutions passed during Conference form the policy priorities for ATL over the year ahead Making teaching tempting
Teaching “was never my plan”, Kirstie McAlpine, convener of ATL Future, told delegates. “I watched the work my mother did for her classes, and noted the exhaustion she carried round with her.” Yet she changed her mind when her mother took time to show her why it is the best job in the world. However, Kirstie warned: “The workforce is demoralised. New teachers are training through programmes that are constantly evolving, with huge national and regional inconsistencies. The success of a workbased training route is dependent on so many variables, it is astonishing student teachers complete it at all. When asked if this was a career they would recommend to their children … an overwhelming majority [of teachers] said no.” She explained how the rapid pace of change and erosion of autonomy is leading to a disaffected workforce where experience no longer holds any value, and could even be a reason why you’re asked to leave. “Too many political decisions are made with the assumption good teaching is innate and that anyone with social flair, subject knowledge and many colours of Post-its can [do it].” She said teachers are not trusted to do the job well. “Ofsted’s own language divides and undercuts us. We cannot all be outstanding but we can all be excellent. Teaching needs to be seen as a skilled profession with structured and wellsupported training routes that deliver the best outcomes for trainees and pupils.” The motion called on ATL to take action against government policies that undermine the attractiveness of teaching, and was unanimously carried. May 2014
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Poverty and hidden costs
ATL members highlighted the harmful effect of poverty on children’s lives and education attainment across four separate debates. Speaking on ‘The great British poverty crisis’, Niamh Sweeney (Cambridgeshire) painted a sorry picture of the government’s missed poverty targets and failing austerity measures. “They have decimated Sure Start, they have cynically targeted benefit cuts at those least likely to be able to speak up or vote,” she said. “They have sought to create a recovery to benefit themselves and those in their image.” Meanwhile, swingeing cuts mean schools are forced to pass on costs to parents through an increase in “voluntary contributions” that see parents and carers paying not just for school trips but for vital resources, including books and even buildings, said
Krystal Ketcher on the stark choices faced in FE
Jenny Inglis (Berkshire), proposing a motion to raise awareness about this issue. The promise of education free at the point of delivery is being broken by the government, she argued, thanks to policy choices that shy away from unpopular increases in tax. Instead, a pernicious choice is being passed on to the children of low-income families: “Skip school meals or borrow cash to pay for them.” Similar stark choices are faced by post-16 students, who get no support for the significant transport costs they face following the end of the EMA programme. Proposing a motion calling for this support to be extended, Krystal Ketcher (Somerset) said some students have to choose between part-time work that interferes with studies or dropping out of education altogether. “Transport should not be a reason for students to give up on their future,” she said.
Abby Saxby (ATL Future) was among a number of members who graphically illustrated the link between poverty and low educational attainment with stories from their own teaching experiences in a motion calling on ATL to campaign and lobby for this inequality to be addressed. In her third year of teaching, she was horrified to discover one of her pupils had never even been to the beach visible from the school’s windows. “Before the child could demonstrate they could phonetically decode the text, show understanding of the story plot, make inferences about the characters — they first had to learn what a beach was,” she explained. All four motions were carried.
Ofsted charter
Now is “not the time to be firing arrows of antipathy” at an Ofsted judged to be ‘requiring improvement’, said Robin Bevan (Southendon-Sea). Instead, now is the time to “apply the sledgehammer of scrutiny” to the inspectorate, in the form of an inspection charter that guarantees inspection teams will be independent, comprised mostly of serving teachers and leaders, with judgements that are subject to reliability sampling. Supporting, Simon Clarkson said Ofsted could not be trusted because it had got judgements wrong so many times, yet school leaders’ work still focuses on meeting its requirements regardless. “If you are told to make a car go faster and that failure is not an option, chucking the car off a cliff works, even if only for a little while,” he said. “We need to stop the madness. Ofsted is broken; it needs fixing.” The motion was carried unanimously.
Creativity stifled
Michael Gove is a Jekyll and Hyde character when it comes to creativity, said Joyce Field (Hertfordshire), proposing that ATL conducts research into the new national curriculum’s effect on creativity. She said on the one hand Mr Gove wants teachers to be “exciting and motivating”, but on the other they should stop using innovative approaches that “have nothing to do with passing on knowledge”. www.atl.org.uk
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Seconder Nye Hathaway also quoted the Secretary of State, when Mr Gove said children needed to master skills such as sentences, multiplication and musical scales before they could even begin to be creative in those areas, which Nye considers “a skewed view”. He concluded by stating that rigour and creativity are not mutually exclusive, and the motion was passed.
Calls for QTS
A qualified teacher in every class will make things add up, said Jonathan Dolling (Inner London) who displayed his magic skills while calling for all classes in England and Wales to be taught by a qualified teacher. He said: “Mr Gove, maths might not have been your forte at your academic grammar school over 30 years ago, so take some advice from fully qualified teachers who get their sums right today. Our students deserve investment in their education experiences to pay dividends in their future. The whole nation depends on it, as does your pension, and ours.
for it very well, but I appreciated the extra responsibility. I am not suggesting support staff or unqualified teachers can or should take whole classes across the board, but I do feel that, given the right person and support, I don’t think it is totally unacceptable.” Hank Roberts said: “Across the country parents are complaining about the increasing trend of this government to have unqualified teachers teaching. It’s de-skilling and we should definitely be against it.” A separate motion called on ATL to work to ensure a structured pathway for early years professionals to achieve QTS, in the light of the introduction of the designation of ‘early years teacher without QTS’. Cecily Hanlon (Leeds) said: “Teaching in early years is a specialism in its own right. Early years teachers will not have … the same status as teachers of KS1 and beyond. Pay and conditions will not be as good.” In another motion expressing concern over the lack of need for qualifications to teach in FE, and calling for a licence to practise for lecturers to be reinstated, Niamh Sweeney of ATL’s Further Education Sector Advisory Group said: “Children in post-16 deserve to be taught by a qualified teacher or lecturer.” All three motions were carried.
Childhood eroded
Jonathan Dolling uses magic to make his point
“Our professional status — earned by degrees and postgraduate certification over four or more years — is continually being undermined by Mr Gove’s ‘education on the cheap’, favouring fresh-faced School Direct practitioners and even teaching assistants (TAs) over older, experienced teachers.” Paul Ronayne, seconding, said: “There exists today a systematic overuse of support staff in the teaching role, which is not only wrong for our children and young people, but very wrong for hard-working and committed support staff.” However, the motion, which was critical of the pressure placed on support staff to teach whole classes when there are enough qualified, yet under-employed or unemployed teachers available, prompted debate. Student teacher Louise Atkinson said: “I worked for five years as a TA. I wasn’t paid www.atl.org.uk
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Speaking as a proud parent who wants the best for his young daughter, proposer Steve Taylor (Cambridgeshire) said he was concerned at the effects of government policies such as school starts for two-yearolds, longer school days and shorter holidays on family life. He concluded with a quote from John Lennon: “When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I hadn’t understood the assignment. I told them they didn’t understand life.” And neither does the current government, said Steve. The motion calls on ATL to reinforce the need for families to have a work-life balance that enables them to spend more time together, and to challenge the erosion of childhood and family life, and was carried.
Fighting FGM
ATL must lobby for action to see female genital mutilation (FGM) classified as a form of child abuse, with the perpetrators prosecuted, delegates were told.
Helen Porter described the “terrifying and bewildering” experience of practices that are usually carried out on girls aged six. She said: “It is estimated that 66,000 women resident in England and Wales have undergone FGM, and more than 23,000 girls under 15 are at risk or have already undergone FGM.” She added: “FGM is child abuse. FGM is a safeguarding issue and education staff should speak to the designated child protection lead if they suspect a child is in danger of or has been a victim of FGM. “As education staff, we need to raise awareness and encourage young women and men to question FGM. Let’s all pledge to speak out against FGM.” The motion, which also called for ATL to campaign on the issue and develop resources, was carried.
SEN funding
Streamlined it may be, but the DfE’s new model for SEN funding is also cumbersome, unworkable and not fit for purpose. Emma Weetch (Somerset) told delegates the speed the policy is being rolled out — with full implementation due in September — is increasing already widespread misgivings about its effectiveness. Feedback from schools involved in pilots
Emma Weetch wants a rethink on SEN funding
raised concerns about difficulties managing budgets, the amount of delegation required by government, and the minimal funding given to even the most disadvantaged areas — just £50,000 to cover an average secondary school and four feeder primaries, she explained. Most troubling of all, Emma said, is the failure to pass information about SEN funding on to schools in a timely way. The motion called on the government to rethink the policy, and was unanimously carried. May 2014
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The next generation ATL president and proud Star Trek fan Alison Sherratt took delegates on a journey through time before focusing on the future of education Alison opened her speech to delegates by transporting them back to 1973 and her first class as a qualified teacher, class 2S, who enjoyed coming to school, were given time to see through projects in science, art, history and languages, and were proud to show off their work, safe in the knowledge it was not being used to test them. She then took delegates, via “warp drive”, to her last class, ‘The Ducks’, who had already been through the tick-boxes of the early years profile, been guinea pigs for “unnecessary” phonics tests, and had their SATs scores predicted, all thanks to the pressure for data collection and league tables. As the teacher of 2S in 1973, Alison recalled thoroughly enjoying working when her professionalism was valued, she was given autonomy to plan child-led topics, and her morale and motivation were high.
Elementary, my dear Gove
Sherlock Holmes could teach Michael Gove a thing or two about using evidence, said Hank Roberts (Brent), who called for the government not to introduce new education policies that have no reliable evidence base. Mr Holmes said in A Scandal in Bohemia: “It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to such theories instead of theories to such facts.” Michael Gove is guilty of theorising before having reliable, relevant data, said Hank, and of “presiding over a system that demands mountains of excessive data, but data aimed at achieving the wrong objective”. The motion was carried. A related motion calling on ATL to press political parties to appoint only those who have recent, direct and personal experience of the state education sector to their education frontline teams was hotly debated. May 2014
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ATL president Alison Sherratt
“But it is now my experience,” she said, “that all these professional values, my qualifications and, I have to say, that initial buzz of heady enjoyment … have been systematically eroded by successive incarnations of the national curriculum, the pressures of league tables, teacher-baiting by the current Secretary of State for Education, and the introduction of performance management and performancerelated pay.” Alison then went back to 2010 and revisited Michael Gove’s speech to ATL’s Conference, when he claimed to be a “pragmatist who rejected ideologies and believed in evidence”, pledged to give teachers greater autonomy, and said Ofsted was ripe for reform — statements that have not been backed with convincing action. One phrase, however, stood out “in neon highlighter” for Alison: Mr Gove’s assertion: “I want to have Proposer Clare Kellett (Somerset) said it is not enough that policy-makers have been to school. Speaking against the motion, Stuart Hart said experience is no guarantee of an ability to run a system, and the ability to listen is more important. Delegates carried the resolution in a tight vote.
The diminishing lunch hour
A resolution calling for ATL to continue to campaign for recognition of the union’s recommended minimum 40-minute break in all educational workplaces, and to ensure all employers are aware there should be a private place of rest for all staff members, was carried unanimously after speakers talked of new academies with no private staffroom and staff sharing toilets with pupils. Seconding the resolution, Alison Bradley (Devon) recalled looking at the schedule of “lunchtime activities, clubs, supervision
debate with the profession”. Alison could not recall any “meaningful debate” about his suggestions for longer working days, policies for unqualified teachers, and the increasing involvement of private companies in education that has resulted in expensive free schools closing shortly after opening, 10 E-ACT academies failing and the very real problems this causes for children affected. Despite all this, Alison described the education minister as having the attitude, to misquote Star Trek, of “We are the Gove. Resistance is useless. You will be assimilated.” But ATL’s president did not believe resistance is useless. “We have a far greater weapon than anything the Starship Enterprise has on board,” she continued. “We have ATL.” She outlined ATL’s Shape Education campaign, “a unique and brave initiative to take back our view of education with a sustainable long-term vision and plan.” “Colleagues,” she concluded to a standing ovation, “let us boldly go where no one has gone before, armed with what we know is right for the future.” and meetings” and wondering where lunch fitted in. “Taking a break is a proven way to increase productivity,” she said. Zoe Fail said: “Breaks are an essential part of the working day to enable staff to refuel, both physically with refreshment, and mentally with some time away from the demands that working with children and young people bring.”
Time for finance test
Following a spate of sudden closures at independent schools, the government must ensure a financial and strategic planning test is part of the regulatory regime for all schools and colleges, regardless of sector, Conference heard. Malcolm St John-Smith, chair of ATL’s Independent and Private Sectors Advisory Group, described how Howell’s School in Denbigh, Wales, closed in August 2013, a few weeks before the start of the new www.atl.org.uk
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Politicians’ pledges Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs set out their parties’ priorities ahead of the 2015 election before facing tough questions from members Schools minister David Laws said the policy he is most proud of is the pupil premium, while also highlighting changes to primary, secondary and 16-19 accountability. Turning to his party, he said: “I intend that my party should set out a commitment to much greater policy stability in our manifesto.” He continued: “You will know teacher qualification is one area where the coalition has different views. My own view, and that of my party, is that all teachers in all state-funded schools should have QTS, or be working towards QTS.” He also said CPD should be improved. “We need to spend more time thinking about how we invest in our greatest resource — our teachers. Morale does matter. We want a teaching profession that has pride in itself, which is praised for what it achieves, and which is attractive to the best and the brightest,” he said. Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said he wants to work with ATL to stop “the relentless
academic year. He said an ATL member who was awarded a payout for unfair dismissal after she was sacked in 2011 because she was pregnant has not yet received any of the money she is due. Yet an auditor’s report in 2012 had raised financial concerns. “This was a full year before the school closed and yet nothing was done,” he said. “The situation needs to change so the financial health of a school, surely the most important part of its survival, becomes part of the regulatory process. I do not and will not believe that any school does not know it is in financial trouble, and the records from Howell’s suggest they were aware of the problem.” Alastair McPherson seconded the motion, which was carried. May 2014
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David Laws
Tristram Hunt
churn and party political tinkering with education policy – and focus on what matters”. He said teacher quality makes the biggest difference to education outcomes, and that a Labour government in 2015 would make sure every schoolteacher would have QTS or be working towards it. “[Teachers] should not feel the need to go into management and leadership just to advance their careers,” he added. He said Labour would expect teachers to undertake regular professional development and “revalidate” expertise, adding: “We need to work together to see where we can strip out the bureaucracy and form-filling, while retaining effective accountability measures.” When asked what they would do to protect teachers from the stress and pressure of an excessive workload, Mr Laws said: “We need to review [how] to reduce the bureaucratic burdens and try, in some of these crucial areas of accountability, curriculum and qualifications, to get some kind of stability.” Dr Hunt responded: “Retention rates are really problematic. What
New exams under scrutiny
“Going back to the future” was how the new exam system coming into force in England was described to delegates. Jovan Trkulja (Inner London), explained how the new system is from a “rose-tinted era where ‘rigour’ and its soul mate ‘rote learning’ were the order of the day. “The major challenge is going to be whether the new English qualifications will be fair. It seems they are aimed at stretching the most able while leaving everyone else behind,” he added. Considered alongside the different qualifications and regulators in regions of the UK, he described the situation as a “recipe for chaos”. He also questioned the apparent devaluing of vocational qualifications,
we need now is a conversation that begins on the premise of the importance of data, begins from the premise of the accountability frameworks, but also cuts away some of the bureaucracy and paperwork getting in the way.” Asked if TAs will be offered working terms and conditions recognising their professionalism, Mr Laws said: “Part of the work we need to undertake … is to look at the professional development not only of teaching roles, but of TAs and those who contribute in the classroom.” Dr Hunt said: “Where TAs are used effectively they can have really helpful outcomes. Where you’re misusing TAs, where you have contracts that don’t support them, learning outcomes are going to be affected.” When asked what their vision for Ofsted is, Mr Laws explained: “We need to look at two areas … that the quality of the judgements it is making are high, and that there is a robust system to make sure those judgements are good quality.” Dr Hunt said: “We want highquality inspectors doing valuable inspections that assist school leaders, but we also need the independence and the value an inspectorate system gives to schools.” whether simply allowing a candidate with special needs longer for an exam is adequate, and spoke of the removal of practical skills, and speaking and listening assessments, from overall GCSE and A-level marks. He asked: “In a world where interpersonal skills are so treasured, one has to ask why oracy is being denigrated.” Deborah Parren, seconding, said a number of independent schools choose not to offer GCSEs and A-levels, but use the International Baccalaureate, international GCSEs and international A-levels instead. The motion called for an exam system that is robust and fair, and asks ATL to monitor the new exam systems to ensure this is the case. It was carried. www.atl.org.uk
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Supply standards
Supply teachers are skilled professionals, yet they are often not valued or paid at the appropriate level, and may be employed solely in advance of a school inspection, before being dispensed with. These were the concerns raised by Chrissie Jolinon (Brent), who told delegates: “It has come to light many schools employ experienced supply teachers through an agency just before a pending inspection, and later they are dispensed with.” She went on to say headteachers and agencies work collaboratively to hire supply teachers, and may not always stick to the Agency Workers’ Regulations. A separate motion called on ATL to look at the problems supply teachers have maintaining skills and professional knowledge, and to raise the issue with the National College for Teaching and Leadership and campaign for it to provide schools, local authorities, agencies and supply teachers with guidance on what CPD is and what should be available. Both motions were carried.
Support staff plight
Some support staff are so poorly paid they have to take second jobs just to be able to afford the basics, said Debbie Polwarth of ATL’s Support Staff Members’ Advisory Group, proposing a motion on support staff workload. Yet, despite the low pay, support staff work extra unpaid hours and take on serious responsibilities such as child protection meetings with social and mental health services, as well as being inappropriately used to cover for teachers and provide after-school activities. Members lined up to speak in favour of the motion, which called for ATL to use surveys to identify trends in bullying and work overloading, to highlight the issues among members and to publicise these inappropriate practices. It was passed unanimously.
Campaign against cronyism
“Our world-class education system is being destroyed through corporate greed as the Secretary of State colludes in the most secret of state privatisations,” stated Mark Baker. Proposing an urgent motion to Conference, he reeled off alarming www.atl.org.uk
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Mark Baker makes the case against cronyism
financial statistics, such as the government spending of £637 million on free schools for fewer than 22,000 pupils; £77 million paid in consultancy, accountancy and legal fees; and the creation of a £45 million free sixth form college in Westminster, where there is no shortage of places. He also highlighted conflicts of interest, such as Conservative donor Lord Edmiston setting up Grace Academy, which has paid more than £1 million to companies directly or indirectly owned by Lord Edmiston, as well as academy chains Harris, Ark and the David Ross Foundation all having strong links, through donations, with the Conservatives. “We have a culture of cronyism so ingrained we almost take it for granted,” Mark said. In front of the watching Labour spokesman for education, Tristram Hunt, Mark said: “If Her Majesty’s opposition shows little appetite to challenge, then we must challenge the secrecy, the hidden deals, the cronyism and the vested interests.” Speaking in support, Stephen Baker said one major problem is that much of the media automatically equates academies and free schools with excellence, but believes maintained schools are “rubbish”. The call for ATL to campaign in the pre-election period for a school funding system in which all schools are funded in a fair, transparent and accountable way was unanimously carried.
Privatisation and funding
Private companies are increasingly in control of education for profit without any accountability or control. Proposing a motion calling for ATL to campaign to raise awareness of the issue, Stephen Baker (Worcestershire) offered detailed evidence education was “now seen as a profitgenerating industry by many companies”.
According to a National Audit Office study, private-sector academy sponsors are failing to pass on promised money to academies, and in some cases are pressuring institutions to buy their services — a clear conflict of interest, he said. “As sponsorship of academies seems to be in the gift of the DfE, how can schools, parents, pupils and taxpayers trust the DfE’s recommendations?” Stephen also proposed a separate motion, calling for the funding available to every school to be made a matter of public record. Billions spent on academies and free schools, and massive cuts to existing programmes like Building Schools for the Future, mean the coalition appears to be failing to honour its promise that all schools would be funded equally, he said. “We are calling for the DfE to ensure the funding and governance of all state-funded schools should be fully transparent to enable local communities to determine how state funding is being used, and potentially misused, in all local schools,” he told delegates. Both motions were carried unanimously.
Over-50s under attack
Phillipa Kearns (Hertfordshire) is not in the 50-plus age bracket yet but fears for her future if current trends continue of women over 50 being subject to capability procedures. She said these women often face specific medical issues, such as the menopause, which they can be reluctant to explain to employers, while many also have to juggle work with caring responsibilities for elderly parents. The motion called for a survey of ATL teacher members aged 50 or over to discover how many have been involved in an informal or formal capability process. In his role as branch secretary, seconder Nye Hathaway said calls from women in their early 50s were becoming worryingly frequent, and most had the common theme of management criticising work after years of no problems. Many were looking to get out of the job as quickly as possible, he said. The motion was passed. Details of all Conference motions and speeches are at www.atl.org.uk/conference. Please let us know what you think about the speeches and debates at Conference. Send a letter (details on page 20) or join us at: www.facebook.com/atlunion and: www.twitter.com/atlunion.
May 2014
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profile / Dinah Caine
Serious subjects
Chief executive of industry body Creative Skillset Dinah Caine tells Alex Tomlin how more young people pursuing arts subjects would boost the UK economy
www.atl.org.uk
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f there is one thing Dinah Caine wants to make abundantly clear it is that creative subjects are not airy fairy or fluffy. The chief executive of Creative Skillset, the skills council for the creative industries, points out that these industries, which include advertising, computer games, fashion, film, publishing, radio and television, made £74.1 billion in 2012, outperforming all other sectors in the UK in a time of austerity. “Creative industries as a whole are a key growth priority sector in the economy and rely very heavily on the talent and skills of the people working within them,” says Caine. “There is a need to look at the talent pipeline from playground to pension.” Caine is concerned creative subjects are being marginalised. A survey commissioned by Creative Skillset on the initial impact of the Ebacc showed schools were withdrawing arts subjects, particularly those schools with higher proportions of pupils on free school meals. This is on top of applications for arts GCSEs falling by 20% in the last decade. She cites pockets of progress, such as dance being included in the PE curriculum and the work of Classic FM chief executive Darren Henley in promoting music. However, she derives most encouragement from a change in how league tables are compiled that allows
schools to be judged on their core Ebacc and we need to think about how we link up subjects plus three other subjects. This means with schools. It’s interesting how everything arts subjects can contribute towards league in this country is chopped up. Schools are table positions, and therefore schools are separate to FE, which is separate to HE. In more likely to focus on them. our industries, advertising is separate to Creative Skillset is looking at ways of film. It needs to be more holistic.” supporting schools to do this. “There isn’t Connecting education and the workplace a quick fix to this because it’s not as if there is key to the industries’ goal of attracting is a shedload of money sitting there,” she young people with talent. One approach is says, “but we are looking at resources and a move towards apprenticeships, not how we can use digital platforms to get traditionally a route seen in the creative information from across the industries sector. “We have started to work on the out to schools.” apprenticeship agenda because we do have Caine wants to introduce the concept issues about reaching out to the brightest and of fusion, which she describes as “about the best from all walks of life,” says Caine. mixing subjects up with the three key “Our role in that is to change the culture drivers we see as absolutely essential to of apprenticeships, to develop the standards underpinning all industries: the and frameworks of apprenticeships. Quality combination of creativity, technology and is key; knowing what a good apprenticeship entrepreneurship. The tendency is to teach looks like.” those subjects in completely separate Similarly, she says work experience is streams, but a more fluid, flexible “terribly important for us. At the moment, it’s combination is what businesses will be too much ‘who you know, not what you know’. looking for in the future, although of We have done a lot of work to support good course they still want people who can work-based placements. We want to move read, write and do maths. towards a digital platform to enable a brokerage “The areas we want to see looked at are system to connect schools and employers.” technology, particularly computer science. To schools and colleges that need ICT has changed to ‘computer science’, persuading to give attention to creative which is now included as part of the science subjects, Caine says: “Firstly, focus on subjects of the Ebacc. a combination of It’s a profound change. Don’t think of them creativity and ICT is about how to use technology. These are PowerPoint; computer as fluffy; think of them a powerful collection as a serious career science will be about of industries. Don’t how you code.” think of them as fluffy; Caine acknowledges that keeping up think of them as a serious career. with technological changes is a challenge “Creative subjects allow children to learn the creative industries and schools need across the curriculum in a whole different to meet. “How do you keep up within the set of ways and have been proven to engage industries, but also within schools that are children. The subjects we’re talking about short of time? We’ve got to think harder aid critical, analytical and communication about how we coordinate. Google’s done skills; how to problem-solve and adapt. some interesting things, these Raspberry “And creative subjects are enjoyable,” Pis [credit-card-sized single-board she concludes. “They make people happy. computers designed to promote the teaching Happiness in schools is a good thing, of basic computer science] have gone into isn’t it? It’s important people enjoy what schools to help children learn how to code. they’re learning too. It’s not just about There needs to be more of this sort of thing getting jobs.” May 2014
07/05/2014 16:57
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STAR LETTER
Capabilities concerns
achieved level 3 in their first six years is judged unsatisfactory if they do not deliver the same four levels of progress. There is no other issue causing more concern for the heads of department I line manage. They find it is the prior attainment of the class rather than the quality of teaching that will determine how successful their classes are, according to the DfE. Surely on this way of judging effectiveness of teaching, it would be far more difficult to be judged as good in a school where progress in primary has been limited or there is not the focus on educational progress at home that there might be?
K Cosgrave, Hartlepool
N Dutton, Banbury
Name supplied, Bradford The author of the star letter wins £100 in book tokens. If you want to voice your opinion on any issues raised in Report or any other aspect of education, please send a letter or email to the addresses above, including your phone number. One star letter will be chosen every issue.
Bizarre judgements It is my view that the greatest unfairness that has come from the Department for Education (DfE) in recent years is one that perhaps sounds most reasonable, the judgement of teaching being good or better by pupil progress. It would seem that if a child makes four levels of progress in five years of comprehensive school, then teaching is judged as good. This translates into turning Year 6 level 5 students into grade Bs. For most teachers this is highly achievable. However, making the same progress with a child who has achieved a level 4c or level 3 in year 6 is more problematic. It seems bizarre to me that a teacher of a child who has only www.atl.org.uk
20 Letters.indd 20
Lifetime for learning The excellent article in the February 2014 edition of Report, ‘Retirement on the horizon’, reminded me of a retirement seminar in 2005 organised by ATL, which provided sound advice that I have followed during seven years on a pension. Neither, however, stressed the importance of ‘a lifetime of learning’. In our first age, learning is organised by parents, teachers and lecturers. In our second age of employment there is limited time for personal learning not related to the workplace, or perhaps parenting. At last, in the third age, there is the chance to take charge of our own learning for pleasure and to seek the activities that interest us. Some of this can be done socially in the non-formal environment of the self-help learning cooperative that is the University of the Third Age (U3A for short). U3A, which is open to all third-agers, draws upon the knowledge, talents, skills and experiences of its membership to develop activities by members and for members without the need to have or to award qualifications. There is the chance to meet a far wider range of people with different personalities, backgrounds, knowledge, skills and life experiences than in the staffroom; more information is at www.u3a.org.uk. From observation, the happiest teacher retirees are those who already had another life outside the classroom, with interests, passions and commitments that carry on as normal or expand on retirement. Then there is the opportunity to be of value to others again by using your accumulated skills within a wide range of voluntary organisations. The key is to embrace lifelong learning, especially by developing new skills, experiences and social contacts. Move on and learn something new every day while you still have the chance!
I have just received the April 2014 edition of Report and was fascinated to read the news article ‘Female, 50 and forced out of your job’. Two and a half years ago I was a teacher who had been in primary education for 36 years. I was considered by those who matter — Ofsted, colleagues and previous headteachers — to be good at my job. However, on the arrival of a new headteacher at my school, I was informed I needed to be put into capabilities. As remarked on in your article, I decided with a heavy heart not to be ‘dragged through formal procedures’ and consequently took early retirement at the age of 58, which saddened me greatly. Following my experience, I have heard of this happening to many other colleagues, and I agree with your article that something must be said about it. At the time I felt that I was in a unique position, but I now know this is not the case. I was totally supported throughout the process by my ATL rep, but it has still taken a long time to adjust to being forced out of my job. I wish ATL and the TUC much luck as they highlight this problem facing women over 50, and look forward to hearing of their progress.
WIN
facebook.com/ATLUnion
May 2014
07/05/2014 16:58
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join the debate / Northern Ireland and Wales
Northern Ireland Mark Langhammer
Wales Dr Philip Dixon
The Salisbury review heralds a new dawn for FE
The tectonic plates of pay are shifting
The Salisbury to the critical issues of pay, review of hours and statutory matters. industrial We argued for replacement of relations the current adversarial ‘cross in further table’ system with a ‘round table’ education negotiating machinery inclusive has been of everyone — managers, welcomed by ATL’s leadership lecturers, support staff and section, AMiE. their unions. We argued for Sir Bob Salisbury conducted more structured consultation at his review at the behest of the college level through EuropeanColleges Employers’ Forum style works councils or staff following the McConnell report, forums. We sought specific which investigated industrial recognition for middle relations concerns in the North managers, a key failing of the West Regional College. Among current model. We also sought its conclusions was an assertion an effective, speedy, binding and that the current negotiating unilaterally triggered arbitration machinery in further ‘deadlock breaker’ through the education is “dysfunctional” or Labour Relations Agency. “fractious”. It was obvious to all The achievement of all that things could not these goals is significant limp on under and will give this system. industrial Things could Through in not limp on under relations its growing the FE sector this system membership, breathing space AMiE has sought to develop in to influence the Salisbury report a constructive, collegiate and by setting out a number of key productive way. It also proposals aimed at ameliorating demonstrates to FE staff industrial relations. We that AMiE’s reasoned, proposed the scope of rational approach can negotiations be narrowed deliver real results.
As a rule transfer. Finally, further moves of thumb to erode national pay and it’s safe to conditions by Mr Gove may assume all make the current set-up look education less attractive. matters are Over the next year or so, ATL devolved to Cymru will be developing its the Welsh Assembly. All, that is, manifesto for the next Assembly apart from the major concerns elections in 2016. We will want of pay and conditions. to tackle key issues such as These remain the province of banding, support staff pay and Westminster and are subject to qualifications. We will be asking the School Teachers’ Pay and politicians for their views and Conditions Document. We have letting members know them. always supported the status quo In the run-up to the because we think that, in Westminster election, you common would do with most well to ask Ask your MP other areas MP where he or she stands your of education where he or on teachers’ pay spending, she stands on teachers’ pay the issue of in Wales would have been hit teachers’ pay and conditions, if the Welsh Government had especially if he or she wants to been in charge. see it devolved or not, and the But all that might be reasons for their choice. The changing. Firstly, the tectonic plates are shifting in Westminster Government is on this as in other areas of the record as wishing that pay and educational landscape. We will conditions now be devolved. need to continue thinking and Secondly, the Silk Commission, engaging if we are to secure the which reported on greater fiscal best possible outcome for powers for the Assembly earlier teachers in Wales in these this year, supports such a challenging times.
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Check out ATL’s brand new curriculum website Find out more about the curriculum changes, view our video case studies of schools taking new approaches to curriculum, access resources and take part in the conversation about curriculum.
acurriculumthatcounts.org.uk www.atl.org.uk
22 Nations.indd 22
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07/05/2014 16:59
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09/05/2014 11:48
24
help and advice / legal
Administering medication A common topic ATL members contact us about is administering medicine to students. ATL solicitor Jayne Phillips outlines what you should know
voluntary or expected under the terms its insurance arrangements fully indemnify of your contract of employment. staff against claims of negligence. The Department for Education (DfE) Special consideration needs to be taken is in the process of reissuing its guidance into account if the treatment required is on supporting pupils at school with invasive, eg it involves the administration medical conditions. This underpins the of rectal diazepam, as there is an increased legal duty for governing bodies to have a risk of allegations of assault or sexual abuse policy in place explaining how pupils with in such circumstances. Two adults medical needs will be supported. This duty (preferably the same gender as the pupil) comes into force in September 2014 should be present in these situations. (although the guidance being reissued Pupils should not be taken to hospital in was originally published in March 2005). staff cars because allegations of negligence The new guidance aims to ensure children may be made if a seriously ill pupil is with medical conditions are properly placed unsupervised in a vehicle without supported, are able to play an active role medical support. If a pupil requires hospital in school life and are able to reach their treatment an ambulance should be called. full academic potential. When organising an educational visit, Prime responsibility for a pupil’s health a school will also need to consider taking rests with his or her parents or guardians, extra precautions, such as ensuring the who should provide sufficient and up-to-date presence of staff who are able to administer information about their child’s medical medication, and/or the inclusion of the needs. The pupil concerned should also child’s parent or guardian. Arrangements be involved in any discussions about his or should be made, and a risk assessment her medical support needs and the drawing prepared, in consultation with the parents up of an individual healthcare plan, where and pupil along with advice from the school appropriate. An individual healthcare plan nurse or other healthcare professional. will describe what needs to be done, when The DfE guidance also sets out what and by whom in order to support a pupil needs to be considered in relation to with a medical the safe storage of, condition. The plan’s and a child’s access to, Any member of preparation, in medicines. If a pupil staff can volunteer appropriate cases, suffers an adverse to support a pupil is one of the key reaction to medication responsibilities of the given to them, a governing body under the statutory member of staff could only be deemed to guidance. be personally liable if he or she were proved Any member of staff can volunteer to to be negligent. It is therefore important support a pupil, and it is imperative they that the correct training is given, that are provided with the necessary training medicine is administered in accordance from a medically qualified person. The with training and the correct procedures possession of a first aid certificate is not are followed. sufficient. Ideally, a number of staff ATL will naturally provide legal members should volunteer to assist a pupil assistance to any member who is placed so cover for any possible absences can be in the unusual position of being pursued arranged. The headteacher or principal legally, but such problems are rare. may set an example by being a volunteer. If you do volunteer to assist a pupil, or you ATL’s factsheet Administering are contractually expected to, you should ask Medication is available to download your employer to confirm, in writing, that from www.atl.org.uk/factsheets.
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www.atl.org.uk
24 Legal.indd 24
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here are many pupils who may need to take medication during school hours on a short- or long-term basis. There are also pupils who need to be able to access medicines in an emergency, for example, if they suffer from asthma, epilepsy or diabetes. Anaphylaxis, an extreme allergic reaction to certain foods such as nuts, dairy or fish, is also increasingly common. Coupled with a reduction in the number of school nurses, the result is more members of school staff being called upon to administer medication to pupils. Most school staff are not contractually obliged to give medicines or supervise a pupil taking medication. ATL leaves it to the professional judgement of each individual member to determine whether he or she wishes to administer medication. However, support staff may have specific duties to provide medical assistance written into their contracts. If you are told you are expected to assist a pupil, the first thing you should do is check your contract to see if your agreement to do so is
May 2014
07/05/2014 17:01
help and advice / contact
25
Help and advice If you need help with matters related to your employment, your first point of contact should be your school or college ATL rep, or your AMiE regional officer if you are a leadership member. You can also contact your local ATL branch for advice and support. If they are unable to help, contact ATL using these details:
General enquiries 020 7930 6441 Email: info@atl.org.uk Website: www.atl.org.uk London: 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD. Belfast: 16 West Bank Drive, Belfast BT3 9LA. Tel: 028 9078 2020. Email: ni@atl.org.uk Cardiff: 9 Columbus Walk, Brigantine Place, Cardiff CF10 4BY. Tel: 029 2046 5000. Email: cymru@atl.org.uk AMiE members: 35 The Point, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7QU. Contact your AMiE regional officer (contact details at www.amie.atl.org.uk) or call the employment helpline 01858 464171. Email: helpline@amie.atl.org.uk
Membership enquiries 020 7782 1602 Email: membership@atl.org.uk
If you are not a member of ATL and would like to join, please contact us on 0845 057 7000 (lo-call)
Pension enquiries 020 7782 1600 Out-of-office-hours helpline 020 7782 1612 Monday to Friday, 5-7.30pm during term time. ATL’s regional officials are available to speak to you about work problems.
Remember to pass your copy of Report to colleagues who may be interested in it!
Personal injury claims 0800 083 7285 Call Morrish Solicitors LLP, ATL’s appointed solicitors, or go to www.atlinjuryclaims.org.uk. This service is open to members and their families, subject to the rules of the scheme. ATL should be your first port of call in the event of work-related issues. If you feel you need emotional support, Teacher Support Network is a group of independent charities and a social enterprise that provides emotional support to staff in the education sector and their families. Their support lines are available 24 hours a day:
report THE MAG
AZINE
ATL Conf
ASSOCI
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MAY 201 4 & LECTUR ERS £2.5
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Reflect Taking tim ive teachi ng e to sta from nd
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Terms of ATL’s support are outlined in our members’ charter, available via www.atl.org.uk. When emailing ATL from home, please include either your membership number or home postcode to help us deal with your enquiry more efficiently.
FROM THE
er Ofsted, pay, wo ence privatis rkload and atio at our Ma n all up for deb nchester ate event
ATL’s ma nifesto for 2015 gen education ahe ad of the eral ele ction
01 Cover.i
ADVICE Your righ when admts and respon inistering sibilities medicatio n
ndd 1
JOIN THE Rugby leg DEBATE end Law on positiv e gang rence Dallaglio culture
07/05/2
014 16:26
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25 Contact.indd 25
www.atl.org.uk
07/05/2014 17:03
26
help and advice / guide
Reflective teaching
Reflecting upon your practice will improve outcomes for learners and the status of the profession, says professor of education Andrew Pollard
C
hris Husbands, director of the Institute of Education, hits the nail on the head when he says reflective teaching is “a springboard for excellence”. Reflection on policy and practice in schools and classrooms is of vital importance to the teaching profession. People tend to do things in fairly routine ways, but every now and then, you need to take a really open-minded look at what you’re doing. Reflective teaching is a means for improving teaching, learning and standards for both schools and national education systems, and it provides a vehicle for innovation and professional renewal. Put another way, it enables teachers to take responsibility for improvement. Reflective teaching processes can drive pragmatic improvement to satisfy inspection criteria, but are designed to support development that becomes embedded in high-quality teaching and learning for the long term. The Reflective Teaching resources, which include the latest handbook, reader and website, promote three key messages. The first is that it is now possible to identify the teaching strategies that are more effective than others in most circumstances. Teachers therefore have to be able to develop, improve, promote and defend their expertise by marshalling such evidence, and by embedding enquiry and evaluation within routine practices. Second, all evidence has to be interpreted. In other words, as well as information about effective strategies, we need to be able to identify the underlying principles of learning and teaching to which specific findings relate. The new edition of Reflective Teaching in Schools provides ways of doing this. Finally, we need to remember education has moral purposes and social consequences. The provision we make is connected to our future as societies and to the life chances of the children and
www.atl.org.uk
26 Guide.indd 26
young people with whom we work. Reflective activities encourage smallscale classroom enquiries that raise awareness about patterns, strengths and weaknesses in routine practice. There are two examples below.
Reflective activity 1
Aim: To evaluate how the beginning of a teaching session frames learning activities, and to consider areas for improvement. Evidence and reflection: Video-record a session you have taught, observe a colleague’s lesson or invite a colleague to observe one of yours. Consider what happened in terms of questions such as the following: • How did the teacher focus the children’s attention on the curriculum topic? • Did the teacher explain the objectives of the session? • Were the instructions to the class clear? • Did the students understand why they were doing this activity and what they were going to learn from it? • Did the students know on what criteria their work was to be assessed? Extension: What specific actions could be taken for improvement? What general skills need to be worked on?
Reflective activity 2
Aim: To compare and contrast writing and reading expectations. Evidence and reflection: Join up with another teacher in your school and agree to observe one of each other’s lessons with a particular focus on reading and writing. Make a note of all the reading material made available to the students during that lesson: writing that is part of the physical space in which the lesson takes place; writing prepared by the teacher before the lesson, eg Powerpoint slides or worksheets; published material, eg text books or a class novel, noting with the latter whether photocopied sections or whole texts are used;
writing done by the children, including the nature of the task, time allocated and what students are taught about how to accomplish it. Afterwards, discuss the commonalities and distinctions between reading and writing in your two lessons. Extension: What might be the implications for students’ reading and writing from the experiences the two of you offer? In summary, reflective teaching is based on the proposition that careful, open-minded and evidenced classroom enquiries can generate new insights into routine practices. When combined with other educational knowledge and collegial discussion, it can significantly deepen understanding and enhance teacher expertise. And so teachers, learners, schools and the system as a whole can improve — even without an Ofsted visit! Professor Andrew Pollard is chair in education at the Graduate School of Education, University of Bristol. He is author of the handbook Reflective Teaching in Schools, fourth edition, and editor of the complementary Readings for Reflective Teaching in Schools. See www.reflectiveteaching.co.uk. May 2014
07/05/2014 17:04
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29
Prize crossword
Across 1 Maybe scare her with what many university departments undertake? (8) 5 God, an election, beginning of October! (6) 9 It directs you to write your name on the mail (8) 10 Dickens initially has Barnaby as a menial worker (6) 12 and 13 Brideshead Abbey rooms adapted for post-war children (4,7) 17 Compiled a nice medium clue: ‘To do with Christian churches’ (10) 19 Remove UN aid from guidance for exam (initials) (3) 21 Get small mark following polka, perhaps (3) 22 Cut Dean, due perhaps to having had no schooling? (10) 24 Crooked Tory is embracing King – supporter of Richard III? (7) 25 ‘Computer enthusiast’ is right from classical language (4) 28 Stir up trouble that’s visible, it’s said (6) 30 With Masters degree, code-breaker Alan is developing fully (8) 31 Like ‘sabre’ and ‘scimitar’? (6) 32 How to address a clergyman – always tear around (8)
Down 1 Spots some of the gatecrashers… (4) 2 …for example as turning up as a wise old man (4) 3 Help a Bachelor of Arts confused by opening of the A to Z! (8) 4 Cambridge University bashful when described as ‘easy and undemanding’ (5) 6 Fashion for learning mechanically? (6) 7 Boy turns up in Magdalene (3) 8 Muddled don gets involved with vespers, and goes beyond financial limits? (10) 11 A group of school governors on a ship? (6) 14 Rowing race is the ‘Head of Granta’, maybe (6) 15 Lust and gluttony, for example, when Lady S. dines out! (6,4) 16 Gambler on the Cam? (6) 18 Pub had food. It’s natural! (6) 20 ‘Timetable’ he’s clued incorrectly (8) 23 Naturally talented, but a dreadful fidget? (6) 25 Raged about music exam? (5) 26 Sounds as though it’s bound to flow in and out! (4) 27 Grew old in the Language Department (4) 29 Soft murmuring sound is a come-on when men leave! (3)
The winner of the May crossword competition will be announced in the September issue of Report. Congratulations to S Campion, winner of the March 2014 crossword competition.
May 2014
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WIN!
One lucky reader will win £50 of Marks & Spencer vouchers. Simply send your completed crossword, with your contact details, to: ATL May Crossword Competition, Archant Dialogue, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE. Closing date: 20 June 2014. If you have an ATL membership number, please include this
Terms & conditions: Please include your full name, address and telephone number. The winner will be picked at random from the correct entries on 23 June 2014. The editor’s decision is final. No purchase is necessary. The prize is non-transferable. Employees of ATL and Archant are not eligible for the prize draw.
!
WIN £50& of Markser Spenc s voucher
Last month’s solution — April 2014 Across 9 Altimeter 10 Nixon 11 Mufti 12 Reception 13 Sketchy 14 Examine 17 Rosie 19 Las 20 Vegas 21 Padstow 22 Banbury 24 Competent 26 Using 28 Owner 29 Cleverest Down 1 Calm 2 Stifle 3 Omniscient 4 Sturdy 5 Proceeds 6 Snap 7 Exciting 8 Anon 13 Scrap 15 Adventures 16 Essay 18 Sediment 19 Lawrence 22 Butler 23 Unites 24 Cool 25 Ears 27 Gate
www.atl.org.uk
07/05/2014 17:06
30
join the debate / final word
Pitching in
I Lawrence Dallaglio Lawrence Dallaglio is a former captain of the England national rugby union team and is the founder of the Dallaglio Foundation
www.atl.org.uk
30 Final Word.indd 30
wasn’t the most dedicated student during my school years, and I’m afraid to say I didn’t work particularly hard at staying on the right tracks. However, I was very lucky growing up; I have a wonderful family who believed in me, motivated me and kept me on the straight and narrow. Every time I veered, they pulled me back. I wasn’t ever really interested in rugby and didn’t actually play much of the sport during my time at Ampleforth College, despite the first team pitch now being named after me. It was when my sister Francesca died when I was 16 that I started playing rugby and realised the true power of team spirit. I was at a bit of a loss and someone suggested I try out for the London Wasps rugby team, so I did. The support I received from the team, the club and the supporters was immense and helped me through some very hard times. Team sports can be hugely beneficial in building young people’s self-esteem. They offer, in effect, a positive gang culture — everything you feel walking around with your gang of friends, you can feel walking with your
ILLUSTRATION: PHIL WRIGGLESWORTH
Former England rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio on how sport teaches young people the benefits of team spirit team-mates, but it brings with it a set of values and discipline that gives you focus too. You can apply this focus to anything in your life, and this is something I wanted to promote when I set up my charity The Dallaglio Foundation, which aims to allow young people to build confidence through rugby and make friends for life. In September 2013, The Dallaglio Foundation partnered with youth development charity The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) to launch Powerful Together. The DofE has long been a highly regarded accolade for young people. It helps them develop key life skills, such as communication and the ability to work as part of a team, as well as building confidence and self-esteem. It is a wonderful opportunity for young people to get up and do something. They become more active and fit, learn new skills and help people within their local communities, and most importantly of all, they get recognised for it. Powerful Together will allow young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to experience the team spirit that helped me so much when I was younger, by trying their hands at rugby as well as getting involved in the community and learning skills that will help them get a job and thrive in life. It will give young people the chance to do their DofE who might not otherwise have had the opportunity. I think it is essential young people are encouraged to complete the DofE, and I wish I’d had the chance to complete it when I was at school. It can enable young people to participate in things they didn’t think possible and open their eyes to the opportunities in life. Critically, it teaches about commitment — the minimum it takes to do an award is six months. Like life, a lot of rugby can be pretty unpleasant, but you’ve got to get through the challenges in order to get better and progress. I think the DofE instills this in young people and gives them that resilience. Two of my children are working towards their DofE at the moment, and of course, I encourage them to try as many sports as they can. From my own experience, I know the power sport holds in unlocking potential and making people realise their own strengths and weaknesses. If we can harness this power and introduce new measures of success to young people’s lives through achievement awards such as the DofE, then the future will certainly be brighter for the next generation. To find out more about running the DofE in your school or college, visit www.dofe.org/leaders. To find out more about Lawrence’s charity’s partnership with the DofE, see www.dallagliofoundation.com/23-dallaglio-foundationpowerful-together. May 2014
07/05/2014 17:07
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That’s why in addition to covering the usual things you’d expect: • our home insurance covers you for school equipment you take home or personal possessions you take to work, and • our car insurance covers you whilst you drive between educational sites with either pupils or colleagues, ensuring you can travel easily and with increased peace of mind. Plus as a thank you for taking out these policies, we’ll give you up to £70* in Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates**
Call us for a quick quote and see what we can do for you: 0800 656 9714^ Little things matter *Available to new customers only. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Policies subsequently cancelled within 4 weeks of cover start date or with payments not up to date will not be eligible to receive offer. Gift Certificates will be sent by mail within 6 weeks of the commencement date of your policy. £35 Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates available to customers taking a new car insurance policy. £35 Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates to customers taking out a new combined buildings and contents policy or a contents-only policy. Buildings-only policies do not qualify for this offer. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. We reserve the right to offer alternative Gift Certificates of the same value in the event that Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates are unavailable. **Amazon.co.uk is not a sponsor of this promotion. Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates (“GCs”) may be redeemed on the Amazon.co.uk website or affiliated website Javari.co.uk towards the purchase of eligible products listed in our online catalogue and sold by Amazon.co.uk or any other seller selling through Amazon.co.uk. GCs cannot be reloaded, resold, transferred for value, redeemed for cash or applied to any other account. Amazon.co.uk is not responsible if a GC is lost, stolen, destroyed or used without permission. See www.amazon.co.uk/gc-legal for complete terms and conditions. GCs are issued by Amazon EU S.à r.l. All Amazon ®, ™ & © are IP of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. ^Lines are open 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, except bank holidays, 9am-12.30pm Saturday. Calls from UK landlines are free. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded.
Insurance underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited. Registered in Scotland No. 2116. Registered office: Pitheavlis, Perth, PH2 0NH. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. CFPMPA0193 01.14 BD34799.
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