Report October 2012

report

OCTOBER 2012

THE MAGAZINE FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS & LECTURERS £2.50

ATL’s vision for teaching Report on why teachers know best

ADVICE Employees’ rights if they are diagnosed with cancer

JOIN THE DEBATE Would better manners improve bad behaviour?

www.atl.org.uk

Contents

30 Welcome

T 21 10 Your ATL 04

News Including ATL’s response to FE deregulation and members reject Year 1 phonics tests

Noticeboard Advice, information, events and opportunities to get involved

Website revamp Our redesigned and improved website explained

Help and advice 22

Cancer: your rights ATL’s legal team on your employee rights if you are diagnosed with cancer

Features 10

Teacher knows best Report outlines ATL’s vision for education with teachers central to curriculum, assessment and accountability

An independent view Report meets chair of the Independent Schools Council, Barnaby Lenon

Join the debate 14

Agenda General secretary Mary Bousted on the GCSE regrading saga

ATL in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland Philip Dixon, Mark Langhammer and Keith Robson give views from around the UK

Letters ATL members have their say about reading, older teachers and smiling

Mind your manners One ATL member’s opinion that politeness goes a long way

Final word Company director Peter Dart on inspiring pupils’ careers through school visits

Contact All the details you need to get in touch with ATL

Resources 26

28 29

ATL resources Useful newsletters, publications and factsheets Classified advertisements Crossword Your chance to win £50 in Marks & Spencer vouchers

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 Editor Alex Tomlin News editor Oonagh Hayes Head of advertising sales Samantha Overton 01603 772520 Advertising sales Lisa Parkinson 01603 772521

Hank Roberts, national president, ATL

o colleagues who don’t know me — hi. What a year it promises to be. As if the tribulations and drama of last year were not enough, darker storm clouds loom on the horizon. By way of introduction, I thought I would highlight some of the key points from my presidential inauguration speech. Regarding the government making cuts in education in the name of austerity, I point out that in the last 10 years the pay of CEOs has gone from 69 to 145 times the average wage. UK companies are sitting on £750 billion they consider too risky to invest. The money is there. The question is, who’s getting it? I say that in schools, teachers are working longer hours than ever, have less control than ever, there is more bullying than ever, less job security than ever and schools are more hierarchical than ever. A regime of fear exists in our schools. Regarding Sir Michael Wilshaw, HM chief inspector of Ofsted, I believe that when a person in such a position says something like, “If anyone says to you that staff morale is at an all-time low you know that you are doing something right,” they should be instantly dismissed. Wilshaw should go and his whole Ofsted system should go with him. I refer to The Geek Manifesto — Why Science Matters by Mark Henderson, which says that there must be a scientific and evidence-based procedure in introducing new initiatives. This book is well worth reading. I say that teachers should assert their professionalism by refusing to implement any untested initiative. Last year, 30 November’s day of action was our greatest show of teacher union unity ever and showed our potential strength if only we unite to use it. We make our own history. It is within parameters but it is not predestined. In looking forward, we have not just to realistically assess what this government and the financiers are leading us into, but to do something about it. The full text of my speech is at www.atl.org.uk.

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 Catherine Page, Managing art editor Nicky Wright, Art director Nick Paul, Managing ad production controller Kay Brown, Editorial director Zoë Francis-Cox, Managing director Mick Hurrell 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.

your ATL / news Mary Bousted, Hank Roberts, Russell Hobby and Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on the panel of the TUC fringe

JOHN HARRIS/REPORTDIGITAL.CO.UK

ATL tells TUC that teacher knows best TUC delegates joined Mary Bousted and three education speakers at ATL’s fringe ‘teacher knows best’ to debate the union’s call to put teachers back at the heart of teaching. Speaking first, Dr Bousted outlined how politicians always promise to trust teachers, to release them from bureaucracy, and then promptly go back on their word when they get into power. With this government increasing centralisation and control, Dr Bousted described how excessive, punitive accountability has stifled teacher innovation and creativity. In ATL’s alternative, Dr Bousted explained that accountability should focus on monitoring, challenge and support, placing teachers at the heart of locally provided, expert-led support and improvement, overseen for quality control by a national body. In building support for ATL’s campaign around ‘teacher knows best’, she called on teachers and their unions to not be so defensive about the pressure they find themselves under, and instead develop a narrative around how satisfying it is to work in the profession. www.atl.org.uk

Labour peer and shadow Lords education minister, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, agreed politicians had a lot to learn from teachers, should act less from the centre, and then explained how the Labour party is currently engaging with the public and education stakeholders to develop its policies. In order to improve education standards and address the mismatch between educational outcomes and the needs of the future job market, Baroness Whitchurch revealed how shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg was establishing the Office for Educational Improvement, an independent body free from political interference which would focus on research, including working with the teaching profession. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, took the debate further, calling for teachers to work closely with parents and employers in order to avoid accusations that ‘teacher knows best’ actually means ‘leave me alone to get on with it’. While Mr Hobby argued the curriculum needs to be developed with the local community, he supported ATL’s assertion

that teachers know best when it comes to designing and delivering individual lessons. Working together was vital, Mr Hobby continued, because if politicians and teachers cannot agree on the outcomes they want for education, then they will never be able to agree on the methods. Ending his remarks, Mr Hobby noted that while teachers were the second most trusted profession in the country, the second least trusted profession — politicians — were telling them what to do. Last to speak was Fiona Millar, journalist, chair of Comprehensive Future and co-founder of the New Local Schools Network, who outlined her opposition to coalition education policies and called on the unions to work with Labour to develop its policies more quickly. In particular, Ms Millar focused on how local communities should determine the future of their schools, not government, and how all schools should be bound by the same legal requirements of teachers’ pay and conditions and admissions policies. Additionally, the freedoms available to free schools and academies should be open to all schools, she said. Questions were taken from the floor by the event’s chair, ATL president Hank Roberts, with comments made around the simplicity of league tables, the need for Labour not to introduce wholesale change should it return to power, and the inadequacy of Ofsted’s quality control. See page 10 for more on ATL’s ‘teacher knows best’ campaign. October 2012

ATL wins union recognition ballot ATL has won the right to statutory recognition as a union at Liverpool International College (LIC). The recognition came after a group of tutors, who were concerned about working conditions at LIC, joined ATL last year. Organiser Jon Leigh Pritchard quickly realised there was a need to get ATL recognised at the college if we were to be able to resolve issues raised by the new members. Regional official Peter Duff started to try to work with LIC in November 2011, but the college refused to meet or reply to ATL’s letters. This led to a request for voluntary recognition, which was refused by LIC.

In March 2012, a statutory request for union recognition was made via the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC). The CAC is a permanent independent body with statutory powers whose role is to resolve disputes, in England, Scotland and Wales, under legislation relating to a number of areas in business, including the recognition and de-recognition of trade unions. A secret postal ballot was run by the CAC at the college, with 75% of votes cast in favour of recognition for ATL. LIC is a privately owned college run by Kaplan International Colleges, which is ultimately owned by The Washington Post.

The college works exclusively with Liverpool University to provide pathway courses to international students in English and academic study skills in business, or science and engineering, with a view to then moving on to degree courses at the university. Peter Duff said: “We are thrilled with the result, which puts us in a much stronger position to fight for our members’ rights. We will now be working with the management to sort out a recognition agreement so both sides can enjoy the benefits that can result from this arrangement.” Visit www.atl.org.uk/recognition to find out more about getting union recognition.

FE guild proposed

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The high-quality vocational teaching and learning that FE provides is key to the development of skills for economic growth. ATL hopes that the requirement for teaching qualifications in FE will be permanent, rather than for the time being

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ATL policy adviser Jill Stokoe

ATL has responded to government proposals for changes to the FE sector, following recommendations coming out of the interim report of the FE professionalism inquiry. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) ran a formal consultation to canvass the sector’s views regarding proposals to revoke the 2007 regulations on CPD and qualifications. This was ahead of the final stage of Lord Lingfield’s review, which will consider professionalism more widely and was due to report in late September after Report went to press. BIS has published a prospectus submitting October 2012

proposals on how to develop a ‘guild for further education’. The main messages are about sector ownership of developments and about focusing on how to sustain and improve professional standards and quality in teaching and learning. The proposals are: • The FE Teachers’ Qualifications (England) Regulations (2007) have been partially revoked, with the IfL element to be removed. • The FE Teachers’ CPD and Registration (England) Regulations (2007) have been revoked. • For the time being (until September 2013), FE teachers will need a ‘minimum’ teaching qualification. • Those who hold QTLS status or are in the process of working towards QTLS won’t be disadvantaged. • The establishment of an FE guild will “enable the sector to take forward the

outcomes of the Lingfield 2 review, the LSIS review of teacher qualifications and the outcomes of the commission on adult vocational teaching and learning”. The link to our response to the consultation on the revocation of the FE Teachers’ Qualifications and FE Teachers’ CPD is on www.atl.org.uk under ‘current policies’ in the ‘policy library’. ATL policy adviser Jill Stokoe said that: “Initial teacher education is crucial for a highly qualified teaching and training workforce. For once, FE policy is leading the way in shaping education and training for the future. “The high-quality vocational teaching and learning that FE provides is key to the development of skills for economic growth. ATL hopes that the requirement for teaching qualifications in FE will be permanent, rather than for the time being.” www.atl.org.uk

your ATL / news

Teachers overwhelmingly reject phonics checks Nine in ten (91%) Year 1 teachers said the phonics checks for five- and six-year-olds did not tell them anything new about the reading ability of their pupils, according to a survey carried out by ATL, NAHT and NUT. And 86% said the phonics checks should not continue, with many of those who had been open-minded about the test before administering it now totally opposed to it. The unions surveyed 1,679 Year 1 teachers working in state-funded schools in England between 26 June and 13 July 2012 as part of a wider survey of 2,779 teachers and headteachers working

in primary schools in England. Teachers complained that the checks did not test children’s reading ability — only how well they decode words — took up teaching time, took teachers out of the class and cost schools money to implement. Many teachers said that fluent readers were confused by made-up words such as ‘strom’ as they are so close to real words (‘storm’) and so the children assumed they were misprints and tried to make sense of them. Problems were further compounded for children who have English as a second language, who struggled with the checks

even though they do well in Year 2 SATs, which measure comprehension. Nearly two thirds of teachers surveyed feared that pupils who failed would have their confidence dented if they had to retake the phonics checks. Dr Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, said: “Phonics tests waste time and money to tell teachers what they already know. We fear the harm they will do to fluent readers who fail the tests because they assume the nonsense words are misprints, and to children with special educational needs and English as an additional language who get confused by them. The government risks doing long-term damage to children’s reading if it persists with the checks and its mistaken determination to make synthetic phonics the only method used to teach children to read.”

New ATL president Hank Roberts

Teacher shortage looms ATL has told government to take notice of warnings from education think-tank Pearson on a future shortage of primary school teachers. October 2012

DAVID KIMBER

Warning on academy accountability New ATL president Hank Roberts warned that weak financial accountability of academies and free schools would lead to the “theft of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money”. The increasing number of academies and free schools reporting directly to the Secretary of State for Education, and the accompanying lack of local oversight, would lead to increasing opportunities for “wrongdoing”, said Mr Roberts. “I call on Michael Gove to abandon his plans for every academy and free

school to be financially autonomous and overseen by him,” he added. “I call upon the government to fundamentally strengthen its auditing and oversight procedures and set up an independent enquiry as to how best this should be done.” He also accused Michael Gove of attacking children’s education and the teaching profession in allowing academies and free schools to employ unqualified teachers. He questioned how this is meant to raise pupils’ achievement and education standards.

A report by Professor John Howson for the Pearson Think Tank showed applications for graduate and postgraduate primary teacher training courses were 17% lower this year than last, partially due to an increase in tuition fees, and that low morale in the profession and rapidly rising pupil numbers are creating the “perfect storm”, which could create a severe shortfall of staff in the future. Martin Johnson, ATL deputy general secretary, said: “When an experienced analyst like John Howson sounds early

alarm bells, the government should pay attention. After decades of slow-burn crises of teacher shortages followed by emergency repairs, England has avoided a shortfall in the recent past, but where will we find the extra primary teachers we need in the regions of population growth? “It is depressing that persistent problems of teacher morale remain a deterrent to recruitment and retention of teachers. Ministers should think again before talking down a profession that needs to attract even more recruits.” www.atl.org.uk

your ATL / get involved, noticeboard

• outstanding ATL Future activist (works closely with student and NQ members) • outstanding health & safety rep • outstanding union learning rep (ULR) • outstanding leadership rep (AMiE).

ATL and AMiE Rep Awards 2013 — ‘Going the extra mile’ Does your rep stand out? Maybe they have led a campaign to improve conditions in your workplace? Perhaps they have encouraged student and newly qualified members to get involved? Or helped build membership in your school or college? After the amazing response to last year’s rep awards, we are now looking for nominations for our third annual rep awards and want you to nominate individuals whom you feel deserve recognition for what they have achieved for you or your colleagues over the last year. The categories are: For those individuals who represent the best aspects of each of these roles: • outstanding workplace rep

A future that works Young people across the UK face the brunt of austerity measures with one million not in education or training; 200,000 more children at risk of slipping below the poverty line; and millions more facing the loss of Sure Start, library and youth services. ATL will be speaking out for young people along with tens of thousands of public sector professionals and union members at marches and rallies in London, Belfast and Glasgow for ‘A future that works’. In London we will be meeting at 10am

The 2013 rep awards are sponsored by our ‘ATL plus’ partners — HF Holidays and AVIVA — who are kindly donating £350 holiday vouchers (for a two-night weekend break for two in a UK country house) and £40 cash to each of the rep award winners. Winners will be invited to attend ATL’s Annual Conference dinner in Liverpool on the evening of Tuesday 26 March (all expenses paid). All winners will be notified after the closing date. Visit www.atl.org.uk/repawards to find out more and to make your nomination. Please ensure you use the correct nomination form if you are nominating an ATL or AMiE rep. The information you supply will be used to judge the awards so you will need to provide an example of how they have made a difference to you or your colleagues. The closing date for nominations is Monday 7 January 2013. If there’s no rep or contact in your workplace, why don’t you consider getting involved? Email organise@atl.org.uk for more information. at the Mermaid Conference and Events Centre, Puddle Dock, Blackfriars EC4V 3DB before joining the march at noon. Details of the Belfast and Glasgow marches are available at www.atl.org.uk/aftw, where you can find out more details and pledge to join the march. To look for transport sharing from your area, visit http://falseeconomy.org.uk/oct20. The NUS is also organising a demonstration on 21 November, which ATL members, particularly students and NQs, are invited to join to campaign for a variety of issues including the cost of college and university, financial support, job prospects, difficulties renting or buying a home, or something as distant as worries about pensions and retirement. Visit www.nus.org.uk to find out more.

Noticeboard Out-of-hours helpline — extended hours

Have you recently moved into a leadership role?

The ATL out-of-office-hours helpline will be changing its opening times and will now operate from 5pm to 7.30pm from Monday 5 November. The helpline is open Monday to Friday during term time for members who are unable to phone during normal office hours. You can call it on 020 7782 1612.

If the answer is yes, then you could be missing out if you’re not registered with AMiE, our leadership section. As a dedicated service within the ATL community for managers and leaders, AMiE provides the specialist advice, support and guidance you need as your career progresses. For further information visit www.amie.uk.com, call 0845 057 1000 or email membership@atl.org.uk and ask to be registered for AMiE.

www.atl.org.uk

October 2012

Noticeboard Guardian University Awards

Update your details

ATL is supporting the Guardian University Awards, which recognise achievement and innovation across a range of categories, including teaching best practice. ATL’s immediate past president Alice Robinson will be part of the judging panel. Higher education institutes, university departments, professionals working in the HE sector and students and graduates will be invited to nominate institutions and departments in the UK for initiatives, services and excellence. Entries will be paid for and must be focused around a specific initiative, campaign or project within the outlined categories. All shortlisted entries will be invited to attend the awards ceremony in central London where the winners will be announced. Visit www.guardian.co.uk/university-awards.

To ensure we offer our members the best possible service, it is important we can confirm the data we hold about them on their record. If you have changed your role, workplace, home address, email address or telephone number or are now working at a particular establishment or for one employer either in a permanent role or as a supply teacher, please do let us have those details. To see the details we hold on you please log on to the ATL website at www.atl.org.uk and check and update your details through the ‘my membership details’ box. We also confirm the details we hold when sending out a members’ annual subscription notice — the form can be returned at any time to update your details (although your subscription rate can only be changed as per the ATL rules and constitution) or you may wish to email any updates or amendments to membership@atl.org.uk. If you would like to discuss anything to do with your membership, please do not hesitate to contact us by telephone on 020 7782 1602, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

October 2012

www.atl.org.uk

cover feature / ATL policy

Teacher knows best ATL has a vision of education that places teachers at the heart of teaching to benefit all pupils for the long term

TL believes experienced teachers are better placed to determine the future of education than politicians who have been in post for two years and believe they are experts because they once went to school. Teachers work with children and young people day in, day out. They know them well, recognise their strengths and interests, and know how best to challenge them to deeper learning and greater achievements. Here we outline ATL’s vision for education, which places teachers back at the heart of teaching — and explains how we need your skills, knowledge and experience to shape the future.

Curriculum At a national level, ATL believes the curriculum should be a slim, skillsbased framework, covering all areas of children’s learning but without listing everything that could be taught. At a local level, teachers should be involved in developing detailed content, working with other education providers, employers and the local community to ensure young people receive an education that helps them thrive in their local circumstances — for example, in developing skills for the local job market or understanding the links between their community and the wider world. The move to developing a full curriculum with the local community would be a gradual process, and some national quality assurance mechanism

www.atl.org.uk

might be necessary, particularly during the development phase. In contrast to ATL’s vision, current proposals on the primary curriculum have English, maths and science prescribed to a level of detail that includes spelling lists and being able to write numbers up to a million. There has been speculation that key stage 3 won’t have a national curriculum at all, while key stage 4 will change depending on the government’s plans for GCSEs. The proposals for the secondary curriculum and GCSEs were expected as Report went to press. As well as believing teachers know best in developing a curriculum, ATL also believes that teachers who know their pupils also know how best to teach them, using a range of techniques tailored to individuals. The government’s own approach is muddled. On the one hand, it speaks

of the importance of teaching, while on the other, prescribes a curriculum with a particular form of teaching at its heart. This means teachers have to rely on the transmission of facts — ‘chalk and talk’ rather than play-based or exploratory learning — if pupils are to reach the required targets. ATL has already submitted its official responses to government on the primary curriculum jointly with NUT and NAHT after discussions with members. We will be seeking members’ views too on consultations on secondary curriculum, due to be announced soon, and primary curriculum in 2013. As you are the professionals who will have to work with these proposals, we need your opinions on what effect they would have on both staff and pupils. This practical detail helps ATL form an argument to take to meetings with government.

October 2012

Assessment Given that most young people will be staying in education or training until they are 18, ATL believes there should be no national testing until their final year. ATL would prefer pupils to be teacher-assessed on a wide range of subjects which lead to a final qualification, combining both academic and vocational subjects, a model currently under consideration in Wales. As we argue in our policy document Assessing to Learn, teacher assessment can be used instead of national tests at many stages, but only if the pressure to achieve results is balanced by an understanding of the need for real learning. Teachers can use their own assessments to check what students have learned, decide what to teach next, and to sum up and report students’ progress — including an indication of where students are in relation to the rest of the school. A teacher-led approach to continuous assessment would take the pressure away from a one-off test, and give a more accurate picture of a student’s abilities. ATL is very clear that teacher assessment does not mean more work — assessment is already part of your practice, so a move away from exams to teacher assessment is about a change

October 2012

of focus rather than an additional task. At the moment, assessment in England is in flux, with a revised end of foundation stage profile on its way, an existing but profoundly ineffective Year 1 phonics check, new key stage 2 tests, and reviews of GCSEs and A-levels. There will also be a move away from modular exams, and limited resits, changes for which ATL believes there is a lack of evidence. When it comes to phonics, ATL also believes there is no evidence for imposing one method to develop reading skills. The test uses nonsense words which confuse children and therefore fails to test the real

abilities of pupils at both higher and lower levels. We are already campaigning on tests and exams. ATL has published Make Assessment Measure Up with NUT and NAHT; it is a leading part of the campaign against the phonics test; and it will be working with members on a professional and practical response to GCSE consultations, which is due imminently. ATL has also joined an alliance with NAHT and others to investigate this year’s GCSE English debacle. You can sign the petition campaigning for an enquiry at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/ petitions/37620.

Accountability

individual circumstances are not taken into consideration and snapshot lesson observations generate ratings that can make or break a school, with significant consequences for its staff, pupils and local community. Likewise the perceived importance of national league tables can cause schools to focus on certain pupils to the detriment of others and to teach to the test rather than encourage meaningful and lasting learning. ATL is gathering experiences of Ofsted in an ATL survey of schools inspected during 2012. If you would like to share your experiences or arrange a workplace visit to talk through the issues, visit www.atl.org.uk/ofstedinfo. We are committed to supporting teachers who believe they have faced unfair inspections.

ATL believes that teachers and schools should be accountable. ATL also believes that accountability should help to improve schools rather than point out failings. ATL says it is time for Ofsted school inspections and league tables to be abolished. As explained in detail in September’s Report, ATL’s alternative vision for accountability is a locally based system that monitors and challenges schools on an ongoing basis, then provides support for improvement. This should be carried out by peers or experts with an education background who develop a relationship with the school and understand the local community the school serves. A national body would take responsibility for quality control to ensure standards are maintained. Instead, the current inspection regime under Ofsted is inconsistent, punitive and unfair. There is confusion over what is required of teachers, the quality of feedback is extremely variable, pupils’

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The current inspection regime under Ofsted is inconsistent, punitive and unfair

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cover feature / ATL policy

Local monitoring and support Although local authorities are not perfect by any means, ATL does believe that a democratically elected body should be engaged in the delivery of local education in order to provide monitoring and support.

National government ATL believes that state-funded education is a universal right and a public good, and should never be run for private profit. The coalition government is following an ideological path towards the eventual privatisation of education, replacing state education with a framework where schools are individual and forced to compete rather than collaborate. The government’s drive to close the attainment gap between children from different socio-economic backgrounds will fail under its current policies — as schools seek success in league tables to secure their funding, they will inevitably refuse places to the less able students who often come from challenging circumstances. ATL believes the government’s approach is an abdication of duty

ATL believes a local democratic partnership should be responsible for ensuring fair access to schools and good support for children with particular needs, whether educational, behavioural, medical or social. In the future it could monitor the local curriculum and be a port of call for parents with grievances they feel the school has not dealt with. At the moment, the government’s intention is for all schools to become

towards children and young people. Instead, ATL calls for the government to take on the important role of setting policy frameworks for curriculum, ensuring fair funding for schools, overseeing teacher training and making sure access to education is a high priority. And instead of allowing state education to dissipate, the government should create and monitor elected local bodies to ensure consistency and quality. It will be these local bodies who oversee the good work in schools done by the teachers who understand the needs of their pupils and the local community in determining curriculum, teaching methods and assessment. ATL will continue to lobby government and campaign on issues that matter most to our members, but we will always need you to speak out for education, by sharing your experiences and giving your time to support campaigns.

ATL’s vision for education is a bold one. Changes would need to happen gradually, with proper support, including high-quality continuing professional development in the areas discussed. ATL challenges government to look beyond four-year projects intended to win the next election and to set up a long-term plan to improve education for all. As always, we will be member-led, so please let us know what you think of the vision laid out here. What are the areas of education that you feel most strongly about? Tell us which practices you feel work best. What

www.atl.org.uk

academies outside of local accountability and reporting directly to the DfE, for each academy to be an island, focused on maximising the overall results of its own pupils and responsible for its own admissions, exclusions, behaviour and SEN support. Without local support, ATL believes it is impossible for national government to supervise and support individual academies in such numbers. ATL is not alone in its view that there needs to be a local body, and a debate has been generated within education as to the responsibilities of a ‘middle tier’. ATL has led the debate in its publication The Middle Tier. The government’s direction of travel is towards the private ownership of state-funded schools, with private organisations providing the middle-tier support. This destination is largely unacceptable to school staff, to parents and to the public.

could you do as a member to move towards that in your area and what can we as your union do to support you? What would teachers speak out for? We would like to bring members together to stand up for what you believe in. We would also like you to talk to colleagues and parents, to encourage discussion and debate about education and what could improve it for pupils. And, of course, talk to us. You have the skills, knowledge and experience that will help us form a clear position from which we can submit the strongest possible arguments to government. Contact report@atl.org.uk or contact us using the details on page 17.

October 2012

join the debate / agenda

No marks for compassion The English GCSE regrading could cause significant harm to pupils, staff and schools, says ATL general secretary Mary Bousted

he English GCSE fiasco is in full swing as I write this column. As events are unfolding so rapidly I want to focus not on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, but on the underlying issues which have led to the present sorry state of affairs, and to the longer-term implications for schools. The issues are complicated. In a nutshell, many schools found their English results were down by 15% to 20% on their predictions. The consequences for these schools include not meeting their floor targets, with all that could imply for inspection outcomes. And the consequences for individual teachers’ performance management could be very serious if they failed to achieve their performance targets. The exams regulator, Ofqual, initially protested that their hands were clean and no pressure had been put on the exam boards to alter grades. The publication, however, of leaked letters by the Times Educational Supplement revealed that Ofqual protestations of innocence were false. The regulator had instructed the exam board Edexcel to alter its grade boundaries in order to prevent grade inflation, imposing a requirement upon Edexcel to lower its exam results by seven per cent to bring them in at last year’s level. Ofqual issued its instruction because of a different approach to determining GCSE grade outcomes, which moves away from the previous approach of criterion referencing (if you meet the criteria you get the grade), to a process called comparable outcomes, which is designed to stop grade inflation. It worked like this: the entire cohort of students taking GCSEs had their national key stage 2 results used as a baseline upon which their expected progress was determined. The percentage of students achieving different levels at key stage 2 determined the percentage achieving grades A* to G at GCSE.

www.atl.org.uk

It doesn’t take much thought to realise academic and focused on rote learning of this system created huge problems and knowledge rather than its understanding would do so again if repeated in the future. or application. And this is at a time when It will be much more difficult for employers are beginning to understand they secondary schools to demonstrate need school-leavers who have developed improvement in teaching and learning the skills of good verbal communication, if results are to be capped at key stage 2 cooperation, collaboration, investigation, outcomes. This is a problem acknowledged presentation and evaluation. by Ofqual who, nevertheless, argue that What has been most shocking of all, in genuine improvements in student all of this sorry mess, has been the callous attainment can result in improved attitude of Ofqual who, strong-arming GCSE outcomes. Edexcel into altering its grade boundaries, The problem for secondary schools, showed not one jot of concern for the young however, is that there is no reliable method people whose futures they were harming. to identify genuinely improved outcomes One of the few positive outcomes of which are the result of effective teaching these events has been the good sense and learning. Ofsted derives its judgements and humanity shown by many FE college of teaching quality from exam outcomes. managers and lecturers who have allowed If these are to be capped, there are only students who missed the required C grade two ways that schools can improve. Either in English on to their post-16 programmes. some schools achieve better results at the In doing so they have shown some expense of others, or every school achieves compassion — a quality sadly missing from a national average of GCSE grades based Michael Gove, who has said that he regrets on key stage 2 the hurt and distress outcomes. (I think we caused to students and What has been all know, of those two teachers, but has done most shocking of all options, which is more nothing about it. In likely to occur.) is the callous attitude contrast, Leighton Nor can the key Andrews, the Welsh of Ofqual stage 2 results stand the Assembly Government weight being put upon Education Minister, them as predictors of future achievement. has ordered a regrading of the WJEC This charge of unreliability can be made, English GCSE — a brave and honourable moreover, of the whole external exam move which ATL commends. structure which distorts and dehumanises One last thought. ATL has long argued the UK’s education system. It is now several that, with the vast majority of students years since the Education Select Committee leaving full-time education at 18, the time found that external exams could not stand has passed for GCSEs or their replacements. the weight of the accountability purposes The abolition of GCSEs would free up the they serve and could not produce accurate, secondary school curriculum and allow reliable and valid results at individual space for real, deep, enduring learning, student, school, local authority and rather than the current pressurised hothouse national level. of exam preparation. And in case this At the time of writing, it looks as though is thought to be too radical we should Michael Gove, in his desire to look forward remember that students in Finland, that to a rosy past, will misuse the current crisis pinnacle of education perfection, do not as a means to impose his design of a new have to sit a standardised external exam 16-plus exam which will be more narrowly until they are 18.

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October 2012

join the debate / Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland

Scotland Keith Robson ATL highlights the role of teachers as central to education I watch the ideological attack on the English education system in horror from the safety of my Edinburgh office. It is inconceivable that unqualified teachers would be allowed to teach in statemaintained schools in Scotland. Nor could we envisage a scenario where it is arbitrarily decreed that “all pupils’ results must be above the national average” and ‘satisfactory’ has been reclassified as ‘failing’.

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We are not without our own challenges in Scotland

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We are not, however, without our own challenges in Scotland. We’re awaiting the publication of the National Partnership Group’s report on its recommendations on how to progress the Donaldson report, Teaching Scotland’s Future. It is anticipated that the Cabinet Secretary for Education will use his keynote speech at the Scottish Learning Festival to set out the Scottish Government’s response to the report. At the same time the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers has yet to report back on some of the thornier issues relating to conditions of service arising from the McCormac report. I believe ATL is at its best when articulating its positive vision of what the education system can and should look like; one which values teachers, their pivotal role in the classroom and places an importance on their professional development. That is why we have produced a position statement on Raising Attainment in Scottish Education; why we have produced a further position statement on the future direction of Scottish education; and why we invest significant resources in our professional development programme for members. We will continue to articulate our vision and values as we face each new challenge in turn and show ATL at its best. October 2012

Wales Dr Philip Dixon The Welsh Government values its teachers

While the Minister for Education and his department in Wales might not totally agree that ‘teacher knows best’, they are certainly not of the seeming opinion of their counterparts across the border that ‘teacher knows nothing’. It has been disturbing to see the relentless attack on the profession Mr Gove and his cronies have launched under the cover of warm-sounding words. The downgrading of QTS, the abolition of the GTC, and almost daily attacks of Ofsted are powerful corrosives on the status of teachers as trained, responsible professionals. In Wales the approach is markedly different. There will be no unqualified teachers in state-funded schools; indeed, a new masters in education practice is to become the norm; the role of the GTCW is to be augmented; and Estyn still commands

widespread respect. That does not mean that Wales is in the Garden of Eden as far as education is concerned. Serpents still exist. The legacy of a decade of serious underfunding has undoubtedly taken its toll. The school banding system has resulted in a lot of naming and blaming and little else so far. Local authority support remains patchy and often ineffective. But at root the two governments seem to be diametrically opposed. One simply doesn’t trust teachers at all, while the other regards the profession as a key stakeholder to be consulted and engaged. ATL Cymru welcomes the latter approach because we remain convinced that sustainable educational improvement can only be achieved by mature, respectful and reasoned dialogue.

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In Wales … there will be no unqualified teachers in state-funded schools

Northern Ireland Mark Langhammer Post-16 dropout rates need serious attention The consultation on the future of the educational maintenance allowance (EMA) takes place in a disturbing policy vacuum. Northern Ireland has a very high post-16 drop-out rate, with over 40,000 young people in the NEET category. The policy responses do little to address the problem. The EMA attempted to tackle educational drop-out rates. ATL supports the retention of EMA, but tackling ‘drop-out’ through incentives alone will not work in the long run. The government’s recent learner survey shows very few attributing EMA as a significant reason for remaining in education. But there is no hint of the core cause of drop-outs. High drop-out rates are related to the nature of the Northern Ireland (and UK)

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labour market. Within a flexible, lightly regulated labour market we are not remotely productive in the Nordic or West European sense, and have an unhealthy reliance on low-skill services, and the peculiar needs of the City of London. The result is a predominance of low-paid ‘McJobs’ and far too few skilled, well-remunerated careers in well-planned, regulated industries. High drop-out rates are a feature in countries where large segments of the economy are run on a low-skill, low-wage equilibrium. Nothing incentivises young people to continue in education like the prospect of fruitful, productive careers. Too many get stuck in training schemes that are predominantly dead-ends, simply ‘warehousing’ students within education while offering few lasting benefits.

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Tackling ‘drop-out’ through incentives alone will not work in the long run

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join the debate / letters

Send your letters to: Report, ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD or email report@atl.org.uk. The views expressed in the letters printed in Report do not necessarily reflect ATL policy or opinion.

STAR LETTER

Smile, you’re a teacher ‘The first five minutes’ (Report, September 2012): what an inspirational read! It reminded me why I became a secondary school teacher and also erased any doubts I had over my teaching style. I occasionally wonder what colleagues must think when they walk into my ‘mock’ primary school classroom with colourful displays and group tables, compared to many other teachers’ students sitting in uniformed rows, working in silence from textbooks, with their own work (often from years before) fading and torn on the walls. I always strive to demonstrate the ‘specific teacher acts’ of smiling, laughter, enthusiasm, energy and patience, but I also ask my students to share them. If a student is not smiling, I think it is my duty to find out why. Laughter in a classroom to me shows enjoyment and trust. I make pacts with my students that we are all in a working relationship within the classroom which involves trust and respect. This often sparks the most unusual friendships among peers. Energy and enthusiasm; if my students are not enjoying my lessons, I don’t either. It is down to me to adapt my practice to ignite the passion I have for my subject. On teacher training I was told “do not smile until Christmas”, advice I am proud to say I have never followed. I feel it is unnatural, and the teaching profession should be humane and empathetic. The day teachers stop smiling should be the day they reflect on the reasons why they entered the profession. Yes, we all have bad days, but the good outweigh the bad. I believe if behaviour is so bad that the teacher should not smile then the dynamic is wrong. Move the tables into groups; greet students at the door with a welcome to show you know them as individuals; follow their interests. Use your walls (and ceilings) wisely. It’s the hidden curriculum from which the daydreamer staring at the wall for 10 minutes will learn something. Name withheld

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Value for money For many years some headteachers have resented the cost of senior teachers. As a visiting teacher in my forties, I was asked to give a headteacher of an infant school in a fairly tough area a lift to a meeting. She bemoaned the fact that all her teachers had been at the school for many years and were expensive. She would be out of school that afternoon, while her deputy was on a week’s training. I asked her what state the school would be in when she returned the October 2012

next day. She looked puzzled and said it would be as she left it, of course. I thought there was no ‘of course’ about it. Inexperienced teachers would need a lot more support in every way than she was accustomed to giving. She was able to take advantage of every meeting, every course and spent quite a lot of time out of school. I felt she got full value for money from her hardworking teachers. I hope our conversation made her value her staff more. I doubt it. V Snow, Worcestershire

Embarrassed by books I was disturbed, if not entirely surprised, to read the research from the National Literacy Trust indicating a fall in the numbers of children reading in their spare time. A goodly number actually claim to feel embarrassed if their peers see them with a book in their hands outside of a classroom environment, as if they have been caught doing something disgusting. Predictably, most children prefer to spend their precious time in front of the brain-deadening television or the ubiquitous internet. The latter, I believe, has much to answer for in this seeming loss of appeal of the printed word. Young people have become accustomed to reading their friends’ less-than-epic online outputs; such words of wisdom as “I’m so bored” and “Maths is too hard. lol”. In an age when many young people’s writing is limited to 140 characters or fewer (including spaces), it is no wonder that weighty tomes such as Great Expectations, at 395 pages, or The Grapes of Wrath, at 528, seem like veritable Everests by comparison. Indeed, it is not just young people and children who are affected. Many adults of my acquaintance confess to struggling with novels, their attention span having been whittled right down by the staccato nature of so-called social networking websites. Such is the obsession with these sites that I am sure there are many who dare not stray too far from their computers or iPhones for fear that they miss out on the latest amusing cat video. What chance does the humble novel stand against such competition? Perhaps a day will come when no one has the concentration to write a novel, let alone read one. I, for one, will not be laughing out loud when it does. L Rowlands, Devon

www.atl.org.uk

profile / Barnaby Lenon

An independent view From head of Harrow School to chairman of the ISC, Barnaby Lenon gives his view from the independent sector. Words by Oonagh Hayes

arnaby Lenon is a man who likes a challenge. Having resigned his headship at Harrow School last year — because he wanted his weekends back — Barnaby not only became chairman of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) but he also joined the board of Ofqual and has been involved in setting up a free school, which opened its doors in September this year. Those free weekends have been taken up with art classes and rowing, and he is about to do a course in geology at Oxford University. The ISC brings eight independent school associations together to represent more than 1,200 independent schools. One aspect of his job at ISC that surprised Barnaby is the amount of government initiatives it would like to influence. He says: “I had no idea of the pace of activity at the ministerial end — there’s sometimes three new initiatives announced in a week. We are in a period where there is fairly dramatic change and it’s important that organisations like ISC and ATL are working hard to influence the pace and direction of this change.” One of the challenges for ISC is being able to present shared views to government, especially when it comes to curriculum. “Independent schools all have different ideas about what they feel about GCSEs and A-levels. However, I’m very pleased that agreement has been reached this year and I have presented our views to the government. We believe in freedom of subject choice and, like ATL, we don’t welcome political interference in the curriculum. We are perfectly happy for universities to be involved in A-level reform, but we think experienced school teachers should also be involved, as they are the experts, not least in assessment.” Another area where his and ATL’s views coincide is for independent sector teachers to remain in the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. Barnaby says: “We are very pleased that we are still free to be in the TPS. Pensions are such a complicated issue that, had schools needed to come up with their own schemes, it would have inhibited flexible movement of

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teachers between the sectors. Given that we are all trying to educate the nation’s children, this would have been a pity from both sides.” Another way in which Barnaby is trying to influence change in education is by joining the board of Ofqual, which he did five months ago at a time when “many aspects of the examination system are under review, so it’s very interesting.” Barnaby feels Ofqual has already made a number of positive changes, including strengthening GCSE science, introducing marks for good English in certain subjects, abolishing GCSE modules and reviewing controlled assessment. He is also pleased that it has commissioned research into the strengths and weaknesses of England’s A-levels and GCSEs, and how they relate to other high-achieving countries. “This is very important as we need to make decisions on reform based on proper research rather than prejudice,” he says. Although there has been controversy over the changes by Ofqual to this year’s GCSE grade boundaries, particularly in English (see page 14 for more on ATL’s views on GCSEs), speaking before the results were announced, Barnaby is clear that there does need to be a tightening up of the boundaries. “If grades continue to inflate, it undermines public confidence in the exam system and, of course, prevents universities from distinguishing the very best candidates from the merely good candidates.” He adds: “Of course it is easier to get a high grade today because of modules, resits, and improved teaching materials. When people talk about dumbing down, what they mean is grade inflation, which is not the same thing as exams getting easier. It’s possible to have grade inflation while the exam questions remain as difficult as they ever were.” Barnaby, and the ISC, feels there needs to be a higher level of good-quality marking in place for consistency in marking and grades given. “If exams are going to become more stretching, there will need to be more open-ended questions, which means they have to be marked by an expert in the subject,” he says. “The quality of marking when questions are prescriptive, as they are at the moment, is very uneven, so there is a danger that they will become more uneven if exams become openended. We are therefore pressing for the exam boards to devote more time and money to improving the quality of marking.” October 2012

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We are in a period of dramatic change and it’s important that organisations like ISC and ATL are working hard to influence the pace and direction of this change

ALL PHOTOS: NICK DAWE

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While Barnaby is aware of ATL’s concerns over the expansion of academies and free schools, he is a supporter of the programme and has been a governor of Chelsea Academy for the past three years. The school was a new-build serving the World’s End estate and surrounding area in the south of Kensington and Chelsea. It was set up as a new school to deal with a shortage of places in maintained schools in the borough and last year saw the first Year 12 intake. Barnaby says: “It is a marvellous school that is growing well and was awarded outstanding by Ofsted. It’s very satisfying to be part of something that has met the needs of the local community so well.” Barnaby has also been involved in setting up the London Academy of Excellence in Stratford — a stone’s throw from the Olympic Park. It is the first sixth form free school in the country, is sponsored by Brighton College and supported by eight other independent schools. It was set up to meet a need for a lack of sixth form places. Barnaby, a governor of the college, says: “The college is in a very deprived part of London and our aim is to achieve a high level of entry into Russell Group universities from bright, young boys and girls who live in the area. “We have no track record, and had no staff and no building when we started, so we were only selling a October 2012

vision or a dream, so to expect parents to sign up to that was asking a lot. Despite that, we have 200 pupils starting in September, which is very encouraging.” Barnaby is very keen to stress that partnership between independent and state schools is something that any good independent school strives for, as it benefits both sides. He says: “We know from ISC’s last annual census that the vast majority of independent schools are already making facilities available to local primary and secondary schools. When I became headteacher at Harrow, I built a new athletics track, which was immediately made available to the local community free of charge. “I also laid on elite athlete training sessions in the evenings. All of our facilities were used as much by the local community as by my own school.” Despite the recession causing some independent schools to close, Barnaby says schools who are members of ISC are thriving. “I cannot speak for every independent school in the country, but our recent census shows us numbers are rising among schools in the ISC. Obviously there is more of a north/south divide in the figures and schools in remote areas or areas of high unemployment are, of course, finding it harder.” Barnaby believes that, despite the introduction of academies and free schools, independent schools will continue to exist if they offer something that is not available at the same level by other schools. This could be better facilities, smaller class sizes, better exam results, a very high commitment to sport or music, or a specialist provision such as boarding or single sex. With regards to the curriculum, “Independent schools have pioneered the use of qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate, Pre-U and IGCSE, the latter of which, in particular, is very popular now in independent schools. “However, GCSEs and A-levels remain the main qualifications in independent schools, so we would like to see them comparable in quality with the best in the world.” Barnaby is very proud of what he’s achieved in his career to date, although he has one regret of his time at Harrow — which is not learning more from other independent schools. He says: “Independent schools tend, for understandable reasons, to be quite competitive and this inhibits them from working with other similar schools from which they could learn quite a lot.” www.atl.org.uk

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join the debate / talking point

Mind your manners Simple politeness would help combat bad behaviour, believes ATL member John Sinclair, who moved from the independent to the state sector

fter 30 years teaching in Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference schools, 17 of them as a head of maths, I resigned and took a post as second-in-charge of a department in a large comprehensive. The usual response to my news was silence, accompanied by a look of complete disbelief, but for various reasons, I badly needed a change and felt that it was time to see a bit more of the world. My interview lesson had gone remarkably well, with the more ‘restive’ pupils settling down to work after some persuasion. True, looking through windows, were that groups one always has to factor in the presence of were rarely on task except when the teacher the headteacher in such situations, but I felt actually visited their circle, and even then I had shown that I could handle a class in the quantity and quality of work produced this unfamiliar setting. My day in the school was usually indifferent and desultory. Far had gone well, so I felt confident enough to too many classes fell back on the stratagem accept the post. of ‘design and make a poster about...’ I was wrong; the set I had taught was I formed the view that the real problems atypical. The majority of my new pupils with schools like these do not reside with turned out to be the greatest talkers I could the five per cent or so who commit the possibly imagine, and simply would not most heinous misdemeanours. All become quiet and allow themselves to be schools nowadays have their ‘interesting’ addressed. None of characters, to use the my tricks worked any current euphemism. The real problem more. The idea of They are not the is pupils … who have teacher-led activities, problem. The real lapsed into a settled or ‘whole class problem is the great interactive’, was bulge of pupils in habit of insolence therefore generally a the middle of the non-starter, except perhaps with a very good distribution who have lapsed into a settled top set. Pupils were routinely insolent to habit of insolence. This great bulge creates teachers and used bad language as a matter the tone of the school, which then feeds of course. Girls were constantly refreshing negatively on itself until we reach the their make-up and many students couldn’t situation where there is too much staff even manage to bring a pencil to class. A absence and parents are working very hard very different world indeed. Pastoral staff to get their children into other schools. and members of the leadership team were I can’t say I felt well supported in my kept very busy dealing with people who new job. When I told the deputy head had been sent out of classrooms. about my difficult classes, he told me that I quickly realised that, to get by, teachers “other people manage”. Leadership ran were simply accepting the impossibility meetings in such a way that discussion of of addressing classes and were employing pupil behaviour was off-limits, while the other methods. There was a great deal emphasis was always put on the ‘modelling of sitting in groups with worksheets. My behaviours’ of staff. The message was that observations, both as a teacher ‘supporting’ if only we would write brilliant lesson plans in the room and from walking around and deliver them in an inspirational way,

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October 2012

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then the children would be engaged and everything would be fine. The party line was: we can’t change them. The headteacher tried to justify this defeatism by reminding us that ‘the age of deference is dead’, but that is just a muddle. Most of us — especially those of us born and brought up on a housing estate — rejoice at the demise of unmerited deference (the tugging of the forelock). But in reality, courtesy and deference are two very different things. To put it another way: perhaps respect has to be earned, but politeness comes free. I could not reconcile myself to the views of leadership with regard to ill-mannered behaviour. It seems to me that some form of the zero-tolerance approach needs to be used in schools suffering in the ways described here. The headteacher’s response to my ideas was to accuse me of only wanting to teach my subject, while disliking children, but the preceding 30 years prove this ridiculous charge quite wrong. I am left with the conviction that our top priority in education should be the inculcation of good manners. Attainment will not improve until attitudes do and the responsibility lies not just on adults, but on the youngsters themselves. What do you think of John’s views? Would better manners lead to better behaviour and learning? Or is politeness an outdated concept? Let us know through the letters page (details on page 17) or at www.facebook.com/atlunion or www.twitter.com/atlunion

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help and advice / legal

Cancer: your rights at work Employers are obliged to make reasonable adjustments to assist an employee who has been diagnosed with cancer, explains ATL solicitor Sharon Liburd

ne in three of us will get cancer. Two million people in the UK are living with cancer and this is expected to double in the next 20 years. Those working in educational establishments are increasingly likely to learn that a colleague has cancer. Difficulty in talking about cancer is common. Not telling their colleagues may help those with cancer to cope and to live as normal a life as possible. On the other hand, colleagues can be very supportive, given an opportunity to be so. Some people will be very worried their employer will dismiss them if they reveal that they have cancer. They are not legally required to reveal the diagnosis. But if the employee chooses not to inform the employer, problems may be caused if the cancer or its effects adversely affect their ability to do their work. Moreover, the employer cannot write to the employee’s doctor without consent. Employers who do not know or could not reasonably be expected to know that a person is disabled are not required to make any necessary adjustments to his/her work. Under the Equality Act 2010 (or the

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Disability Discrimination Act in Northern people may suffer physical and psychological Ireland), a person is classed as disabled problems as a result of having cancer, which as soon as they have been diagnosed with include pain, fatigue, restricted movement, cancer, multiple sclerosis or HIV, or are depression and diminished confidence. registered/certified as blind, sight-impaired These examinations also give the employee or partially sighted. These Acts make an opportunity to put forward suggestions it unlawful for employers to discriminate for reasonable adjustments, which could be against employees on the grounds of recommended in the occupational health disability. They also report. It is advisable place a duty on Many cancer survivors for employers to employers to implement the reasonable wish to resume work make reasonable adjustments advocated adjustments where a after treatment by their occupational disabled person health experts. is placed at a substantial disadvantage A claim for discrimination must compared with one who is not disabled. normally be presented to the tribunals For someone with cancer, reasonable within three months of the date on which adjustments might include: the discriminatory act occurred. ATL • permitting time off to attend medical members are advised to contact their appointments regional offices promptly and as soon as • altering or reallocating duties that cause they receive a negative response to requests particular difficulty, on a temporary or for reasonable adjustments. permanent basis Many cancer survivors wish to resume • allowing flexibility in working hours work after treatment. Doing so can help • authorising a full-time employee to to restore normality in their lives and to work part time on a temporary or regain an income after being on reduced permanent basis pay or no pay at all. Many schools and • giving extra breaks to help the employee colleges can do more to support and to cope with fatigue encourage staff with cancer to return to • allowing the employee a period of leave, or remain in their employ. It also helps them followed by a planned return to work to retain valuable skills and experience, • allowing a phased return to work after meet their legal obligations and to improve sick leave staff morale. A good start is to have a • moving the workroom, to avoid stairs, workplace policy that includes guidance for example on supporting employees with cancer, with • acquiring or modifying equipment easily accessible information on issues • adjusting redundancy selection criteria, such as flexible working arrangements, eg if sickness absence is a criteria, adjustments to work, occupational sick ignoring disability-related sick leave. pay and any other benefits that could assist the employee. There is no limit on the types of adjustment Those with cancer may have to consider that might be considered reasonable. Often, sooner the provisions/benefits that may the employer will wish to refer the employee be available to them and their dependants to their occupational health adviser for under their pension schemes. ATL members examination and provision of a medical can seek advice on the teachers’ and local report. Examinations focus on the current government pension schemes from health position and whether the employee is our pensions experts on 020 7930 6441. likely to be well enough to return to work in Members wishing for legal advice should the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, some contact ATL using the details on page 23.

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October 2012

help and advice / contact

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:

Membership enquiries 020 7782 1602

General enquiries 020 7930 6441

Monday to Friday, 5-8pm during term time. ATL’s regional officials are available to speak to you about work problems.

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: 1st Floor, 64B Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 0DF. Tel: 029 2046 5000. Email: cymru@atl.org.uk Edinburgh: CBC House, 24 Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG. Tel: 0131 272 2748. Email: scotland@atl.org.uk AMiE members: 35 The Point, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7QU. Contact your AMiE regional officer (contact details at www.amie.uk.com) or call the employment helpline 01858 464171. Email: helpline@amie.atl.org.uk

Email: membership@atl.org.uk

Pension enquiries 020 7782 1600 Out of office hours helpline 020 7782 1612

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:

If you are not a member of ATL and would like to join, please contact us on 0845 057 7000 (lo-call) Remember to pass your copy of Report to colleagues who may be interested in it!

England: 08000 562 561 Wales: 08000 855 088 Scotland: 0800 564 2270

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.

October 2012

www.atl.org.uk

your ATL / website

Website update ATL has responded to members’ needs by redesigning its website to make it easier and more efficient to use

TL’s website has relaunched with a new look for the start of the autumn term. Our front page has been extensively redesigned, and now features a cleaner, more modern layout that will help you find the content you are looking for more quickly. ATL’s current campaigns, new publications, membership offers and other important information are highlighted in the ‘carousel’ in the centre of the page, making sure you can keep abreast of what’s going on at a glance. Beneath that, the latest news feed provides updates on ATL’s press releases and activity on Facebook and Twitter. The main menu still provides quick access to a wealth of advice on everything from your rights and working conditions in schools and colleges to in-depth information about pay and pensions. However, there’s some completely new content here too. For the first time this autumn, ATL’s new learning zone brings together everything you need to know about learning at ATL in one place. As well as details of all of ATL’s member and reps courses, there’s information about regional learning, links to our online learning portal and a handy events calendar. This can all be found at www.atl.org.uk/learningzone. We’ve reorganised our policy and campaigns section to make it easier to find out about the key policy areas that ATL is working and campaigning on. Over the next few months, we’ll be bringing you even more ways to join the debate and get your voice heard, by taking part in online surveys and discussions that will feed directly into ATL policy. Our reps toolbox has been expanded, allowing us more space to provide key information to ATL reps, as well as highlighting all the ways you can get involved in your union — by coming to Conference, taking part in a working

www.atl.org.uk

Above: home page; left: learning zone; below: reps toolbox

group, or simply acting as a contact for key information and publications in your workplace. We’ve even revised the menus at the top of the page for clarity and ease of use. There is now a single menu devoted to membership information, where you can find details of how to renew your subscription or update your membership details. There’s also a completely new menu

devoted entirely to ‘ATL plus’ member offers, where you can choose from many great savings on anything from home insurance to restaurant meals. For an overview of the changes or if you need help finding your way around, visit www.atl.org.uk/websiteupdate

October 2012

resources / info directory

ATL resources and training Newsletters Post-16 News has been sent out to all members working in post-compulsory education with this issue of Report. It leads with news of ATL’s response to the government’s deregulation of teaching qualifications and CPD, as well as news of the new FE guild, pay recommendations from the Association of Colleges and the incoming pension auto-enrolment legislation. Being a Rep was sent in September to all varieties of ATL rep. It leads with a request to tell new members of staff at your workplace about the benefits of joining ATL. There is also a roundup of pay issues for teachers in schools, FE and sixth form colleges, details of the new appraisal and capability procedures, the dangers of accepting a police caution, and information on the 2013 ATL rep awards. For health and safety reps, there are answers to your questions about first aid at work, health and safety myths debunked, a new publication on school trips, and details of when and how dangerous incidents must be recorded and reported. There is also information about defibrillators. For union learning reps, there are details of the year ahead of ATL training, and of Edge Hill and ATL’s masters opportunity, news of an exciting new partnership with Lighthouse Professional Development, and a round-up of training successes the length and breadth of the country.

Independent Schools newsletter was also sent out in September to all members working in the independent sector. It features ATL successfully representing an independent member dismissed after announcing she was pregnant, a mix of school closures and schools rescued in the recession, and results of the Independent and Private Sector Advisory Group elections. Independent

issues and difficulties encountered when working as a supply teacher. The guide is in three parts: the first section deals with the technical issues before you start supply work; the second section covers practical points, both before you arrive at your supply school and when you start; and the third section deals with pay and other issues such as insurance, which might be relevant once you have started work. A Guide for Supply Teachers can be downloaded from www.atl.org.uk or ordered using the details below. Induction

members are also invited to the independent schools conference on 10 November. Supply teachers’ guide

ATL has published a new advice and guidance booklet for members working as supply teachers. A Guide for Supply Teachers has been written to include nation-specific information and to address the main

ATL has updated its Induction publication, a guide designed to take you right through, from understanding induction and how it can work for you, to what to expect from your appropriate body and your school. It also covers what might happen should your induction not go as smoothly as hoped and explains how ATL can help in this most crucial start to your career as a teacher. Poster

Your CPD with ATL Playing to learn: 8 November, London Taking care of behaviour: 15 November, London

Preparing for retirement: 1 December, York Differentiation: practical tools: 13 December, York

For more information, go to www.atl.org.uk/learningzone.

www.atl.org.uk

Factsheet and policy

A new advice factsheet, Teaching in Scotland, for members looking to move to Scotland and teach has been produced and is available to download from www.atl.org.uk/factsheets. It sets out the essential information members need to know when considering relocating to Scotland, as well as signposting members to the relevant organisations. ATL has also produced a policy statement, Raising Attainment in Scottish Education, which looks at literacy and numeracy, ambition and aspirations, and engaging families and wider communities.

How to order ATL resources There are a number of ways you can access the range of publications, newsletters and position statements ATL provides: Website: you can download PDFs of most of our publications or place your order using an online form via the ‘Publications & resources’ section of our website at www.atl.org.uk Email: you can email your order using despatch@atl.org.uk (quoting the product code, wherever possible)

Practical solutions for dyslexia in FE: 22 November, Bristol

Visit ATL’s new learning zone for all the information you need to make sure you are developing your skills, whether that is through an ATL national CPD course, reps courses, online learning or through attending local learning events. www.atl.org.uk/learningzone.

conditions. And when you need us we provide legal advice, support, representation, training, CPD and much more.

ATL has sent our new poster to reps, entitled ‘We give you a voice when you’re not being heard’, which explains how ATL values the highly complex and professional job you perform every day. We will speak out to defend your pay, pensions and working

Telephone: you can phone our publications despatch line on 0845 4500 009 (quoting the product code, wherever possible).

October 2012

Need access to this data for your school? Call 01603 280170 or email support@pupilasset.com to arrange a demonstration or to set-up a trial

www.pupilasset.com

8th One-day National Conference 8thAnnual Annual One-day National Conference

Child Protection in Education

Three Dates Two Dates Locations: and Locations: O 210th O 8th September, October,

Central London Birmingham O 1 October, 68th th November, Birmingham Manchester O 6th November, Manchester

Updated Guidance and New Legal Obligations BeneďŹ ts of attending: O Gain current, comprehensive

and concise legal guidance and keep up to date with the latest national policy for child protection in schools O Hear the latest updates to

the ISA and comply with new procedures for CRB checks

Tel: 020 7954 3522

Speakers include: Speakers include:

Adrian McAllister Dai Durbridge CEO Dai Durbridge Partner Partner Independent Safeguarding BrowneJacobson JacobsonLLP LLP Browne Authority Richard Tagney Bird Matthew Legal Consultant Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vetting Policy Team Department for Education

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resources / classified To advertise here please contact Lisa on 01603 772521, or email lisa.parkinson@archantdialogue.co.uk Recruitment

Resources

Teachers required to host and teach adults and/or teenagers from Europe, Russia and Japan in their home on total-immersion English language courses or GCSE/A-Level revision courses in maths, science and business/economics. A professional qualification is required, comfortable home and enthusiasm for sharing your language, culture and location. Short summer placements of 2-3 weeks are available and also year-round placement of 1-4 weeks. Good rates. Tel: 0117 9042483 or Email: info@livingenglish.com

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www.atl.org.uk

October 2012

29 1

Prize crossword

Across 1 New master in craze for agricultural establishment (9) 6 He has occupation involving air conditioning (5) 9 Public school servant’s back with iron — embarrassing blunder (5) 10 Pen used to rewrite panto bill? (9) 11 Filled pastry dish with black sticky stuff, last of fruit (4) 12 Germany showing a keen interest in boy (5) 13 Powder put into neat alcohol (4) 16 Writes ‘I have’ briefly, involving serious thought (7) 17 Frank exchange is an art (7) 19 Perhaps learn Old English from 12th-century Queen? (7) 21 One who swears a great deal gets zero in report when returned (7) 22 Man for the post, we’re told (4) 24 Take another’s child to PTA do, maybe (5) 25 Wood trade (4) 29 Crazy teach-in, about 100 left in old type of college (9) 30 Ale with no head? That is weird! (5) 31 Fourth of March — new date for trainee (5) 32 Learner takes a test, Sir, wrongly. It’s the final thing you’ll be given! (4,5) Down 1 Struggle to bring up some with gifted children (5)

2 Type of library — free, unusually, before endless recent reorganisation (9) 3 Look for beginnings of some easy educational kit (4) 4 Hold me back from tossing caber! (7) 5 Shows a casual interest in rising young man, but doesn’t tell the truth (7) 6 Yes, German physical education is a joke! (4) 7 Some teach in a Far East country (5) 8 Professorship in SW England university that used to be occupied by an invalid? (4,5) 14 Girl and I revised article (5) 15 Block of gold found in certain Gothic buildings (5) 16 Input came adapted to be operated by compressed air (9) 18 Head teacher has PE corset altered, something no one’s supposed to know! (3-6) 20 Fundamental, cardinal error — nitrogen missing (7) 21 Non-U pupil set out to have alcoholic drinks (7) 23 Initially, London University detectives are easy to understand (5) 26 Northern university city is pre-eminent, we hear (5) 27 Granny, perhaps, knows nothing of trigonometry to start with (4) 28 He has a right to listen (4)

The winner of the September crossword competition will be announced on the ATL website. Congratulations to Janet Fouweather, the winner of the June/July crossword competition.

October 2012

WIN!

One lucky reader will win £50 in Marks & Spencer vouchers. Simply send your completed crossword, with your contact details (incl. telephone number), to: ATL Oct Competition, Archant Dialogue, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE. Closing date: 06 November, 2012. 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 06 November, 2012. 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 £r5k0 in Ma cser & Speners vouch

Last month’s solution – September 2012 Across: 9 Extractor 10 Miami 11 Brother 12 Tallish 13 Tony 14 Blackboard 17 Boyhood 18 Meeting 20 Enterprise 23 Spas 25 Artisan 26 Hurling 28 Maori 29 Operation Down: 1 Verb 2 Attorney 3 Maths 4 Startled 5 Arctic 6 Small beer 7 Patina 8 High 13 Table 15 Degas 16 Courtship 18 Mischief 19 Implicit 21 Tattoo 22 Random 24 Break 25 Acme 27 Gong

www.atl.org.uk

join the debate / final word

Inspiring the future

ILLUSTRATION: PHIL WRIGGLESWORTH

Students can learn a lot about careers from visits by workers, says Peter Dart, director of multinational marketing firm WPP plc

I Peter Dart Peter Dart is a director of WPP, the world’s biggest marketing services group, and trustee of the charity Education and Employers Taskforce. www.peterdart.com

www.atl.org.uk

recently took part in a careers networking event at Bishop Challoner School in Tower Hamlets — one of England’s most disadvantaged areas — alongside speakers such as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, president of the Confederation of British Industry Sir Roger Carr, and actress Joanna Lumley. We were all there as part of the Inspiring the Future programme. This new, free initiative sees employees from all sectors and professions volunteering to go into state secondary schools and colleges to talk about their jobs, careers and the education routes they took to get there. My session turned out to be in a science lab, even though it was about marketing. Some 25 pupils came along because they were interested in something to do with communication — advertising, media, research, design or digital work. My short presentation was titled ‘More than meerkats’ to start with something unusual and creative, and to

explore why such advertising was relevant for a lowinterest sector such as insurance. I also talked about Apple and the role of innovation and design, and how marketing ‘invents the future’ through such ideas as the iPhone and iPad. The real value of these sessions is in the Q&A around the subject area and this really gets going once you have won their confidence and reassured your audience that this is not a test, rather something just for their benefit. The most frequent questions are all around what subjects and courses are the best ones to select to maximise the opportunity to develop a career in management, marketing, design or advertising. ‘Marketing’ as a concept is often very misunderstood. Students tend not to appreciate the sheer breadth of opportunity — from computer analysts to creative designers; also, that not everyone needs to aspire to be like Steve Jobs or Martin Sorrell; there are many roles and levels that offer terrifically rewarding careers. I also like to encourage students to think about how they can personally communicate better; some, for instance, were much better than others in articulating their questions and developing a conversation. At the heart of this are some pretty fundamental themes to do with English (especially if this is not your first language), home life, friendship groups, self-confidence and selfesteem. Yet, in schools like the one we went to in Tower Hamlets, you can find the most amazingly talented students, who just need some basic help and perspective to significantly improve their chances in life. Inspiring the Future is calling on doctors, nurses, lawyers, builders, civil servants, farmers, mechanics, engineers, chefs — in fact, all working people — to give just an hour to talk to students in their local state school about how they got where they are today. Meeting employees from all jobs and professions face-to-face inspires young people and can be life-changing. It can be the difference between going on to fulfil your potential or languishing in the job centre queue — especially for those who live in our one million workless households, and the most disadvantaged, where family networks are often limited. And that’s at the heart of the Inspiring the Future initiative. Everyone from CEOs to apprentices can volunteer for Inspiring the Future. Registration is free for volunteers, state secondary schools and colleges. Inspiring the Future is administered by the small charity the Education and Employers Taskforce. Visit www.inspiringthefuture.org for more information. October 2012

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