Report November 2013

report

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2013

THE MAGAZINE FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS & LECTURERS £2.50

Shaping education With an election on the horizon, Report highlights your vision for education and what we can all do to make it happen

PROFILE Two award-winning members speak to Report

ADVICE Guidance on teachers’ pay when changing jobs

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Contents

Welcome

Alison Sherratt, national president, ATL

D 23

Shaping 16 d ti

Features

Your ATL

News Including ATL highlighting education issues at the party conferences and the campaign to ditch the lads’ mags

Noticeboard Information, events and opportunities to get involved

10Outstanding teachers Report meets two awardwinning teachers at contrasting stages of their careers 14

Good health The importance of health and safety in your workplace

Shaping education ATL members speak out on our six-point vision for education in England

Resources 21

Rep of the year Your chance to nominate your rep for an award ATL resources New publications and CPD

28Classified advertisements 29 Crossword Your chance to win £50 of Marks & Spencer vouchers

Join the debate 18

Agenda Assistant general secretary Mark Holding explains why union facilities cost little but achieve a lot

Letters ATL members on the effects of Ofsted and coping without TAs in FE

ATL in Wales and Northern Ireland Philip Dixon and Mark Langhammer give their views

Help and advice 23

No guarantee on pay Pay issues teachers need to consider when moving jobs

As seen on screen Using film to support learning across the curriculum

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

30Final word Olympic swimmer Steve Parry on the life-saving lessons of swimming

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 Head of advertising sales Stephen Price 01603 772856 Advertising sales Lisa Marrison (née Parkinson) 01603 772521

uring my first weeks as president I travelled the length and breadth of the country following the three main political party conferences in an attempt to gain an insight into what might lie ahead for education. Did anything give me hope for a valued and respected profession; that change for change’s sake would cease; that the test culture would become a thing of the past, and that we could all be allowed to continue to provide an excellent education system devoid of needless league tables, Ofsted analysis and performance-related pay? All three parties spoke of how valuable we are as a workforce. In fact Mr Gove went so far as to declare us to be the best young teachers and headteachers there have ever been. If this is the fact, why then could I find so little education substance in the agendas, fringe meetings and debates? Has education become the unknown casualty of austerity? The outcomes of any cuts and changes made now won’t show up and be evaluated until the next generation of children move through the education system. It became clear as I spoke to delegates at all three conferences how important it is that we make our voices heard about what is really going on in education and what should be happening. There are monumental misconceptions regarding the teaching profession, mostly propagated by the present Secretary of State for Education and much of the media. In ATL we believe in the power of meaningful dialogue backed up by solid research and evidence. So I make you an offer. Not a ‘buy one get one free’ offer, but an ‘enrol one get a stronger union’ offer. Imagine the even more powerful voice ATL would have from early years to further education and from support staff to headteachers if we all recruited another professional to our ranks? Talk to colleagues and tell them about ATL and its ethos. In this issue you will find snapshots of members’ views (page 16) on education collected in surveys and at our summer conferences. Make sure your voice and those of your colleagues continue to be heard to help develop an ATL manifesto that contains the formula for an education system fit for the future.

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 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

Education agenda ATL general secretary Mary Bousted spelled out her views on employment rights, public service reform and the scale and pace of education changes at party conferences in September. Dr Bousted addressed a debate about the policies needed to improve education, organised by Unions 21 at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, where she was joined by then-shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg. She argued Ofsted should be replaced by a new inspection system that works with schools, and that, although GCSEs and A-levels need improvement, current rushed changes to these exams should be reversed. She added: “There should be a longerterm project working with teaching professionals, employers and parents

to reach consensus on reform. Trust needs to be restored in the professionalism of teachers; the constant denigration of teachers needs to stop. The start of a formal early years curriculum also needs to be delayed, with a really good play-based early years education in its place.” At a second Unions 21 fringe on employment rights, Dr Bousted said: “There’s been a steady erosion of employment rights, including zero-hours contracts and changes to TUPE regulations. We need stronger employment rights, not weaker ones.” Dr Bousted was also on a panel of speakers at a discussion organised by the Accord Coalition, of which ATL is a member, examining the future of religious selection at state-funded faith schools.

“The vast majority of schools are multicultural; schools don’t need lectures from politicians about how to create a society where people from different faiths and no faith learn how to understand and respect one another,” she said. At a debate about public service reform organised by Policy Exchange at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester the same month, Dr Bousted said: “Every government comes in and says they’re not going to reform public service, then embarks on massively expensive reform without consulting the service providers. “Things are just about settled when a new government comes in. Governments should be slower to act and need to think more carefully.”

Tackling teenage abuse

ITT concern

had not received any training about abuse in ATL has teamed up with children’s charity young people’s relationships, and the majority the NSPCC to research the confidence, of those people said they would like some. needs and knowledge of education ATL and the NSPCC have produced professionals in addressing abuse in young some resources to help address the issues people’s relationships and to provide them with resources for dealing with the issue. identified in the survey, including a checklist Many different types of abuse can occur of what should be included in a secondary in young people’s relationships, including school policy, a safety plan template and a controlling behaviour, physical abuse, guide for teachers about abuse in young threats of physical violence, sexual abuse people’s relationships. and emotional abuse. Wanda Wyporska, ATL equalities officer, Slightly more than half of the education said: “We welcome the government’s professionals who took part in the survey amendment to the definition of domestic (58%) said they had not suspected that any violence to include those aged between 16 of their pupils and 18, and we are was involved The pack is part of our delighted to be in an abusive working with the wider campaign around NSPCC on such an relationship, but domestic violence important issue. of those that had “We have responded suspected it, 78% to members’ concerns and requests for felt they handled it well. However, almost guidance. The pack is part of our wider half (43%) felt unsure or only fairly confident campaign around domestic violence and about their ability to identify when a young abuse, and ATL’s ongoing work to raise person is involved in an abusive relationship. awareness of domestic violence and abuse Slightly more than a quarter (26%) said in the classroom and staffroom.” they had been approached by a young person See the ‘Help and advice’ section of about the issue at least once in the past two years. However, a similar number said they www.atl.org.uk for more information.

School Direct, the school-based teacher training programme launched by the current government, came under scrutiny at a meeting of the House of Commons Education Select Committee in September. Figures have revealed that almost 6,000 of the 38,900 places allocated for postgraduate training programmes, including School Direct, remained unfilled a week into the current school year. Nansi Ellis, ATL assistant general secretary, said: “The figures for the number of people who have been recruited onto teacher training schemes this autumn look extremely worrying. “If enough teachers cannot be recruited now, when there are fewer job opportunities available to good graduates, who will teach the growing number of children entering schools in the next few years?” The government has “complicated” teacher training to such an extent it cannot keep track of the number applying for places, Nansi said, and this hinders its ability to plan for current and future staffing needs. “We need to be reassured the government knows how many teachers are needed for each subject and part of England, and has a plan to ensure the demand can be met,” she added.

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November/December 2013

BOB FALLON

Ditch the lads’ mags Helen Porter addresses members at ATL’s 2013 Conference in Liverpool

Girls and careers An ATL member has contributed to a primary schools. government-arranged discussion on girls “The meeting proved to be a wonderful and careers. opportunity to meet some fascinating Biology teacher Helen Porter was invited people including the eminent scientist to take part in the round-table meeting Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Lucie Sarif of organised by the Government Equalities Little Miss Geek, who encourage girls to Office in October. It focused on girls’ become tech pioneers. I felt honoured to aspirations and, in particular, how teenage represent ATL.” girls can be given the confidence and Helen spoke on the issue of body knowledge to make image at ATL’s Annual great career choices. I made contributions Conference in She said: “We regarding the comparative Liverpool last March. discussed many Liberal Democrat MP aspects of this issue behaviour of girls and boys Jo Swinson took part in of girls’ limited career in science lessons the discussion; she aspirations. I made is Minister for contributions regarding the comparative Employment Relations and Consumer behaviour of girls and boys in secondary Affairs in the Department for Business, science lessons, the role of fathers in Innovation and Skills, and is Minister for influencing girls’ career choices and the Women and Equalities in the Department importance of early intervention in of Culture, Media and Sport.

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Post-16 accountability Plans for reformed performance tables for colleges and sixth forms will not provide the information young people need, ATL has said. ATL education policy adviser Jill Stokoe said: “We support the government’s aim to improve the information about the performance of colleges and sixth forms as a way to help students make informed choices about where they study. “But we don’t think these league tables will help young people make the best November/December 2013

choices for them, because the information provided is quite limited and is really about accountability measures. “While we agree that all young people need good literacy and numeracy skills, we are worried about how additional GCSE classes in English and maths will be funded following the cuts to post-16 education, and where additional teachers will come from.” For this and all ATL’s consultation responses, see www.atl.org.uk/responses.

ATL has joined the campaign to get high-street retailers to ‘lose the lads’ mags’ because of the damaging effect they have on young people. ATL is the latest organisation to support UK Feminista and Object’s call for high-street retailers to stop selling magazines such as Nuts and Zoo. Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, said: “Not only do so-called ‘lads’ mags’ portray women as dehumanised objects, but they also continue to be sold in many supermarkets and newsagents, where children can easily be exposed to them. “Are the attitudes towards women and pornographic images in these magazines really what we want our children to be seeing? At ATL’s Conference this year our members told us resoundingly that they are worried about the increased ‘pornification’ of society and its pernicious effects on young people, which is why ATL wholeheartedly supports this campaign.” The government-commissioned Sexualisation of Young People Review found the magazines “promote an idea of male sexuality as based on power and aggression, depicting women as sex objects and including articles that feature strategies for manipulating women.” Shops that sell these magazines are also open to legal action because exposing staff and customers to them may constitute sexual harassment or sex discrimination under the Equality Act.

Song for Stephen Twenty years since the murder of Stephen Lawrence, ATL has sponsored ‘A Song for Stephen’, a song-writing competition to inspire the next generation. The competition was launched by The Voice newspaper and is supported by the TUC and its members. For more information see www.voice-online.co.uk. www.atl.org.uk

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your ATL / news

On the levels Removal of levels in the curriculum leaves us with more questions than answers — so said keynote speaker Tony Draper at ATL’s branch secretaries’ conference in Birmingham in October. Tony, headteacher of Water Hall Primary School in Milton Keynes and member of NAHT’s national executive, spoke about the effects of various government changes to assessment and accountability. He said the NAHT, working with ATL and other unions, would, for the sake of the children, be attempting to sort out “the dog’s dinner” the government had made of the changes so far. Tony questioned the government’s stated reasons for removing the levels: that parents don’t understand them. He suggested many parents experienced levels themselves and so are familiar with them, whereas it is Michael Gove who does not

understand them, having not experienced them himself in his schooldays. On the proposed replacement for levels, ‘scaled scores’, Tony reported a conversation with a Department for Education (DfE) spokesman who proudly told him that in a straw poll of parents, all preferred the scaled scores to the old levels. However, it transpired that all the parents asked in fact worked in the DfE, he said. In his wide-ranging speech Tony also covered ‘deciles’, whereby “no matter how well they do, half of all children will be marked as failures”, a floor standard of 85%, which he described as “surely aspirational, as there is no way every school in the country can achieve that”, and that despite the government claiming we have the ‘best generation of teachers ever’ it clearly does not trust them to carry out assessment.

Keynote speaker Tony Draper

Questions from branch secretaries who took part included how the NAHT and ATL are going to work together. Both Tony and ATL assistant general secretary Nansi Ellis said the unions are already working together at a national and local level, and that leaders and teachers jointly need to influence the government and remind it children are people not statistics. The NAHT commission on assessment without levels began on 21 October. Elsewhere at the branch secretaries’ conference there were sessions on supporting reps and equalities.

Whistleblowing reveals need for scrutiny

Assessment action

As a result of whistleblowing from six charges of false accounting after ATL’s immediate past president, a years of claiming his innocence. former headteacher has been given Why has it taken four years to bring a suspended prison sentence after this to trial? It’s a school, not a admitting false accounting. multinational. He wasted thousands Sir Alan Davies was headteacher at and thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ Copland Community School in Brent, money by maintaining this façade of north London, in 2009 when former ATL innocence causing a lengthy and president Hank Roberts announced his expensive Brent Council and Fraud concerns at ATL’s Annual Conference. Squad investigation.” Davies was knighted for his services “I was justified in my whistleblowing. to education, but resigned in 2009 after Scrutiny and oversight of school the allegations. In finances has October, a Southwark The growth of academies seriously been Crown Court Judge up and free schools, however, is tightened described his in Brent and only making the problem of “dishonest” to some extent behaviour as a around the inadequate oversight worse “fall from grace.” The country. The court heard that Davies paid himself, three growth of academies and free schools, staff members and two governors a total of however, is only making the problem of inadequate oversight worse.” £2.7 million over several years in bonuses Mr Davies was sentenced to 12 months’ and salaries. imprisonment suspended for two years. Hank Roberts said: “He has admitted to

ATL has started balloting members in Northern Ireland over arrangements for cross-curriculum key stage assessment. Ballots began in September after revisions to the proposals by the Department for Education and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment did not address the fundamental flaws in the system. Mark Langhammer, ATL’s director in Northern Ireland, said: “There has been no real consultation before trying to roll out the next ‘fix’. The policy remains fundamentally flawed with assessment for learning entangled with assessment for ‘system checking’ in an unacceptable way. Pending the OECD report on assessment, ATL cannot cooperate with a regime of nugatory educational value.” The first phase of balloting showed ATL members 95% in favour of action short of strike action, which would include non cooperation with the key stage assessment arrangements, and this was due to take place in these schools from November. Further phases of ballots followed.

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November/December 2013

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your ATL / noticeboard, get involved

Noticeboard ATL’s national officers ATL will have six national officers from September 2014, elected by members: president, vice-president, immediate past president, one treasurer and member governance officer and one policy officer, together with the AMiE president. These are listed together with the remit under appendix F of ATL’s rules and constitution. The national officers of ATL, along with the general secretary and her representatives, take part in talks with government representatives and employers on employment and education issues affecting all of ATL’s members. Once elected, the vice-president follows a path through the ranks over a three-year period; in their second year they become president, and in their third immediate past president. The treasurer and member governance officer will be elected to serve for two years; the policy officer will be elected for a period of one year initially and thereafter for two years. Therefore in November 2013 ATL begins the election process for a treasurer and member governance officer, and a policy officer. Nominations opened on 4 November, from which time canvassing in accordance with ATL’s protocol may also begin (a copy of the protocol will be included in the nomination pack). Nominations will close on 16 December 2013 and, in the event of a ballot, canvassing will only be permitted in accordance with the relevant section of the protocol. Candidates must have been a standard member for at least three years and be nominated by: • at least ten members of the Executive Committee, or • at least one branch, or • 25 standard members from more than one workplace. This will be a statutory election and will be run according to ATL’s rules and constitution. ATL has appointed an independent scrutineer: Popularis Limited, Nutsey Lane, Totton, Southampton SO40 3RL (02380 867335 or annehock@popularis.org); the general secretary will act as returning officer. For further information about the ballot procedure and for a nomination pack, contact Pat Ware at pware@atl.org.uk or on 020 7782 1570.

www.atl.org.uk

Supply member survey and support ATL believes supply teachers are a vital part of the education workforce and we are running a survey with the aim of producing a supply teacher charter for adoption by schools and colleges, which we hope will underpin ATL’s work to improve the pay, conditions and experiences of supply teachers. See www.atl.org.uk/surveys. The survey runs until 1 December 2013. ATL offers lots of support for supply teachers, including a checklist for you to give to your headteacher/line manager at the start of a new contract, our publication A Guide for Supply Teachersand the factsheet Supply Teachers: Working Through an Agency. See www.atl.org.uk/supply for more information and to download these documents.

Peter Smith scholarship As a lasting memorial to the former general secretary Peter Smith, the Peter Smith Scholarship offers financial assistance to ATL members who wish to return to full-time or part-time study in areas that will help their professionaland

personal development. For more details and to apply, see www.atl.org.uk/scholarships. You can also contact Bernadette Babayigit at bbabayigit@atl.org.uk for an application form. The closing date is 25 April 2014.

Pension increases — April 2014 Teachers’ pensions in payment are increased every year as at 1 April. The increase is based on the consumer price index (CPI) increase for the preceding September. The CPI increase for September 2013 was 2.7%, which means that all teachers’ pensions in payment will be increased by 2.7% from April 2014, subject to the Secretary of State’s confirmation. State pensions are increased by the higher of CPI, the increase in annual earnings or 2.5%. State pensions should increase in April by at least 2.7%, subject to government confirmation.

EOA launches new online system ATL’s partner organisation, the Examination Officers’ Association (EOA) has launched ‘My Exam Office Year’ (MEOY), an online system to help examination office staff in the UK and abroad. It has been created to meet their needs on exams delivery, saving money, time and promoting a more

effective exams service for learners. When budgets and staff are under pressure, MEOY takes the myth out of exams delivery and makes the whole system accessible to all staff working in exams centres. To find out more about MEOY, or to join the EOA, email info@examofficers.org.uk or call 0118 975 8552.

November/December 2013

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Events for your diary AMiE expertise AMiE’s Management Information Advice Hub will be at the Education Innovation Conference in Manchester on 27-28 February 2014. With the theme ‘data gold’, it builds on AMiE’s publication Data Gold: The Importance of Management Systems Data for Colleges and the website www.felinks.co.uk, which highlight the importance of treating data with the respect it deserves. You’ll be able to hear how colleges have benefitted from implementing the strategies in the book and guides. Data Gold co-author Russell Pearson will be on hand to offer advice on how to get the most out of your data and related issues. See www.educationinnovation.co.uk for more information.

Support staff conference At ATL we want to support you in your role. We know that as a support staff employee, accessing CPD and opportunities to meet support staff from other workplaces can be limited. That’s why we will be holding the first ever ATL support staff conference on 8 February 2014 in London. To book a place see www.atl.org.uk/supportconference.

ATL’s Annual Conference Annual Conference is where ATL’s policy is decided. Our 2014 Conference will be held in Manchester on 14-16 April. To take part, speak to your branch to see if any spaces remain in your branch’s delegation. Additional places are reserved for students, NQs and standard members who have not attended before — to be considered for one of these extra places, email kgriffin@atl.org.uk.Cr èche facilities will be available.

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November/December 2013

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profile / teaching awards

Outstanding teachers Two ATL members won regional Teaching Awards this summer; one just starting her career, the other just finishing hers. Report met them both to get their views on education

t is 1968 and a young trainee teacher stands at a bus stop, the rain soaking the large posters she had diligently prepared the night before. Little did she imagine that 45 years later she would be retiring as the proud recipient of a 2013 Teaching Award for lifetime achievement in Wales, after an extremely varied career at the same school. ATL member Kathleen Dungey, now 65, was shocked when she was told she had received the award. “I’ve just been a normal classroom teacher, never put myself forward to climb the ladder because I wanted to be with the children. I’m a very down-to-earth person,” she says. Kathleen started at Mostyn High School in Cardiff in 1969, which had only opened six years previously, working in the special educational needs department for the first year before taking on her specialist subjects of biology and chemistry. A break to have her two children was interrupted sooner than planned with an invitation to return, firstly teaching French (ironically, the only O-level she failed) as maternity cover, then teaching religion and sex education alongside the sciences. After two serious operations in her 40s, Kathleen returned to school to teach in the religious education department, a role that was far less physically demanding than teaching science. She continued in this role until 1999, when she officially retired. However, she was invited back to the school to become the counsellor, on a part-time basis, to help those pupils experiencing emotional difficulties in their home and school lives. This was the role she retired from this year at the same school, now Mary Immaculate High School.

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At the other end of her career, 25-year-old ATL member Laura Wilbourn had been teaching just three years when she received a 2013 Teaching Award for teacher of the year in a primary school in the east of England. She works at Stradbroke CEVC Primary School in the village of Stradbroke, Suffolk, which has just 80 pupils. “The children are very proud because it’s a reflection of the school. It’s definitely a team award rather than a personal one,” she says. She singles her TA out for particular praise: “She’s brilliant. We work together so well. She’s so flexible and will do anything I throw at her, and I throw quite a bit at times.” Despite being at very different stages of their careers, there are similarities in the way they began teaching; both have teachers in their family — Laura’s grandparents and Kathleen’s brother — and both flirted with the idea of nursing before plumping for teaching. Having loved her own school days where, through “hard slog” she achieved the 11-plus, Kathleen was keen to create an environment that her pupils would love too. “I always want the best for children, because I know what it feels like to feel uncertain, with low self-esteem and to think everybody else is better than you,” she says. “Children need to realise they’ve all got talent and potential, if they’re treated in the right way.” Although Laura recalls her own inspirational teachers, it is a negative experience learning maths that influences her now. “I found maths difficult and felt like it was very by rote. [The teacher] made it so hard for me to get my confidence at it. That made me really think about how I teach maths here. Some people say it’s one of my strengths because I understand how the children might be feeling. Trying to get them to get the confidence, the enjoyment, and understand the purpose; why are we doing this? I really try to make that clear.” She chose to train and work in primary because of the range of subjects and the opportunities to get to know the children in her combined Year 2 and 3 class. “A joy of working with children is they’re so funny, they have so much energy. We did ‘Gangnam’ style dancing in assembly when we were talking about staying healthy and the NHS. Their moves were incredible.” November/December 2013

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I’ve just been a normal classroom teacher, never put myself forward to climb the ladder because I wanted to be with the children. I’m a very down-to-earth person

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This picture: Kathleen Dungey receiving her award. Bottom left: Laura Wilbourn with her award

Conversely, Kathleen’s love of science saw her choose to teach the subject at secondary level. Kathleen recalls: “I used to worry about everything. But I was always determined, that’s what I’d like to instil in the children. Just make the most of what you’ve got and do your best, because you’re the one who will benefit in the end.” Recalling her first days, Laura explains: “It is bizarre when you think you’re actually responsible for these children and their learning. But you’re ready for it after the three years [of PGCE training]. The training was brilliant. There was a lot of placement experience, getting stuck in. “I like the theory side too, I find it fascinating. You really reflect on what you’re doing. In my second year I did part of a masters about leadership and thinking how you can affect children not just in your own class but in the whole school. To think about branching out to affect the whole school was really interesting.” Receiving plaudits does not sit comfortably with Laura. “People tell me I don’t realise how well I’m doing November/December 2013

but I don’t really want to focus on that. I want to keep going, keep improving. There is a danger of getting isolated in a small school so it’s important to push yourself to keep learning. I love watching other teachers here and in other schools, stealing ideas!” Both award-winners give near identical answers when asked about the best thing about their job: being with the children. “The best thing is the variety working with the children brings, their individual personalities and their enthusiasm,” says Laura. “That’s why this age group is incredible to teach; they soak up everything you say, they want to please, to learn. You just hope their enthusiasm continues because I think all the children in my class could go so far.” “They’ve got so much potential and they need to realise it,” adds Kathleen. “Some poor children, the way they’re brought up, they’re shouted down, they’re perhaps not looked after as well as they could be, they experience lots of family problems, and you’ve always got the little ones who are targets for bullying, and you can see they are having a difficult time, trying to mix with their peers. I just want them to know they can get through this, and to try to give them strategies to cope with the things they will encounter.” Kathleen says one of the qualities that makes her a good teacher is the ability to “build relationships with children and treat them with respect. And letting them see that you’re a human being just the same as they are.” Laura sees consistency as one of her key qualities: “A boring one, but it’s important. The children can come in every day, knowing what is expected of them. It helps them feel relaxed in their environment and they are part of it. “Melanie, my headteacher, said my lessons were fun and exciting. I do like to do things people might think www.atl.org.uk

profile / teaching awards

were a bit risky, a bit challenging, like lava lamps and Coke explosions; I just want to get the best from the children. They can learn quite complex things without knowing that they’re learning.” She adds: “You can’t be complacent as a teacher or have an off-day. It’s not fair on the children. When you come in, your personal life gets put away. Although at the weekend you need to remember to stop and enjoy your other life, which is hard because there is so much to do, especially when you are new to the career and there’s a lot to get your head around.” Laura’s advice for students and NQTs is: “Enjoy it. Make the most of your NQT and PPA time. I found I became overwhelmed with everything to do with teaching so you need to focus on one thing. Focus on your lessons and make sure they’re the best they can be. Then bring in the assessment and build upon it. Make sure you’re supported by your team and use them because they know so much.” In turn, Kathleen’s advice for Laura is: “Always be prepared, put the pupils first, treat them as an equal and with respect, and never make them feel they are inadequate or cannot achieve.” Both clearly love teaching but recognise the challenges in the current climate of constant change. Laura says: “I came into teaching thinking we were going to have this creative curriculum, then the Conservatives threw that out. It was quite scary coming in as a new teacher, not being sure where I should be getting my objectives from. But it’s given me the freedom to explore the curriculum the way I want to. And now we’re still not sure what’s happening. We’ll have to see. If they get voted out, will it all change again?” She also wishes assessment could be made on the progress individual children make, rather than nationally set targets, a sentiment Kathleen echoes. “Teachers and children have got to be allowed to be themselves, because we are all individuals. I don’t think it’s good for children to have lessons being delivered in the same format. They’re not little robots,” Kathleen says. “I think the main challenges are the monitoring of your performance in the classroom and the mounds of paperwork,” she adds. “Of course, it’s a responsible job, and you’ve got to be

This picture: Laura receiving her award at school. Bottom left: Kathleen with her award

‘‘

People tell me I don’t realise how well I’m doing but I don’t really want to focus on that. I want to keep going, keep improving. I think to keep learning is so key

’’

doing it properly, but there’s so much preparation, and detailed lesson plans, that sometimes teachers can lose focus on why they are actually in the classroom. The government needs to step back and stop blaming teachers for everything.” In spite of these challenges, Laura still sees herself in the role for the long term, and is focusing on her teaching rather than pursuing leadership ambitions for the time being. “It’s so varied in the classroom,” she says. “It’s never easy. You can’t recycle what you’re doing when you’ve got them for two years. I love that challenge. I can see myself doing it for a long time. I don’t know how far they’ll push the retirement age. I could be 80 and sat down on the carpet with them.” Meanwhile, Kathleen is sad to be finally leaving the profession. “I feel like a lost part,” she says. “If I could, I would have gone on forever. It’s a difficult, challenging job, which you will only do successfully if you treat it as a vocation. You’ve got to want to do it. But the rewards are boundless.” November/December 2013

feature / health and safety

To your good health Health and safety is a much maligned subject but ATL believes it should be given serious consideration by employers to keep staff healthy and safe. Words by Alex Tomlin

ealth and safety is a joke, a burden to employers and legislation must be reduced. This is the general attitude of the coalition government. In response to the opposition to and ridicule of health and safety, the TUC has produced a manifesto setting out ten measures it wants to see from future governments. Carolina Sankarsingh, ATL’s member adviser with responsibility for health and safety, gives ATL’s view on the elements most affecting education. 0DDVQBUJPOBM IFBMUI TIPVME IBWF UIF TBNF QSJPSJUZ BT JOKVSZ QSFWFOUJPO “This is really important for education,” says Carolina. “Health and safety tends to focus on industries where things go bang or there’s heavy machinery; very much the ‘safety’ side.” However, the ‘health’ side takes in the less obviously dramatic but equally significant issues, such as stress, a major factor for education staff. Among the causes of stress are workload, hours of work and even performancerelated pay, as there is a lack of control for the employee. While there tends to be good access to occupational health referral systems, ATL believes employers in the education sector should look at health as well as safety. "MM XPSLQMBDFT TIPVME CF JOTQFDUFE SFHVMBSMZ CZ UIF FOGPSDJOH BVUIPSJUZ The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which is responsible for inspecting workplaces, focuses on those considered ‘high-risk’, so education workplaces are unlikely to be inspected, unless a specific issue is flagged up, for example by a health and safety rep. “We’re concerned about the cuts in proactive inspection,” says Carolina. “This shows education is not a priority and so employers may not comply with even the most basic requirements.” ATL wants to see

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more enforcement and employers complying with regulation through the fear of inspection. 8PSLFST TIPVME OPU CF FYQPTFE UP DBSDJOPHFOT JO UIF XPSLQMBDF ATL has long campaigned on the issue of asbestos in schools and colleges, while recent HSE spot checks on independent schools showed a lack of knowledge from employers on how to handle the substance, which can cause lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma (a cancer of the lining of the lung) years after exposure. ATL’s policy is that where it is known to exist, asbestos must be removed. If it is in good condition we ask for phased removal. Members should also check their employer is complying with the legal obligation to have an asbestos management plan. Staff also have the right to know if there is asbestos, where it is, and what they can and cannot do around it. Health and safety reps can monitor employers’ actions on asbestos. To find out more or to report the discovery of asbestos in your workplace, visit www.atl.org.uk/asbestos. 5IFSF TIPVME CF B MFHBM NBYJNV UFNQFSBUVSF JO UIF XPSLQMBDF Carolina shakes her head at “the absurdity of not having a maximum temperature,” describing it as a major issue for members sweltering in occasional summer heat. ATL submitted a consultation response to the TUC supporting its call for an absolute maximum temperature of 30°C, although Carolina suggests a general rule should be that “if you’re feeling uncomfortable then your employer should be doing something about it”. See the legal article ‘Your school premises’ in the April 2013 issue of Report (p25) or online at www.atl.org.uk/report, for more information on workplace temperature. 5IF SFHVMBUJPOT PO TBGFUZ SFQT BO DPNNJUUFFT TIPVME CF SFWJTFE UP JODSFBTF DPWFSBHF BOE FGGFDUJWFOFT Fewer inspections and the lack of local

authority support for academies mean the role of the health and safety rep becomes even more crucial in looking out for colleagues’ welfare. “As a health and safety rep you’ve got rights, which other reps don’t have,” Carolina explains. “The right to carry out health and safety inspections, to be consulted on any health and safety matter, to represent members on health and safety issues, to set up safety committees, and have access to documents. “People either think it’s boring or you need to have great technical knowledge,” she adds. “You don’t need to know it off by heart, although some people do!” For those who don’t, ATL’s website contains a myriad of health and safety information, health and safety reps receive comprehensive training and member advisers offer ongoing support. “Protecting workers’ health and safety is one of the basics of the trade union movement,” concludes Carolina. “Health and safety shouldn’t be seen as something abstract; it’s fundamental.” The TUC manifesto can be found at www.tuc.org.uk/workplace/tuc-21902f0.cfm. Find out more about the role of health and safety reps at www.atl.org.uk/hsreps. November/December 2013

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cover feature / have your say Why not this articdetach pin it on le and your staffroom noticebo ard?

Shaping education With the next general election in 2015, now is the time to let politicians know what’s important as they shape their education manifestos over the coming months

uring our summer conferences and through our current survey, thousands of you have told us your views on recent education policies and your opinions on what’s important for the future for young people and educational professionals. In our survey we asked you to think back to the values that motivated you to pursue a career in education. You told us: “I wanted to help children to learn — not just academic stuff but how to get on, be nice, become good citizens — and to encourage enthusiasm and confidence to have a go”; “It was a career where I could use my own creativity to help others achieve”; “I wanted to pass on a love of my subject, a love of learning and to work with and inspire young people”; “To enthuse learning in my subject area”. However, when we asked about your feelings about the current government’s approach to education, the vast majority of you (84.9%) said it is undermining the values that motivated you to choose your career; just 2.4% of you said it supports your values. You also told us the policy you think most damaging to the education system is running schools for profit, with funding levels and

cuts to SEN provision also considered the more damaging policies. On the policies that could damage learning, you ranked lowering the school starting age, Ofsted and league tables, and high stakes assessment as all very damaging. Regarding conditions of service and job satisfaction, more than half of you rated ending PPA time as most damaging, with longer school days/shorter holidays also a major concern. Two-thirds of you said what concerns you most about the implementation of proposals is the government’s ‘failure to listen to or properly consult with you — the education professionals’. The lack of concern for professional morale, stress and status is also a major worry. ATL has a vision for education that develops children into well-rounded, confident, articulate young people with productive lives. We believe in engaging and supporting children throughout their educational life, from well-funded early years provision to post-16 education and training, which is focused on developing skills and ensuring opportunities for work.

➡ What you can do It’s not too late to take part in the survey, which is open until the end of November. And, if you have not done so already, return the ‘Shaping education’ postcard (members in England received this with the last issue of Report) with a space for you to write your own message to your MP, and which we will deliver on your behalf.

For more information about the survey and to order extra copies of the postcard, which you can also pass on to colleagues and parents to fill in, see www.atl.org.uk/shapingeducation www.atl.org.uk

1. A supportive assessment system with a range of methods to improve students’ progress “The system is all based around ‘weighing the pig’ rather than ‘feeding it’. We spend too much time on countless assessments rather than focusing on the importance of inspiring teaching and learning.” Sarah Shreeve, Hinckley, Leicestershire

“[We need to] stop assessing the pupils to death — there are other ways that development and intelligence can be measured.” Jim Doust, teacher, Lincoln

4. A transparent, equal access-forall education system that is not run for profit “[We need to] keep telling parents what is actually happening to their education system; most of them are unaware.” Richard Parker, design and technology teacher, Brentwood, Essex

“[We need to remove] the forces that have driven down standards, eg competition between exam boards, league tables and other ‘market force’ influences, of which performance-related pay is potentially the most divisive and detrimental.” Class teacher, West Midlands

November/December 2013

Our vision for education ATL will be asking MPs to focus on your six priorities as they shape their parties’ education manifestos

2. A broad, inspirational curriculum that prepares young people for life “[The government should] recognise that a qualified teacher knows best and let them adopt their own style of teaching to do the best they can for their pupils, have the time to develop a subject and be free of a narrow curriculum, which only sees the final exam as the preferred outcome.” Chantal Miette, French tutor, Kent

“Let teachers be allowed to inform the curriculum and changes because we are the ones in the classrooms and we know what works.”

3. A positive inspection system where staff and students grow with a locally accountable partner “[There should be] a collaborative and supportive approach to school improvement rather than the current Ofsted regime.” Airasa Maughan-Strickler, primary school teacher, Leeds

“Get rid of Ofsted and replace it with local inspectors who have a proven track record as excellent teachers themselves, with relevant experience of the type/age group of schools they are working with and who work with schools in a supportive manner.” Alison Francis, Year 1 class teacher, Somerset

Alison Trelfer, KS1 leader, Dover

5. Collaboration rather than competition so schools focus on educating pupils, 6. A motivated, valued not meeting demands of workforce supported with league tables ongoing CPD and with fair “[I’d change] the obsession with reward undermining the state and fragmenting the system to force schools and colleges to compete, when mutual collaboration should be the key.” Alex Spalding, politics/law and economics teacher, Norfolk

“My students are my priority and I want them to have a teacher in front of them who feels valued and enthusiastic to impart their knowledge and love of learning. I love being in the classroom and helping all my students to achieve their potential; don't put barriers in place to stop me doing that.” Ann Nicolle, Year 10 head, Northamptonshire

“Embrace collaboration — reinstate the support network of the local authority, and ‘joined-up’ education instead of the individual ‘every school for itself’ mentality.”

“[I want] the government and others to accept that, on the whole, those in the education system should be respected and not constantly denigrated as ‘teachers who only work 9am–3pm and get long holidays’.”

Ruth Naylor, primary language teacher, Bucks

Patsy Hilton, special needs HLTA, Chippenham, Wiltshire

November/December 2013

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join the debate / agenda

Time to support you The benefits of facilities time for union representatives far outweigh any costs, says ATL assistant general secretary Mark Holding

he right to a fair hearing is the bedrock of any democracy and its cornerstone is access to independent advice and representation. In the workplace, representation by a trade union is the key mechanism by which this rule of law is upheld. It is nothing less than your democratic right. As an ATL member, you exercise this right through your workplace rep and branch secretary. These volunteers are your fellow employees, elected by you and trained by ATL to support and represent you. So they’ve got enough time to work with you, they are given paid release from their teaching duties. These arrangements, enshrined in law, are known as trade union facilities. Michael Gove is now trying to put a price on trade union facilities and, unsurprisingly, he thinks the current price is too high. The vital tasks undertaken on your behalf by ATL’s reps and branch secretaries are complex, varied and time-consuming. They negotiate new policies with heads, principals and local authorities on pay, redundancy, timetabling and leave, to name but a few. They represent you collectively around significant organisational upheavals such as academy conversion and college restructuring. They also represent hundreds of individual members in informal and formal meetings with line managers, heads and principals every month — investigation meetings, discipline and grievance hearings or return-to-work interviews. For many members they simply provide a sympathetic ear and source of guidance on how best to deal with difficult issues — though ‘simply’ could entail a two-hour phone conversation late into the evening. In short, they are ATL’s eyes, ears, voice and face in the workplace, making sure your views are heard. In contrast to the government’s spin, paid release from teaching duties is not an openended, ballooning expense to employers. Workplace reps rarely receive any timetabled release, for the most part undertaking their

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union work in lunch breaks and before or after school and college hours. Branch secretaries — working across dozens (in some cases hundreds) of schools — may receive two or three days’ paid release a week, with many receiving one day and a handful in the very largest education authorities on full-time release. Almost without exception, ATL reps and branch secretaries spend as much time undertaking union work on their own unpaid time as they do paid by their school or local authority. None are reimbursed anything other than out-ofpocket travel expenses by ATL. The review of trade union facilities that Mr Gove’s department is currently undertaking is not an unbiased cost-and-benefit analysis. His consultation contains only estimates of what trade union facilities cost employers, sourced from the notoriously biased right-wing Taxpayers’ Alliance (TA) — which the TUC has dubbed a ‘dodgy dossier’. The consultation does not reference the extensive body of research that establishes a whole range of benefits that typically outweigh costs. One review, undertaken by the government itself in 2007 (BERR (previously DTI) ‘Workplace Representatives: a review of their facilities and facilities time’, November 2007), estimated that every £1 employers spent on paid time off brought them “an identifiable range of benefits” worth between £2 and £5. Trade union facilities make a tangible, measurable and significant contribution to reducing employer costs, by reducing workplace conflict and enhancing staff skills, boosting staff morale and productivity, reducing dismissal and turnover rates, and improving health and safety. You don’t need to take my word for it. Employers recognise these benefits too. In its own response to the Department for Education (DfE) consultation, the Local Government Association, the umbrella body of local authority employers, noted: “Despite the different perspectives that management and unions often have, the local [union] representatives make a valuable contribution

to resolving employee relations issued before positions become entrenched and resolution becomes more difficult and costly… While we recognise it is impossible to specifically measure, the cost of facilities time needs to be balanced against the potentially avoided costs of employment tribunals.” One of the most important benefits of your workplace representation being undertaken by volunteer colleagues and peers is that they are familiar with their schools and colleges, they know their members, heads and principals and other key staff, so they get involved in problems early, and typically get them resolved informally, ensuring the minimum disruption to learners. This is why the vast majority of schools’ forums have voted to retain pooled arrangements whereby schools in a local authority share the costs of trade union facilities, and each union represents you via a single branch secretary working across all the schools. These tried and tested arrangements actually keep the number of your colleagues undertaking union duties on your behalf to a minimum, thereby further minimising the disruption to classrooms and lecture theatres. In the end, this review is simply a thinly veiled attack on your legal and democratic rights. If Mr Gove gets his way, nothing less than your right to a fair hearing at work is in jeopardy. It is easy to put a price on something; it is much harder to understand its value. That requires you to balance costs with benefits too. In the case of trade union facilities, the benefits far outweigh the costs for schools, colleges, local authorities, not to mention students, parents and the wider community. Let us get on with our day jobs, in the most supportive work environment possible, delivering the best possible education to our next generation. ATL has submitted a response to the DfE review. We need you to urge Mr Gove to listen. Read our response and find out how to make your voice heard at www.atl.org.uk/facilitiestime. November/December 2013

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

Improving Ofsted My wife (also a teacher) has told me of a local school that has received its second ‘satisfactory’ grade (sorry, ‘needs to improve’) from Ofsted. Result: constant pressure as staff await a follow-up inspection triggered by these visits, and at least one teacher in tears every day as a result. My own middle school received a visit from Ofsted two years ago, and was unfairly judged to be failing. We immediately contested the decision as the report was flawed in several areas. Ofsted apologised, withdrew the decision, and promised not to return for at least three years. A two-day visit by Unfortunately, the damage was already an Ofsted team has done done. In the weeks before our complaint damage that will take was upheld, our head took early retirement, years to repair and I believe many parents decided not to send their child to our school. Staff morale plummeted. A two-day visit by an Ofsted team has done damage that will take years to repair. We have allowed this to go on for too long. ATL and the other teaching unions must confront Ofsted to finally bring an end to this unacceptable state of affairs.

‘‘

’’

S Jones, Bedfordshire

A response from ATL Having real evidence of the impact of Ofsted inspections like this is extremely useful for confronting the inspectorate with its own inadequacies, particularly if you feel inspectors have been unfair or unprofessional. ATL meets termly with senior Ofsted staff including Michael Wilshaw, and we are very happy to be inundated with feedback from members to tell them the view from schools. We have continually told Ofsted its complaints system is not up to standard while at a national level we speak out in the media on Ofsted’s flawed inspection system, which serves children poorly, but we also want to hear from members what help we can give you to force change. Let education policy adviser Adrian Prandle know your thoughts at aprandle@atl.org.uk.

WIN

S Jones 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 letters to the address above, including your phone number. One star letter will be chosen every issue to win the book tokens.

Stafﬁng folly Can I congratulate you on the excellent article ‘Adding Value’ in October’s issue of Report. I work at an academy and they have stripped out TAs to the bare minimum. At the same time, they have increased the number of vice principals and assistant principals along with senior and middle managers. November/December 2013

The thesis is that teachers are there to manage behaviour and TAs to support students with statements. They have also reduced the number of staff in administration and as a result, they are surprised to be in a financial deficit. This, I think is folly. J Lewis, Cheshire

No support for FE As an ATL member working in the FE sector, the article 'Adding Value' (Report, October 2013) made for interesting reading. We do not have TAs of any kind in the independent college where my principal role is based. We have welfare officers and attendance officers, but no one other than me is responsible for what happens in the class. I bulk photocopy, keep files and records, keep minutes of meetings, contact students and parents, and pretty much every other task on the exclusion list for maintained staff. I am also paid hourly. If my class needs the tables rearranging, I arrive early and jolly well move them. They won't move themselves. Maintained primary and secondary staff should spend a week in FE and then they may appreciate what they have. We have 30 days’ holiday a year, to be used at designated times only, not 12 weeks. The timetable runs 9am6pm and I also teach 6pm-9pm at a state college. We have no designated morning or afternoon break, and lunch falls wherever there is space on your timetable — there is no set time. I must support any SEN students in class myself and there is no preprepared statement of work or resources. I make my own. All my teaching is at Level 3 (A-level) or above, and my students are all adults (aged 17+) of a wide ability spectrum (no streaming or sets). Differentiation is the name of the game. We are still inspected and observed. ‘FE workhorse and Jack of all trades’, Bolton

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join the debate / Wales and Northern Ireland

Wales Dr Philip Dixon

Northern Ireland Mark Langhammer

Qualifications Wales shows the effectiveness of ATL’s lobbying

Support for teachers’ professional development is sadly lacking

A consultation that we had urged as necessary is currently to ensure the new body’s under way credibility and independence. about the The new body may also in due establishment course assume awarding as of Qualifications well as regulating functions, Wales, the body but this is not set in stone. that will be responsible for the Again, we had urged extreme regulation and quality assurance caution in pushing these two of all non-degree qualifications. functions together as it could ATL has supported its have led to charges of poacher/ establishment because it gamekeeper confusion. We represents the best way of now have time to reflect on providing stability and equality the best way forward. for our children. It will protect Issues surrounding them from the whims of a qualifications can sometimes Westminster Secretary of State seem rather arcane and of little hell-bent on destroying the importance. The changes being current GCSE proposed in set-up. And it The changes will Wales are far will also from trivial. ensure that our affect every child’s They will affect qualifications life chances every child’s reflect the life chances. skills-focused agenda we have It is vital that we set up a body adopted in Wales over the last that will command respect decade or so. within Wales but also outside The Minister’s statement also it. The changes outlined above shows how effective ATL has are most welcome. They also been in lobbying about the form show the power of ATL in and scope of the new body. scrutinising government Qualifications Wales will now proposals, challenging answer to the National Assembly them, and suggesting and not the Minister — a change better alternatives.

A growing concern for teachers is the lack of funding or opportunity for professional development. In the interregnum between phasing out both the education and library boards and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, and the establishment of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA), our evidence is that opportunities for teachers’ professional development have atrophied radically. Support appears limited to postinspection crisis management training when a school falls into formal intervention. Is this the best we can do? This deficit model of support may continue. In particular, we have concerns that a reassessment of performance review and staff development, following a Public Accounts Committee report, will seek to harden this towards a full blown performance appraisal system. Theoretically, the ESA will establish a regional support service, incorporating the

‘‘

’’

IIs s your your rep rep a winner? winner ?

Curriculum and Advisory Support Service, and the Regional Training Unit (RTU). This unit will focus on commissioning, rather than delivery, with a significantly reduced budget. Yet murmurs emerging from Stormont suggest the ESA will not be set up within this political mandate. As such, the ESA and its regional support service will be deferred until 2016 at the earliest. The RTU continues to make do with limited means. Its annual summer school, which I visited this year, retains a superb energy and range. Meanwhile ATL and our leadership section, AMiE, have published a comprehensive CPD brochure setting out an extensive range of courses and training opportunities available to members. If you have not received your CPD brochure, contact me at mlanghammer@atl.org.uk.

‘‘

Opportunities for professional development have atrophied radically

’’

Does your rep deserve e recognition for what they have achieved for for you or your colleagues co over the last year? If s so, o, nominate them th now at www.atl.org.uk/repawards www.atl.org.uk/rep pawards No rrep ep or contact in your workplace? Why don ’t you consider getting gettting involved? don’t Email o rganise@atl.o g rg.uk fo or mo re inform organise@atl.org.uk for more information.

November/December 2013

www.atl.org.uk

Do You Mean Me? Teaching about equality and diversity The Equality Commission has launched an interactive website, filled with resources to assist you in the classroom and challenge your studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; knowledge, experience and understanding of equality here in Northern Ireland. The content delivers components of the syllabuses for religious studies, learning for life and work, citizenship and personal and social education.

Like to find out more? Telephone: 028 90 500 600 Textphone: 028 90 500 589 Email: information@equalityni.org

www.doyoumeanme.org

100%

help and advice / legal

No guarantee on pay With pay no longer guaranteed when moving between schools, ATL solicitor Kehinde Adeogun advises on the issues you need to consider The pay ranges from September 2013 are: • main pay range • upper pay range • leading practitioner range • unqualified teacher range. As part of the process of deciding to move to a new school, as well as asking about the usual information you would want to know, we would advise you to think about the following: (i) Ask to see the new school’s pay policy. Each school has discretion to make payments of salary between the minimum and maximum set amounts within each pay range, as shown in the tables below. ATL would hope that schools will automatically provide a copy of their pay policy to prospective teachers. (ii) As schools will be setting their own pay rates within the minimum and maximum of each pay range, it is likely there will be occasions when disputes arise regarding pay. It would be helpful to ask to see the procedure the school has adopted to deal with pay grievances.

Main pay range for qualified teachers 2013-14 England and Wales Inner LondonOuter LondonFringe excluding London Minimum £21,804 £27,270 £25,369 Maximum £31,868 £36,751 £35,468

£22,853 £32,914

Upper pay range for qualified teachers 2013-14 England and Wales Inner LondonOuter LondonFringe excluding London Minimum £34,523 £41,912 £37,975 Maximum £37,124 £45,450 £40,838

£35,571 £38,173

Pay range for leading practitioners 2013-14 England and Wales Inner LondonOuter LondonFringe excluding London Minimum £37,836 £44,986 £40,838 Maximum £57,520 £64,677 £60,525

£38,878 £58,565

Pay range for unqualified teachers 2013-14 England and Wales Inner LondonOuter LondonFringe excluding London Minimum £15,976 £20,092 £18,977 Maximum £25,267 £29,379 £28,272

£17,025 £26,313

November/December 2013

CHRIS BATSON/ALAMY

rom September 2013 all qualified and unqualified teachers in the maintained sector in England and Wales are no longer able to rely on the portability of their salary when they take up an appointment at a new school. This article highlights the practical implications of the removal of portability of pay. From September 2013 all maintained schools in England and Wales have to set their own pay policy. This means teachers below the leadership spine can only guarantee their current salary by remaining in the same school. This may apply in academies where the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document is adopted and where some members have TUPE protection. From September 2013 there are four pay ranges below the leadership spine. They set minimum and maximum salary payments; schools will have discretion to set pay within those ranges. Headteachers, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers are not affected by the changes to teachers’ pay.

(iii) If you are offered a job at a new school, ATL’s advice would be to not accept the post until you are clear what salary is being offered. You cannot assume you will be paid the same as you are paid in the job you want to leave; it is likely you will have to enter into negotiations about your starting salary. (iv) It is also important you do not give in your notice on your current job until you are clear of the salary you are to be offered in the new post. Lots of jobs are offered subject to references; acceptance of posts will now also be subject to agreeing a starting salary. (v) It will also be important to find out what the new school has in place regarding pay progression from 2014. As each school has the right to set their own pay scales within the four pay ranges, from September 2014 they will be responsible for linking progression to the outcomes of appraisal. There is no longer a right to automatic pay progression within pay ranges. If you are considering a move to a new school and are unsure about the information you will need to make an informed decision about your pay, please contact your local ATL representative. ATL has provided guidance and information about the changes to teachers’ pay at www.atl.org.uk/paynews. There are also ATL advice factsheets available to download from www.atl.org.uk/factsheets. www.atl.org.uk

help and advice / guide

As seen on screen

Justin Richards, schools support coordinator for the education charity FILMCLUB, explains how using film can enhance learning in the classroom

s a secondary school teacher I frequently used film in history and geography lessons to support subjects like global development and 20th century history, and witnessed first-hand the potential it has to inspire young people and enrich their learning experiences. Already, feedback from members of the education charity FILMCLUB shows that regularly watching, discussing and reviewing films helps to develop a range of skills that are valuable in their own right and associated with wider academic attainment, including: independent thinking; improved literacy; critical analysis; broader cultural awareness; vocational aspiration; and confidence and social skills. In a recent survey ATL members told us about the subjects or issues that would benefit from screening relevant films accompanied by teaching resources. The most popular choices were: anti-bullying; history, especially World War 2 and the Holocaust; literacy/English; PSHE; science; and geography. I will now look at ways we can use film to support learning in these and other subjects.

Promoting discussion Film is a great way of promoting discussion around many curriculum topics at all key stages. And films don’t have to be watched in their entirety — finding clips that show a particular situation or a certain kind of behaviour or reaction to that situation might be the stimulus needed to get a debate going around a sensitive or difficult topic. For Holocaust Memorial Day, for example, FILMCLUB curated a season of films with associated teaching resources ranging from the documentary Paper Clips, which shows how primary school pupils choose to remember victims of the Holocaust, and the Oscar-winning Life is Beautiful about a lifeloving Italian Jew trying to shield his son from the horrors of a concentration camp, to, for older students, In Darkness, which shows the lengths people go to in order to stay alive. All films are presented with discussion www.atl.org.uk

questions and recommended activities that challenge and educate the students watching. Similarly, around the subject of bullying, film is an accessible and non-threatening way to stimulate discussion at every level. The FILMCLUB resource for Dumbo encourages younger students to discuss why Dumbo was bullied by the other animals and how it made him feel, while Holes looks at fitting in and the idea of bullies getting their comeuppance. About A Boy deals with evaluating advice — both good and bad — that the main character is given about being bullied; while for students in further education Gran Torino looks at challenging the assumptions people make about others.

Promoting critical thinking Watching and discussing films in class can promote a variety of critical thinking skills including observation, interpretation, analysis, inference and evaluation. They are also helpful in developing problem-solving and decision-making skills essential in humanities subjects such as geography. At primary level, for example, Fantastic Mr Fox can be used to get students thinking about how Mr Fox outsmarts the farmers who are out to catch him. This can be linked to real-life experiences of those suffering from land grabs in the less-developed world and how we might go about trying to solve those problems. At secondary level, documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth or Encounters at the End

of the World are a great way of getting students to make decisions about their use of resources and how humans treat our planet.

Supporting literacy and English Encouraging children to review films they’ve watched in class or their school film club can significantly help to boost writing skills and confidence. Teachers tell us some reluctant writers complete film reviews to a much higher standard. Studying film adaptations of books — whether it’s Wizard of Oz, Roald Dahl, Baz Luhrmann’sRomeo and Juliet, or adaptations of popular GCSE texts like To Kill A Mocking Bird and Of Mice and Men, can shed new light on plot and character, highlight themes that haven’t previously been considered and inspire students who find certain texts challenging. Other applications of film in class include foreign language films to expose pupils to real-life conversation and new day-to-day phrases and vocabulary, and using films like Rebel Without a Cause, Mean Girls and Maria Full of Grace to challenge risky behaviour such as underage sex, drinking and drug use. The possibilities are many and varied. To set up a free film club go to www.filmclub.org, call 020 7288 4520 or email schools@filmclub.org. November/December 2013

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:

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

Pension enquiries 020 7782 1600 Out-of-office hours helpline 020 7782 1612 Monday to Friday, 5-7.30pm during term time. ATL’s regionalofficials are available to speak to you about work problems.

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:

Remember to pass your copy of Report to colleagues who may be interested in it!

report 8:45

Page

THE MAG

AZINE

UK: 08000 562 561 Wales: 08000 855 088 Email: support@teachersupport.info Text: 07909 341229

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.

November/December 2013

If you are not a member of ATL and would like to join, please contact us on 0845 057 7000 (lo-call)

FROM THE

ASSOCI ATION

OF TEA CHERS

NOVEMB ER/ DECEMB ER 2013 & LECTUR ERS £2.5 0

Shap g educatin ion

PROFILE Two awa membersrd-winning speak to Report

With horizon, an election on the vision forReport highlights educat your we can all do to ion and what make it happen ADVICE Guidan pay wh ce on teachers’ en changi ng jobs

www.atl.org.uk

resources / training

ATL resources and training ATL Support

report STUDENT & NQ

ATL’S SUPPLEMENT FOR STUDENTS

AND NEWLY QUALIFIEDS

In this issue…

Starting out

Model behaviour: Top tips for NQs on dealing with behaviour p2

Taking the first steps in your teaching career

ATL Future: Helen O’Grady on why you should get blogging p3 Ask ATL: Liz Coston answers questions on additional duties and supply work p4 Competition: Complete the Sudoku puzzle to win £50 in M&S vouchers p4

When ATL surveyed our NQ members earlier this year, just over half of you said you had found a permanent teaching post. Meanwhile, a little less than a fifth of you — 17.1% — had secured a temporary contract and just under 10% were not currently working. Kirstie McAlpine, convenor of ATL Future, the group representing students and newly qualified members, advises members looking for their first job: “Find out as much as you can about the school you are applying for. Get as much experience as you can. Attend local ATL training events and talk to other teachers.” Workload was the biggest concern among NQ members who took part in the survey — 70.7% highlighted it as a worry. Performance-related pay was a concern for 44%, and behaviour was a worry for 37% of you. A little more than one in five were worried about changes to the curriculum, with a similar number worried about appraisals. ATL has produced a series of publications especially for student and newly qualified

Get involved There are lots of ways people new to the profession can get involved with ATL. Student teacher Helen O’Grady, who is a member of ATL Future, helped at ATL recruitment events in Derbyshire this autumn. “Through an active involvement with the Derbyshire branch, I have been able to better appreciate the value of being a member of ATL and, in turn, demonstrate these benefits to potential new members,” she says. “Over the past year alone I have been able to attend Conference, join ATL Future’s steering

‘‘

It is really important for students and NQs to bring a different dimension to their branch

’’

teachers that address many of these concerns. Apply Yourself, our guide to getting your first teaching job, and which has been newly updated for 2013, covers jobsearching, applications and interviews. Ready, Steady, Teach!offers help and advice before you start your student placement and first job. Induction: Making it work for you explains the process, along with what to expect from your local authority and school, and what to do if things do not go as smoothly as hoped. You can download or order all these publications at www.atl.org.uk/publications.

group, attend numerous training and development workshops, and act as an ATL rep for my university — all of which have enabled me to network with a range of people from different sectors. I already feel more rounded and confident as a professional, and I am yet to start my teaching career. She added: “I feel it is really important for students and NQs to bring a different dimension to their branch by participating in these types of events to promote involvement, in order that new members can see how beneficial membership really can be.” You can read more from Helen on page 3 of this supplement. What you can do: > Local branches hold meetings, have CPD opportunities and are a source of advice and support — use the ‘Find my branch’ tool at www.atl.org.uk. For example, you could help your branch’s or ATL Future’s social media accounts.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

> Become a student or NQ rep — email organise@atl.org.uk if you are interested. > Attend ATL Future regional events — email organise@atl.org.uk. > Help shape ATL policy by attending ATL’s Annual Conference, which takes place from 14-16 April in Manchester in 2014. To take part, contact your branch – you can use the ‘Find my branch’ tool at www.atl.org.uk. > Meet other student and NQ members and help to build activity in your area and get involved in ATL’s campaigns - email organise@atl.org.uk. > Make your voice heard and get involved with ATL’s policy networks by emailing mlowe@atl.org.uk this detach > Help shape education You canlement to supp pull-out by taking part in our revealreaspread in autumn survey – see cent Report www.atl.org.uk/ autumnsurvey.

ATL Support has been sent out to all support staff members with this issue of Report, and leads with ATL’s survey of members, showing how support staff are deployed, and the ensuing media coverage generated by the results. The newsletter also has details of ATL’s inaugural support staff conference, ATL’s half-price offer for new support staff joiners, and ATL speaking up for teaching assistants at TUC Congress.

ATL support Our termly newsletter for support staff members in the maintained and independent sectors

Don’t forget!

www.new2teaching.org.uk

Contents:

Over 1,400 support staff

Autumn 2013

working in state-funded schools in the UK took part in our survey.

News and advice • AT ATL and AMiE rep awards 2014 (p2) • Half-price membership rs f new supportt staff for t ff joiners rs (p2)

your first teaching job – www.new2teaching.org.uk/tzone/ jobs/apply_yourself.asp or via the details below. Posters and postcards advertising the publication are also being sent to all reps and contacts.

Post-16 news Our termly newsletter for members in FE and sixth forms

Contents:

Autumn A utumn 2013

News and advice

PAY

• Just say no to zeroro hourrss contracts ra (p2) • FE colleges enrol ro under-16s d 16 (p2) ( 2) • Deregulation e or Back to the Future re (p2) • Support rt staff subscription offe fer (p3)

NEGOTIATIONS

• GCSE reforms and resits (p3)

FE negotiations 2013 2013/14 3/14

• Fre ree meals success (p3)

ATL has accepted the final pay offer from the Association of Colleges (AoC) for 2013/14, after a consultation exercise showed the majority of members were in agreement to do so. The offer is:

• Guarrd dian Univveersity rs Awa Aw wards rd (p3) • Driving r forward rd prro ofessionalism fe (p4) • Need some rreesearch c support? rt (p4) • AT ATL’s CPD for FE (p4) • Join the debate (p4)

• a consolidated salary increase of £282 for staff earning equivalent to spine point 4 of the AoC harmonised pay scale (£14,052) • a consolidated salary increase of 0.7% for all other staff. This increases the recommended minimum hourly rate to £7.45 in recognition of the UK Living Wage. An earlier offer of a £150 flat-rate pay increase for those earning below £15,000 and a 0.5% consolidated pay increase for everyone else was unanimously rejected by the unions. See the summer 2013 issue of Post-16 News for more on the earlier offer and our response.

“A rejection of national “A bargaining would represent a final nail in the coffin for ambitions to develop a coherent and efficient FE and vocational education and training system for the near future.” future.”

AoC rreview eview of national nation nal bargaining The AoC is conducting a review of national negotiations taking place over the autumn term, with a decision expected in December. ATL and other unions are arguing for retention of national bargaining. “A rejection of national bargaining would not only have deleterious consequences for pay and conditions across the board, but

would represent a final nail in the coffin for ambitions to develop a coherent and efficient FE and vocational education and training system for the near future,” said Norman Crowther, ATL national official for post-16 education.

Sixth form nego negotiations otiations The Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) has offered a pay increase of one per cent on all scale points and allowances from September 2013. The NUT Executive Committee has agreed to accept the pay offer. ATL has consulted with reps and has agreed to the offer. The SFCA agreed with the trade unions to establish a joint working party to consider wider issues relating to pay parity and the pay framework in sixth form colleges. The working party will look at a range of factors including: • recruitment and retention data • current labour market trends • the issue of pay levels and conditions of service in comparator groups • the relationship between pay and performance in the sixth form colleges’ pay structure • the financial and economic context. The working party will convene and conclude its discussions in time to inform pay negotiations in 2014, and ATL reps will have the

opportunity to discuss the relevant issues at a meeting in London on 27 November (see below).

Sixth form campaign ATL is hosting a campaign event on 27 November in central London on the key issues facing the sixth form sector. We are delighted that David Igoe, chief executive of the SFCA and co-author of A Level Playing Field, a white paper published this year, will speak. We are currently in dialogue with Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the DfE in regard to a representative of government speaking. There will also be a case study of a sixth form college and a plenary for reps/members to discuss how to organise, campaign and develop ATL’s influence in sixth forms. We have a number of places for reps, or members delegated by reps, to attend. However, if you would like to attend as a member please send your request to post16@atl.org.uk and we will put you on the reserve list.

HE negotia negotiations ations UCU, UNISON and Unite have balloted members, rejecting the one per cent offer for 2013-14 from the Universities and Colleges Employers Association. The three unions planned to take industrial action on 31 October.

pagee one pag

www www.atl.org.uk .atl.or l g.ukk

• AT ATL support staff conference (p3) • Defending teaching assistants (p3) • New training (p4)

Student & NQ Report The latest issue of Student & NQ Report has been sent out to members new to the profession and is stapled cosily in the centre of this issue of Report. Its main focus is on a perennial worry for new teachers, encouraging positive behaviour with praise and constructive feedback — the ‘carrot not the stick’. Also included are details of ATL’s publications, offering support with applying for jobs, induction and your first steps in teaching. Elsewhere, a member of the ATL Future group explains how she has benefited personally and professionally from getting involved with union activity and blogging.

Three ways to order

• EOA launch new online system (p4) • Av Aviva offer (p4)

Schools exploiting TAs Schools are are getting getting teaching on the cheap che eap and selling children short by using teaching assistants assista ants (T TA As), children (TAs), s and higher level teaching teac ching assistants cover supervisors (HL LTAs) A to teach childr en on a regular regular basis b (HLTAs) children rather than employing qualified qualifiied teachers. These ar are e the findings off A ATL’s TL T ’s survey of over 1,400 sup support pport staf stafff working in d (32%) sa state-funded schools in the UK. Almost a thir third said aid they cover lessons uding a quarter of teaching assi istants. for absent teachers, incl including assistants. pport staf ed mo ore lessons in 2012/13 Over a fifth (22%) of sup support stafff said they cover covered more than the yyear befor e,, inc cluding g a fifth (19%) ( ) of T A As,, near rlyy a thir d ((31%)) of before, including TAs, nearly third HL LTAs, A rising to two thir d (67%) of cover supervisors. ds HLTAs, thirds Of the 400-plus who stan nd in for the rregular egular class teache er when they ar e of ff stand teacher are off sick or on a training cour rse, 60% said they y do the same work w as fully qualified course, teachers. Among T As A the e figur e was 61% 1% and for cove cover supervisors s it was 59%. TAs figure Over 70% of these se supp port staf st aid they deliver lesson ns when hen they supervise supe support stafff said lessons a class; 70% of T As A and d 72% of co cover supervisors. TAs T w wo thir ds of support sup pport sta aff covering vering classes said they ha ave to pr epare work k for Two thirds staff have prepare the childr en to do ow when theyy supervise lessons; 66% off T As A and 64% of c cover children TAs supervisors. In most insta instan tances, ances suppo ort staf nly cover classes classe if the e rregular egular teacher is of ff instances, support stafff only off sick, on tra aining or unava ailable able for a couple of days; how wever, nearly ne a thir d training unavailable however, third (31%) of th hose used to cover cover lessons take classes for lo ongerr than thr ee days. those longer three Nearly a th hird (31%) of th h support staf he ons look k aft after a class third the stafff who cover lesso lessons of children children at least part of o most days, rising to 91% of cover c supervisors. pervisors. A thir d (32%) of T A As do so o once a week and just under tw wo thir ds ((61%) 61%) do so third TAs two thirds once or twice a term.

Dr Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, said: “Schools are selling children short by using TAs to teach classes when the regular teacher is unavailable. W ea ar e totallyy opposed pp to this explo p oitation of support p We are exploitation staf e being g used as a cheap p alter native stafff who ar are alternative to te eachers. It is g gr osslyy unfair on th em and on the teachers. grossly them child dren and their parents parents who right ly expect their children rightly child dren to be taught by qualified teachers.” tea achers.” children An HLTA at a secondary school in England said: “I prepare, teach and mark at least four lessons for two Year 7 bottom-set classes, and a Year 8, set 3 for at least three hours a week. It is teaching on the cheap!”

A cover supervisor at a secondary school in England said: “We are expected to teach subjects, answer questions, supervise controlled GCSE coursework, and make up lessons on the spot. I have even been asked to give copies of lessons I have prepared to members of teaching staff.” A TA at a primary school in England said: “It is unfair that many TAs are teaching classes in the absence of a teacher, and doing the same job as a teacher for much less money.”

contracts in the sector, news of plans to deregulate FE teaching standards, and success in ATL’s free meals campaign.

Apply yourself If you’re a student member qualifying between now and 30 September 2014, make sure you order your free copy of Apply Yourself, ATL’s guide to looking for

An HLTA at a secondary academy in England said: “The pay for TAs here is dreadful. We are paid the same as the toilet cleaner, but more demands are made all the time. Our school relies on tax credits to supplement our pay.”

Continued Continu ued on page p g two

www.atl.org.uk www .atl.org .uk

pagee one pag

Post-16 News

Post-16 News has been sent out to members in FE, sixth form colleges and HE, and leads with a round-up of pay negotiations across the sector. Elsewhere in the newsletter are ATL’s campaign against zero-hours

www.atl.org.uk

Publications & resources section

Managing stress and well-being in FE

The education sector traditionally experiences high stress levels. HSE statistics suggest 36,000 cases of stress-related ill health are reported each year in the sector. This factsheet explains why taking stress seriously will make your college a more effective organisation, with step-by-step advice and case studies. See www.atl.org.uk/factsheets for this and all ATL’s factsheets.

ATL ADVICE Managing Manag ing stress strress e s and well-being well-being in FE The education sec sector ctor traditionally experiences experie ences high stress stress levels. levelss. HSE statistics suggest suggesst 36,000 stress-related plains why cases of str ess-related ill health are are reported reporrted each year in the sector. se ector. This factsheet explains exp taking str ess serio m stress seriously organisation, on, and how ously and tackling it will make your college a more more effective efffective f organisatio that have found to go about it, with h step-by step advice and a case studies from from colleges c d approaches approaches that work.

What is str stress ess and why do we need ne eed to tackle it?

What ar are e tthe Str Stress ress e Manage Management ment Standards? Standar ds s?

W We e all experience pr pressure ressure regularly; regularly; it can mo motivate otivate us besst. It is when we experience experienc ce too to perform at our best. much pressure pressure and ffeel unable to cope that str ress can stress rresult. Centre for Mental Health esult. The Sainsburyy Centre are estimates that one in n three three people of working age a are suf ffering from from stress, stresss, depression depression or anxiety to a level suffering they believe is makin ng them ill. making

The Stress Stress Ma Management anagement Standards Standards are are designed d to help employers employerrs manage the causes of work-related w work-r elated str ess. Using tthe familiar risk assessment assessmen nt model, the stress. standar ds refer refe er to six areas areas of work that can lead to standards ach area area there there str ess if not properly prroperly managed. Under ea stress each ar b achieved’, which organisations organiisations should e ‘states to be are work towar ds.. towards.

The cost of stress stress is often hidden. Studies show show that people suf ffering f fr om m str ess do not perform at their suffering from stress optimum. This can in n turn turn impact on student attainment. atttainment. Conversely, a commitment comm mitment to tackling stress stress iss a Conversely, kes sense commitment to high student attainment; it mak makes happy, motivated motivate on ed staf ff will have a positive ef ffect f that happy, staff effect s are also alsso the performance of students. Employers are rrequired equired by law to assess asssess the risk of stress-related stress-rela ated ill health arising fr om work w a from activities and to take action to contr t oll that th t risk. i k control

The Stress Stress Management anagement Standards Standards require requ uire managers, Ma d their representatives representatives to work w employees an and together to impr e areas areas of work, which will have h ove those improve a positive ef ffect f employee well-being. effect on employee

The Stress Stress Managem ment Standar ds, designed by the Management Standards, Health and Safety Ex xecutive (HSE), enable employers, emp ployers, Executive staf ff and trade union n representatives representatives to deal effectively efffectively f staff with str ess in the fast-changing fasst-changing environment environment off the FE stress sector r. Through Through ef fec ctive assessment and monitoring, mon nitoring, sector. effective many of the triggers for stress stress can either be removed rem moved or their impact rreduced. educed d. After taking such actio on, many organisations organisations have e reported reported action, impr ovements in productivity, productivity o , rretention etention of staf ff and a improvements staff rreduction eduction in sicknesss absence. ATL AT TL wants all colleges c to experience this because becau use we all benefit by working g together to cr eate an envir ronm o ment that supports well-being. well-being. create environment

approach is aimed at the organisation organisatio on rather than The approach from any actions individuals so everyone can benefit from taken. Whil th While stan t ndar d ds d have h b agreed d between b t th the standards been agreed the employer’s national national body, body, the Association Associatio on of Colleges, employer’s ationally recognised recognised trade unions, u through na and the six nationally through the Workload Workload Agreement, A eement, A Agr TL T has identified identifi fied that most ATL college stress stress policies are are a dilution of the th he standards. standards. This still represents repressents an attempt to deal with w stress stress in the workplace and d its implications for other policies, eg absenteeism, performance, even capability. capability. However, However, A T TL believes full full engagement g g standards, as set ATL with the standards, Worrkload Agreement, Agreement, would b out in the Workload benefit students, staf ff, f colleges and the reputation reputation of the sector. s sector r. staff,

ADV64

despatch@atl.org.uk Quote product code where possible

1/6

0845 4500 009

Quote product code where possible

Your CPD with ATL Early years: playing to learn 28 November, London Taking care of behaviour 3 December, Cambridge Creating great lessons to behave for (NQT only) 5 December, Birmingham; 12 December, York; 23 January, Bath; 27 January, London Taking care of behaviour: early years 20 January, online Level 2 Safeguarding for schools 21 January, online Moving into headship or senior leadership 25 January, Manchester

There is a nominal charge for courses to minimise the number of members not turning up: £40 for all standard members, £20 for standard support members and NQTs. It is our expectation that employers should cover the cost of attending.

www.atl.org.uk

November/December 2013

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING IS AVAILABLE TO SCREEN IN YOUR SCHOOL NOW Filmbank represents many major Hollywood and Independent film studios and distributors in licensing film screenings to schools. Film screenings offer exciting and attractive opportunities to bring people together, from PTAs seeking alternatives to traditional fundraising activities to schools looking to engage with the wider community and teachers keen to give their students (and families) an end-of-term treat.

Filmbank proudly hosts Europe’s largest film catalogue, offering schools and PTAs an extensive range of titles - from action adventures to Joss Whedon’s contemporary take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. And with many movies available just 8-12 weeks* after cinema release, you can host your very own film première event for your school community! *Subject to availability

T: +44 (0)20 7984 5957/8 E: info@filmbank.co.uk W: www.filmbank.co.uk

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

Recruitment 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 9269400 or Email: info@livingenglish.com

Superb Opportunity • For enthusiastic Maths, Science & English teachers (primary/secondary) to help students aged 5-18 in a fun, relaxed & friendly N. London tuition centre. • Generous rates & flexi hours.

Email CV to: info@afterschoollearning.com or call 020 8440 8586 for details www.afterschoollearning.co.uk

Volunteering

Project Peru

Reg. Charity No. 1049413

Project Peru is offering unique and challenging volunteering opportunities in their children’s refuge in the desert shanty towns of Lima for a children’s or school librarian or a teacher with an interest in libraries. Ideally, for a minimum of three months, we are looking for someone adaptable, with enthusiasm and initiative, and above all with a love of books to inspire our children and make our library fun! A working knowledge of Spanish would be a great advantage! We are offering other volunteering options too including for a lively, qualified teacher of English for children and adults, and for an artist in residence…and Peru offers fabulous travel opportunities too. Do contact us and look at our website to find out more.

See our website: www.projectperu.org.uk Contact us on: information@projectperu.org.uk

Resources

Motoring

Flamenco Authentic Live

“Thank you for your exciting flamenco guitar, dances and stories about Spain” Cubbington Primary July 2013

Guitar, Dance, Music & Culture of Spain. Performance and participation for children of all ages and abilities

www.worldmusicspanishforschools.org.uk www.atl.org.uk

Finance

Annuities, Retirement options Financial Protection Savings & Investments Call: 0800 917 8875 ó Email: ATL@endsleigh.co.uk ó www.endsleigh.co.uk/ATL Endsleigh Financial Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. This can be checked on the FSA Register by visiting its website at www.fsa.gov.uk/register/ Endsleigh Financial Services Limited. Company No: 4132605 registered in England at Shurdington Road, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucestershire GL51 4UE.

November/December 2013

WIN £50& of Markser Spenc s voucher

Prize crossword

Down 1 Endless Cambridge honours exam has some link to North African city (7) 2 Something that happens in seventh grade (5) 3 Tours arranged in small room with raised platform (7) 5 Economist has group of notes and three points (6) 6 One who freely offers to take part is never left out, strangely! (9) 7 School subject that might be applied before fiction? (7) 8 Type of school where there are dreadful phone crimes with extremes of violence? (13) 15 Abrasive beginning of seminar, and exam (9) 17 Goes through the book again when new advertiser drops ITV (7) 19 Some noticed ill-advised mark in French! (7) 20 I teach about the beginning of liberalism, relating to moral principals (7) 21 Sir, are maybe Andes thus described? (6) 24 Leader of orchestra sent out for musical symbols (5)

The winner of the October crossword competition will be announced on the ATL website. Congratulations to C Kitson, the winner of the September crossword competition.

November/December 2013

15 19

17 17

18 19

20 23

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27 31

27 28

WIN!

One lucky reader will win £50 in Marks & Spencer vouchers. Simply send your completed crossword, with your contact details, to: ATL Competition, Archant Dialogue, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE. Closing date: 3 January 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 6 January 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.

✁

Across 1 He is involved in Conservative set of principles (6) 4 Plays truant, perhaps, to see victory in the heavens? (6) 9 and 10 Biography is of Tyler, possibly (4,5) 11 Former PM topless in Dragons’ Den? (4) 12 Falsify PhD? (6) 13 Expecting PE grant around the beginning of November (8) 14 Common in Cambridge around 21 June (9) 16 Outdoor event to raise funds for further education before half-term (4) 17 and 18 Old French philosopher — Terence reads translation by Head of Sociology (4, 9) 22 Poor Christopher loses first three sports awards (8) 23 It’s hard to be in a gloomy boat (6) 25 River running through The Backs, with piano and tents (4) 26 Composer is caught up in the whole ‘varsity’ thing (5) 27 Correct mark for ‘parasite’ (4) 28 As term develops, group of children of similar age and ability emerges (6) 29 Young woman led astray about a manuscript (6)

Last month’s solution - October 2013 Across: 7 Fanatical 8 Solve 10 Declares 11 Ignore 12 Stag 13 Emphatic 15 Sigmund 17 Wealthy 20 Lecturer 22 Unit 25 Harrow 26 Top of the 27 Class 28 Firebrand Down: 1 Paper 2 Hamlet 3 Nitrogen 4 Hamster 5 Cornwall 6 Overnight 9 Limp 14 Miserable 16 Motorist 18 Equipped 19 Britain 21 Rows 23 Infirm 24 Think

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join the debate / final word

Taking the plunge

ILLUSTRATION: PHIL WRIGGLESWORTH

Olympian Steve Parry explains why learning to swim is so important for young people

S Steve Parry Steve Parry won the bronze medal in the 200 metre butterfly race in the 2004 summer Olympics in Athens

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wimming has and always will be so much more than just a sport to me. From personal experience, swimming gave me a start in life that most others my age never had. I made a close network of friends I have kept for life; I learnt discipline and a hard-working ethos; I travelled the world competing in the sport I love and was presented with career opportunities later in life that I could otherwise only have dreamt of. Some of my fondest memories from growing up were playing in the sea with my family on holiday in Anglesey and, because I could swim, we got involved in canoeing and sailing too. We rented a small boat when I was young and my dad, brother and I went up the coast. It was all going so well until I took a wee over the side and in the process managed to break the rudder of the boat. I swam to shore with my brother and left my poor dad rowing against the tide to get back to the beach a few miles away — being able to swim no doubt saved me from getting into too much trouble.

But the most important thing about swimming is that it kept me safe. Many people underestimate the simple value of being able to swim 25 metres. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA), a shocking 51% of children aged seven to 11 are unable to swim the length of a typical swimming pool (25 metres) — that’s more than one million kids in the UK. As a parent this statistic is terrifying, knowing that more than half these children in this country are neither competent nor confident in the water and therefore could not swim to safety if they had to — I certainly won’t be allowing mine to become a part of this figure. I was lucky enough to have access to a swimming pool at my primary school so having lessons was part of my normal school week, but some areas in the country aren’t as fortunate, and time and cost factors get in the way of teaching kids this life-saving skill. This is something that does not sit well with me, and in 2009 my company, Total Swimming, set up a project called Pools 4 Schools, which takes a temporary swimming pool to schools around the UK for 12 weeks, with the aim of teaching 1,000 kids in each area to swim 25 metres. So far we have taught in excess of 25,000 kids at 24 projects across the country, and our aim is to continue to do so until all the kids in Britain can swim. If you want to get kids swimming straight away, the ASA has a fantastic website at www.swimming.org/go, which contains all you need to know about getting started. They even have their own tailored Learn to Swim Pathway to guide beginners all the way from putting your face into the water for the first time, to pacing up and down like a young Rebecca Adlington or Michael Jamieson. Often children not learning to swim is influenced by their parents; recent research from the ASA shows that for the 11% of parents in the UK who struggle to take their kids swimming, this stems from an inability to swim themselves. But it’s never too late to learn. The beauty of swimming is that it is suitable for all ages, and with the help of the ASA’s Adult Swimming Framework there has never been a better time to get in and give it a go. As a nation we need to recognise the importance of being safe in the water and ensure that every child leaves school having achieved a certain level of attainment, just like they would in maths or English. Shouldn’t passing exams and achieving high grades in school be an equal priority to learning and developing a skill that could potentially save your life? It’s certainly food for thought. November/December 2013

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