Report Nov/Dec 2015

THE MAGAZINE FROM ATL, THE EDUCATION UNION

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2015 ÂŁ2.50

Workload

ATL launches its campaign to alleviate the dangerously excessive workloads for education staff GUIDE

GIVING IT A GO

How technology can enhance learning in all subjects

IN PROFILE

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Professor Becky Francis on how education can battle inequality

FINAL WORD

COMIC BELIEF

Dave Gibbons on the unexpected value of comic books

Trade Union Services

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Contents UPFRONT

4

Y O U R AT L

21

UPDATE

USEFUL CONTACTS

9 AGENDA

APPRENTICESHIPS

ATL on excessive pressure on young people, and funding research into baseline assessment

Mary Bousted on the mental health of young people

11

WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND

Philip Dixon launches ATL Cymru’s education manifesto, and Mark Langhammer joins Jamie Oliver in warning against sugar

F E AT U R E S

12

WORKLOAD

How to get in touch with ATL

22

The Government’s trailblazer scheme explained

23 LEGAL ADVICE

How to comply with the Prevent strategy

24

YOUR VIEWS

ATL members on workload and testing

25

PRIZE CROSSWORD

Win a £50 Marks & Spencer voucher

27

NOTICEBOARD

The issues of excessive workload and what ATL is doing to help

Information, events and opportunities to get involved

16 PROFILE

RESOURCES

Professor Becky Francis on social and gender inequality

19

GUIDE

How to use ICT across the curriculum Report is the magazine from ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD Tel 020 7930 6441 Fax 020 7930 1359 Email report@atl.org.uk or membership@atl.org.uk Website www.atl.org.uk Editor Alex Tomlin News editor Sally Gillen Report is produced and designed for ATL by Think Publishing, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH Tel 020 3771 7200 Email info@thinkpublishing.co.uk Sub editor Mike Hine Art editor Clair Williams Designer Alix Thomazi Advertising sales Michael Coulsey or Anthony Bennett 020 3771 7200 Account manager Kieran Paul Managing director Polly Arnold

29

Newsletters, publications and new training courses

30

FINAL WORD

Comics laureate Dave Gibbons on the scurrilous world of comics 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 articles in Report are the contributors’ own and do not necessarily reflect ATL policy. Official policy

statements issued on behalf of ATL 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.

Welcome KIM KNAPPETT, ATL NATIONAL PRESIDENT

Welcome to the November/December issue of Report. In October I spoke at the party conferences and the TUC Congress about the lifelong impact childhood poverty has on our young people. Nine in every class of 30 live in poverty, despite many of them coming from a working household. Newly appointed adviser to the Education Select Committee, Becky Francis, talks more about what we can do for these children on page 16.

I have also been involved in debates about character education and the teaching of so-called ‘soft skills’ like problem-solving, resilience and teamworking. It is interesting that the Government wants the UK to become a world leader in character education when its policies of competitiveness and league tables work against it.

Our feature on page 12 will strike a chord with you all. Workload is unmanageable, say 80% of teachers in ATL’s survey, and more than 80% have considered leaving because of it. The problem is that not only do teachers spend time on the PPA they know is required to facilitate the progression of their students, but they also have to do all of the other tasks that have little or no impact on their students.

Although the results of our survey are disappointing, hopefully our online workload toolkit will help you make informed choices about how you use your time.

Cover illustration: Tim McDonagh

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U P D AT E

IN WORDS

ATL general secretary Mary Bousted has serious concerns about children’s mental health

“TECHNOLOGY SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A COST-CUTTER”

IN BRIEF

ATL says the kids are not alright

IMAGE: DFPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK

ATL hosted joint fringe events with the NUT at the party conferences in September and October, asking if children are put under too much pressure at school The ATL and NUT fringes, ‘Are the kids alright? Why the growing pressure on young people matters’, attracted more than 200 delegates at the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green party conferences.

At the Labour conference in Brighton, newly appointed shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said she would not make policy based on her own prejudices and that she is firmly in “listening mode” to hear what the profession has to say.

Opening the debate, ATL general secretary Mary Bousted said she has serious concerns about mental health, body confidence, bullying and eating disorders among young people.

Tests and exams are a major issue, she said. “One-shot, two-hour exams which will decide their future put children through a marathon of exams and induce tremendous stress,” she added. “We test children at seven, the age at which children in other countries are only just starting school.”

Founder of the Save Childhood Movement Wendy Ellyatt described the pressure in 4 REPORT | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015

education as a “complete and utter betrayal of our children.

“Children have the right not to have their joy of learning eroded,” she argued.

John Cameron, head of helplines at the NSPCC, said calls to ChildLine over exam stress had risen by 200%, while shadow children’s minister Sharon Hodgson asked if we are sending children to school purely to get qualifications or if we also want them to be rounded human beings.

At the Conservative Party conference in Manchester, NUT general secretary Christine Blower said that baseline testing and the phonics check had a negative impact on children from disadvantaged backgrounds, much to the annoyance of education secretary Nicky Morgan.

At the Lib Dem conference, Southport MP John Pugh criticised Government policy as “educational reductionism”.

Green Party leader, Natalie Bennett, told delegates at the conference in Bournemouth that she was proud to oppose baseline testing.

PACE OF CHANGE IN EDUCATION UNSUSTAINABLE Exam results are likely to be “open to challenge” and to bring the qualifications system in England into disrepute, ATL general secretary Mary Bousted has warned the shadow education secretary.

In a letter to Lucy Powell, the new shadow secretary of state for education, Dr Bousted said the credibility of the system is at risk because of hastily implemented and poorly planned changes to the national curriculum.

Dr Bousted also criticised the Education and Adoption Bill, which is passing through Parliament, saying it would not address the recruitment and retention crisis in teaching or the growing shortage of school places.

ATL JOINS CYBERBULLYING GROUP ATL lead equalities officer Wanda Wyporska has joined a parliamentary group that is looking into cyberbullying. The AllParty Parliamentary Group on Young People and Social Technology, launched last month, has been set up to raise awareness of the risks and opportunities posed by technology.

Dr Wyporska said: “We all know technology can be both a force for good and a problem for young people. We want young people to be well informed so they can protect themselves online.”

TECHNOLOGY WILL REPLACE TRADITIONAL FE TEACHING Traditional teaching roles in further education (FE) will gradually be replaced as online learning increases.

Technology will be the key driver of change in FE, which will mean new roles such as online tutors and mentors will need to be created.

That was the message from former Labour schools minister and peer Jim Knight, who addressed a seminar on the skills needed by teachers in FE. The seminar was one of a series ATL is running to debate issues affecting the FE sector.

Speaking after the seminar, ATL national official for post-16 education Norman Crowther said: “There are benefits to having technology on the curriculum but it should not be used as a cost-cutter. It needs to have an educational rationale.”

Funeral of former general secretary Joyce Baird, joint secretary of the Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association between 1978 and 1990, before it became ATL in 1993, has died aged 85 at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridgeshire.

ATL treasurer Stephen Buck and former ATL staff member Anne Powell attended her funeral last month.

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IN WORDS

ATL funds study into baseline test

ATL has commissioned research into teachers’ experiences of the reception baseline assessment that was introduced in primary schools across England in September Teachers at five schools – a mix of academies and local authority – are taking part in the research.

They will share their experiences of carrying out the baseline assessment (BA).

The research, funded jointly with the NUT, will be undertaken by University College London. It will be published in January 2016.

The BA tests the numeracy, literacy and school readiness of children weeks after they start school. Children are then given a score, which is compared to their SAT result in Year 6, which the DfE says will show how effective the school’s teaching is.

However, ATL and other teaching unions are highly critical of the new test, arguing it is unnecessary, given that children are already assessed throughout their first year of school through the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile.

ATL is also concerned about the

cost of implementing the BA, estimated by the DfE to be £4.5 million annually, at a time of funding cuts.

Around 2,600 of 16,700 schools have not signed up. ATL argues the test will push teachers to make snap judgements of children’s ability when they are settling in to school.

ATL policy adviser Anne Heavey said DfE figures show 43% of pupils will change primary schools, which means the BA policy is flawed.

“There is no acknowledgement of pupil mobility in this policy so it cannot possibly work as an accountability measure. This is an utter waste of money.”

Heavey is urging ATL members to share their experiences of using the BA by completing our survey. To find out more about ATL’s campaign about the BA and to tell us about your experiences go to https://ioe.onlinesurveys. ac.uk/baseline-assessment-2015.

UPDATE

“THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT CONTINUE TO HOLD TEACHERS’ PAY BEHIND PRIVATE SECTOR PAY”

PAY CAP WILL DETER RECRUITS WARNS ATL ATL general secretary Mary Bousted has warned that the education secretary’s push to cap pay rises at one per cent will make teaching a less attractive profession.

Responding to a letter sent by Nicky Morgan to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB), Dr Bousted said: “The Government cannot continue to hold teachers’ pay behind private sector pay and expect teaching to remain an attractive profession.

“School budgets are already overstretched and some schools may be forced to make tough decisions which could lead to teachers who are working hard and reaching their objectives becoming demotivated if there is no appropriate reward,” she added.

In a letter to STRB chair Dr Patricia Rice, Morgan sets out the remit for a cost of living pay rise for teachers in England and Wales in 2016. “I intend to submit for your consideration written evidence that there remains a strong case for pay restraint in the public sector,” said Morgan.

She added that the STRB needs to give due regard to chancellor George Osborne’s July spending review statement in which he said public sector awards should be one per cent on average.

The STRB is also asked to look into whether schools require additional flexibilities or incentives to recognise performance.

If you have any comments or views contact ATL senior policy adviser Simon Stokes at sstokes@atl.org.uk.

GOVERNMENT WILL CONSIDER RIGHT TO ANONYMITY FOR SUPPORT STAFF Schools minister Nick Gibb has promised to consider extending to support staff legislation that protects the identities of teachers, following campaigning by ATL. ATL member Karam Bales, who is a member of the Support Staff Members Advisory Group, wrote to his local MP, drawing his attention to a resolution passed at ATL’s Annual Conference in April calling for support staff to be given a right to anonymity.

In his letter to Reading West MP Alok Sharma, Bales, who is a cover supervisor and ATL rep at a secondary school in Reading, said:

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

“Teaching assistants are, in many cases, oneto-one with pupils, who often feel it is a safe situation in which to discuss pastoral issues … which can leave support staff open to false allegations.”

The letter was passed to Gibb, who responded: “I acknowledge that members of school support staff also find themselves subject to false allegations,” adding that he will revisit the issue in 2016.

A 2012 law change made it a criminal offence to report or publish any information that could lead to the identification of a teacher about

whom allegations have been made. Teachers are the first professional group in England to be given anonymity.

However, despite protests from ATL and other unions, the Government refused to include support staff.

Bales told Report : “This also matters because there should be parity between teaching and support staff. Too often support staff feel like second-class employees and having the law differentiate between teaching and support staff sadly helps to reinforce this perception.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 5

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UPDATE

“ACADEMY SPONSORS ARE NOT THE SOLE SOURCE OF EDUCATION EXPERTISE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WANT US ALL TO BELIEVE”

ATL member NQT of the year Science teacher Simon Bayliss has been named newly qualified teacher of the year at the UK Pearson Teaching Awards 2015. Simon, a teacher at Oxford Spires Academy, received the award at a ceremony in London, hosted by historian Dan Snow, in October.

He told Report: “I’m so humbled to have been nominated and to have won the Gold award. The award is ultimately a reflection on our wonderful school, staff and students – who are our real assets.”

ATL protests against Trade Union Bill ATL president Kim Knappett and general secretary Mary Bousted joined a peaceful protest against the Trade Union Bill in Manchester, ahead of the Conservative Party conference. ATL, along with other unions, is opposed to the bill, which will require 40% of all eligible members to vote yes before action could take place. Speaking at a rally, held on 4 October, TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The bill is a fundamental attack on the right to strike. It is shifting the balance of power in the workplace and silencing union opposition to cuts.”

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

ATL urges changes to education bill ATL has joined forces with other unions to push for amendments to draft legislation that would place a duty on the education secretary to turn so-called coasting schools into academies ATL is urging MPs and Lords to back amendments to the Education and Adoption Bill, which, as it stands, would allow the Government to select an academy sponsor without consulting schools, governors or parents.

ATL argues that the changes would prevent communities having a say in how their local schools are run.

A Parent Teacher Association survey of 1,350 parents found 97% felt they should be consulted about big changes to how their child’s school is run.

ATL and the other unions are pushing for nine amendments to the bill. They include removing the clause requiring the education secretary to turn schools into academies.

Unions are also calling for a new power for Ofsted to inspect academy chains in the same way as local authorities to be included in the draft legislation.

At a meeting at the House of Lords last month, ATL senior policy adviser Simon Stokes told Lords the bill needs flexibility around improvement options, about the track record of academy success and the need for Ofsted to inspect academy chains so there is at least proper evidence on academy success.

At the meeting unions agreed to send peers examples of schools

that have improved without the need for academy status.

During a Lords debate on the bill, Labour peer Lord Watson of Invergowrie said the Government’s draft legislation has “set its face against” the urgent matters in education including the ongoing problem of the recruitment and retention of teachers and the shortage of school places.

“The Government is using this bill as a vehicle to pursue its apparent obsession with removing schools from the local democratic framework,” he said.

ATL general secretary Mary Bousted said: “All pupils deserve an excellent education but forcing schools to become academies is not the answer.

Local people are not being obstructive when they raise legitimate concerns about the forced academisation of their schools.”

She added: “Academy sponsors are not the sole source of education expertise that the Government would want us all to believe.”

At the time of going to press, MPs were due to debate amendments to the bill.

To find out more about ATL’s campaign and getting involved by writing to your MP using a letter drafted by ATL, go to www.atl.org.uk/edubill.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 7

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AG E N DA

‘ARE THE KIDS ALRIGHT? Why the growing pressure on young people matters’ was the title of a joint ATL/ NUT fringe at the Green, Lib Dem, Labour and Conservative party conferences. At a time of rising concern about young people’s mental health, and their lack of access to mental health support, the fringe topic was timely and generated very lively debate, which you can read more about on page 4.

The Good Childhood Report 2015, published in the summer by charity The Children’s Society, delivered some chilling conclusions. Children in England were found to be among the most unhappy with their school life in the world. And their dissatisfaction increased with age.

Only 34% of 10- and 11-year-olds agreed they liked to go to school, which fell to a disastrous 18% among children aged 12 and 13.

Almost four in 10 (38%) children in England reported that they were bullied each month. Girls in England were bottom of the international rankings in terms of happiness with body confidence, appearance and self-esteem.

In a recent study by the NUT, Exam Factories? The Impact of Accountability Measures on Children and Young People, teachers expressed severe concerns about the mental health of young people, particularly girls. An experienced secondary school teacher wrote: “I have never known stress-related conditions to be so prevalent in secondary education ... self-harming is rife in KS4. Last year ... one was hospitalised for three months in a psychiatric ward following a suicide attempt, another very nearly starved herself to death and again was institutionalised for five months in a specialist eating disorder unit.”

Teachers do their best to protect children and young people from the pressures of schools, which are becoming unhealthily competitive. External accountability pressures force schools to focus too closely on exam results, because one disappointing result can destroy teachers’ and school leaders’ careers.

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

Under pressure Our education system puts too much pressure on young people while support is being taken away, says ATL general secretary Mary Bousted Consequently children and young people can become commodities of the education system; their worth measured in their ability to pass timed, linear exams in a narrow range of academic subjects.

Teachers and school leaders worry that they lose sight of the individual worth of their pupils and that they have less time to talk to them because of the pounding pressures of the school day (and into the night working to mark books, fill in progress charts and complete all the admin that cannot be shoehorned into excessive working hours).

The Government’s imposition of timed, linear exams can only make the effect of these pressures worse.

At the same time, cuts to child and adolescent mental health services leave many young people without the help they so desperately need.

All this might be justified if it prepared young people for working

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life in the 21st century – but it does not. John Cridland, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), has called for the abolition of GCSEs and the introduction of personalised learning plans for each pupil.

Like teachers, the CBI is worried that schools are becoming exam factories, where exams determine what is taught and how, and where the broader skills needed for successful working lives are being excised. How can it be that speaking and listening is no longer part of the core assessment for English when the ability to communicate well is an essential 21st century skill?

Recently published research involving nearly 250 students from across England, carried out

by Professor Jannette Elwood of Queen’s University Belfast, found that exams structured through modules (and re-sits) allow for any mistakes to be corrected, and take the stress out of having to do everything in one sitting. Students thought that it was only fair to have a mixture of exams and coursework because, they said, “we don’t all like the same things”.

Professor Elwood also found that students felt insulted by the annual circus of debates in the media around falling exam standards, which they saw as degrading their own achievements.

They were concerned too that changes to examinations were being introduced live, rather than being piloted in advance, and felt their future successes might be “messed up” as a result. All of these changes could have considerable impact on their final grades and they argue this is too high a price to pay.

We need to listen more carefully to young people and to provide an education system that inculcates a life-long joy of learning, rather than an exam treadmill. This is not, unfortunately, where the English exam system is heading. As the pressure of timed, linear exams at GCSE, AS- and A-level takes its toll, I expect the incidence of children’s mental ill health to rise.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 9

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THE VIEW FROM… WALES / NORTHERN IRELAND

Wales

Northern Ireland

DR PHILIP DIXON

MARK LANGHAMMER

ATL Cymru’s manifesto puts education first

Sugar is not so sweet for our students

depends on us putting their needs first.

It is easy to get cynical about politics and politicians, but that is self-defeating.

We have to engage with those who seek to represent us.

The manifesto is a blueprint for the conversations that now need to take place with candidates and also with our fellow workers in schools and colleges.

The manifesto sums up the choices we think our politicians should make. We want them to build a strong curriculum with portable qualifications, develop the workforce, invest in education, give support staff fair pay and keep the state education system. But they won’t know we want those things unless we tell them.

Above all, they need to hear from you that they have to put education first.

WITH THIS EDITION you should find a copy of ATL’s manifesto for the National Assembly elections. Those of you who have given us your email addresses will already have received an electronic version. This manifesto is the distillation of the issues you think the next Government needs to tackle. It is a concrete set of proposals for building a better education system.

The manifesto is part of our campaign from now until the election next May. The campaign is called Put Education First, and it seeks repEducation a winner? toIs doyour just that. gives lifeworkplace to those who engage Does your rep deserve recognition for what they have achieved for you or your the last year? If so, nominate them now at www.atl.org.uk/repawards incolleagues it. Ouroverchildren’s future No rep or contact in your workplace? happiness andgetting success Why don’t you consider involved? Email organise@atl.org.uk for more information.

“IT IS EASY TO GET CYNICAL ABOUT POLITICS AND POLITICIANS, BUT THAT IS SELF-DEFEATING”

TEN YEARS AGO, Jamie Oliver’s school dinners campaign was deeply subversive of the New Labour fad of building through use of the private finance initiative (PFI). PFI-built schools not only represented poor value for money, they changed school-based catering through installation of kitchens capable only of reheating precooked and processed food. By reverting to fresh produce, cooked at school by trained, committed dinner staff, Oliver provided a welcome antidote to outsourced modernity.

Well, he’s at it again.

This time sugar-filled fizzy drinks are Jamie’s target in the Channel 4 programme Sugar Rush. By now you may have seen a few episodes, and probably caught the frenzied backlash of ‘Big Soda’ corporations.

Oliver draws attention to Mexico’s soda tax and proposes a 20p tax per litre on sugar-sweetened juices.

He counts the cost of sugar in rising obesity and diabetes, with the average UK child 5kg heavier than three decades ago, and points to a correlation between

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Is your rep a winner?

Does your workplace rep deserve recognition for what they have achieved for you or your colleagues over the last year? If so, nominate them now at www.atl.org.uk/repawards No rep or contact in your workplace?

Why don’t you consider getting involved? Email organise@atl.org.uk for more information.

free trade and obesity.

Norway, South Korea and Japan combat obesity better through higher import tariffs. This is all important because teachers know the impact on classroom behaviour of children ‘high’ on sugary fizzy drinks.

ATL has already recognised the dangers of the TTIP free trade agreement which runs the risk of reducing the ability of Governments to regulate for healthier food. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommends average intakes of dietary energy of no more than five per cent for age groups two and over. With UK levels at 12%, we need radical action.

Workload

The crushing levels of workload experienced by education professionals are driving staff from the profession. Report examines the issues and launches ATL’s new work-life campaign.

Words by Alex Tomlin and Sally Gillen ILLUSTRATION: TIM McDONAGH 10 REPORT | OCTOBER 2015 WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

SPOTLIGHT ON… WORKLOAD

IF ONE STATISTIC should sound an alarm about teachers’ mounting worry over workload, it is this one – 43,832. That is the number of professionals who set aside time, of which they have precious little, to respond to the Government’s Workload Challenge.

Workload and its twin, stress, are nothing new in teaching and ATL has long highlighted this. So the fact that tens of thousands of teachers felt compelled to voice their concerns shows these problems have reached unprecedented levels.

Highly skilled, experienced teachers are being driven out of the profession by the workload burden, and potential talented new recruits are being deterred from even considering teaching.

It has been a year since the Government asked teachers about workload. So what’s changed? Very little, if we look at findings from ATL’s survey, carried out last month among teachers and support staff in England so that we can understand the scale and depth of the problem.

What you told us revealed many shared experiences: workload is unmanageable, say 80% of you, while 81% have considered leaving teaching because of it.

One member said: “Most weeks I am working over 70 hours and some weeks at least 90.”

A separate survey of staff working in the independent sector reveals the same problems, with some saying they regularly work 14-hour days. It is a picture that is also reflected in the FE sector and among leaders across the education landscape.

The impact on members’ physical and mental health – and the effects on home life – are both heart-wrenching and unacceptable.

One member said: “In the last 12 months I have experienced, for the first time in over 30 years (including 12 as a head), real physical stress symptoms like poor sleep. I am 57 and not sure how much more I can take. No system of prioritisation works well enough because no human being could possibly get through the in-tray in the time available.”

Another said, if workload were reduced: “I would be a mum and a teacher instead of a full-time teacher and a part-time mum.”

Excessive workload is one of the most serious issues facing the education profession. It affects the quality of teaching and learning our members are able to deliver, it is driving experienced and valuable staff from the profession and it is having a hugely detrimental impact on personal lives.

It shouldn’t be that way. And it doesn’t have to be. ATL wants healthy, enthused and motivated staff in our

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

“TOO MANY TEACHERS ARE EXHAUSTED FROM THE CONSTANT STRESS OF NEVER FEELING THEY ARE ON TOP OF THEIR WORKLOAD”

classrooms, staff who have the time to teach, support and inspire young people and give them the high-quality education they deserve. And who also have the time to relax and be with their own family and friends.

As well as talking with Government we also want to support you in your workplaces now. That’s why we’ve launched our work-life campaign. You can take part by:

In a blog by ATL general secretary Mary Bousted, which was widely shared on social media and picked up by the national press, she said: “I speak to too many teachers who are exhausted from the constant stress of never feeling they are on top of their workload; who know that there is always something else to do.

“Well, it should not be that way,” she added. “Teachers need time to be human.”

In the wake of the Workload Challenge, action taken by education secretary Nicky Morgan has been disappointing. Her reassurance that Ofsted would not make substantive changes to the schools inspection handbook or framework was dismissed by Dr Bousted as “completely inadequate”. Another of Morgan’s suggestions for managing workload – that teachers should ignore emails after 5pm – entirely missed the point. And was, as ATL was quick to point out, unrealistic. Many members in our survey said there is an expectation that emails – described by one member as “a silent deadly weapon” – sent in the evening and weekends will be answered quickly.

Marking was identified by 42% of ATL members as a driver of workload, with some saying it adds at least 30 hours to the working week. Requirements to mark in greater detail, using different coloured pens make marking – recognised by 78% of you as a valuable way to help children – unmanageable.

The Department for Education has set up three groups to address some of these drivers of workload: lesson planning, marking and data.

ATL’s assistant general secretary for policy, Nansi Ellis, is part of the lesson planning and resources group. “ATL is contributing to all the groups,” she said.

“It’s really important that the unions are part of the solution to the massive workload problem in schools.

Hundreds of members have expressed interest in the groups, which has been great. We are really keen to hear from as many as possible about the problems 3

R using our online work-life tracker to track your work-life balance, your working hours and the major drivers of your workload – and see how you compare to others R checking out our help and advice on you what you can do to help manage your workload, including guidance on time management, meetings, inspection and marking

R booking in a workload visit with our organising team.

But this is just the beginning. We want to develop our resources using your knowledge and experience, so do tell us what works for you to alleviate your workload or if your workplace has implemented successful policies to counteract workload.

You can access ATL’s resources at www.atl.org.uk/abouttime.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 2015 | REPORT 13

SPOTLIGHT ON… WORKLOAD

they are facing, and solutions they have found, backed by evidence they have collected. We can then make sure their experiences inform our work so that what we recommend will really make a difference to teachers day-to-day.”

It is notable there is no group set up to look at the workload generated by the accountability regime – a key driver according to members responding to the survey, and one that ATL has repeatedly highlighted in our campaign on inspection (www.atl.org.uk/ visionforinspection).

Even if the workload groups make sound recommendations, they are not due to report until next year. But action on workload is needed today.

To that end, ATL has launched It’s About Time (see box on page 13), a campaign to raise awareness of the issues, collect information and examples from the profession to feed into the Government talks and, most importantly of all, to help members tackle the issue. As part of the campaign, we are developing a suite of resources, which will help provide practical solutions.

Start with the workload tracker, which you can use to record your working hours and the major drivers of your workload – and see how you compare to others. It is a given that you are busy – most days lost in a blur of triple marking, lesson planning and meetings – but pinpointing exactly where your time is going may also help you identify where it can be saved and give you a sound basis for making your case to your line manager.

You should also encourage your colleagues to try out the tracker. Excessive workloads seldom occur in a vacuum. With this in mind, you could discuss the issue with colleagues and raise it collectively, preferably via your ATL rep, if you have one, or at a staff-management meeting. Again, make sure you are prepared to illustrate your workload concerns and input constructive ideas about how these can be addressed. Taking concerns forward collectively is likely to persuade management of their validity and result in a meaningful dialogue. ATL can help with this process: for more on collective action on workload, see www.atl.org.uk/workloadcampaign.

What leaders can do AMiE, ATL’s leadership section, recognises that in today’s pressured working environments, where so many demands are made on education professionals, it is more important than

One member’s experience Bridget Fordham, an ATL member and music teacher at a middle school in Bedfordshire, describes workload as “relentless”.

Bridget, a teacher for 15 years, noticed a huge change after returning from maternity leave two-and-a-half years ago, with schools and staff under renewed pressure to be accountable. “You tick a box on one system and then do exactly the same on another because the two do not relate to each other.

“My school is a so-called coasting school so we are under a

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

lot of pressure to prove we are making progress. That is really difficult when you have so many categories of children now: children who have the pupil premium, free school meals, special educational needs and so on.

“As a music teacher I have to know about 500 children. It is half term and I still do not know some of the students’ names. I am absolutely shattered. I worry that I’m not giving my own child enough time but I am so tired. I need to be out of school on time to

ever that leaders and managers take care of their own well-being and that of their colleagues.

It has produced the publication, Well-being: Leading and Managing a

Well Workplace, which includes specific advice on achieving a work-life balance for leaders and staff.

AMiE members can access a copy free from www.amie.atl.org.uk.

Or if you want support with organising a workload campaign, contact us at organise@atl.org.uk.

Clearly, time-pressed senior leaders are operating under huge pressure themselves, but it is in school leaders’ interests to work with you to tackle workload.

In the midst of a recruitment and retention crisis, only those schools that work with staff to address workload will have the stable workforce needed to make their school a success. This is why ATL is working with members in our leadership section, AMiE, to address the workload challenge. At schools such as St Clere’s secondary school in Thurrock, Essex, where workload has been tackled effectively, collaboration is key. Paul Griffiths, chief executive of St Clere’s Cooperative Academy Trust, which runs the school, says: “The key word here is cooperative.

If you go down the command-and-control leadership route, where somebody at the top makes all the decisions, that can work very effectively, but, for me, that’s not enough in terms of developing leadership in an organisation.”

A joint consultative committee involving unions and managers was introduced and staff are given early notice of any changes they are implementing so that feedback on workload implications can be acted on.

Ten-minute meetings and single-item meetings are examples of changes that have been made to help manage time more effectively. ATL has put together advice to support you in making changes that will help you prioritise your workload, as part of our campaign. Our organising team is also on hand

to help you address workload in your workplace. pick my child up because if I’m “This is about freeing teachers even five minutes late at the nursery I will get a fine. But up so they can focus on what is whenever I go to leave there will important for children’s learning. be four people leaping on me. I Too much time is spent on tasks had a meeting with my that do not benefit children. headteacher last week and I said this year was the first time in my You know what’s important,” career that I have eaten my lunch says Ellis. in my classroom every day Everything you tell us will help because I have so much to do. us develop a detailed picture of Sometimes I don’t see another adult all day. I am cutting myself the problems you are facing so we off from the support of colleagues can fight for changes nationally. but I am just trying to keep my You know what the problems are head above water.”

– and the solutions. n NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 15

Seeking social

justice

Newly appointed adviser to the Education Select Committee, Professor Becky Francis, tells Alex Tomlin about the need for more social and gender equality and evidence to make the case BECKY FRANCIS’ PASSION for social justice was forged in her secondary school days at a comprehensive where she believes her middle-class background saw her through O-levels and onto A-levels and university, while many of her peers, who she says were just as clever, ended their education at 16.

After university, in the recession of 1992, Francis struggled to find work in the ‘real world’, having a stint as “the perfume-squirter in a department store, among other not very aspirational jobs”. She then re-entered academia and, via a doctorate on gender in education, became professor of education at Roehampton University and then director of education at the Royal Society of Arts.

She has now been professor of education and social justice at King’s College London for three years and was recently appointed as a standing adviser to the Commons Education Select Committee, which scrutinises and monitors the effect of Government education policy.

Francis is hopeful she can have influence in the role, providing advice based on research evidence and her knowledge of the education world.

One area in which she hopes evidence will hold sway is the currently hot topic of expanding grammar schools.

“The evidence is that grammar schools are incredibly socially selective,” she says, “and that the

11-plus is prepared for by private tuition so it’s become an increasingly middle-class game and it’s a question of whether that’s something the Government wants to support.”

However, she cautions that there are many examples where the Government ignores evidence.

“Policy-makers tend to pick and choose what evidence they use, and ignore glaring evidence on occasion.”

She cites sponsor academies as a case in point. “The Sutton Trust research shows a handful of chains providing amazing transformations, but others doing worse than equivalent LA schools. It’s patchy, with even some of the longer-standing academies still struggling.

“And yet the Department for Education has never acknowledged that and you get this perpetual spin and only the good figures.”

Francis believes a clearer picture of academies will emerge in time as the more successful academies are encouraged to sponsor struggling schools. “It may improve the system, depending on those schools’ capacity to support the struggling schools, which is as yet untested in a time of budget cuts,” she says.

A more immediate concern, which the Education Select Committee will be discussing, is the teacher shortage, caused by what many are calling a ‘perfect storm’ of circumstances.

“If you look at the statistics, on the face of it they’re not too bad; not great, but not too drastic,” says

Francis. “But when you put them together with a growing pupil demographic, school budget cuts, some patchiness in School Direct training, people leaving and NQTs going straight abroad, you start to see a gap widening.”

This shortage of teachers is one of many factors that may derail efforts to close the gap between the most and least advantaged pupils, where she feels some progress has been made, particularly at primary level, but not at secondary. However, she is hopeful the pupil premium will be seen to reap rewards.

“I’d love for that to be evidenced,” she says. “The factors that could undermine it include curriculum change – especially if the Government follows through its proposals that all children should take the EBacc – and, of course, school budget cuts.

“And very importantly, the welfare reforms: research has shown the Government takes with one hand as it gives back with the pupil premium.

If schools have to provide food and school uniforms with pupil premium money then it’s not being spent on pedagogical intervention.

“Unfortunately, the gap widens as children go through education, showing that currently the system perpetuates rather than mitigates inequality,” she continues. “The evidence shows it can be mitigated and some schools are transforming results for disadvantaged kids.

It needs to be recognised that it can be done, but it’s incredibly difficult. It is harder when schools have to firefight growing poverty.”

On the curriculum, Francis believes that Progress 8, the measure of progress across eight subjects, has been a positive move. “It is a real step in the right direction as an accountability measure,” she says.

“Not only does it measure progress rather than real outcomes, it also

“POLICY-MAKERS TEND TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT EVIDENCE THEY USE, AND IGNORE GLARING EVIDENCE ON OCCASION”

16 REPORT | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID TETT

IN PROFILE… BECKY FRANCIS

levers a broad and balanced curriculum,” which she feels helps pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds by keeping their future paths open.

Conversely, she believes the Government’s focus on the EBacc goes too far. While she agrees all children should study some EBacc subjects in addition to English and maths, she says ,“the Government is fundamentally wrong in driving through its EBacc. It ignores the fact that kids need some sort of motivation, interest and joy in their education in order to motivate them to do the things that they don’t like every day.

“If we want to close gaps properly, we need to make sure there are things they enjoy doing in school, while maintaining a focus on the things we as a society agree that every child needs to learn. It’s a hard balance but I thought we were on the right track with Progress 8.”

Competition between schools to get an intake of pupils likely to achieve better results also perpetuates the achievement gap between middle- and working-class pupils, she says. “I know many schools remain driven by social commitment and certainly wouldn’t want to be perpetuating inequality,” she says.

“Nevertheless, the very strong effects of our accountability measures on headteachers’ careers, on teachers’ careers and performance-related pay, etc, all push towards the impetus for bringing in kids with higher prior attainment and those kids tend to be from wealthier backgrounds.”

Francis is not surprised that there is evidence of bad practice in admissions, such as unofficial interviews. “Evidence shows some families can enact choice more effectively,” she says.

“Moving house, paying for tuition, supporting kids through entrance tests, but also the social capital of knowing what indicators to look for and having the hot knowledge from other parents.”

Francis also points to the fact that some middle-class parents attend church in order to get their children into a faith school, then stop as soon as their children leave that school.

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

“I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MUCH BIGGER PUSH TOWARDS MEN DOING MORE CHILDCARE AND THAT BEING SEEN AS ACCEPTABLE”

This leads on to Francis’ assertion that faith schools should not be able to select by faith. “Faith schools tend to be socially and, to a certain extent, ethnically exclusive,” she says.

“How can you have a system where we all fund them through taxes but we’re not all able to access them?”

Yet another issue impacting negatively on the more disadvantaged young people is the current parlous state of further education. “FE continually suffers from not representing the demographic that Governments are interested in,” says Francis.

“The ending of the Education Maintenance Allowance was very unfortunate when the evidence was suggesting that it was effective.”

Away from social equality, another perennial issue which Francis feels strongly about is gender equality.

Declaring herself a passionate feminist, she is encouraged by recent talks about a conference to discuss the issue that, despite women making up the majority of the teaching workforce, leadership roles are still predominantly taken up by men.

“The pattern is long-standing,” she says. “It needs to be addressed for a whole range of different reasons.

There is the continuing perception that men are more appropriate for leadership. There’s also a disproportionate number of female headteachers who don’t have children. Women are still expected to be the ones to take a career break to look after children in a way that men aren’t.

“There are also disproportionate numbers of men applying for senior

Professor Becky Francis wants the Government to encourage women into senior roles

leadership posts, which I would say represents a gender problem because women tend to be less self-confident about their capabilities, and possibly need more encouragement.”

Francis would like to see direct Government intervention to encourage more women to go into senior leadership, such as by creating schemes to support them and by getting the message across to governors to consider potential female applicants from within their school.

As a wider issue, although Labour introduced steps to try to make childcare more equal, it is still overwhelmingly women who are expected to do it. “I would like to see a much bigger push towards men doing more childcare and that being seen as acceptable and attractive for men to do it,” she says. “I don’t think it should be seen as a problem that holds women back.

“This is particularly important when there’s a shortage of ready applicants for headships and we’re not making the most of our female workforce. Articulating the issue across the education system would be a start because it’s largely ignored.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 17

GUIDE

Give IT a go

Award-winning blogger and trainer Mark Anderson gives tips on how to use technology to make an impact in your classroom

TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION may have changed a lot in the last decade, but the issues surrounding its use have not.

With mobile devices becoming more prevalent, opportunities to use IT to enhance learning are more readily available now than ever.

Children are often better equipped to pick up how to use new software and apps than their teachers, so how can we make the best use of technology to enhance learning when the children are almost always one step ahead?

Keep it simple With thousands of apps available, you can do any number of things with technology in the classroom, from creating your own talking cat, to introducing Shakespeare. The trick is to keep it simple. Is the activity going to bring a learning return? Is the time you spend creating resources worth the effort?

There are a number of things you can do quickly and easily to improve efficiency and access to learning materials in your classroom. A good example would be the humble QR (quick response) code; essentially a posh barcode. Simple to create and free (using a website such as www.beqrious. com) it can be scanned by any mobile device with a QR code-reader installed and can contain things such as: R a link to a website or a resource online, eg a video on YouTube R 1,000 characters of text, eg instructions or a series of questions R a map reference, eg where students have to find a location for research R an email address, eg where a student needs to send their work.

Using a QR code can speed up the process of students accessing resources, saving time so they can focus on their learning. You could even create a wall display of revision resources from QR codes. Students can take a photograph WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

The easy availability of apps brings endless learning opportunities to the classroom

of your wall display on their mobile device and they will always have access to those resources.

Using creative apps If your school has a ‘bring your own device’ or one-to-one mobile device scheme, then asking students to create their own short explainer videos is a great way for them to showcase their creativity, knowledge, understanding and skills in a wide range of contexts.

There are lots of explainer apps, many free, that allow students to add image, text, video and other content to a video while using their own voice to explain their topic. The Daddy of the bunch is the mighty Explain Everything (£2.99 or less). Other examples include Shadow Puppet, Tellagami, Educreations, Snagit, Puppet Pals HD, YAKiT Kids and many more.

Redefinition Ruben Puentedura is founder and president of educational consulting firm Hippasus, which focuses on how technology can be used in education.

His popular substitution, augmentation, modification, redefinition (SAMR) model looks at how technology can be used most effectively. A clear example is the idea of substitution – using technology to complete a task that could be completed without the technology, such as typing rather than handwriting notes.

We can easily redefine note-taking to bring better learning returns in simple ways. For example, students could highlight key terms and hyperlink them to relevant resources.

They could take photographs or add video to support their notes during a science experiment.

They could also share these notes easily and effectively with every other student in the class as well as their teacher, providing opportunities for peer feedback and collaboration.

Don’t worry There are a million-and-one things you can do with technology, but if you remember these three simple rules, you will most likely stay on track: R Use technology for a purpose, don’t just shoehorn it in. Consider what more you can do with the technology to support learning.

R Think about whether the amount of time invested is worth it. When you first start out some things will take longer. Stick with it, be brave. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, even from the students.

R Technology’s role is to serve learning, not vice versa.

If we are educating a generation for whom technology becomes everyday, it is right we encourage risk-taking and build the resilience to deal with initial failures. Part of problem-solving is being able to diagnose the problem and formulate a resolution. We learn from our mistakes and, over time, as with our students, our knowledge and understanding progress. Technology in the classroom helps to embed these life skills.

Mark Anderson is a trainer, blogger and author of Perfect ICT Every Lesson: www.ictevangelist.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 19

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GOLDSMITHS’ GRANT FOR TEACHERS

2016 GRANTS FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS Take Time Out from the Classroom!

The Goldsmiths’ Grants for Teachers provides an opportunity for teachers and headteachers to undertake a project of their choice, in UK or abroad, aimed at enhancing their personal and professional development.

The Grant forms part of the long-term commitment of the Goldsmiths’ Company to support teachers and headteachers in the United Kingdom.

Grants will cover travel, accommodation, materials costs, etc, up to a maximum of £3,000.

In addition the Goldsmiths’ Company will pay a maximum of £2,000 supply cover to your school.

For guidelines and further details visit our website: www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/charity-education/education or apply to: The Deputy Clerk, The Goldsmiths’ Company Goldsmiths’ Hall, Foster Lane, London EC2V 6BN

DON’T DELAY – APPLICATIONS MUST BE IN BY 1 DECEMBER 2015 The Goldsmith Company_ATL_ Sept15.indd 1

26/08/2015 15:03

YOUR ATL… CONTENTS AND CONTACTS

Your ATL EXPERT ADVICE, TEACHING TOOLS, MEMBER BENEFITS – AND YOUR RIGHT TO REPLY

IN THIS SECTION

22

29

APPRENTICESHIPS

ATL policy adviser Janet Clark explains the ins and outs of the Government’s trailblazer apprenticeship plans

LEARNING ZONE New courses on mental well-being for students and staff

24

YOUR VIEWS

Report readers on workload and testing

25

CROSSWORD

Your chance to win a £50 M&S voucher with our cryptic crossword

27

NOTICEBOARD

The last chance to nominate for ATL’s rep awards, opportunities to attend ATL events, and the union’s officer elections are now open

23

LEGAL ADVICE

ATL SOLICITOR KEHINDE ADEOGUN OUTLINES THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE PREVENT STRATEGY

29

RESOURCES

Newsletters for support staff members and those in post-16, with publications for NQTs and ATL Cymru’s education manifesto

USEFUL CONTACTS 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 info@atl.org.uk BELFAST: 028 9078 2020 ni@atl.org.uk CARDIFF: 029 2046 5000 cymru@atl.org.uk AMiE MEMBERS: Call the employment helpline on 01858 464171 helpline@amie.atl.org.uk

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Membership enquiries: membership@atl.org.uk Pension enquiries: 020 7782 1600 Out-of-hours helpline: 020 7782 1612 ATL’s regional officials are available to speak to you about work problems Monday to Friday from 5pm to 7.30pm during term time.

If you are not a member of ATL and would like to join, please contact us on

0845 057 7000 (lo-call)

Personal injury claims:

033 3344 9616 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.

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 2015 | REPORT 21

YOUR ATL… APPRENTICESHIPS

A mixed picture for apprenticeships ATL policy adviser Janet Clark explains what’s happening with apprenticeships and what this might mean for members and young people

IMAGE: GETTY

ATL is concerned about a lack of consistency between apprenticeships under the new rules

THE GOVERNMENT RECENTLY promised three million more apprenticeships over the next five years and policy changes mean employers will be more involved in delivering this goal. This has led to some big changes for all involved in apprenticeships.

The coalition Government introduced the trailblazers programme, whereby groups of employers in various industrial sectors apply to design the standards required for the achievement of an apprenticeship. From 2017, all those starting on an apprenticeship programme will be required to achieve these standards.

At the time of writing, 54 trailblazer apprenticeships had been approved by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, with another 154 occupations authorised for the development of new standards. Apprenticeships range from golf greenkeeper at level 2 to nuclear engineer at level 6. Traineeships, at entry level 1, are courses preparing young people for securing an apprenticeship.

Trailblazer groups come together voluntarily, but must be led by employers.

They may also involve learning

providers, suppliers, professional bodies, representatives from sector skills councils and other stakeholders. Some groups, however, only involve employers. As it is time-consuming, and therefore expensive, to get involved in trailblazers, it is often big businesses that are involved in the groups.

Historically, however, FE colleges have worked with small local businesses, such as hairdressers or mechanics, when delivering apprenticeships. The needs of these small employers may not have been considered in the design of all trailblazers.

Some trailblazer apprenticeships are excellent. The new railway engineering design apprentices receive a good salary, work towards a BTEC, and can become registered with the Institution of Civil Engineers. In addition, those enrolled on the railway engineer design level 3 programme are employed on a contract, so if a job does not exist at the end of their apprenticeship they are eligible for redundancy pay.

But for many, there may not be the opportunity of a job or redundancy pay at the end of their apprenticeship. ATL is concerned about this lack of consistency.

Not all level 3 apprenticeships have the same benefits as those described in the railway engineering design. For example, the achievement of a standalone qualification (such as a BTEC or NVQ), as part of a trailblazer apprenticeship, is optional. Those apprentices who do not achieve such qualifications may find it difficult to move to different industries or to progress to university.

Funding is another major area of change to apprenticeship policy. Currently, employers don’t pay; training for apprenticeships is paid for by FE colleges, with money from the Government. From 2017, however, employers will be expected to contribute to the education element of the apprenticeship programme, and the Government will contribute £2 for every £1 invested. It is likely that many small companies will find it difficult to make the financial contribution necessary to fund apprenticeship training, so we may see a drop in the numbers offered.

In the summer Budget, the Government also announced that large employers will be required to contribute to apprenticeship funding by paying a levy. We await the details on how this will work.

Through our ULF project, ATL is encouraging members in FE colleges to take control of the changes to apprenticeship delivery. We are also developing a policy to support members to identify good-quality programmes that have been designed with a focus on the learner. Watch this space.

What do you think? ATL’s policy department runs a number of member networks that give the opportunity to help shape ATL’s education policy, keep up to date on current issues, and contribute to ATL’s consultation responses.

To join ATL’s apprenticeships network, email Janet at jclark@atl.org.uk.

22 REPORT | NOVEMBER/DECEMEBER 2015 WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

YOUR ATL… LEGAL GUIDE

Understanding Prevent ATL solicitor Kehinde Adeogun explains the new legal obligation education staff have to tackle radicalisation

IN JUNE, a statutory duty was introduced under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 requiring educational institutions to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.

The Prevent duty, which applies across England, Wales and Scotland, states that staff should prevent radicalisation and terrorism in whatever guise; it means being vigilant about all extremist groups, eg far-right groups and others; it should not be about focusing only on the possibility of Islamist extremism.

Staff in schools, FE or HE will most likely have spent part of an INSET/training day at the end of the last academic year or the start of this one hearing about the Prevent strategy and the duties arising from it.

What is the Prevent duty?

The Government believes existing safeguarding principles can and should be applied to keep children safe from the risk of radicalisation.

Although safeguarding strategies do already exist, staff in schools and colleges are under a duty now to have specific regard to radicalisation.

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What do you have to look out for?

The Government has defined extremism in the Prevent strategy as “vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

We also include in our definition of extremism calls for the death of members of our armed forces.”

The values identified in the Prevent strategy are already embedded in the curriculum. The publication Learning Together to be Safe, a 2008 education department toolkit issued to help schools contribute to the prevention of violent extremism, says: “In using teaching, learning and the curriculum to build resilience to violent extremism, schools can build on what they already do to: R help pupils to develop knowledge of religion, history, geography, citizenship, English (particularly the critical study of the media) and analyse current issues of concern R help pupils to develop the skills needed to evaluate effectively and discuss potentially controversial issues R provide safe spaces for pupils to discuss openly issues that concern them including exploring their own identities and how these relate to the diversity of the society in which they live, and R provide opportunities for pupils to understand, meet and engage with people from different backgrounds in ways which promote the common value while recognising diversity within communities.”

How to address the possibility of extremism and radicalisation Schools and colleges should ensure that the designated safeguarding lead

undertakes Prevent awareness training.

They should also train staff and provide them with advice and support so they have the knowledge and confidence to identify and assess the risk of pupils who are vulnerable to being radicalised or drawn into terrorism. You should also have a good understanding of Prevent so you can appropriately challenge extremist ideas.

It’s important for schools and colleges to ensure children are safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet. In particular, schools and colleges should ensure that suitable filters are in place and that pupils’ access to material on the internet relates specifically to the curriculum.

What should a member of staff do if they have a concern?

School or college staff should comply with the school’s normal safeguarding reporting procedures and report the incident that has concerned them. They should make sure that the designated safeguarding lead at their school or college is aware of their concern.

Most local authorities will have a Prevent coordinator to whom concerns can be reported.

In addition, the Department for Education has dedicated a telephone helpline (020 7340 7264) to enable staff and governors to raise concerns relating to extremism directly.

Concerns can also be raised by email to counter.extremism@education.gsi.gov.uk.

ATL feels strongly that school or college staff should not feel alone or unsupported if faced with a possible Prevent situation. If you have any concerns about the strategy or the statutory obligations and duties that flow from it, contact ATL using the details on page 21.

To read ATL’s newly updated factsheet Understanding the Prevent Duty go to www.atl.org.uk/factsheets.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 23

YOUR ATL… YOUR VIEWS

Letters IMAGE: CORBIS

30-plus years, on near the minimum wage.

Frankly, I am disgusted and am actively encouraging my wife to leave the profession, which will be a great loss to the children in a deprived area, but why should she be put through this?

Name supplied

Most teachers are great at what they do, but few teachers make good managers. You need A PROFESSION WITH years of training to become an A PROBLEM effective manager. I have 20 I read Mary Bousted’s views years’ experience and can get about teachers’ workload and better results through the fact that teachers are being encouragement than by reduced to tears. As the husband haranguing and threatening. of a primary teacher with I was chair of governors at a 30-plus years’ experience I echo her comments and hope ATL can local primary for a number of years and saw how the abuse work to drive through muchfrom Ofsted can extend needed changes. to the governors, I myself am who are, at the part of senior The author of this letter wins £100 end of the day, leadership in book tokens. If you want to voice volunteers. I within a large your opinion on issues raised in Report resigned due to organisation or any other aspect of education, please send a letter or email to the addresses the fact I was not and I am below, including your phone number. prepared to be horrified to hear One letter will be chosen every treated like that. of the abuses issue to win the tokens.

Your profession that go on within has a problem and it is schools. Yes, abuse; I not with the teachers. My choose my words carefully. wife leaves the house at 7.10am In my organisation, staff and and arrives home at 5.45pm on a managers would be dismissed good day and sits down for the bullying behaviour often immediately, to mark and fill out seen within my wife’s school plans, etc. Half an hour max to and my management would not eat dinner and stopping work at countenance the atmosphere circa 8pm Monday to Friday. She of fear that is created. The cause: works at least three hours per obscene pressure on the local day at the weekend. Add all that management from above and, up and I estimate she is probably, to be blunt, inept and clearly after a degree and working untrained management.

STA R L E T T E R

WIN!

A CRYING SHAME When I looked up from reading Mary Bousted’s education blog on the TES website about workload, I found myself wiping away tears and wondering why, given I have heard all these things before – teachers crying in secret (and in public) and taking the emotional burden of the pupils they care for and the burden of workload home with them each and every night and weekends; wondering how much longer they can subject themselves and their families to the punishing hours and stress of their vocation.

Having taught in a London secondary school for four years what seems like a lifetime ago now, much of what Mary described hit close to home. I was also hoping that my own son’s primary school teachers do not have experiences like those described. As a parent I am conflicted: I do not want my son’s teacher to have to work until midnight, for hours at the weekend and come to school again on Monday morning feeling like she’s had no rest or time for herself or loved ones.

On the flip side, I secretly rejoice when I know his class teacher is

JOIN THE DEBATE…

Overheard Members on Facebook respond to Mary Bousted’s TES blog about secretary of state Nicky Morgan’s plans to reintroduce external testing for sevenyear-olds.

Veronika Charlesworth: I can’t believe she is proposing this.

Jacqueline Cashman: As one of my fellow members once said, referring to both pupils and school teachers, “there’s too much weighing the pig and not enough feeding the pig”. I couldn’t have put it better myself!

Louise Dunsire: What happened to Nicky Morgan’s pre-election concerns about workload for teachers? Not so understanding now she’s in power, is she?

dedicated, hard-working, really cares and goes the extra mile.

I feel guilty because I no longer want to teach, but expect someone else to step up and provide my own children with the sort of education I look back nostalgically on. I hope there is a middle ground for teachers, or the future for our children looks very bleak.

Name supplied

report@atl.org.uk @ATLReport facebook.com/ATLUnion

Report, ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD

24 REPORT | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

YOUR ATL… PRIZE CROSSWORD

WIN!

Prize crossword ACROSS 1 Totally perplexed, graduate loudly ran away (7) 5 Perhaps teach about metric unit (7) 9 Newly organised regiment losing 1,000 – whole number (7) 10 Normal score in paper, if Physical Education is excluded (3) 11 Study this concept in Theology, but leave with a ‘D’ (3) 12 Can I rally around staff such as classroom assistants? (9) 14 Bit of a fire in the Members’ Enclosure (5) 15 Exclude from school as example, perhaps – am out (5) 17 Near a new term coming round – bad dream! (9) 19 She’s making her first appearance in a tent bed relocated outside university (9) 21 University preserves part of battlefield (5) 24 Sports stadium a near disaster (5) 25 Berated PM horribly for grumpiness? (3,6) 27 It’s all right round a tree (3) 28 Drink discovered in lodgings (3) 29 Difficult to find – use live broadcast (7) 31 Represents in a painting, assorted dips, etc (7) 32 Exam includes everybody, head and shoulders above the rest (7)

A £50 Marks & Spencer voucher

DOWN 1 Old boys’ organisation has old ship with a half-deck (7) 2 Staff ate contents, became overweight (3) 3 Support Capone – it’s permitted by law! (5) 4 Lou and I leave reorganised National Guard to become a Musketeer! (9) 5 Contented – it’s very soft in the cut grass! (5) 6 Prance about, then attempt woodwork (9) 7 ‘a + b’ – large mix-up with this type of calculation? (7) 8 Declare public support for special needs or… (7) 13 …put an upper limit on expenditure on item of school uniform? (3) 16 First half of children great, maybe, but others sluggish and apathetic? (9) 18 Sit degree anew, being the most intensely desirous? (9) 19 Help turned up with my French from head of department – a gem! (7) 20 End school term and go to pieces? (5,2) 22 Epitaph produces tear (3) 23 Arrange fixtures, less ten – excessive amount (7) 25 Good French leads us to get money added to our wages? (5) 26 Being the same in degree and in the qualification (5) 30 Heads of independent colleges ennobled, so decorate a cake! (3)

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HOW TO ENTER

Send your completed crossword with your contact details to: ATL November/December crossword competition, Think Publishing, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH. The closing date is 5 January 2016. If you have an ATL membership number, please include this here: The winner of the November/December competition will be announced in the February issue of Report.

LAST ISSUE’S SOLUTION ACROSS: 1 Busybody 5 Stoked 9 Tearaway 10 Litmus 12 Pack 13 Disturb 17 Pharmacist 19 Day 21 Lad 22 John Milton 24 Canteen 25 Page 28 Newton 30 Hesitate 31 Speech 32 Lent term DOWN: 1 Bath 2 Star 3 Bear arms 4 Drank 6 Thirst 7 Kim 8 Disobeying 11 Edison 14 Update 15 Applicants 16 Maiden 18 Clowns 20 Linguist 23 Heroic 25 Piece 26 Made 27 Ream 29 Woe CONGRATULATIONS TO SEPTEMBER’S WINNER – C H TAYLOR, BRISTOL

All about excellence in teaching and learning We work with teachers, leaders and businesses to help them deliver excellent Further and Vocational education and training. We offer a wide range of support and resources including:

• Excellence Gateway • Programmes and CPD courses to help you prepare free resources for everyone to teach maths and English working in the learning and skills sector .

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• Professional Standards for teachers and trainers in Further and Vocational education and training.

• Accreditation for Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills • Resources to help you comply with the Prevent duty.

(QTLS) which is recognised as equivalent to Qualified • Our Future Apprenticeships Teacher Status (QTS).

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YOUR ATL… NOTICEBOARD

NOTICE BOARD NOMINATE YOUR ATL OR AMIE REP OF THE YEAR ATL’s rep awards are now open for 2016 and we invite you to nominate those individuals who you feel deserve recognition for what they have achieved for you or your colleagues over the last year.

Maybe your rep has led a campaign to improve conditions in your workplace. They might have directed members to learning or made your workplace safer. Perhaps they have encouraged particular groups of staff to get involved in ATL or AMiE – support staff, students, NQTs or leaders? Or helped build membership in your school or college?

Reps can make a difference in a variety of ways. They might be outstanding in any of the following rep roles: R workplace rep R health and safety rep R union learning rep R leadership (AMiE) rep.

We have sent a postcard out to all members who have a rep or contact in their workplace, to make it easier to nominate your outstanding workplace, health and safety, union learning or leadership reps.

You can also nominate at www.atl.org.uk/ repawards. The information you provide on this form will be used to judge the awards so you will need to provide specific examples of how your nominee has made a difference to you and your colleagues.

The closing date for nominations is 1 January 2016. Winners will be awarded £150 and will be presented with a certificate during ATL’s Annual Conference which takes place between 4 and 6 April in Liverpool.

Winners will also be invited to attend ATL’s Conference dinner on the evening of Tuesday 5 April (all expenses paid). All winners will be notified after the closing date. This year’s awards are supported

by Aviva.

If there’s no rep or contact in your workplace, why don’t you consider getting involved? Email organise@atl.org.uk for more information.

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

ATL AND NUT – OWNING OUR PROFESSION Following the success of the three regional events we held for ATL and NUT members earlier this year, a fourth event is taking place in Bristol on Saturday 12 December.

This one-day conference will bring together education professionals like you to learn strategies and share ideas on the issues that matter most to you. ATL general secretary Mary Bousted will speak alongside NUT deputy general secretary Kevin Courtney. They will discuss how our unions continue to build on the shared vision for education exemplified by our respective election manifestos to work together to strengthen our voice with the new Government.

For more information and to book a place, see www.atl.org.uk/events/owning-ourprofession.asp.

TUC EQUALITIES CONFERENCES 2016 If you are interested in joining ATL’s delegations at the TUC equalities conferences, email ATL’s lead equalities officer Wanda Wyporska at wwyporska@atl. org.uk, stating the conference you’d like to attend. Dr Wyporska will then send you a form. ATL will pay reasonable expenses and book accommodation. The dates are: R Black workers’ conference, 15-17 April 2016 R Disabled workers’ conference, 19-20 May 2016 R LGBT, 23-24 June 2016

SUPPORT STAFF CONFERENCE The ATL support staff conference will take place on Saturday 13 February 2016.

ATL president Kim Knappett and general secretary Mary Bousted will talk about ‘ATL and support staff’ and then ATL national official Peter Morris will discuss some of the challenges faced by support staff.

Workshops on pensions, mental health, online safety and social media will also be offered. To book, go to the ATL website www.atl.org.uk/supportconference.

GET INVOLVED ATL’s national officers – notice of election ATL has six national officers, elected by members: president, vice president, immediate past president, policy officer, treasurer and member governance officer, together with the AMiE president. 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 finally immediate past president. The policy officer and treasurer and member governance officer each serve for a period of two years and are elected in alternate years. This year we are now beginning the election process for the vice president, treasurer and the member governance officer.

Candidates must have been a standard member for three years including the 12 months immediately prior to the closure of nominations.

Candidates must be nominated by at least 10 members of the Executive Committee, or at least one branch, or 25 standard members from more than one workplace. Nominators are required to clearly indicate who they are nominating, their name and ATL membership number and candidates must accept their nomination by signing a statement to this effect.

If the nominations exceed the number of available seats a ballot will be held and within 10 working days of the close of nominations all candidates may submit an electoral address (no more than 300 words) and a recent photograph.

The nomination pack is available from Pat Ware at the London Office (7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD) or email pware@atl.org.uk and should be returned to her by noon on 11 December 2015.

Canvassing is permitted only in accordance with the by-laws and protocol approved by the Executive Committee and a copy of these and further information on the ballot procedure are also available from Pat.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 27

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Codes of practice have special legal status. Any Body, such as the HSE, investigating the circumstances of an accident will consult the relevant code of practice as well as the relevant H&S Regulations.

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YOUR ATL… RESOURCES

RESOURCES Elsewhere, there is news of changes to vocational qualifications, a discussion on technology in FE and a successful event in the Midlands to explain the common assessment framework.

ATL Support

Apply Yourself

The autumn issue of the ATL Support newsletter has been sent to all support staff members and leads with ATL’s anger that the Department for Education’s plans to publish official TA standards have been summarily shelved.

There is also the chance to attend the ATL support staff conference in February.

ATL’s newly updated guide to getting your first job, Apply Yourself, is available to order now and offers invaluable advice on finding jobs, making written applications, interviews and much more.

Visit www.atl.org.uk/ applyyourself to order online or to download a PDF.

Post-16 News Members working in post-16 education have been sent the latest issue of Post-16 News, with news of ATL general secretary Mary Bousted writing to both the Government and Labour to call for better treatment for the FE sector.

Trainee and Newly Qualified Report Trainee and newly qualified members should find their latest issue of Trainee and Newly Qualified Report sitting snugly in the pages of this magazine, between pages 16 and 17.

If you turn back and read it you will find an in-depth guide on making the most of your mentoring experience as well as the views of Louise Atkinson, of

ATL CYMRU MANIFESTO

ATL’s trainee and NQ steering group, on workload for new teachers.

There is also advice from Liz Coston on what to do if you have a bad observation and how to prepare for an induction post.

If that isn’t enough, then how about the chance to attend ATL’s Annual Conference in Liverpool to help shape the union’s policy?

Members in Wales have been sent, with this copy of Report, the ATL Cymru manifesto for education ahead of the National Assembly elections next May. It states that all our young people should receive the very best education. To ensure this, the next Welsh Government must do the following: R Build a strong curriculum with portable qualifications.

R Develop an excellently skilled workforce.

R Provide fair terms and conditions for support staff.

R Keep the state education system.

You can also download the manifesto at www.atl.org.uk/ puteducationfirst.

TRAINEE & NQ REPORT 3 ATL FUTURE

2 TRAINEE & NQ REPORT PARENTAL ADVICE

Making the most of your mentor YOUR MENTOR CAN HAVE A DRAMATIC THE QUALITY OF YOUR TRAINING teaching style.

ATL’S RESEARCH among A good mentor should elicit trainee and newly-qualified information from their mentee members has found that the about their teaching, which quality of mentoring is encourages this reflection, she inconsistent. Some trainees and adds. “Good mentoring is about newly-qualified teachers have empowering, not about solving a approachable, flexible, easy-toperson’s problems for them.” contact mentors who provide the The importance of good right mix of support and quality mentoring in developing autonomy – all essential the next generation of teachers qualities for a mentor. Others are was underlined by Sir Andrew less fortunate. Mentors who are Carter’s review of initial teacher unsupportive, disorganised, training, which was published in unmotivated and inexperienced January. In response, the are all too common.

Government has promised to They may fall short for a commission the Teaching number of reasons: perhaps they Schools Council to develop a have been told to mentor a new set of aspirational standards trainee or NQT even though they for school-based ITT mentors. are already overstretched and In the meantime, ATL’s Guide feel they haven’t the time to devote to the role; they may not have enough classroom experience themselves to help a trainee develop; they may not have the experience in the mentee’s field, for example early years; or they may have had no training in how to mentor.

“Mentoring has a different skill set from teaching; many mentors are extremely capable teachers in their own classrooms but find it challenging to articulate their practice to student teachers. But there can be an assumption that because someone is a good teacher that they will automatically be a good mentor,” explains ATL senior policy adviser Alison Ryan, adding that the role of the mentor is to encourage the mentee to reflect on their teaching in order to develop, rather than simply copy their

IMPACT ON

to Mentoring, written by Trevor Wright, senior teaching fellow and senior lecturer in education at the University of Worcester, offers pointers on issues including managing the mentoring relationship, lesson feedback and behaviour management.

Wright says some mentors still wrongly see their role as one of modelling and practice oversight. Tensions can arise between the mentor and mentee because of the dual role of the mentor to act as a guide and an assessor.

“A mentee on a placement doesn’t simply undertake a watered-down version of a teacher’s job,” says ATL’s guide.

“Mentoring isn’t a master-class.

It is a complex range of activities and this is what makes for a complex relationship.”

Setting ground rules on how the mentorship will work from the outset helps to reduce the possibility of problems arising.

Post-lesson feedback can be an area of tension between mentor and mentee, with a tendency for mentees to focus more on criticisms than compliments.

Agreeing that feedback will take the form of three compliments, three accounts and two development points will help ensure feedback is balanced.

Regular meetings may involve reviewing your targets to see if they have been met, discussing your successes and concerns with your mentor and looking at how you prepare for lessons. Targets are useful because they focus your learning. If you are finding that you are being set targets that are not followed up then you should raise the issue with your mentor.

Remember that it is part of the mentor’s role to offer criticism so try not to be defensive when it is given.

Keeping a record of your mentoring experience, what has been agreed, how many times you meet etc is a good idea, so if a problem does crop up you have substantiation for your concerns, says Ryan.

If you are finding that you aren’t getting what you feel you need from your mentor then don’t be tempted to let the situation drift and hope the

ATL Future

Louise Atkinson, ATL Future steering group vice-convener

“If aren’t getting what you feel you need from your mentor then don’t be tempted to let the situation drift and hope the problems will resolve themselves”

not necessarily damage the relationship with the mentor.

And, as a mentee, you should also be prepared to ask if there is anything you should be doing differently in order to improve

the relationship.”

Your starting point for advice is your course tutor, who will inevitably have encountered the issues you are raising before.

Colleagues and trainee peers are also likely to provide a useful resource, both as a sounding board and as a way to compare your experiences and expectations of mentoring.

“As a mentee you need to take ownership of it and be quite assertive. If you are feeling uncertain, always seek advice from your course tutor. There problems will resolve may be some broader context to themselves, she advises. Fear the problem that you are not that a complaint could harm the aware of but your tutor is. relationship with the mentor Perhaps your mentor has a deters many mentees from personal problem that is speaking up but in most cases affecting them professionally or tackling problems early can they have just had their workload prevent them escalating. increased to unacceptable levels, Thinking carefully about how says Ryan. to raise your initial concern in a “The mentoring you receive is way that will lead to a positive a vital part of your training, so it is outcome is important. “Tone and important to make sure you get timing are key,” says Ryan. the most out of it,” she adds.

“Making clear your concerns will

YOUR FIRST TEACHING JOB YOU HAVE OUR FULL ATTENTION hays.co.uk/education

At 16, I left school but Aged 11, I knew I wanted to teach. in life in order to decided to return to education later years I studied part fulfil my dream of teaching. For six working two time, while raising two children and by night. It has taken part-time jobs. TA by day, barmaid at the age of 35 I years of hard work and sacrifice but Education is my recently completed my NQT year.

Schools Week, passion. My spare time is spent reading I relish a teaching manuals or attending conferences. and helping CPD course. I love working with children I have the best job in them learn and develop as people. see myself doing the world. Why is it then that I can’t the 54% of this job in 10 years’ time? I am among to the ATL trainee and NQ teachers who responded of teaching, stating Future survey into the attractiveness be teaching in 10 that they did not think they would morning excited years’ time. I bounce into school every when I am still about the day ahead. But at 10pm to muster. I marking, that excitement is difficult professions work appreciate that people in many other a job I enjoy, but I just long hours, and I am grateful I do work rate. can’t see how I can maintain this and assessment, Good teaching requires planning effect that which take time. I have seen the positive which tasks are well-planned, exciting lessons, in to work in their differentiated to enable all children I know that deep own area of challenge, have on a class. comments and marking of all pieces of work, with to, moves children questions for the children to respond with parents on in their learning. I know that meeting them to support and writing reports is vital to enable know that testing, their children in their learning. I me to see the gaps in marking and analysing data helps time. a child’s learning. But all this takes to ATL’s Following on from a motion brought Future is looking at National Conference in March, ATL and NQ teachers by ways to reduce workload for trainee

partnership to offer new Hays Education and ATL have a unique and job opportunities. members the very best in career advice Hays has access to the best With a network of over 40 offices, the country. If you are permanent and temporary jobs across can offer a personalised looking for your first position, we is perfect for you. service to help you find the role that To search for your first job visit hays.co.uk/jobs/atl

For more information email us at atl@hays.com or to find your nearest office call 020 7259 8794

20/03/2015 16:59 1 ED-12097 New2Teaching Strip 01.04.2015.indd

LEARNING ZONE Staff and student well-being ATL is launching new CPD courses in 2016 with YoungMinds, the charity committed to improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people.

The first course, ‘Teens, turmoil and transition: adolescent mental health’, will aim to provide those working with young people with a solid understanding of mental health and well-being during the teenage years, alongside tools for supporting teenagers and young people.

By the end of the course you will be able to: R understand theories regarding cognitive,

emotional and social development, as well as current theories within the field of neuroscience and brain development R understand risk-taking behaviour R understand emotional problems in adolescence R apply positive coping strategies R provide emotional containment for young people R signpost to more specialist support.

The second course, ‘Emotional resilience for school staff’, will look at promoting and protecting the emotional well-being of staff, including: R understanding the connection between the emotional well-being of children and that of staff R resilience-based approaches to improving our capacity to cope R a model of reflective practice R team-working and other ways of overcoming isolation.

To find out more about these courses, visit WWW.ATL.ORG.UK/LEARNINGZONE

WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 | REPORT 29

FINAL WORD… DAVE GIBBONS

Comic belief COMICS HAVE BEEN neglected when it comes to education. I learnt to read at a very young age, before I went to school, because I read comics. My dad read them to me but I wanted to be able to read them for myself.

It’s a wonderful way of taking those first steps. Because of space restrictions the language tends to be fairly terse, straightforward and simple. Plus you can see what they’re talking about. They’re very much what kids want and like to read. Particularly when you’re younger, there can be something that makes you draw back from blocks of pure text and want it to be lightened with visual input.

Picture books are similar but tend to be less complex, less of a thing to puzzle your way through.

Comics provide that wonderful escape into another world in the privacy of your own brain. Comics are much more evolved than they once were and they fulfil a lot of the criteria that school librarians, teachers and parents would want from a book. A lot of comics are autobiographical, historical, scientific or explore other aspects of the world, so they are an attractive way of teaching children.

When I was a kid, comics were a couple of pages of a football story and a war story. Now some are the size and complexity of a novel.

Watchmen, which is what I’m probably best known for, is 350 pages; a very dense text, it is self-referential, goes backwards and forwards in time and investigates all kinds of issues. If you can get to enjoy reading, you can relish a long read.

For some reason, historically when I went to school we were told to read things we didn’t want to read and discouraged from

reading what we wanted to, which seemed a weird paradox to me.

Having said that, comics do have a certain charm because they are a bit anti-establishment and disrespectful but I think that’s a very healthy thing to encourage in children; not necessarily taking everything at face value.

When I was at school, working on comics was all I wanted to do.

When I go into schools I get kids to make their own comics too. I don’t want to turn everybody into a comic artist (I don’t need the competition) but it is a very natural form of self-expression. Look at cave paintings, which tend to have a narrative: ‘We got together with our spears, we saw the buffalo, we chased the buffalo, we killed the buffalo, we brought meat back, we all rejoiced.’

That idea of pictures to tell a story comes very naturally. It was always that aspect of comics that I loved. The art of comics is not of

Dave Gibbons is author of Watchmen and is the inaugural comics laureate, set up by Comics Literacy Awareness (CLAw). See www.claw.org.uk

drawing, it is of juxtaposing images to give the impression of time passing, location changing or interactions between people. For me, the mystery is what happens between the pictures. You can make people believe they have had an experience that moves.

I see being comics laureate as a chance to spread the word. It would be nice to think I could convert a few people who are ambivalent about or even absolutely dislike the idea of comics. I’d like to inspire kids to have a lifelong joy of reading graphic novels like some people have for reading prose. Ultimately, the more we can give kids the idea that reading is a joyful experience the better it would be.

30 REPORT | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015 WWW.ATL.ORG.UK

ILLUSTRATION: PHIL WRIGGLESWORTH

Comic book artist and writer, and newly crowned comics laureate, Dave Gibbons explains why comics and graphic novels offer the perfect route to reading

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