TIME TO TACKLE
WORKLOAD
20/20 Moves Forward at SNCT The EIS 20/20 campaign took a significant step forward at the February SNCT meeting, when Des Morris (Teachers’ Side Joint Chair and EIS Salaries Committee Convener) submitted the Teachers’ Side’s negotiating aim of a reduction in both class sizes and class contact. Our 20/20 objective is underpinned by the EIS founding mission - the promotion of sound learning, and the benefits for both learning and teaching, which EIS members understand, were made clear. 20/20 would do more to raise standards and reduce the poverty related attainment gap than any amount of PEF funding. A reduction in excessive teacher workload is essential to improving educational outcomes for Scotland’s learners and reducing class size maxima and teaching hours maxima are critical to making a tangible difference to workload. Excessive workload undermines both the learner’s experience and the teacher’s health and wellbeing. Teachers want the best for their students but that is difficult to deliver in a system where unrelenting workload oppression saps teacher energy and morale. Value Education Value Teachers means that teachers deserve recognition not only through pay but also through the conditions of service we work under.
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The Scottish Educational Journal
In submitting our claim, the Teachers’ Side referenced OECD research that places Scottish Teachers as having the 5th highest class contact time in the world. That is a disgraceful situation for Scotland to be in and the EIS position is that this needs to change. Research has linked large class sizes to increasing levels of teacher burn-out, so if the arguments around improving attainment are insufficient, the need to address a developing crisis in teacher retention should focus the minds of politicians. Our recent survey highlighted that excessive workload remains the single biggest source of discontent and dissatisfaction amongst members. We need to tackle the root causes of workload and the time for doing this is now. Negotiations at the SNCT will be progressed but negotiation alone will not bring success. We witnessed the influence and power of an EIS campaign for a fair pay rise - the same energy and commitment will be required to achieve our 20/20 goals. To bring a real reduction in excessive workload, all our members need to rise to the campaign challenge.
Time to Really Tackle Workload
School Working Time Agreements & EIS Workload Calculator The EIS recently launched a revised online workload calculator, to be used by branches to support school Working Time Agreement (WTA) negotiations. Although the 2-week focus on use of the calculator for this purpose has now been postponed, the Calculator continues to be a useful tool to support members in tracking their own workload demands. The calculator is simple to use and can be accessed via the members’ section of the EIS website: www.eis.org.uk
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