Independent staff tell of pay crisis

AN NEU survey of nearly 3,000 teacher and support staff members working in the independent sector has found that almost 30 per cent have been forced to take on additional paid work due to rising living costs.

Twenty-nine per cent of teachers and 27 per cent of support staff members reported taking on extra work to cover their outgoings. For teachers, this included overtime (three per cent), working as a private tutor (16 per cent) and taking on a second job (ten per cent).

Support staff members report being hardest hit, with more than half (54 per cent) reporting that the cost-of-living crisis had affected their standard of living “a lot”. More than two thirds (68 per cent) of support staff members are only paid during term time.

From September 2022 to August 2023, just two per cent of teachers and support staff working in independent schools received a pay increase that matched inflation. A quarter of staff and 21 per cent of teachers working in independent schools had their pay frozen.

NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted said: “This survey confirms the reach of the cost-of-living crisis on working people. Independent school employers need to do better by their staff.

“We call upon all members working in the independent sector to put in a collective pay claim and join the NEU independent sector pay campaign.” n Find out more at neu.org.uk/ making-pay-claim policy such as this and we hope this will act as a benchmark for others to organise around, negotiate for and improve further.” n If you are interested in organising around this issue in your workplace, email bargainingsupport@neu.org.uk

Helping boys create change

THE headlines are packed with stories about male online influencers who promote sexism and sexist attitudes to women. For educators, this poses the question about how to talk to boys and young men about the influences they see all around them.

It also raises the issue of how to address any potential negative behaviours, while ensuring that boys experiencing harassment or abuse also feel safe to seek help.

The NEU is proud to have partnered with Beyond Equality, an organisation that engages with men and boys to rethink masculinity and play their part in creating change, to produce a guide as part of the union’s It’s not OK toolkit.

n Download Working with boys and young men to prevent sexism and sexual harassment at neu.org.uk/media/26311/view

A JOINT NEU and UKLA primary reading conference took place in London on 20 May. NEU member and primary school teacher Abby Maddison reports.

I was keen to attend the conference, as reading is currently a contentious issue with controversial systematic synthetic phonics (SSP) programmes and reading framework (see pages 42-43).

NEU head of policy Ken Jones said the latest Progress in international reading literacy study (Pirls) rated the UK fourth in the world for reading ability, yet found that only 29 per cent of children enjoy reading. He discussed the policy and practice that has led to a ‘one size fits all’ education system.

Dr Wayne Tennent said many schools are under pressure to adopt unresearched approaches through SSP programmes, and emphasised that assessment affects how we teach.

Author Patrice Lawrence MBE (pictured, above left) was captivating with her inspirational life and reading story. She referred to traditional books that are very much ‘of their time’ but can provide useful talking points about how equality in society has changed. She said we need to ensure Black people in books are not just represented through events such as Windrush. Children need to see themselves reflected and represented in everyday scenarios.

The day was a brilliant balance of speakers, workshops and practical ideas. We had time to discuss ideas and connect with other members, which is so important in our profession.