Help a Child to Learn NEU pledges £1m to fight childhood poverty. See page 9.
Spy cops scandal “I was betrayed” – former rep demands justice. See page 32.
Meet our class act Wellbeing and the call of the wild. See page 37.
March/ April 2021
Your magazine from the National Education Union
Proud to be NEU ‘We are stronger together.’ TUC best membership communication print journal 2019
WE’LL CLOCK ON WHEN YOU CLOCK OFF It’s typical, you finish school just as others are clocking off too. Added pressures mean that you’re unable to arrange a mortgage appointment within everyday school hours. So, we’re making our mortgage appointments available at a time to suit you. Giving you the best chance of buying a home of your own. Simply go to our website and let us know your preferred day and time. We promise to do our very best to accommodate you.
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE
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Educate
Welcome
March/April 2021 Early years key practitioner, SENCo and NEU member Ruthba Amin (see pages 24-29). Photo: Kois Miah koismiah.co.uk
Help a Child to Learn NEU pledges £1m to fight childhood poverty. See page 9.
Spy cops scandal “I was betrayed” – former rep demands justice. See page 32.
Meet our class act Wellbeing and the call of the wild. See page 37.
March/ April 2021
Your magazine from the National Education Union
Proud to be NEU ‘We are stronger together.’ TUC best membership communication print journal 2019
NEU president: Robin Bevan
NEU joint general secretaries: Mary Bousted & Kevin Courtney
Editor: Max Watson Editorial assistant: Sarah Thompson
Journalists:
Sally Gillen & Emily Jenkins
Newsdesk t: 020 7380 4760 e: educate@neu.org.uk Design & subbing: Amanda Ellis
neu.org.uk facebook.com/ nationaleducationunion twitter.com/NEUnion
WELCOME to this edition of Educate – and especially to the thousands of new members who will be getting their magazine for the first time. Since we declared schools unsafe in the first week of January, our union has once again grown in strength, and we’ve come under increasing attack from the usual quarters. That’s because we’re doing the right thing, and will keep on doing it. There is a new, active spirit among our significantly increasing number of reps, who are taking action like never before – signing Section 44 letters, engaging with management about safety measures, supporting colleagues and taking our message into the community. This all makes our union infinitely stronger, and I’m very proud of that. On pages 24-29 we hear what our members are most proud of achieving in the last year. And we give voice to the activists – including former NUT rep Alison, from Police Spies Out of Lives – who are still fighting for justice having uncovered widespread abusive police infiltration into their lives (page 32). The NEU has always followed the science. We always talked about schools as vectors of transmission, which Boris Johnson has come to accept very late in the day (page 6). We want schools to open again, as soon as it’s safe and sustainable so we don’t have to go into another lockdown in the future. Reopening schools must be carefully considered, based on scientific evidence not political expediency. We do think there is a light at the end of this tunnel. At the time of writing, the vaccine rollout seems to be going well, thanks to the NHS. As we turn our minds to the future, we publish our education recovery plan (page 7). Covid has thrown a light on the damaging cuts to public services before the pandemic, especially around child poverty. Children have been trying to learn at home with no broadband, no laptops or materials. There is so much more than just catching up to concern ourselves with, which is why we are demanding action on poverty (page 9). We include all our regulars – your favourite recipe, teacher’s pet, a poem from Michael Rosen, and opinion pages from Warwick Mansell and Mary Bousted. We hope you find this a useful and empowering magazine. Thanks for everything you are doing. Kevin Courtney National Education Union Joint general secretary
To advertise contact:
Leanne Rowley, Century One Publishing, Alban Row, 27-31 Verulam Road, St Albans AL3 4DG t: 01727 739 183 e: leanne@centuryonepublishing.uk Except where the NEU has formally negotiated agreements with companies as part of its services to members, inclusion of an advertisement in Educate does not imply any form of recommendation. While every effort is made to ensure the reliability of advertisers, the NEU cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods or services offered. Educate is printed by Walstead Bicester Ltd. Inside pages are printed on paper comprised of 100% recycled, post-consumer waste.
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The rest is history
Contents
30 April 1978
Rock Against Racism held a free concert called Carnival Against the Nazis in east London’s Victoria Park. Dubbed Punk’s Woodstock, it saw The Clash playing alongside reggae artists Steel Pulse; their performances strengthened a progressive political movement and helped to smash the fascist National Front.
Regulars
Features
24
21 Michael Rosen 23 Union people 31 Polly Donnison & Warwick Mansell 38 Jon Biddle & reviews 40 Teacher’s pet & letters 44 Ask the union
PHOTO by Paul Greenwood
48 Quick & prize crosswords
News
‘We stuck together to bring about change.’
24 Proud to be NEU
Union members, including rep Emma (above), tell Educate what makes them proud to be NEU after the year we’ve just had.
6 An open and shut case
Government U-turn after 400,000 attend NEU meeting.
7 Education recovery
Safe school reopening plan launched.
p24-29
8 Exams scrapped 32 Spy cops scandal
Alison, a former NUT rep deceived into an intimate sexual relationship with an undercover spy, tells her story (below).
SATs, GCSEs and A-levels all cancelled.
9 Help a Child to Learn
£1 million for essential home learning stationery (far left).
13 Ruby’s afro hair saga
Lawyer dropped after ‘stroppy teenager of colour’ slur.
PHOTO by David Mirzoeff
15 Bigger picture
Representation Matters’ Aisha Thomas.
17 Little Ilford family
Strikers win major concessions.
50 Final word
Harriet Wistrich, Centre for Women’s Justice.
educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
5
News
STRIKES by NEU members at a free school forced significant improvements to their contract of employment. The London Design and Engineering UTC (LDE), in east London, agreed to the equivalent of Burgundy Book protections to contractual notice, and improved dismissal proceedings – including the right to an appeal. The
changes came after teacher Sharon Morgan was summarily dismissed in September, two months after she became an NEU rep and raised health and safety concerns, triggering strikes in protest (pictured above and see Educate, Jan/Feb). The LDE paid a settlement to Sharon before her case went to a tribunal hearing. PHOTO by Kois Miah
n MEMBERS at Barrow Hedges School in Sutton, south London, announced six days of strikes against childcare arrangements during the pandemic. The school is not allowing staff to work from home if their child is self-isolating, and demanding they take unpaid leave to stay at home when lockdown ends. The first day of action was due to start on 24 February.
Blindingly obvious? Not to Boris
A MASS turnout of members on a Sunday Zoom call was part of a show of strength by the NEU that saw the Government agree to close schools – just hours after they had reopened for the spring term.
More than 400,000 educators took part in the live-streamed call with joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney on 3 January, a day after the NEU executive had met to agree a strategy on the way forward. Key to the proposals was the use of Section 44 (of the Employment Rights Act 1996) letters for primary school members to send, stating they believed they were
in “serious and imminent danger” if they returned to their workplaces as normal.
Back to school… but just for one day In the face of rising cases of Covid-19 and deaths, the Government was still insisting schools were safe on Monday 4 January. By that afternoon, just hours after many schools had opened, the country saw yet another U-turn by the Prime Minister and schools were told to close immediately as he announced a national lockdown. Mary Bousted said at the time: “Noone wanted schools and colleges to be shut again, but the evidence clearly pointed to the necessity for this to happen a week ago. Why
Boris Johnson allowed such confusion and chaos to build up around school openings before making this belated, blindingly obvious decision is beyond belief.” Within days, 16,000 new members joined the NEU (23,000 by end of January), over 300 became reps (doubling to 640 by February), and Section 44 letters were sent to more than 6,000 primary schools. The NEU’s Facebook page is now the biggest in the labour movement. Kevin and Mary said they were “tremendously proud” of all the work done to achieve what is seen as a turning point in the union’s history. facebook.com/nationaleducationunion
A battle on two fronts: early years struggle with funding and Covid TEACHERS in early years settings have been juggling the demands of keeping themselves and pupils safe, as well as the pressures of funding during and after the pandemic. The Government insisted that nursery schools remain open despite the closure of primary and secondary schools and rising cases of Covid-19 in the sector during January. At the same time it continued with the 6
census on which future funding is based. Educators feared the lower numbers of children attending would mean a reduced financial settlement. At the last minute, the Department for Education revised its approach and asked for providers to complete the census based on the number of children registered rather than the number actually in attendance.
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Cath Earley, head teacher of a maintained nursery school in Sefton, Merseyside, said: “If I made last-minute decisions in running my school like this Government repeatedly does, I would be sacked.” n neu.org.uk/keep-early-years-safe-and-funded n Birth to 5 Matters has been drawn up by the Early Years Coalition, of which the NEU is a member. Visit birthto5matters.org.uk
Reps at the ready
A Zoom call immediately after the executive meeting on 2 January was joined by 4,500 reps and branch secretaries.
‘Be proud of what you have achieved so far’ UNION reps have been organising to make working arrangements in the special needs sector safe during the coronavirus lockdowns. Constructive discussions have also taken place with management in many pupil referral units and providers of alternative provision,which have resulted in keeping student numbers down and staff and pupils protected. Members have raised issues such as the numbers of vulnerable children attending classes, use of rotas and protection of clinically
vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable (CV and CEV) staff. Mehreen Begg is a rep at a special school in Croydon, south London, which closed for the first week of January so that plans could be established. She said that by involving the local public health board, a cap on the number of students per class has been introduced. Individual risk assessments for all pupils and for CV and CEV staff have also been put in place. A Zoom meeting held for the sector in January by NEU joint general secretaries Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney (see page 6) had given many members the confidence to
invoke Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, which protects employees from having to work in an unsafe environment. Holly Tea, NEU rep at Denewood and Unity Academies for permanently excluded children in Nottingham, said: “Success comes from having open conversations within your institutions, continual review of risk assessments and by the whole school’s voice being heard. “Don’t lose hope nor sight. Be proud of what you have achieved so far and don’t be afraid to speak up.” n Visit neu.org.uk/coronavirus-and-send
Vaccine success EIGHT special school heads in Bradford successfully campaigned for their staff to be prioritised for the Covid-19 vaccination. The group wrote to the council’s director of children’s services, citing the NEU’s analysis of Office for National Statistics data on infection rates showing special school staff are four times more exposed to the virus. Head teacher at Southfield School Dominic Wall told the NEU Leadership conference: “As special school leaders, we are dealing with the most vulnerable children, where we are seeing deaths and hospitalisations of children with Covid.”
ILLUSTRATION by Tim Sanders
NEU launches education recovery plan THE NEU launched an education recovery plan to reopen schools and colleges – and to keep them open – in a safe and sustainable way. Rooted in members’ professional experience and expertise, and focusing closely on the science around Covid-19, the comprehensive plan outlines the challenges the education system must overcome to achieve a safe reopening of schools. Tired of last-minute guidance Mary Bousted, NEU joint general secretary, said: “Unions, school
leaders, teachers and staff are tired of last-minute guidance and U-turns. Families, also, have been stung once too often by false hope. “Government must now initiate structured talks with education unions, based upon all available evidence, about how a phased return is best managed, irrespective of whether that is on 8 March or not. “School leaders can then begin making arrangements, confident that their time is not being wasted and that there is real potential for long-term solutions. “The NEU would enter such talks with a determination to make our recovery plan a reality, benefiting staff and pupils alike.” n Read the plan in full at neu.org.uk/ recovery-plan
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News Teacher assessment in Wales STUDENTS in Wales will have GCSE and A-level grades assessed by their teachers, based on the work they have completed on their courses. Education Minister Kirsty Williams said the proposals “put trust in teachers’ and lecturers’ knowledge of their learners’ work, as well as their commitment to prioritise teaching and learning in the time available to support learners’ progression”. Her announcement in January was welcomed by NEU Cymru as giving students and staff more certainty. NEU Wales executive members Mairead Canavan, Hannah O’Neill and Neil Foden said: “The last ten months have been incredibly challenging for everyone in education. This is an opportunity now for the system to put trust in teachers and lecturers. “We are always concerned that exams do not fully reflect the potential of young people in the system, and are especially pleased that there are no plans to use an unfair algorithm this year.”
NEU remote learning resources THE NEU has launched two online resources to support remote learning. The Remote Education Hub, launched when schools were closed in January, includes a resource-sharing social network, where members can showcase practice, ask questions and share ideas. Information and tips on pedagogical approaches to effective remote learning are also on the hub, as well as guidance on managing workload and safety. A microsite for parents, created during the first national lockdown, has been relaunched. Learning Under Lockdown is packed with resources and guidance, and sets out expectations around remote learning, advice on school safety and other issues, and fun and educational activities. The NEU is encouraging members to share the site with parents. n neu.org.uk/rehubneu n learningunderlockdown.org.uk
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Primary tests cancelled CANCELLING this year’s SATs frees up primary schools to develop a rich and engaging curriculum, general secretary Mary Bousted has said. Celebrating the announcement that the tests will not go ahead, Mary said: “Pupils are going to need long-term support for their learning. A curriculum driven by tests was never the way to do this. With the pressures of SATs lifted, schools will have some space to address the urgent issues of educational recovery.” She added that teachers and parents would be relieved that Education Secretary Gavin Williamson had “faced up to reality” by scrapping this year’s tests. The NEU also believes that SATs will not be appropriate in the next academic year because children have faced huge disruption to their education. Times table testing is optional this year, and phonics testing has also been cancelled in
“Schools will have space to address the urgent issues of educational recovery.” Mary Bousted the summer, although last year the test was put back to autumn. The NEU has been campaigning with More Than A Score (pictured above) against high-stakes testing of children in primaries, which has led to a narrowing of the curriculum. Visit morethanascore.org.uk
No exams, but still no clarity on alternative AS Educate went to press, England’s Education Secretary Gavin Williamson was expected to confirm how GCSE and A-level students will be assessed and awarded grades this summer, following the decision to cancel exams. After last summer’s fiasco, the Department for Education and regulator Ofqual launched a joint consultation on alternatives to exams this year. The consultation, which ran from 15-29 January, received more than 100,000 responses. The NEU warned in its response to the consultation that advice and guidance on issues including unconscious bias was essential. Schools and colleges must be supported to ensure that no student faces discrimination. The union also expressed concern about the implications of the proposals for workload, which has already soared as a result of the pandemic. n See page 11
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Our ten-point plan for PPE Back to school with our heads held high. See page 6.
The refuseniks WWI teachers who obeyed their consciences. See page 22.
Bob Marley stirs it up When the reggae legend played for Peckham pupils. See page 26.
September/ October 2020
Your magazine from the National Education Union
Exams fiasco
Fair grades for 2021
TUC best membership communication print journal 2019
NUS president Larissa Kennedy protesting outside the DfE following last year’s exams
Sign and share Help a Child to Learn petition
The NEU is calling on Government to take immediate action. Sign the petition at helpachildtolearn.com
mirror.co.uk
NEU launches Help a ChildIan HylanD’s to Learn hilarious new campaign with £1m donation TV column the heart of britain Friday, February 5, 2021
90p
SEE PAGE 23
THE union has launched a national appeal to provide essential materials for children learning from home and has kickstarted the campaign with a £1 million donation.
Help a Child to Learn, launched by the NEU, the Daily Mirror and stationery supplier Viking, plans to raise money to supply learning materials such as pens, paper, card and crayons for pupils who do not have these remote learning essentials at home. More than four million children are growing up trapped in poverty – an average of nine children in every class of 30. The pandemic has shone a glaring light on the struggles families face, with many more being pushed into hardship in the last year through job losses, illness and changing circumstances.
Delivery of hope First batch of supplies arrives at school as part of our million pound campaign to help children learn in lockdown... and the smiles say it all
WRiTE STUFF Frankie Brogden, Bradie Adu-Yeboah and Che’nai Quatromini in East london school Picture: Tim merry
Help a child
by MATThEW YOUnG
pupils receive the first delivery of basics in our home learning campaign. And the kids at Cubitt Town Junior School in East London look delighted. One grateful mum said: “It’s really hard at home... we just don’t have enough to go around. We’re really thankful for it.” FULL STORY: PAGES 4&5
‘55% have seen an increase in poverty’ In a survey conducted by the NEU, 55 per cent of members said they had seen an increase in child poverty at their school or college since March 2020, the start of the first lockdown. Speaking at the campaign launch, NEU member Sarah Kilpatrick explained some of the daily challenges her students are facing: “As an art teacher I have found myself searching my kitchen cupboards to figure out what I can successfully repurpose as paint. “Yesterday I uploaded a video tutorial for
my GCSE students explaining how to make a PVA glue substitute out of flour and water. I also demonstrated how to use coffee as paint, cotton buds as a paintbrush and the inside of cereal boxes as a substitute for cartridge paper.” NEU joint general secretaries Kevin Courtney and Mary Bousted said: “School leaders, teachers and support staff are doing everything they can to support students, but our members can only do so much, individually. That is why we have launched Help a Child to
No Child Left Behind – our five demands As Educate went to press, Government had refused to extend free school meals provision over the February half-term – despite record levels of child poverty nationwide. The NEU has pledged to continue fighting to ensure no child is too hungry to learn. Thanks to NEU pressure the Government pledged £1.3 million for laptops and free access to Wi-Fi to help students access remote learning. However, rollout has been slow.
(Right) Information from a recent NEU survey of members
Daily Mirror front page from 5 February, when the first delivery of stationery was made to Cubitt Town Junior School pupils in east London, just days after the NEU’s Help a Child to Learn campaign was launched. A recent NEU survey showed that a shocking 95 per cent of members were teaching students who had limited or no access to learning resources at home.
Learn, to get funds into schools to help them continue to sustain learning from home with the practical resources that children need.” n Intent on quickly getting resources to those who need it most, £755,000 of the NEU’s £1m donation has already been distributed to 782 schools, as Educate went to press. The campaign has been praised by education groups, politicians and celebrities – including children’s author Sir Michael Morpurgo – with an additional £185,000 so far raised through public donations.
1 2 3 4 5
Expanded eligibility for free school meals for every child on Universal Credit Free school meals expanded year-round to end holiday hunger Affordable school uniforms Free Wi-Fi access for disadvantaged pupils at home A dedicated technology budget for schools to combat the digital divide
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IS RETIREMENT ON THE HORIZON? If so, after a career in education, you will have plenty to look forward to and to plan for. You certainly don’t want to spend your well-deserved retirement worrying about your finances – that’s where Lighthouse Financial Advice, endorsed provider of NEU, can help. • You are entitled to a complimentary financial review, and the good news is that we understand how your pension works. We’ll also be able to discuss: • Whether your pension will pay for the lifestyle you expect and ways you may be able to increase your income • Tax considerations – including your tax-free lump sum • Planning for later life – including paying for long-term care and passing on more to your loved ones.
Call 08000 85 85 90 or email appointments@lighthousefa.co.uk now and book your complimentary, no obligation initial consultation with one of our professional financial advisers. Please quote this code NEUAd2102 either in your email or notify a member of our team over the phone. We can help you with all aspects of your retirement planning, to successfully secure your financial future.
Lighthouse Financial Advice Limited is an appointed representative of Lighthouse Advisory Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
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Opinion
Another year, another epic fail NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted
fails Gavin Williamson for not preparing a plan B for secondary school assessments.
A SECONDARY teacher recently contacted me after marking her year 11 mock exams. This is what she wrote: “I’ve never known so many students just write absolutely nothing on the exam paper. This year 11 have been so badly affected and I think a lot of them are totally switched off from education at the moment. “If I’m going to be asked to give a teacher-assessed grade, I really will be making numbers up that will mean absolutely nothing at all. They’re all way below what I’d normally expect from year 11 at this stage. “If we expect them to cram and catch up at some point between now and the summer, not only will we be perpetuating the idea that education is all about rote learning, but we’ll have an even worse mental health crisis on our hands than we’ve already got.” Williamson ignored joint union advice This is just one of many similar emails I have received from members. Given last summer’s abject failure to manage the awarding process for GCSE, A-level and vocational courses, it beggars belief that this has been repeated again this year. Had Gavin Williamson followed the joint union advice given to him in September he would have a plan B ready to hand – in the form of clear, well worked out proposals. But in the absence of any clear plan, Ofqual is, as I write (in February), working through 100,000 responses to its consultation on what forms of assessment should replace exams. There are no good options this late in the day. Gavin Williamson has pledged that this year there will be no ‘mutant algorithm’. Teacher judgement, he said in the House of Commons, will be the basis on which grades are awarded. But just what are teachers judging? That is the question. This year’s cohort of GCSE and A-level pupils, and those taking vocational
PHOTO by Rich Vintage
“Teachers take very seriously their responsibility to be fair to pupils.” qualifications, have had a hugely disrupted period of learning. Real anxiety for teachers over fair grades The question of what evidence teachers will use to allocate individual grades to pupils is a serious one. Many teachers have told me that they feel this is a huge problem which is causing them real stress and anxiety – because teachers take very seriously their responsibility to be fair to pupils. It goes to the very heart of their ethical and professional concerns. Then there is the question of what is being graded. Are teachers going to be asked to award grades on the current standards achieved by their pupils? The majority of
them will not have made the progress which could have been expected if their education had not been so disrupted. If grades are awarded on this basis, then this cohort of pupils will be artificially depressed and will not gain the qualifications needed for further study, so this option is unlikely. Are teachers going to be required to grade pupils according to their estimation of pupils’ potential? This is an option which raises huge ethical and moral issues – because potential is a very abstract and difficult concept, and open to unconscious cultural and class bias. Teachers, like everybody else, cannot be completely immune from such bias despite their clear desire to be fair to all their pupils. Until there are clear answers to these fundamental questions, there has to be huge concern about this year’s grade awarding process. Until teachers know on what basis they will be required to generate grades for qualifications, they are whistling in the dark. Gavin Williamson should be ashamed that his incompetence has, for the second year running, left teachers to pick up the pieces.
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News Strike at Shrewsbury MEMBERS at Shrewsbury Colleges Group are to go on strike against the victimisation of NEU rep John Boken. NEU members held a protest at the college in December, and were joined by members of sister unions the FBU and Unison, and the local Trades Council. In their dispute over institutionalised bullying, 95 per cent of members at the college voted yes to strike action. John was charged with gross misconduct after raising concerns about bullying and racism in his department. The first day of strike action takes place on 24 February. Email messages of support to jean.evanson@ neu.org.uk
Help grow the NEU THE most common reason for not joining a union is never being asked. So please chat to potential new members whenever you can and ask them to join. Visit neu.org. uk/join-now
New member rewards THE NEU’s contract with member rewards provider Edenred will end on 31 March. The union is seeking a different type of rewards programme, so look out for offers at neu.org.uk/neumember-benefits Members with pre-paid Edenred cards will be able to use any remaining balance after 31 March, but it will not be possible to add more funds. Expiry dates of prepaid cards are on the cards. The Edenred helpdesk will be available to members after 31 March if they have any difficulty using an existing pre-paid card. Call 0800 247 1233 or email helpdesk-UKVBR@edenred.com 12
PHYSIOTHERAPIST Lorna Taylor is being approached by increasing numbers of educators struggling at home, working in cramped and inappropriate spaces, resulting in problems such as backache and poor mental health. Lorna has seen examples of workspaces tucked into tiny corners of rooms, an ironing board used to balance two laptops (pictured right) and another of a whiteboard perched on the back of a sofa with a tiny table used as a desk. “We know home schooling is really tough for parents but there are not many stories about the effects on teachers,” she said.
The NEU says employers have a duty to undertake risk assessments including when working from home.
n Visit neu.org.uk/advice/ coronavirus-safe-homebased-working and neu.org.uk/ advice/computer-safety
Landmark verdict: high levels of air pollution played part in girl’s death A CORONER has ruled that dangerous levels of air pollution “made a material contribution” to the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah. Coroner Philip Barlow concluded a two-week inquest at Southwark Coroners Court, delivering the landmark verdict on 16 December that Ella died of asthma, “contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution”. Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, ex-teacher and NEU member of 15 years, had spent the last seven years campaigning for air pollution to be listed as a factor in her daughter’s death (see Educate, Jan/Feb 2021 and Nov/Dec 2019). The groundbreaking inquest decision is the first time air pollution has been listed as a cause in a UK death. NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted said: “The result of the inquest highlights that the polluted air we breathe can, and
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Rosamund Kissi-Debrah
does, kill and that children are particularly vulnerable. “The Government must act to clean our air and ensure that no one else has to face the heartbreak suffered by Ella’s family.” Nine-year-old Ella died in 2013 after suddenly developing acute asthma which lead to repeated hospitalisations. Although an inquest in 2014 ruled that Ella died of respiratory failure, that decision was overturned after evidence came
to light that her asthma attacks coincided with unlawful levels of pollution near her home in Lewisham. The family live just 25 metres from the busy South Circular Road in London. As part of her continuing campaign to improve air quality, Rosamund is calling on people to write to their local MP to ensure the new Environment Bill includes enforceable air quality limits to protect the health of local children and adults. The longawaited bill was due in January, but has been postponed for at least six months.
Resources
n Email your MP
appgairpollution.org
n Ella Roberta Family Foundation, raising awareness of childhood asthma ellaroberta.org n NEU clean air guidance neu.org.uk/air-pollution
3,000 sign petition defending NEU rep
Greenwich rep Kirstie Paton is facing disciplinary charges for raising health and safety concerns at her school. Sign at bit.ly/2LV5Zbu
Supply educators get NEU subs holiday MEMBERS in financial difficulty are being offered a subscriptions ‘holiday’ by the union. The NEU executive agreed in January to offer the payment break to all those in receipt of grants from the Hardship Fund. This follows a similar response during the first lockdown last year when more than 800 members – mainly supply teachers and agency workers – had their subs suspended for four months from April. The length of the benefit this year will depend on the full reopening of schools and colleges, and will end on 31 August at the latest. Many agencies refusing to pay furlough Katherine Green, supply teacher officer for Kirklees, Yorkshire, told Educate many members were struggling financially during the current lockdown with the loss of longterm arrangements and day-to-day work. She said many agencies were refusing
“Supply members are struggling with the loss of long-term arrangements and day-to-day work.” Katherine Green (left) to furlough supply staff, “leaving them in a dire situation”. “Receiving a subscription payment holiday will provide supply members with the security and support of the union without having to choose between paying their bills and subscription fees,” she said. To request the subs holiday, email the
NEU membership and subscriptions team at membership@neu.org.uk The union will accept membership applications from educators who are experiencing similar financial problems and they will be entitled to the subs break as long as they set up a direct debit for the following membership year starting in September.
Barrister expelled after Ruby Williams racist trope
Ruby, aged 14 in 2016, the first time she was sent home from school because of her natural hair
A BARRISTER has been expelled from his chambers for calling a pupil who won a hair discrimination case against her school a “stroppy teenager of colour” on social media. Ruby Williams was repeatedly sent home from her school because of her afro hair between the ages of 14 to 16 (see Educate, Jan/Feb 2021). Ruby’s family was successful in using the Equalities Act 2010 with the support of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in a legal case against the school. On 17 January, barrister Jon Holbrook attacked Ruby on Twitter when he shared a video from the EHRC about Ruby’s case, commenting: “The Equality Act undermines school discipline by
Advice for Roma after Brexit EASTERN European Roma families may need to take steps to ensure they remain lawfully resident in the UK following Brexit. The NEU has collated information for teachers with Roma children in their schools advising them how they can support families to ensure they have the right to remain in the country. The EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
empowering the stroppy teenager of colour.” The tweet was widely condemned and Holbrook was subsequently expelled from his chambers by his employers, Cornerstone Barristers. Ruby’s mother, Kate, told Educate: “This incident has brought back many painful memories. But we are resolved to use this platform to make sure that all schools eradicate this form of policing children with afro hair.” Ruby, who is now 19 and studying at Manchester University, released a statement on Twitter, saying: “If standing up for my right to have the same uniform policy as everyone else in the school makes me a ‘stroppy teenager’ then I am proud to be one.”
requires all non-British and non-Irish EU citizens to register to continue to live and work in the UK by 30 June. Visit neu.org.uk/media/13661
Remembering Black pioneers THE union is planning to mark 30 years of the Black Educators’ Conference this year, including the creation of an archive of pioneering Black teachers.
It will feature women such as Yvonne Conolly, the first Black woman head teacher in the UK, and Beryl Gilroy, who also became a head teacher. Yvonne, who was made a CBE last year, died aged 81 at the end of January, when many paid tribute to her courage and inspiration. Beryl died in 2001. Email suggestions of Black education pioneers to equality@neu.org.uk
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News Union launches new teaching packs for KS1 and 2 THE NEU has launched Our Histories, a pack aimed at key stages 1 and 2, containing information and teaching ideas for five global equality and cultural events: Martin Luther King Day, Holocaust Memorial Day, Chinese New Year, Black History Month and LGBT+ History Month. It was developed before the recent closure of schools, so some ideas may need to be adapted for remote learning. It is not intended to include everything, but there are links to further resources and information. n Visit neu.org.uk/equality to download the teaching pack.
SRtRC course accredited by CPD Certification Service SHOW Racism the Red Card’s (SRtRC) hugely successful online school training course, Promoting Equality and Tackling Racism in Schools, has been officially accredited by The CPD Certification Service. Almost 3,000 educators have taken part in the course, created from 25 years of experience helping anyone who works in an educational setting to overcome the barriers to anti-racism education in the classroom. The course covers four main areas: n understanding what racism is n equipping educators with the tools they need to respond to racist incidents around them n greater understanding of appropriate terminology n the need for a culturally affirming school ethos. SRtRC is the UK’s largest anti-racism educational charity. Visit theredcard.org 14
Be seen, be heard, be included IN 2020, race and racism were highlighted by the pandemic and events in the US and UK. The NEU began a rollout of the antiracist framework for schools and published its decolonising education conference report. Organisers and members in nearly all regions held online events and training sessions around the framework and decolonisation of the curriculum. Many others designed sessions highlighting different aspects of race and racism. Next generation of Black leaders London region NEU ran a Black female educators in leadership course last term, led by Aisha Thomas, assistant principal at a Bristol school and director of Representation Matters (see page 15, opposite). It covered a range of topics, including the Black experience; understanding union structures; how to get involved; and going for a promotion. Aisha said: “The course was an amazing opportunity for Black women to share in the richness of their experiences, yet at the same time learn new skills. Here at Representation Matters, we believe that until society represents everyone, the question will always be, do I belong? This course provided the opportunity to be seen, heard and included.” Opportunity to express trauma Often discussions about anti-racist practice focus on ensuring that institutions and educators who lack knowledge or experience get the support, training and information they need. While this is important, we must not neglect those who live with the weight of racism every day. The killing of George Floyd in America last year and the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK has been very triggering for Black communities, so it is important that initiatives are set up for those who need an opportunity to express their trauma, in a professional and practical way. We need to see celebration and encouragement. One attendee said: “Thanks ever so much for orchestrating, leading and guiding us in developing our leadership skills and empowering us for our future endeavours.”
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Aisha (left) and Sharon
PHOTO by Kois Miah
“Until society represents everyone, the question will always be, do I belong?” Aisha Thomas Feima Sannoh, course facilitator and NEU regional officer, said: “It has been really rewarding to engage with reps on this course. It was interesting to hear about their various professional backgrounds, their experience as reps, the challenges that they face in the workplace and their goals for the future. “The reps felt they were in a safe space and were empowered.” Sharon Anderson, senior regional officer, London
Bigger picture
ASSISTANT principal Aisha Thomas is founder of Representation Matters, an organisation aiming to challenge inequality and the lack of representation in the education system. She recently ran a course at the NEU for Black female educators in leadership (see page 14). Aisha said: “This year saw a global pandemic that stole lives, hopes and dreams, yet the union used its power to fight for all educators, while acknowledging the disproportionate effect it was having on Black members. “The pain was exacerbated by the death of George Floyd. The trauma of my everyday experience was everywhere. The world could see what I had been screaming for years. This time has not been easy for any of us. But being a member of a union that acknowledges there is more to do, while taking a stand to make change, provides hope in a moment of educational darkness.” repmatters.co.uk #RepresentationMatters Photo by Rosie Parsons
Academy news
Parents ‘kept in the dark’ back strikers MEMBERS at a primary school in Northampton held two days of strike action in January against plans to academise. NEU members at Sywell Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School were on strike for two days, with active support from parents. Their Hands Off Sywell School group has also been protesting against the takeover and lobbying governors and the chief executive. Patrick Markey, secretary of Northampton District NEU, said: “Staff at Sywell have been delighted by the strong support of parents. Parents know that once the school is forced to become an academy there is no going back as under the law they could never become a community school again. The NEU shares their concerns.” Staff were due to strike last year against
Parents took part in a ‘beep’ protest outside school
the takeover by Peterborough Diocese Education Trust (PDET) but suspended their action in order to ensure key workers and vulnerable children could attend the school during the first coronavirus lockdown. Parents presented a petition with more
than 850 signatures and held a socially distant ‘beep’ protest outside the school, urging chair of governors Darren Parnell and Duncan Mills, the chief executive of PDET, to listen to the staff and local community. NEU members say PDET has reneged on a public promise to halt the academisation if the community opposed it and is pushing forward despite the pandemic. One parent explained: “I feel really let down. I have two children at the school and don’t know who the governors represent. Myself and several other parents have written to the governors and had no response. They’ve kept parents in the dark.” Due to Covid restrictions and union guidance, members decided not to picket and the school remained opened to vulnerable children and those of key workers.
Sign the petition at chng.it/VsBPXyPK
Council pushes for academisation despite lockdown MEMBERS are to be balloted on industrial action after governors at two schools facing academisation refused to halt consultation during the lockdown. The governing bodies were imposed at Peacehaven Heights and Telscombe Cliffs primary schools in East Sussex after the original governors were sacked when they would not let an academy trust take over the schools in 2019. The NEU wrote to the existing governors asking them to postpone consultation on academisation because parents and staff were unable to hold physical meetings and discussions about the proposals under existing Covid restrictions. The request was rejected at the end of January and earlier indicative ballots of members showed support to move to industrial action to prevent the schools being handed over. The date for a formal ballot had not been confirmed as Educate went to press. Phil Clarke, NEU joint branch secretary, said local people were being treated with contempt by East Sussex County Council which imposed the governing bodies. Repeating the request to postpone consultation until the pandemic is over, he said: “To press ahead with a consultation when parents can’t even meet in person and discuss the merits is inexcusable. 16
NEU members striking against academisation at Peacehaven Heights in 2019 – they won then, but are being forced to ballot all over again
“Our members never strike unless it is a last resort and were very keen to do all they could to avoid a strike when the children’s education is already so disrupted.” n GWYNEDD County Council in north Wales has also refused to postpone consultation on the future of a village school until after the pandemic.
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Ysgol Abersoch, which has just ten pupils, faces closure as a cost-saving move but parents and governors opposed the proposals and requested postponement of the consultation during coronavirus lockdown restrictions. The only concession from the council was to extend the consultation period for a week – it closed on 23 February.
North Huddersfield Trust School rep still fighting
Louise Lewis continues to fight against her suspension for raising issues on Covid safety (see Educate, Jan/Feb 2021). Sign at bit.ly/3deT0fX
Major concessions after Little Ilford strikes MEMBERS at Little Ilford School have won a major concession from Newham Council as a result of their industrial action. Staff held eight days of strike action in November and December against plans to expand the east London school, which would see pupil numbers increasing from 1,470 to 1,800 (see Educate, Jan/Feb 2021). NEU London regional officer Michael Gavan told Educate: “Newham Council has now committed to spending an extra £750,000 to increase classroom sizes in the new building and each classroom will be at least 51 square metres – up from 47.” However, management was holding out on providing adequate staffing for the extra students, added Michael. He said: “Our members won’t accept this brush-off and I am sure they will want to carry on industrial action until management relents.” n See union people, page 23
Staff on the picket line at Little Ilford School in east London
PHOTO by Kois Miah
‘Return school to LA control’ DfE fails ethical MILTON Keynes Council is demanding a school is returned to local authority (LA) control after the academy trust that took it over was barred from running it. Griffin Schools Trust was described as having “overseen the decline” of Stantonbury International Academy since it took it over more than four years ago. The Department for Education (DfE) sent a termination notice to the trust in December ending its funding arrangement for the school. A new sponsor is being sought for Stantonbury, but Milton Keynes Council’s cabinet member for children’s services Zoe Nolan says the school must be returned to LA control. “We demand the school is returned to local control so we can rebuild trust and standards. We want Stantonbury back as a locally run school,” she said. DfE guidance says there is no “mechanism” for an academy to return to LA control but Cllr Nolan says this should change. “Why should it be one-way traffic? For them to totally disregard the LA doesn’t make any sense, it’s just pure dogma.”
“For them to totally disregard the LA doesn’t make any sense, it’s pure dogma.” Cllr Zoe Nolan The school was found to be Inadequate in January 2020 and schools minister Elizabeth Berridge wrote that the progress made by pupils had remained well below the national average for the last three years. Ofsted inspectors had noted that many children did not feel safe in the school and inspectors had found a high level of poor behaviour. n The trust was the latest of five academies and trusts issued with DfE termination notices in the year up to 31 January. Fourteen warnings of the termination of funding agreements were sent in the same period, as well as nine pre-warning or ‘minded-toterminate’ notices.
leadership test
A POLL of NEU Leadership members at their conference, held last month, found all believed the Department for Education (DfE) had not led ethically in the past year. Nearly a quarter (24 per cent) said the DfE was mostly guilty of a lack of honesty. The snapshot survey was undertaken by NEU president and secondary head teacher Robin Bevan (pictured above), ahead of the launch of the NEU’s Code of Ethical Leadership Practice. Robin said: “The purpose of the code is to help leaders reflect on their own conduct. It also exists to help all of us review how we are working in our schools and colleges. “We’ve been operating in an environment where, in some instances, decision-making at a national level has been of a very temporary and lurching kind. We go from one day to the next not knowing what we’re going to be expected to do, what’s going to change.”
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Feature Interview
TBS: pushing the boundaries of sex discrimination and low pay THE Teachers Building Society (TBS) played its part in fighting the sex discrimination and low pay which prevented teachers getting a foot on the housing ladder. Head of marketing David Leek tells Educate about TBS’ pioneering and continuing work for all education staff. Exam results last year were awarded using an algorithm, applying a standardised approach that resulted in good candidates being discriminated against. Mortgage lending is similar to education in that regard. Using technology to score applicants against a set of standard criteria can leave people outside the ‘tick box’ and facing rejection. In the 1960s and 1970s single women and men in relatively low-paying jobs such as teaching were the predominant victims of the financial tick box. Many male primary school teachers earned so little that their own children qualified for free school meals. For women, it was even harder. They needed male permission to even open a bank account. Equal access to mortgage lending Formed in 1966, the Teachers Building Society was set up to help solve this problem. It firmly believed that any young teacher who wanted to buy a home should be able to achieve that dream, regardless of sex. Equality of lending became a founding principle, documented in early policy papers and putting TBS ahead of its time – treating men and women equally for goods and services wasn’t a legal requirement until the Sex Discrimination Act was passed in 1975 (see box). By that time TBS had been lending to single women for a decade. Its pioneering work against sex discrimination was a key reason Julie Nicholson, chair of the TBS board, joined. “Its historical role in pushing boundaries for teachers, regardless of gender, was an important factor for me in agreeing to join the board of directors,” she said. “Teachers continue to face unprecedented challenges in the way they work, making the small part TBS plays in supporting them, by 18
A march by parents and children on County Hall, London, in January 1970, demanding better pay for teachers
“Ensuring teachers have a home to recharge in at the end of the day.” ensuring they have a home to recharge in at the end of the day, as important now as ever.” ‘Human’ decisions on borrowing Being employed in education today is no longer a hurdle to borrowing, but other obstacles can make it difficult: having a smaller deposit, not enough employment history, approaching retirement age, having a minor credit blip – the list is surprisingly long. Just as teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils’ personal abilities better than any algorithm, TBS also takes a more individual approach, understanding borrowers’ financial strengths. Its expert underwriters make ‘human’ decisions for its borrowers, many of whom are teachers.
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TBS’ work doesn’t end with mortgages. Building societies work on the basis of using collective savings deposits to support lending. Education staff who save with TBS are helping others step on to the property ladder. As education staff continue to support our children learning at home, TBS is right where it’s always been: assessing each customer individually; not locking down on lending; helping NQTs without months of payslips and any educator who only has a small deposit; and encouraging those who can to save.
Sex Discrimination Act 1975 “An Act to render unlawful certain kinds of sex discrimination and discrimination on the grounds of marriage, and establish a Commission with the function of working towards the elimination of such discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity between men and women generally; and for related purposes.” These provisions are now part of the Equality Act 2010
World-famous Royal Institution lectures
The Christmas Lectures have been running since 1825.
Watch the 2020 lectures at rigb.org/christmas-lectures/watch
Ri shares our passion for learning IN this year’s Royal Institution (Ri) Christmas Lectures, three expert scientists presented a ‘user’s guide’ to Planet Earth. They unravelled the mysteries of the astonishing global systems and remarkable natural wonders which combine to support life on Earth, and explored how human activity has disrupted the finely tuned systems which have kept our planet running smoothly for billions of years. Our inspiring speakers left the young audience with an understanding of both the science behind climate change, and the science behind the ways that we can all help in the race to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. As a former science teacher and school leader it was a delight for me to oversee the production of the 2020 lectures. This year, more than ever, we wanted to demonstrate that science involves a process of discovery and experimentation, and that we should all be engaged in influencing how it is used. At the Ri we work closely with schools across the country, bringing the joy and excitement of discovery in science and maths to children of all ages through masterclasses, science shows, hands-on activities and teachers’ CPD.
Professor Chris Jackson (with fellow scientists Helen Czerski and Tara Shine) was the first Black scientist to deliver a Christmas Lecture in their near 200-year history PHOTO by Paul Wilkinson and John Allen
In January 2020 senior members of the Ri and the NEU formed a steering committee to oversee a groundbreaking partnership agreement, signed by the NEU joint general secretaries and the director and chair of the Ri. Our plans for collaboration have been
somewhat delayed by Covid-19, but we look forward to resuming discussions based on our shared passion for critical thinking and exploration in learning, and our belief in the importance of education for all.
Lucinda Hunt, director of the Royal Institution
Free SEND webinars for NEU members NEU members have exclusive access to our national CPD programme, including a week of webinars exploring special educational needs and disability (SEND) from 8-12 March. All webinars will be recorded and available for seven days. SEMH as SEND Understand what social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) means in the classroom and develop practical strategies to support SEMH needs. 8 March from 3.45-5pm Effective deployment of support staff, including interventions The principles behind effective deployment of support staff, and how to use interventions effectively so that progress is accelerated with minimal
time away from the classroom. 9 March from 3.45-5pm Identifying and supporting SEND in the context of early years reforms Explore how to simultaneously support the areas of need while developing a deeper understanding of the child and their learning characteristics. 10 March from 11am-12.30pm Selective mutism An introduction to selective mutism. Explore approaches that work when dealing with selective mutism and discover where you can get help. 10 March from 3.45-5pm The curious case of ADHD Looking at attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), this webinar will consider a range of techniques and strategies to help children and young people with learning, behaviour and socialisation issues. 11 March from 3.45-5pm Playing, learning and interacting in SEND Explore the importance of taking a play-rich approach in SEND support. Learn about the benefits of play for children with SEND and consider the adult’s role in teaching play skills. 12 March from 11am-12.30pm n Limited places are allocated on a first come first served basis. Register at neu.org.uk/cpd @NEU_CPD
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September Way back in September when the weather was sunny and bright, we thought it would be fairly easy for the Government to get it right.
Yet it seems to have been impossible to solve a problem quite so mighty or they would have made really sure that ALL pupils had the right IT.
Surely they could easily predict without being clever or wise that schools would have to close as Covid infections would rise?
It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that they were indeed aware but as they didn’t do the job they’re a Government that doesn’t care.
So would they be able to deduce that pupils would spend more hours having to study at home? Was that beyond the Government’s powers?
Words by Michael Rosen Illustration by Dan Berry
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News ‘Triumphant’ online LGBT+ conference LGBT+ conference has always been a source of inspiration, connection and, above all else, liberation. Without the time, space and facilities to meet face-to-face with members from across the regions and nations, our activists kept the same momentum for change. Our very first entirely online conference was a triumph and allowed hundreds of educators to develop and champion the necessary work done by the union. It was an inclusive source of hope for queer educators in one of the worst years we have ever seen. Conference virtual spaces were named in tribute to present leaders of the movement Annette Pryce and Chay Brown, and the sorely missed Manoj Natha-Hansen and Tony Fenwick. Workshops and discussions included: n an international plenary to share diverse pedagogical work from across Europe and the US n the trans and non-binary network to enable inclusion for all n intersectional workshop led by Kuchenga with the Black educators and northern network to empower educators to make real immediate change to dismantle oppression. The motion debates championed the ongoing fight for the rights of our trans and non-binary members and students. It was an honour to support and after that Saturday I walked a little taller. After all: “If you’re not at the table then you’re on the menu.” Victoria Cleary-Symonds
Victoria Cleary-Symonds
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Pay rise for sixth form teachers
NEU sixth form college strikers assembled in Parliament Square in February last year
SIXTH FORM teachers have been offered a 3.25 per cent pay rise from May. The NEU executive is recommending members accept the offer, which will close the gap between sixth form and school teachers’ pay. Most teachers in sixth forms are employed on point 9 and will earn £128 more than those on U3 in schools.
PHOTO by Jess Hurd
In further education (FE) colleges, unions have rejected a one per cent increase for 2020/21 put forward by the Association of Colleges (AoC), arguing it will anger staff who are already paid significantly less than their counterparts in schools. Unions are now in talks with the AoC to look at the possibility of introducing a £30,000 a year starting salary in FE to match the Government commitment to schools.
Union recognition at John Whitgift Foundation HUNDREDS of independent sector teachers employed at the John Whitgift Foundation in Croydon, south London, have won union recognition. The 400 teachers at the foundation’s three schools – Whitgift, Trinity and Old Palace – voted in favour of recognition after noting attacks on the Teachers’ Pension Scheme at other schools in the sector. NEU rep Lee Flanagan, who coordinated the campaign, said: “We are pleased to have reached amicable accord with the John Whitgift Foundation to strengthen teachers’ collective voice in discussions on pay, terms and conditions. We speak for teachers but believe that the resulting decisions will also be better for schools. We look forward to constructive but robust discussion.” Ninety-three per cent of teachers voted in favour, on a turnout of 75 per cent. NEU workplace reps will now negotiate teachers’ terms and conditions. John Richardson, NEU national officer
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“We speak for teachers but believe the resulting decisions will also be better for schools.” Lee Flanagan, NEU rep for the independent sector, who led the talks, said: “I would like to commend the leadership of our school reps, Lee Flanagan at Trinity, Oliver Roberts at Whitgift and Helen Richards at Old Palace. Undoubtedly, they have ensured that their colleagues will have a greater influence in the decisions that affect their daily working lives.”
Union people Beth Hickling-Moore is joint NEU rep, lead practitioner and modern foreign languages teacher at Little Ilford School, Newham.
The power of cake when fostering unity What do you love about your job?
The latest lockdown has reinforced how much I love working and interacting with people. It’s not the same teaching avatar students on Google Meets, especially when they are too shy to unmute.
What do you love about being in the union?
Can I say cake? I honestly have to say that our members make the best cakes. During our eight days of industrial action against the forced expansion of our school (see page 17), we had such incredible homemade cakes and biscuits and were able to come together and enjoy them – at a social distance, of course. Stopping for a cup of tea and a chat with fellow members is so important, and really fosters a sense of unity and mutual support.
What have you been up to lately?
Reading Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart. It won the 2020 Booker prize and is a captivating story set in 1980s Glasgow. I’m almost finished and would 100 per cent recommend it. I’m absolutely gripped.
What’s important to you right now?
Taking time every day to be outside. A walk or run in the park is the perfect antidote to working from home. I’m also taking the time to have proper phone conversations with
Beth Hickling-Moore (right) on the picket line at Little Ilford School where staff have so far taken eight days of strike action against the forced expansion of their school (see page 17) PHOTO by Kois Miah
friends and family – touching base feels more important than ever right now.
What do you do on your day off?
On weekends I go for long dog walks (Box Hill and Hampstead Heath are favourites when I’m allowed to leave my local area). I also have a few glasses of red wine and enjoy good food.
Spending more time at home has led to some serious bingeing of classic TV series. I’ve finished The Sopranos, The Wire and Mad Men already... should I admit that?
Tell us something that we don’t know.
I have a Romanian rescue dog called Pebbles. She looks a bit like a fruit bat and would do anything for a piece of cheese.
Teacher James ‘sweetest man in the world’ THE school where history teacher James Furlong worked until his death last summer is raising money to create a permanent memorial in his honour. James and two friends were fatally stabbed in a park in Reading, Berkshire, on 20 June. Three other men were attacked and survived. A 26-year-old man was given a whole-life prison sentence on 11 January after pleading guilty to the three murders and three attempted murders. James was head of history, government and politics at The Holt School in Wokingham and was
a member of the NEU’s Wokingham branch. He was form tutor of artist Tiggy Chadwick, who painted James’ portrait (right) shortly after his death. In a tribute on Twitter she wrote: “He was the sweetest man in the world. He treated me like a person, despite a lot of issues I had. He helped to shape me into a gentler and kinder person, and for that I will always be grateful.” n More than £12,000 has been raised for a mosaic memorial in honour of James. To contribute, visit gofund.me/5004d4c9 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
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Feature Interview
Proud to be NEU March 2020-2021: a year that changed the union
WHAT a year. For the vast majority of NEU members it has been without question the most challenging of all. The pandemic changed our world. Schools and colleges were closed to most students on 23 March 2020, and everything has been in constant flux for schools, colleges and staff ever since. Educators have had to face up to the challenge of remote learning, continuous changes to advice and safety measures, and countless Government U-turns. We’ve faced huge safety risks and many members have died. But as we look back at the challenges of the last year, NEU members have much to be proud of. From stopping schools reopening too early in June, and signing Section 44 letters to force the closure of schools again this January, to successfully campaigning for the continued provision of free school meals and laptops for
the poorest families, members have fought for themselves, colleagues and learners. When the Black Lives Matter movement exploded in the summer we were there too, hosting a huge overseas Zoom call with American civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson, giving voice to our Black members and students. And on 3 January the NEU held a Zoom meeting with 400,000 people – the largest political online meeting in UK history – insisting schools were not safe to open. News, new members and new reps The NEU has been all over the news – the front pages of papers, regular voices on TV and radio – demanding safety for our members, particularly those most at risk, throughout the year. The NEU is now a household name. New members have flocked to our banner in numbers never seen before. More than 20,000 educators joined us in the first week
of 2021 alone, and hundreds of new reps have stepped up, representing a new spirit of activism. So we at Educate wanted to mark a year of extraordinary change by asking NEU members: what are you most proud of ? NEU president Robin Bevan told the magazine: “The education workforce has shown extraordinary resilience in the face of exceptional challenges and under utterly incompetent national political leadership. “There has been a remarkable resurgence of members, working together, exercising their NEU influence to ensure our schools and colleges are safe, healthy, productive environments for working and learning. I am proud that the NEU is changing the narrative with positive, visionary trade unionism.” On the following pages members share their stories. Tell us what makes you most proud to be a member of the NEU by emailing us at educate@neu.org.uk
Karina Maloney (left), primary teacher, curriculum diversity lead, member of the NEU London Black organising forum, Lewisham
“I am most proud of seeing Black members mobilise to try and make our workplaces safe.”
“FOR many educators and school workers, 2020 will have been the most difficult and challenging year to date. As educators, we know that our role extends far beyond the classroom and the pandemic highlighted this. Coming to the forefront, for all the world to see, were the inequalities in our society. “We watched news reports share the statistics of Black and Asian people being more likely to die from the virus. This was a frightening period for Black members within the NEU, who battled with justifying risk assessments, teaching in person and remotely, all while the world watched the brutal killing in the US of George Floyd by a police officer during an arrest.
“Through the use of Zoom, Black members began to self-organise like never before. We had weekly Friday check-ins which began in May, started by Daniel Kebede, our Black executive seat holder. Each week there were more than 100 Black members in attendance. “This became a safe space for Black members to ask questions, receive support and learn from each other. I am most proud of seeing Black members mobilise to try and make our workplaces safe, and organise to ensure that young Black children were not disadvantaged by the examination system, while still teaching and fighting for our lives.” continued on page 26
Interviews by Emily Jenkins Portraits by Kois Miah, Aled Llywelyn, Matt Wilkinson and Paul Greenwood educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
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Mark Inman (left), teacher, NEU rep, Merseyside
“WHAT I am most proud of is the solidarity. We have all come together to support each other and protect the best interests of our members and, most importantly, the students we teach. “I’m proud of being part of the local reps’ WhatsApp group and attending the Zoom calls at both local and national level as we fight for what we believe is right for education. It makes you realise you’re not alone but part of a wider family of education professionals who have the same vision. “As a rep, I am proud of working with other unions to unite staff and support what we are trying to achieve. Working together gives us a stronger voice and makes our efforts more powerful. “Finally, I appreciate the support from our local secretary, who supports us by getting everyone united, updating our training and empowering us to have the passion and confidence in what we are doing. It is reassuring to know they are only a call or message away.”
“We have all come together to support each other.”
Sandra Persaud (above), year 1 teacher, NEU lead academy chain rep, Orpington
Laura Morris (above), head of humanities, equality rep, Manchester
“FROM the moment the pandemic began the NEU stepped up massively to support members. Reps were suddenly in an unknown and frightening situation. We were being asked questions that we could not answer, and people needed reassuring that their safety was being put first. “The NEU provided us with a wealth of information, which enabled us to feedback knowledgeably to our members. Kevin and Mary kept us updated regularly and their presence in the media was reassuring. This meant that, when we requested that school reopening in June be delayed by a week, members felt empowered and supported enough to sign the letter to their head. “I cannot do justice to all of the ways that the NEU has been there for us, including the Black Lives Matter webinar (see page 25). I just could not imagine going through these incredibly stressful times without the union behind me.”
“FROM the first week of lockdown we made sure our students were involved in weekly Zoom lessons from The Black Curriculum. Following the killing of George Floyd, it gave students the opportunity to talk about how they were feeling and to offer support to each other at a time when they couldn’t physically be together. “In September, my colleague Ben Wilson and I set up an antiracist working group. We’ve used the NEU’s anti-racist charter to ask all staff to complete the audit of where we currently are as a school. We have now formed sub-groups to better focus on the work we want to achieve. “I also set up an anti-racist group with year 11 pupils which meets once a month (and will be opened up to all year groups when they’re allowed to mix bubbles). The students are able to voice their concerns about the things the school is getting wrong and their ideas for change.”
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Feature
Emma Lodge (above), class teacher, NEU rep, Wirral
Rachael Paget (above), key stage 3 co-ordinator for English, Warrington
“I AM proud of the way all of the members at my school stuck together to bring about change. We were concerned for the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff, and that gave us the drive to do something about it. “We had ongoing issues with management at Kingsway and this culminated in the school being opened without an adequate water supply during May and June last year. It took a group of staff using Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 to finally get it resolved. “We had further issues, including our Covid risk assessment, which led to a collective grievance and industrial action ballot. Days before our first strike day we finally managed to resolve our issues with management. “Our school is now under new management and is a safe and happy place for all our pupils and staff. We couldn’t have done this without the support of the union and each other.”
“AS someone who is considered clinically extremely vulnerable, I have spent much of the last year shielding and alone, yet the NEU Disabled Members’ Network has meant that I have never felt unsupported. “In June and July the NEU organised some informal drop-in sessions for disabled and at-risk members. Those sessions were invaluable – listening to the experiences of others reminded me that I have a supportive network of individuals behind me. “I was given the opportunity to speak at one of these informal Zoom sessions, something that was both nerve-racking and a privilege. It was lovely to be able to share the positive experience I was having with my school and I hope it gave encouragement to others, just as I gained inspiration from listening to other speakers. This year has reminded me that there is support, knowledge and friendship to be found in the union.”
Ruthba Amin (left and front cover), key practitioner, special educational needs co-ordinator, Ilford “I WORK at a pre-school and find it very rewarding. I feel like I have a special bond with the children and take great satisfaction in supporting their learning and development. “I have always been quite active within the local community, raising awareness on issues that I feel are important. I most recently became quite passionate about the way in which the early years sector has been treated by the Government during this pandemic and started a petition, created a Facebook page, and started having conversations with people about the issue. “I only joined the NEU in January this year. I was on a Zoom call and connected with someone from the NEU: we started talking and I felt so grateful for her support. It felt like the NEU was a place where I could find like-minded people who would put our interests and wellbeing ahead of everything else. I’ve connected with so many other members and am already proud to be a member. We are stronger together.” continued on page 28 27
Feature Merium Bhuiyan (left), GCSE English teacher, Islington “THIS year has already been one hell of a year and it’s only just started. When I think about the events of the past 12 months, I am blown away by the efforts of the NEU to make schools safer. I am beyond proud to call these leaders, teachers and education professionals my colleagues. “I’m involved in the NEU child poverty campaign and, like many others, have been watching the news with my head in my hands. The union has spoken out on the need to close the digital divide, and the necessity for providing free school meals for children who need them most.
“If it wasn’t for the pressure put on the Government by the union, schools would not have been closed after Christmas. By doing this, we are much more likely to protect the lives of those at risk. “A huge shoutout also has to go to the NEU’s Jenny Cooper, Mari Burton and Michael Wilmott for going above and beyond to provide assistance throughout this whole situation. “I’m also grateful to my local MP Jeremy Corbyn for his unending support for teachers. “Oh, and a final thing: Marcus Rashford for PM…”
Lindsay McDonagh and Rachel Shepherd (below), teachers, NEU regional reps of the year 2020, Bexley
“WHEN we think about NEU members at our school it is impossible to pick just one thing that has made us proud. We are incredibly lucky to have such united members and are particularly proud of how many of our members are support staff. It is because we have so many staff from different aspects of the 28
school represented in our membership that we have been able to effect such positive change. “Our collective action resulted in two staff members who had been unfairly suspended returning to work with no case to answer. Another, who had been summarily dismissed, also returned. We also prevented our amazing
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cleaning staff from having their contracts privatised. We would never have achieved all this without our incredible members and we are so grateful to them. The support members offered us and each other over this time meant so much. We are so proud to be their reps but even prouder to be their friends.”
Geraint Williams (left), science teacher, assistant secretary Cardiff district, post-16 national council member, Merthyr Tydfil “I AM immensely proud of the solidarity and support our members have shown each other in the past year. In my workplace, members have pulled together while they all get to grips with teaching online and home working. We have a WhatsApp group that we use to share advice and encourage and support each other, as well as maintain the enjoyment we all have working together as a community. “In our institution we have members who are teachers, support staff and leaders, who have worked together to ensure our college is safe. We have used NEU guidance to put in place rotas, maintain social distancing for learners and provide laptops so those who are vulnerable or isolating can learn from home. “So many members went above and beyond, spending hours in college making and delivering PPE for key workers across south Wales, raising money for NHS charities or working to support the most vulnerable in their local community. This solidarity and sense of community is being replicated across the country and it was amazing to see hundreds of thousands of people attending the NEU meeting at the beginning of January. “When we couple this with the fact that the NEU has been consistently on the right side of the argument, I feel confident the union has an even more powerful voice than it had before.”
Susan O’Connor (right), year 4 class teacher, maths lead, NEU rep, Richmond “SINCE the coronavirus crisis, my role as union rep has understandably escalated. Despite all the difficulties we have faced, I am most proud of the way the union has empowered teaching staff in my school to speak up when there have been concerns. “I believe our proudest moment came about when we worked together as a unified staff to delay the reopening of schools following the first lockdown; to ensure staff felt satisfied that safety criteria had been met. “As a knock-on effect, there is a noticeable shift in our approach to issues that arise, which has boosted morale during such uncertain and exceptional times and ensures our collective voice is heard.”
“We worked as a unified staff to delay the reopening of schools to ensure staff felt safety criteria had been met.”
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Opinion
Cartoon by Polly Donnison
The perils of pitting parents against teachers Warwick Mansell
is a freelance education journalist and founder/writer of educationuncovered. co.uk
PERHAPS it was inevitable that yet another Department for Education move would backfire spectacularly. In a remarkable act of timing, Gavin Williamson – who at the time of writing remains the Education Secretary – chose the start of term to announce that any parent unhappy with the quality of remote education on offer from their school should report them to Ofsted. This came barely 36 hours after the Prime Minister unveiled probably the most significant of education U-turns – with news that schools across England would, after all, be closed to most pupils, just a day after most had fully reopened after Christmas. The Ofsted move appears to be another in a long line of public relations disasters for Williamson. Within two weeks it emerged
that parents had reacted by deluging the inspectorate with positive comments about their children’s schools. Some 13,000 emails had been received praising schools, and just 260 complaints, Schools Week reported. I wonder if this episode might have tested to destruction an assumption that has blighted English education policymaking for perhaps 35 years. This runs as follows. The interests of pupils and teachers are radically different. Without the intervention of national politicians and an accountability structure they create and oversee, schools and their staff would let down their charges. So ministers need constantly to announce measures that will “raise standards”. This, in turn, will win them good headlines and thanks from a grateful public. This thinking is clearly evident in policy announcements dating from at least the New Labour era. As discussed in my 2007 book Education by Numbers: the Tyranny of Testing, it is the philosophy on which school league tables, operating since the 1990s, rest. This may have reached its nadir in Michael Gove’s hideous 2013 claim that professionals who opposed him were the “enemies of promise”.
This strategy has always had shaky foundations. The teaching profession’s guiding ethos is one of helping others. Their interests should not be seen as against those of pupils. Williamson’s gambit may have proved valuable in testing this thinking to the limit: how would the strategy fare when put forward by a hopelessly unpopular Secretary of State, who is part of a tragically misfiring government, against professionals who have been putting their own health at risk? The Ofsted statistics suggest an answer. Of course, it is important education out of school works as well as possible at this super-challenging time. But simply making an announcement, believing you are on the side of the angels and then waiting for public acclamation is misguided. Policymakers need to get away from the idea that the way forward is to seek enemies and portray themselves as against them. If this crisis has taught us anything, it is surely that directives implemented from on high don’t work. For everyone’s sake, politicians need to understand that working with people – including hard-working professionals and their representatives – is the way forward.
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Interview Feature
‘An attack on the foun
Since 2011, disturbing revelations have come to light of police spies deceiving women into intimate relationships to spy on their legitimate campaigns. Journalists and activists have for years been calling for justice and transparency PHOTO by Guy Smallman
A LONG fought-for public inquiry into undercover policing is underway and at the same time the so-called Spy Cops Bill is being debated in Parliament. On pages 33 and 34, historian and NEU trustee Bernard Regan explores the recent history of spying on teachers, trade unionists and justice campaigners. While on page 35, Alison (not her real name) tells 32
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Educate why the traumatic experience of being deceived into having an intimate relationship with a police spy should concern us all. And on page 50, Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women’s Justice, explains the importance of her successful legal battle for an apology and compensation for eight of the women who were spied on.
dations of democracy’ THE Undercover Policing Inquiry (UPI) was set up by then Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May in 2015. It was launched after revelations emerged that undercover male police officers had formed intimate personal relationships, without disclosing their real identity to the women involved. The UPI brought new information to light about police spies’ actions that should concern all trade unionists. More than 1,000 bodies had been spied on, including many unions. In some instances, the information was passed on to employers, resulting in workers losing jobs and livelihoods. The findings of the inquiry and any recommendations may not be presented for some years because of the amount of material to be looked at. Meanwhile, in opposition to the inquiry’s objectives, the Government is moving to pass the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) Bill– the so-called Spy Cops Bill – which will legalise the kinds of actions under investigation. This has implications for every trade unionist. That is why the NEU and other unions are opposed to it. Hundreds of groups spied on Beginning in the 1960s, undercover police units from the Special Demonstration Squad and the National Public Order Intelligence Unit spied on trade unionists, anti-racist campaigns, family groups for justice, environmental campaigners and many more. NEU members will have heard of Blair Peach who was killed on 24 April 1979. Blair, a teacher, and friend and colleague of mine, taught in Tower Hamlets. He had been the president of the East London Teachers’ Association (ELTA), the local branch of the National Union of Teachers. He was killed in Southall while peacefully leaving a demonstration against the fascist National Front. The only people in the vicinity of the spot where Blair was attacked were six members of a police Special Patrol Group. There has never been a full inquiry into those events. We now know that undercover police officers later spied on the campaign which was seeking the truth about Blair’s murder.
The so-called Spy Cops Bill has implications for every trade unionist. Campaigns seeking to discover the truth about what happened to relatives who had died in suspicious circumstances were spied on, and many of those victims were Black. The Stephen Lawrence and Colin Roach (a young Black British man who died from a gunshot wound inside the entrance of Stoke Newington police station) campaigns are two examples. Campaigns such as the Anti-Nazi League and the Anti-Apartheid Movement were spied on. Peter Hain, now a member of the House of Lords, was a leading member of both organisations. He was spied on after he became a Member of Parliament and even when he was a Cabinet member of the Labour government. Trade unionists blacklisted for jobs Trade unions received special attention. For more than 30 years, building workers were the largest single group victimised, with over 3,000 names being collected and passed on to 30 or more employers such as Balfour Beatty and others, who would then refuse them employment. Undercover police officers posing as building workers and activists in the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT, now part of Unite) passed the names on. In 2016 the GMB union won a case against the blacklisters and a sum of £5.4 million was paid out. Teacher union branches like the ELTA were also under surveillance during the 1970s and some came under further scrutiny from the Margaret Thatcher government in the 1980s. Information about union activity was
sometimes passed on by school managers to local authority officers who in turn passed it to the Department for Education and Science (DES), which then took steps, in part through Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI), to keep a close eye on teachers. Teacher intimidation Evidence of this came to light through Cabinet papers. On 19 December 1984, Sir Brian Cubbon, a Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, wrote that the DES had been told by HMI that they were concerned about, “teacher action in Greater London”. The DES, at the request of some head teachers, decided to deploy the inspectors to these schools with the clear objective of intimidating the teachers. However, HMI went on to say the complaints were not just about industrial action but also about teachers wanting to discuss “educational issues”. The charge against the teachers at one school was they were taking, “excessive use of teacher discussion time outside the classroom on anti-racist (and) equal opportunity issues”. HMI’s response was: “The Inspectorate hope to make shortly a full-scale inspection of one of the schools where such teachers are active.” It’s ironic that the same government report conceded: “Some of these politically conscious teachers are known to be committed and effective in the classroom and gaining good results.” However, HMI identified the further stumbling block that teachers were not employed by the DES. Therefore teachers couldn’t be dismissed or redeployed easily in the same way as staff working in government offices. If you can’t beat them, dismantle them From 1981 the Thatcher government started planning to dismantle the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA). It was known for its progressive policies, having produced substantive reports on issues of equality, racism and special educational needs. The Inner London Teachers’ Authority (a branch of the NUT) worked with the ILEA on these issues. continued on page 34
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Feature continued from page 33 In 1988 Thatcher’s civil servants were still spying on London’s teachers. By that time, however, things had changed. That year, her government passed a law that would break up the ILEA by 1990, and the ILTA too would be dismantled. BLM and XR under threat Trying to dictate what is taught and how did not stop with the end of the Thatcher government. It continues today. The Department for Education guidance issued on 24 September 2020, Plan your relationships, sex and health curriculum, states: “Schools should not under any circumstances use resources produced by organisations that take extreme political stances.” According to the Equalities Minister, Kemi Badenoch, this would include, “the anti-capitalist Black Lives Matter group”. She said: “We should not apologise for the fact that British children primarily study the history of these islands, and it goes without saying that the recent fad to decolonise maths, decolonise engineering, decolonise the sciences that we’ve seen across our universities to make race the defining principle of what is studied is not just misguided but actively opposed to the fundamental purpose of education.” The minister’s comments could lead to a potential ban on material from Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Extinction Rebellion (XR), and any representative from those bodies being allowed into schools. This section of the guidance is strongly opposed Kate Wilson, who successfully took legal action, pictured outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London PHOTO by David Mirzoeff
The Department for Education and Science deployed inspectors to schools with the clear objective of intimidating teachers. by the NEU. Above all, it shows a profound contempt for the professionalism of teachers to make the choices that are appropriate to the curriculum they are teaching. And today’s guidance can become tomorrow’s diktat. Bill ‘authorises covert action’ The CHIS Bill is sponsored by Home Secretary Priti Patel. She claims it strengthens human rights by bringing undercover operations under state control. She has said it will authorise covert action, “in the interests of the economic wellbeing of the UK”. But what is in the interests of the economic wellbeing of the country is a matter of debate. In my view Marcus Rashford has a better sense of what is in the interests of the wellbeing of the country than the Government. If passed, the legislation is a licence for further anti-trade union spying and potential
victimisation of those defending colleagues, children and their communities. It could be used to take actions designed to undermine the democratically determined union policies protecting members and defending education. The Bill has been criticised by Baroness Shami Chakrabarti in the House of Lords, who said: “If this bill passes unamended, as it did in the House of Commons, I think a real Rubicon will have been crossed that we will come to regret.” We should all be concerned about what happens next. That is why this legislation is opposed by the NEU and a range of unions including UCU, Unite, NUJ and PCS, and by the Justice4Grenfell Campaign, the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign and Police Spies Out of Our Lives. We should all oppose it. Bernard Regan
Find out more… n policespiesoutoflives.org.uk n campaignopposingpolice surveillance.com
n spycops.co.uk The majority of officers’ cover names have been protected by the inquiry for privacy or security reasons but those we do know are available on the inquiry website with the groups infiltrated listed. Do you recognise any of these names? ucpi.org.uk/who-isinvolved/#police
Eight women, including NUT member ‘Alison’ and Kate Wilson (pictured opposite page), successfully took legal action
PHOTO by David Mirzoeff
Why we should all care about the spy cops scandal SINCE 2011, activists have worked with lawyers and journalists to bring to public attention the shocking stories about undercover police officers spying on grieving families, stealing dead children’s identities and embarking on long-term, deceptive relationships with women like me. Despite public interest in the human stories behind the scandal, the political significance of what has happened remains in the background. As the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UPI) moves to its second tranche of evidential hearings in April, it’s time for this to change. During the 1990s, I worked as an English teacher in inner London and was an active member of my school and region’s union group, both of which included members of left-wing organisations. I was also a member of the Colin Roach Centre, an independent group in Hackney that had exposed police corruption and supported trade union, antifascist and anti-racist campaigns. It was here in 1995 that I met Mark Cassidy with whom I had a five-year relationship, living together in what I believed was a monogamous relationship. I later discovered he was in fact undercover officer Mark Jenner, who was married with three children throughout our relationship. I was involved in NUT campaigns to boycott national tests at key stage 3, to fight the education cuts, to oppose privatisation through academisation of schools and to
“We had what I believed was a fiveyear monogamous relationship. I later discovered he was an undercover officer, married with children.” ensure local, democratic accountability. I discussed all of this with Mark, including our unofficial strikes, and he joined me at several events and parties with my school colleagues and union friends. State surveillance of teachers is nothing new. Blair Peach was a special needs teacher who was struck on the head during a demonstration held in April 1979 (see page 33) to prevent the National Front holding a meeting. Blair died later in hospital. Blair Peach’s partner at the time of his death was Celia Stubbs. Celia was a member of the Colin Roach Centre when Mark Cassidy joined our group. Like many others, she has been monitored by the state for decades as she fought for a public inquiry into his death.
Not only did Special Branch officers spy on unionised teachers through the political groups they infiltrated, but Peter Francis (who later disclosed he spied on five unions, including the NUT) volunteered part-time in a special needs school using the name Pete Black. They’ve been watching us closely for years. These deployments were aimed at disempowering the unions and derailing progressive movements. We know the reports produced by spies in the field were passed to ministers who were implementing policies impacting the lives of millions. As a result of investigations by activists and evidence held by the public inquiry, more women are discovering they’ve been personally impacted. If you were politically active in the union from 1968 onwards, you or your colleagues might have been affected by the abusive behaviour of these officers. This should matter to all of us who care about education. It helps us understand how we’ve reached a situation where schools are built without staff rooms, where data-driven targets are prioritised above all else and where it’s more important for a head teacher to balance a budget than support their staff and inspire their students. Undercover political policing has been an attack on our right to protest and the foundations of our democracy. We need the public to know about the scandal and to care about the findings of the UPI. We need you to spread the word. Alison (not her real name)
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International
Nina remembered in Palestinian schools FORMER National Union of Teachers (NUT) president Nina Franklin, who died last summer, was a committed campaigner against injustice. Nina was a member of the NUT and the NEU for more than 40 years. At the conclusion of her presidential address in April 2011, Nina invoked Bob Marley, to ‘get up, stand up for our rights’, calling the union to action in defence of members and in support of our international colleagues. Nina was a leading member of Bristol NUT/NEU, and of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, to which the NEU is affiliated. She led teacher delegations to Israeli-occupied Palestine to meet colleagues from the General Union of Palestinian Teachers and to witness first hand the effects of this illegal occupation. She was due to lead another delegation but sadly ill health intervened. Nina’s dying wish was for Bristol NEU to set up a fund to support the education work of Hebron International Resource Network (HIRN), a voluntary organisation that has been working in occupied Palestine, with international support, since 2002. The interventions that have been made in education include the provision of funds for several school rebuilds following demolitions. Girls’ education is also high priority. At the village of Jubbet Ad-Dib near Bethlehem the school was demolished the night before the first day of term, on 22 August 2017. Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem said this school demolition, “epitomizes the administrative cruelty and systematic harassment by authorities designed
(Left) Nina Franklin (Above and below) Jubbet Ad-Dib students and their rebuilt school
Nina’s wish was to set up a fund for education in Palestine, including school rebuilds. to drive Palestinians from their land”. Israel controls ‘Area C’, covering 60 per cent of the occupied West Bank, which is home to up to 300,000 Palestinians, and severely restricts Palestinian construction and development.
Online storytelling and drama for schools THE Hands Up Project is an awardwinning UK charity, connecting young Palestinians in United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) or Ministry of Education schools with classrooms around the world (and with our ever-expanding team of remote volunteers) for online storytelling and drama activities. We’ve developed our own genre of theatre which we call remote theatre and run an annual competition for
Palestinian children to create and perform their own short plays in English. Many of these plays are available in book format and they’re now being performed by young people all over the world. Please email info@handsup project.org if you’d like your school to be involved or to become a volunteer. Nick Bilbrough, founder and co-ordinator, The Hands Up Project. Visit handsupproject.org
Yet five classrooms were rebuilt overnight, by around 100 volunteers, on 16 September 2017. Lessons began the following day. Part of the continuing upgrade of the school saw 42 new desks provided in November 2020 with a photo of Nina and the logo of the fund on each desk. Several NEU districts have already made contributions to HIRN via Bristol NEU. Please donate what you can to: Nina Franklin Fund – Bristol Palestine Education Link Account number: 20431303 Sort code: 60-83-01 You can also make individual donations to the Hebron International Resource Network at friendsofhirn.wordpress.com Visit ninafranklinfund.wordpress.com Dave Clinch, Devon NEU
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A class act
Wellbeing and the call of the wild Sarah Thompson talks to Joe Harkness, a special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) in Norfolk who has used his experience of mental ill health and a love of birdwatching to help students in his classroom. JOE never expected to become a teacher. “I was really naughty at school,” he admits. “I spent a good chunk of each day in the referral unit.” When he left school, Joe struggled to find direction, but in 2008 was offered a place on The Prince’s Trust access to youth work scheme. He discovered a “natural flair” for working with young people, which set him on “a completely back door route” into teaching. After jobs in youth and care work, he passed his Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills status and qualified as a SENCo in 2019. Now he can’t imagine doing anything else. “I love teaching with a passion,” he says. “I don’t think there are any other jobs where you can have such a positive impact on someone’s life. “You have to be really creative when you work with SEN kids. You need to look at the curriculum holistically, strip everything back and work out what the fundamental thing is you’re trying to achieve – a lot of the time that’s a social outcome or personal development.” ‘My SEN kids know they’re not alone’ Joe says that at the heart of creating a positive learning environment for students is his relationship with them. “I spend more time building that than anything else – you can underestimate the importance of it. “I’m slightly eccentric, and it makes students feel more relaxed about who they are. They know they’re not alone in thinking or feeling a particular way.” Joe is well-placed to understand some of the issues of the students he teaches. He is currently in the process of being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). And he has struggled with poor mental health for much of his life, culminating in a breakdown in 2013. “I was in a really dark place,” he says. “I think the reality was that I was going to end up dying at my own hands if something didn’t change.” The turning point came in the form of a pair of buzzards, which Joe spotted while out walking. He realised, watching them, that he
(Above) Joe with his book, Bird Therapy. (Right) With TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham; and meeting broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough
bird watch in a reserve or a wetland. That’s such a misconception.”
“I had been trapped by my mental health for so long.” felt relaxed and made the connection: “I’m feeling better because I’m watching the birds.” This moment prompted the start of his recovery. “It was so much more than just seeing two birds,” Joe explains. “It was a really powerful moment. I had been trapped by my mental health for so long, and this was what I wanted to feel like.” Joe joined the local birdwatching scene in Norfolk, made friends and found a new sense of belonging. In his 2019 book, Bird Therapy, he recounts his mental health struggles and the road to recovery. A teaching pack with activities accompanies the book. Aimed at key stage 3 and 4 students, the materials focus on mental health and wellbeing, birdwatching and nature. Several activities begin with the simple instruction to head outside. “Learning outside of the classroom is so important,” says Joe. “It’s life experience.” Birdwatching is possible everywhere, he insists. “Lots of people think you can only
Children in tune with their surroundings The activities encourage children to get out into their local area. “Connecting learning to a child’s local area is so powerful,” says Joe. “Children are more in tune with their surroundings. Because they know it, because it’s part of them, it creates that stronger connection and interest.” The activity ‘natural connections’ asks students to record the different types of habitat in their local area and what species may live there. In ‘sonic sit-space’, students close their eyes and record the sounds they hear on a sonar map sheet. Other activities focus on mental health and provide students with the opportunity and the tools to reflect on their own wellbeing. Joe says this is vital if we are to build resilience in young people. “The more we create these safe places to talk about these things, the more we drive down the prevalence of mental ill health, because we understand it more and can cope with it,” he says. n Joe’s teaching pack is available to download at joeharkness.co.uk n Whatever you’re going through, you can call Samaritans free at any time, from any phone, on 116 123.
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Reviews Jon Biddle, English lead and NEU rep at Moorlands Primary in Norfolk, is passionate about fostering a love of reading for pleasure. Here he shares ideas and tips for schools to try.
We keep on keeping on AS I write this, we’re a couple of weeks into the spring term and in the middle of a third lockdown. Last week, schools were given 12 hours’ notice about the fact they’d need to close to the majority of their pupils for several weeks. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson then announced that parents could complain to Ofsted if they weren’t happy with their school’s remote learning provision. This produced a deluge of more than 10,000 emails from parents celebrating the incredible work that schools are doing. This week, the Government has been embarrassed yet again by the appalling quality of the food packages being sent home to some of the most underprivileged families. Meanwhile, Ofsted announced it would soon be returning to inspect schools in person, before changing its mind a couple of days later. The education system is in absolute chaos and I have literally no idea what long-term damage is going to be inflicted on schools, pupils and staff over the coming weeks. In the midst of all this mayhem, teachers and support staff are working every hour of the day to provide their pupils with the best education possible. In some cases, they’re being asked to deliver live lessons remotely, as well as simultaneously teach the children attending school and provide support for pupils at home with limited access to technology. It’s impossible and it’s unsustainable. But they’re doing it and I’m genuinely in awe. Reading at home during lockdown Encouraging children to read at home and providing support to parents to ensure that this happens remains our overriding priority at Moorlands. We’re aware that although most children are read to regularly at home, a significant number sadly aren’t, so our teachers are sharing stories and poems as frequently as possible. 38
Social media is full of schools sharing fantastic ideas for developing a love of reading. This one caught my eye on the last day of half-term – Tonyrefail Community School in Wales tied 160 bags to its school fence, each containing a new book, a sachet of hot chocolate and a bookmark for children and their families to take. @CaraMarvelley
We’ve encouraged children to record short videos of themselves reading a poem or story to upload to our class blogs. Many publishers and authors have recently given updated guidance about using their work online, which has made things clearer for schools. Some pupils have given short, guided tours of their bookshelves, talking about and sharing a selection of their favourite books. This has been extremely well received by their classmates and has helped cement relationships between certain pupils when they’ve realised that other children have similar reading preferences and interests. With book ownership and access to appropriate reading material being another obvious barrier to reading at home, we regularly share links to websites that host free stories, such as BookTrust and Oxford Owl. It doesn’t deliver the same depth of reading experience but, in the short term, it’s a perfectly acceptable substitute, with stories by well-known and well-loved children’s authors and illustrators. The school library remains open once a week for families, and we’re continuing to send books home with food parcels. As well as staff recommending books and sharing our own current reading on our online learning platform, we’ve also invited parents and students to contact us if they want
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Read more ideas from Jon next issue
personal recommendations for their child. This has led to positive conversations about the value of reading and assists us in building a picture of the child’s reading life outside school.
The joys of reading a book together Several children have indicated that one of the things they miss most about being in class is having the opportunity to listen to a story together and, on a personal level, I completely agree. Reading aloud is one of the most rewarding aspects of teaching and perhaps the most special time of the day for a class. While none of the above suggestions replace the joy of reading a book together, recreate the feelings of anticipation and excitement whenever you end on a cliffhanger or take the place of the passionate discussions that regularly occur about the characters in a story, they do still help reinforce the message that reading is important and fun. I know we’re all fervently hoping that life returns to something resembling normality in the near future but, in the meantime, stay safe and try to focus on what’s important. Just getting through each day is enough for now and, even though some of us are facing increasingly unrealistic expectations from the top, we don’t need to place ourselves under any more pressure. @jonnybid
Know any good educational websites or apps?
Let us know if you’d like to review them – email us at educate@neu.org.uk
Before Windrush
Soda Pop
THE Windrush Lessons Learned Review, commissioned by the Home Secretary and published in March 2020, called for a learning and development programme for Home Office staff to learn about Britain’s colonial past and the history of Black Britons. The report recognises that the history of Black people in Britain did not start with Windrush. This book, Before Windrush: West Indians in Britain, helps us all with understanding that Black people helped build modern Britain over many centuries. There were approximately 10,000 Black people in Britain in the 1700s, for example. Using a series of themes and examples of activists, this book – written by a former NUT and a current NEU member – highlights Black pioneers in sport, activism, health and literature. Insights into Black leaders who organised against racism reveal an untold story of Black activism, and their actions were all the more remarkable because of the brutal penalties they faced for challenging the status quo. I particularly like that Black women are featured – for example, Amy Ashwood Garvey, who organised against racism in the 1930s, and Una Marson, who became a leading Black feminist. The authors remind us that there is much we can learn from earlier struggles to organise against racism – and how much we owe campaigners. I would like to have seen more about education and educators, trade union organising and about Asian and African unity. Maybe the next volume… or maybe NEU Black members could write it. Karen Chouhan, NEU lead officer, equality and social justice
Before Windrush: West Indians in Britain by Asher and Martin Hoyles. Hansib Publications. £9.99.
WRITTEN by one of Sweden’s most influential authors, Barbro Lindgren’s Soda Pop is a classic novel for children aged seven and above. In this anarchic story, Soda Pop loves bright orange clothes and wears a tea cosy on his head. Grandfather Dartanyong leaves his woodshed every morning with a new identity and great-grandfather lives in a tree and thinks he is a cuckoo. With wonderful illustrations, this first English edition is sure to be loved by UK readers as much as it is loved in Sweden. Aliss Langridge Soda Pop, by Barbro Lindgren, illustrated by Lisen Adbåge. Gecko Press. £7.99.
The Afterwards EMBER and Ness are inseparable friends until Ness tragically dies. Unsure how to cope, Ember is tricked into visiting Ness in the Afterworld, where the dead live in a black-and-white world. A F Harrold’s rich descriptions and Emily Gravett’s beautiful illustrations sensitively explore grief, guilt, loneliness, sadness and friendship. A poignant read for key stage 2 and up. Cindy Shanks The Afterwards, by A F Harrold, illustrated by
Talking Consent
Emily Gravett. Bloomsbury. £7.99.
TALKING Consent sensitively tackles important issues regarding relationships and sex education. The book features 16 dynamic workshops to empower young people and provide them with the opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics, including social and antisocial media, gender expectations, resilience, selfesteem and body image. Each section includes a variety of engaging lesson ideas and facts for educators, as well as case studies and video clip links for students to reflect upon. Downloadable resources are also provided. An informative handbook suitable for key stages 3 and 4.
Be Kind WITH 125 practical ideas beautifully presented, this book aims to make a positive impact on the people and places around you. From simple actions like taking a friend’s tray to clear up after lunch, to bigger projects such as writing thank you notes to emergency services workers, this is a great resource for a class project.
Cindy Shanks
Elli Rhode
Talking Consent: 16 Workshops on Relationships and Sex
Be Kind: You can make the world a happier
Education for Schools and Other Youth Settings, by Thalia
place! by Naomi Shulman, illustrated by
Wallis and Pete Wallis. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. £26.99.
Hsinping Pan. Storey Publishing. £7.99.
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39
Letters Diverse modern books for children
IN the last issue of Educate, Jane Hailstone asked for modern books featuring Asian figures (Educate, January/February, page 40). Eyes that Kiss in the Corners (right) by Joanna Ho is a beautiful modern book all about a young Asian girl. May I also suggest that Jane follows @theconsciouskid @hereweeread @diversereads and @littleblackbooknook (all pictured below) on Instagram, which do a fantastic job of sharing diverse books for children. Sasha Tamblyn, Plymouth
Remote teaching and so much more
YEARS ago, when I was teaching in the comprehensive school of a small market town, the BBC decided to film a scene there. They wanted a group of children and my year 9 form was chosen. I remember being surprised just how many people the BBC sent to make one short scene. I joked with colleagues about how it took ten people three hours to shoot a scene of a few minutes, whereas we had just a few minutes to prepare three hours of lessons. Remote learning has taken demands on teachers to a new level. Under pressure from parents and management, we are now filming our own lessons while simultaneously teaching a live class. We have to be researcher, creative director, broadcast and sound engineer, camera operator, wardrobe supervisor, make-up artist (these last two are important – we are judged) and producer, all rolled into one. All of this while directing the activities and ensuring the safety of a class, in a cold room with all the windows open, for up to six-and-a-half hours a day.
And did I mention being the actor as well? Please forgive me if I forget to press the record button. Jane Godfrey, Hereford
Donne’s ‘poem’ that’s not actually a poem Feature Interview
Interview by Max Watson Portraits by David Levene/ Guardian/eyevine
IT is always good to receive my copy of Educate and a real pleasure to read the article about Michael Rosen (above) for whose recovery and fighting spirit we give thanks (Educate, January/ February, page 22). But I’m sure that Michael knows that For Whom the Bell Tolls is not a poem. I see that some websites say it is, and set it out in persuasive free verse, but it is part of a meditation on sickness by John Donne, written in prose. 22
Teacher’s pet Frank Frank, a beautiful Romanian rescue dog, is the pet of Wendy Halling, a retired teacher from Bedfordshire. Wendy says: “He is a cheeky monkey and makes me laugh every day. “He’s a registered therapy dog and takes part in the Read2Dogs scheme at Orchard Park Community Primary and Cotton End Forest School – his favourite story is Hairy Maclary. “He qualified for Crufts last year, after winning the Scruffs heat on Countryfile, and enjoyed a television appearance with Clare Balding.” 40
educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
If you have a treasured pet you’d like to show off, email a high-resolution photo with 50 words about what makes them so special to educate@neu.org.uk
Please write The editor welcomes your letters but reserves the right to edit them.
Email your letters to: educate@neu.org.uk Please note we cannot print letters sent in without a name and postal address (or NEU membership number), although we can withhold details from publication if you wish.
Donne wrote much poetry, but typically in strict metres and rhymes. His prose is never more memorable than this extract, but he’d be surprised to have it deemed a poem. John Arthur, France
Prime Minister’s words taken out of context?
MICHAEL Rosen (Educate, January/February, page 22) says: “Johnson’s own phrase was ‘let it rip’. That’s to say, if you let the infection rip, some people will die, few people will get seriously ill, but almost everybody else would get immunity.” I’ve tried and failed to find any source of the quotation used in this way by the Prime Minister. He has used the phrase “let it rip”, but to oppose the idea, at a Downing Street press conference on 12 October. I hold no brief for Boris Johnson, but that’s not the point. I suggest you publish a correction. Gill Wrobel, London Michael Rosen and the editor write: True, Johnson later used the phrase ‘let it rip’ when renouncing the strategy of herd immunity without vaccination. Yet in March 2020, that clearly was the Government’s plan. Journalist Robert Peston described this strategy of deliberately letting the virus spread on 12 March in The Spectator magazine under the headline: Herd immunity will be vital to stopping coronavirus.
He didn’t mention the inevitable huge loss of life. A day later, Government scientist Graham Medley explained on BBC’s Newsnight: “We are going to have to generate what we call herd immunity… the only way of developing that, in the absence of a vaccine, is for the majority of the population to become infected.” Government Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance and epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds both advocated the herd immunity strategy in the absence of a vaccine. At the time, Boris Johnson was appearing on TV telling us that he was shaking hands with Covid patients. They did indeed plan to let it rip, but you’re right – they later denied this.
Covid vaccine to help keep schools open
I’D be interested to know views on the Covid vaccine being offered to teachers. The NEU has said we are the beating heart of communities, therefore shouldn’t we be given the vaccine as a priority in order to keep schools open? Vicky Revill, Staffordshire (and several others posing the same question) n See page 7 for latest news
We must listen to pupils WE need to be garnering the voice of our students. I am a supply teacher with 22 years’ experience. I ask students how
Star letter Planning, shopping, cooking on curriculum
I READ with interest the letter from Andrew Mckay (Educate, January/February, page 40). As a teacher of food preparation and nutrition, I agree it is a life skill. In recent years, food teaching has moved away from design and technology with a focus on teaching basic skills and developing a good understanding of where our food comes from. We need to go a step further and equip pupils with the knowledge of how to plan weekly meals and shop for food to prevent the huge amounts of food wastage. Pupils need to know how to buy only the ingredients they need, as well as how to use the information on food packaging to ensure food is used within date. TV programmes such as the BBC’s Eat Well for Less? have started to address these matters, but these skills should be part of the curriculum. It’s great to see copies of the Jack Monroe cookbooks being given as prizes in Educate magazine. I have used some of the recipes from Tin Can Cook with sixth form pupils in life skills lessons and find the recipes ideal for university students’ budgets and provide the nutrition required for growing teens. Michaela Ryan, Manchester n See page 47
they are feeling about being in school. They see how exhausted and stressed their teachers are. They are taught by supply teachers about 30 per cent of the time, sometimes more. Students know what their schools are doing for them but feel let down by a system that is not getting ahead of the virus. Moreover, they feel terrible they are contributing to making things
worse. They do all they can to be safe, but they don’t always practice social distancing at school because they can’t. The recent effectiveness of youth environmental activism has highlighted how informed, perceptive and intelligent our young people are. Please find a way to allow them to raise their voices and be heard. Imogen Shaw, Oxford
Update your membership details – visit my.neu.org.uk KEEPING your membership information up to date is vital to ensure you get the most from your NEU membership. You may be eligible for reduced subscriptions – for example, if you work part-time, are about to take maternity leave or retire. Have you moved? Tell us your new home or workplace address. Have you answered the equality
monitoring questions? Information you give will be strictly confidential and help us to target relevant information on campaigns and events.
Thousands of members are already using myNEU, the online portal that enables you to manage your NEU membership. To register and activate your login, visit my.neu.org.uk For more information about the additional benefits that come with your NEU membership, visit neu.org.uk/ neu-rewards
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Conference Invisible Killers: What can and must be done?
Conference covers coronavirus, asbestos, global warming, traffic pollution emissions, particulate matter etc.
ut Please p in the date y r your dia
Bobby Moore Room Wembley Stadium postponed until Wednesday 16 March 2022
> Chair, morning session: John McClean, JUAC
> Chair, afternoon session: Janet Newsham, TUCAN
Remember the dead. Fight for the living
The Crisis: The evidence and how we must act
Speakers include: Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, campaigner against air pollution and asthma deaths; Dr Gary Fuller, air pollution scientist, author of The Invisible Killer - the rising global threat of air pollution and how we can fight back.
Speakers include: Hilda Palmer, Families Against Corporate Killers, Officer of National Hazards Campaign; Prof Andrew Watterson, lecturer & researcher in Health Sciences, Stirling University; Dr John Lister, Health Campaigns Together, campaigner against NHS cutbacks and privatisation.
The Trade Unions – Time to end the suffering Patrick Roach, GS NASUWT; Kevin Courtney, GS NEU; Paul Whiteman, GS NAHT.
For further details please email Hank Roberts hankr@hotmail.com
Air pollution Workplace POLLUTION needs a SOLUTION! Email: gjacoms@gmail.com or janet@gmhazards.org.uk
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43
Ask the union Covid advice for supply staff
I AM a supply educator and will be working in a range of schools when they reopen. Is there specific advice for me on how to stay safe? Your agency has a general duty of care towards you when placing you in workplaces. Before it offers you work, the law says that your agency must consider whether it will be safe for you to work at the proposed workplace. The NEU has produced a coronavirus checklist for supply educators at neu.org. uk/advice/coronaviruschecklist-supplyeducators Among other things, this includes a list of questions about workplace safety to ask your agency before accepting engagements. If you have not been provided with the school’s risk assessment and are unclear about working arrangements before you start work, then raise this with the school and with your agency, if you work for one. A school’s risk assessment should set out procedures for the induction of all new staff, including supply staff, with measures to be followed and safe systems of work to be adopted before duties are commenced. Sufficient (paid) time should be built into the day for this to happen in a meaningful way. It should not be limited to a few words as you are handed a folder at the start of the day. If you wish to wear a face covering you should not be prevented from doing so. Supply staff should be provided with PPE following risk assessment where, for example, close personal contact with students who can’t control behaviour such as spitting, coughing or sneezing is part of the role. Also, full consideration should be given to supply staff arriving at, moving around and leaving school. They may not be familiar with the surroundings and may need extra support to navigate the school environment safely.
No time in my busy day for medical toilet breaks
I HAVE a medical condition that means I need to use the toilet frequently. I am struggling to do my break duty as it means I do not have time to go to the toilet. What 44
Educators with a medical condition that means they need to access a toilet frequently should be entitled to reasonable adjustments
should I do if I need the toilet during a lesson? I don’t have a teaching assistant. You should discuss this distressing situation with your head teacher. If necessary, ask your GP to provide written confirmation of the condition you have and the difficulties it causes on a day-to-day basis. You should be entitled to reasonable workplace adjustments to resolve this situation – such as not having to do break duties and having access to support during lesson time so that you can leave your class for a short time. If you encounter difficulties in persuading your head to facilitate these changes you should speak to your NEU rep or health and safety rep, or contact your local NEU branch for further support and assistance.
Data protection or withholding vital info on Covid cases? WE have been told to keep positive cases of Covid confidential, which means staff and students are kept in the dark about who has tested positive, and when. We only find out about a positive case if we were actually in the class with the student. Is this right? This approach is counterproductive. Withholding information unnecessarily may
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result in rumours circulating, which is not helpful in the current difficult circumstances. Adopting a policy of as much transparency as possible is preferable to maintain the confidence of the school community and avoid staff, students and parents feeling shut out and distrustful. It could be that the provisions of data protection legislation are not properly understood by school leaders, which is leading to an excessively cautious approach in terms of information sharing. NEU guidance on the information that should be shared by school leaders in the event of a confirmed or suspected case of Covid-19, including an explanation of what data protection legislation actually requires, is available at neu.org.uk/ advice/coronavirus-sharing-informationconfirmed-or-suspected-cases Following this guidance will help ensure that a policy of maximum transparency is adopted, and that the provisions of data protection legislation are not misunderstood or misused in such a way as to prevent the sharing of necessary information with parents and staff.
Please email your Ask the union questions to educate@neu.org.uk
Noticeboard
Grants for a much-needed break
GRANTS of up to £300 are being made available for teachers of limited means to help them pay for a convalescence break. The Lucy Lund Holiday Grants, a charity set up in 1927, is seeking applications from retired members, particularly those who retired
early on the grounds of ill health and have an annual pension income of less than £15,000. Teachers who are in temporary severe financial difficulty because of prolonged illness may also be eligible. Applications are available from The Secretary, The Lucy Lund Holiday Grants, c/o 1 Lower Road, Havant PO9 3LH.
Sharing experiences of all things periods
al thin
#
Periods
AWARD-WINNING saxophonist and broadcaster YolanDa Brown (above) has launched free online music lesson plans, learning materials and videos for teachers, parents and pupils. YolanDa, who is a multiple MOBO winner and presenter on CBeebies, Radio 2 and Jazz FM, said: “The announcement of another lockdown in January created a lot of anxiety for children and their parents/guardians. I have decided to release my YolanDa’s Band Jam album earlier than planned, as well as make my school resources available to everyone, to give joy, escapism and support to many children and their parents around the country.” Visit twinkl.co.uk/resources/twinklpartnerships/yolanda
Black history for ages 5 to 11
Here at PERIOD POWER, we're creating and publishing a book called "All Things Periods" and we want you to be involved...
AllThingsPeriods PeriodPower
CHARITY Period Power wants to hear from girls who would like to contribute to a new book, All Things Periods. The charity’s aim is to capture girls’ varied experiences of periods and break the taboo around talking about them. Experiences and thoughts presented in poems, drawings, short reflections or anything
Free music resources online
else are all welcome. Contributions can be anonymous or attributed and should cover issues such as the physical and emotional effects of menstruating and sanitary products used. Send your contributions, along with your name and age, to periodpower2017@gmail.com by 7 April.
TUNTIMO, a new online interactive educational platform focusing on Black history learning for young children aged five to 11, was launched last month. Teachers and historians put together the content, which includes quizzes on topics around Black British and African history. Profiles of more than 200 Black people who have achieved great things, including Barack Obama and Maya Angelou, are also included. Tuntimo creator Oriana Gowie said she had wanted to design something she herself would have loved to have had access to growing up.“There were a few sites to teach young children about history, but none that reflected Black achievements in a positive light,” she said. Visit tuntimo.com
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Supply members If things are tough with little or no work coming in, your union is here to help. As well as the advice and support we can give, a subscriptions holiday* is available for members who anticipate having no income, or a reduced income, for the foreseeable future because of Covid-19. To request the holiday please contact the membership and subscriptions team at: membership@neu.org.uk including ‘subscriptions holiday’ in the subject title. Did you know the NEU also offers grants from its National Hardship Fund to support members facing financial difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 crisis? Details and an application form are available at: neu.org.uk/neu-hardship-fund *The duration of this subscriptions holiday is linked to the full re-opening of schools and colleges and restricted to the current membership year ending 31 August 2021.
Starting a family? Welcoming a new addition to your family is exciting but it can also be a time of work and financial worries so it’s more important than ever that you have the protection of your union. Did you know that members on maternity leave, shared parental leave, or adoption leave do not have to pay membership fees?
To find out more visit neu.org.uk/neu-membership-rates If you have a question about your maternity or parental rights or pay, contact your local rep, the NEU AdviceLine or take a look at our comprehensive guide to maternity rights at neu.org.uk/maternity Please note: subscription holidays for maternity, parental and adoption leave can only be processed in the current subscription year (1 September 2020-31 August 2021). We are unable to backdate requests for previous subscription years.
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educate Your magazine from the National Education Union
Angela Sandles from Monmouthshire Photo by Carmen Valino
Photo opportunity THIS fantastic photo was taken by Sion Watkins, a retired teacher from Carmarthen. Sion says: “Since retiring, after 37 years as a teacher, I’ve worked with a Welsh charity called Dolen Cymru, teaching and training in Lesotho and then bringing some teachers back to Wales for a month each time. It’s an amazing experience. Send us your “This photo photo to win a shows school staff £20 book waiting to greet the visiting Welsh token teachers and captured the pure joy of the Basotho people and the pride they have in their culture.” If you are a keen photographer, why not send your pictures to us at educate@neu.org.uk
WIN!
They should be large and high resolution, accompanied by 50 words telling readers about its subject. We
send a £20 book token for each one featured so don’t forget to pop your address on the email too.
What’s in your lunchbox? Pilar Gordo-Palacios, a teacher from Hull, says this is one of her go-to recipes because “it’s healthy, filling, packed with nutrients and very affordable”. It can also be enjoyed hot or cold, making it ideal for a lunchbox. Ingredients
3. Add the
on the packet and set aside.
2. Put 3 tbsp of olive oil in a
serves 2
tomatoes, water, bay leaf and drained red kidney beans to the pan and season.
150g brown rice 5 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 250g tin chopped tomatoes 100ml of water 1 bay leaf 400g tin red kidney beans, rinsed 250g mushrooms, sliced 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Method 1. Cook the rice following the instructions
Mushroom and red kidney bean risotto
4. Bring to the boil and simmer for a further 10 minutes. 5. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the mushrooms.
pan and cook the onion over a medium heat until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, kidney beans and mushrooms with the cooked rice and mix well. 7. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.
Win a copy of Jack Monroe’s Cooking on a Bootstrap or Tin Can Cook
We have three copies of Cooking on a Bootstrap plus three copies of Tin Can Cook by writer and food poverty activist Jack Monroe to give away – email your recipe and photo to educate@neu.org.uk with your name and address, putting ‘Jack Monroe’ in the subject box. educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
47
Answers at bottom of page 49
Quick crossword Across 1 Caribbean island with capital Bridgetown (8) 5 The wise men who visited Jesus (4) 9 Spiral-horned African antelope (5) 10 ___ Mansell: British former racing driver (5) 11 Archipelago in the Indian Ocean (10) 14 ___ Bridge: famous sight in Venice (6) 15 Sergio ___ : Spanish golfer (6) 17 US tennis player who won Wimbledon in 1975 (6,4) 20 Cylindrical peaked military hat with a plume (5) 21 Barry ___ : singer with a distinctive bass-baritone voice (5) 22 Familiar name for sodium chloride (4) 23 British model (4,4)
1
5
12
1
14 16
20
21
22
23
Across
Last issue’s (Jan/Feb 2021) sudoku solution (from left: Easy, Medium and Difficult)
Down
18 sculptor (4)1 - Jessica ___ : US actress (4) 519 - The wise men who visited Jesus (4) 2 - ___ Giggs: former Wales and Man Utd footballer (4 Famous Brazilian footballer (4) 1 - Caribbean island with capital Bridgetown (8) Joan ___ : Spanish painter and 9 - Spiral-horned African antelope (5)
3 - French actress who starred in Amélie (6,6)
10 - ___ Mansell: British former racing driver (5)
4 - The ___ : TV show created by Ricky Gervais (6) 6 - Tall plant of the parsley family (8)
Sudoku solutions will feature 7 - Enrique ___ : Spanish singer (8) on this issue. 8 - USpage actressnext who starred in The Devil Wears Prada
17 - US tennis player who won Wimbledon in 1975 (6,4)
8
12 - US state with capital Little Rock (8)
7 7 21 - Barry ___ : singer with a distinctive bass-baritone 2 5 2 voice (5) 22 - Familiar name for sodium chloride (4) 3 5 23 - British model (4,4) 8 3 6 3 6 4 1 5 2 1 4 9 1 6 4 2 1 8 7 5 1 5 2 3 7
1 3 9 2 4 8 6 5 7
educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
4 5 7 6 1 9 8 3 2
7 6 1 4 9 2 5 8 3
8 9 5 3 6 1 2 7 4
3 4 2 8 7 5 1 6 9
5 8 3 9 2 4 7 1 6
5
13 - Kim ___ : Sex and the City actress (8)
20 - Cylindrical peaked military hat with a plume (5)
Medium 6 2 8 5 3 7 4 9 1
19
15
17
5 6 4 9
Easy
18
13
15 - Sergio ___ : Spanish golfer (6)
1
7
11
14 - ___ Bridge: famous sight in Venice (6)
2
6
10
11 - Archipelago in the Indian Ocean (10)
8 5 6 4 8 9 9 3 5 6 6 4 3 4 5 9 6 7 7 2 1 7 6 3
48
4
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Sudoku 2 7 8 3
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Down 1 Jessica ___ : US actress (4) 2 ___ Giggs: former Wales and Man Utd footballer (4) 3 French actress who starred in Amélie (6,6) 4 The ___ : TV show created by Ricky Gervais (6) 6 Tall plant of the parsley family (8) 7 Enrique ___ : Spanish singer (8) 8 US actress who starred in The Devil Wears Prada (4,8) 12 US state with capital Little Rock (8) 13 Kim ___ : Sex and the City actress (8) 16 The capital of Taiwan (6)
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2 7 6 1 5 3 9 4 8
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16 - The capital of Taiwan (6)
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18 - Joan ___ : Spanish painter and sculptor (4)
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Difficult 1 4 7 8 5 6 9 3 2
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7 8 9 1 2 5 4 6 3
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Prize crossword
WIN!
Across 7 Those attending a conference
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in Leeds get a change (9) 8 Physical education is able to make you a nut! (5) 10 Naughty Des is boy who doesn’t do as he’s told! (8) 11 He leaves Herne Bay sadly, though not far off (6) 12 One transformed nitrogen into an inert gas (4) 13 His maths revision is a huge popular success! (5,3) 15 Artist disrupting class with mischievous children (7) 17 Following a grave error, exam initially is mediocre (7) 20 Spin tale about new tier for those who can read and write (8) 22 Pleased to start geography lessons after dinner (4) 25 Northern children I accommodated in farm buildings (6) 26 New term, and SATS produce the most intelligent (8) 27 French novelist never changed… (5) 28 …but sold lots! (9)
A £50 Marks & Spencer voucher
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pass grade (5) 2 Far and away the best mode of teaching during lockdown? (6) 3 Learn a PT move like a Dad! (8) 4 Despite opposition, continue to convert priests (7) 5 The prom with a modification? A figure of speech! (8) 6 Bad crime unravelled involving Head of German at university (9) 9 Old American Indian in mountain cabin (4) 14 Planned a route to get a divan ordered (9) 16 Process for filling available undergraduate places in
The winner and solution of this prize crossword will feature on this page next issue. forest glade? (8) 18 Virginia has educational allowances for those of no fixed abode (8) 19 New clue is ‘Southern temperature scale’… (7) 21 …cropping up in Yugoslavia, too (4) 23 Writer of Gold and Thunder God (6) 24 County university contributes to success, exam-wise (5)
Email a photograph of your completed crossword with your contact details, plus ‘March/April prize crossword’ in the subject line, to educate@neu.org.uk. Closing date: 31 March. PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR COMPLETED CROSSWORD
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Motorbike 30/01/2019 14:48
Last issue’s (January/February 2021) prize crossword solution
Across 1 WHITEHALL 8 DINNER 9 LADIES 12 DATA 13 MERIT 14 ANTI 17 CONTENT 18 GENESIS 19 TEDIOUS 22 BRISTOL 24 OPEN 25 INCAS 26 FIND 29 JESUIT 30 NELSON 31 REMARKING Down 2 HENS 3 TORMENT 4 HALVING 5 LIDO 6 MILTON 7 KEYNES 10 EDUCATION 11 FIRST LADY 15 DEMON 16 ANVIL 20 DIESEL 21 SINATRA 22 BEATNIK 23 TRIPOS Congratulations to last issue’s winner – Caroline Jackson-Man from Bromley 27 HUGE 28 PLAN
This issue’s quick crossword solution (p48)
Across 1 BARBADOS 5 MAGI 9 ELAND 10 NIGEL 11 SEYCHELLES 14 RIALTO 15 GARCIA 17 ARTHUR ASHE 20 SHAKO 21 WHITE 22 salt 23 LILY COLE Down 1 BIEL 2 RYAN 3 AUDREY TAUTOU 4 OFFICE 6 ANGELICA 7 IGLESIAS 8 ANNE HATHAWAY 12 ARKANSAS 13 CATTRALL 16 TAIPEI 18 MIRO 19 PELE educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
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Final word
Abusive spy cops scandal is far from over
A projection by Police Spies Out of Lives on the Royal Courts of Justice in London
Fact file
Harriet Wistrich is director and solicitor of the Centre for Women’s Justice, a legal charity established in 2016 to hold the state to account around violence against women and girls and challenge discrimination against women within the criminal justice system. Visit centrefor womensjustice. org.uk 50
THE scandal of undercover police officers deceiving women into long-term intimate sexual relationships, as described by former school teacher, Alison (see page 35), is a paradigm case of institutionalised sexism within the British police. I had the privilege of representing Alison, along with seven other women, in a landmark legal case against the Metropolitan Police arising from the outrageous conduct of these undercover police officers. We brought a civil claim against the police which eventually resulted in a settlement that incorporated a public apology delivered by assistant commissioner Martin Hewitt. This acknowledged that the actions of the five undercover police officers implicated in their claim were, “abusive, deceitful, manipulative and wrong”. Prior to this apology, the then Home Secretary announced there would be a public inquiry into undercover policing. This was triggered partly by the publicity surrounding the case, and partly by a whistleblower from within the secret unit revealing that a number of Black justice campaigns had been infiltrated, including the Stephen Lawrence campaign (see pages 32-34). More than 30 women targeted by spy cops Following the delivery of the police apology and the commencement of the inquiry, many more women have come forward, having discovered they too were victims of similar deception by undercover police officers. There are now more than 30 women who were targeted in this way over the 40-year period covered by the public inquiry.
educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)
Far from being the actions of a few rogue police officers – as suggested at the time the scandal first broke with the exposure of undercover spy Mark Kennedy posing as a climate change activist – it is now unequivocally clear this misconduct was systemic. Whether or not it was an overt tactic authorised from above, or the outcome of a largely male lockerroom culture where officers were given free rein to use whatever tactics they liked in order to gather intelligence, the impact has been devastating and life-changing for the women affected. New law will make undercover officers immune In the meantime, the public inquiry progresses at a snail’s pace. We are more than five years in and have had only one public hearing to date, which has dealt with the first couple of years of the notorious Special Demonstration Squad. All the women affected remain tenacious in their search for the truth and their ambition to hold the police fully to account, despite the toll it takes on them to continue fighting this battle ten years on. To date, despite the public apology, there is no law sanctioning the use of sex by undercover police officers. In fact, extraordinarily, before the public inquiry concludes, the Government has introduced the Covert Human Intelligence (Criminal Conduct) Bill 2020, which proposes to make criminal conduct by undercover officers immune from prosecution. We are clearly a very long way away from really learning from such past outrages or seeking to prevent their repetition.
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