Teachers are standing up for education
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Ask the Contents Union
Welcome
Happy New Year! This issue features our two successful lobbies on funding and on supply teaching, which I hope will inspire you to get involved in Union campaigning. See some of the campaigns we’re planning on pages 26-29.
As we begin a new term we can celebrate that the far right were defeated in France just before Christmas. In elections at home we will be promoting our Wales and London manifestos in the run up to elections in May.
Finally, you may have read by now that I intend to stand down as your General Secretary in May. It has, I can assure you, been a unique privilege and a pleasure to hold this post. I look forward to continuing to work with and for you over the coming months.
As always, there is lots to learn from and lots to celebrate in the Teacher. From new teachers discussing their first term, to what's happening to your pay, alongside reports of key Union equality events; reading the Teacher will keep you up to date.
Christine Blower – General Secretary
22 New teachers – the first term As they prepared for the Christmas break, new teachers told us about their experiences of their first term in teaching.
Features
26 Our year ahead The NUT’s key campaigns for 2016.
04 Invest – don’t cut Teachers took to Westminster to tell their MPs to invest, not cut education.
31 Your pay in numbers The survey results are in! We find out how PRP has affected pay progression this year.
06 Standing up for supply teachers Supply teachers went on the march to stop the agency rip off.
32 Beneath the rhetoric Are secondary teachers ‘soft bigots’?
17 A place to lay your head Exorbitant housing costs and unaffordable mortgages are forcing young teachers into a desperate situation.
50 Backbeat Guest columnist Alan Gibbons asks why teachers should have to choose between continuing in their profession or being happy.
21 Stunning literary find Poet Michael Rosen re-imagines Alice in Wonderland in the context of today’s testing regime.
President Philipa Harvey General Secretary Christine Blower Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney Editor Daniel Humphry Journalists Emily Jenkins, Monica Roland Administration Maryam Hulme Cover Jess Hurd Newsdesk 020 7380 4708 teacher@nut.org.uk
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10 Out and about 15 International 34 Your Union 36 Ask the Union 38 Reviews
41 Noticeboard 43 Learning with the NUT 44 Staffroom confidential 46 Letters
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Invest – don’t cut Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell addresses NUT members.
Photo: Guy Smallman
In anticipation of the Government’s budget deliberations in the Comprehensive Spending Review, teachers took to Westminster to tell their MPs that investing in education – not cutting it – is the way forward.
Speaker’s corner
“Whilst all the Government rhetoric has been about protecting education, we know that is far from the reality,” Lucy said. “School budgets are going down but that is nothing compared to what is going to happen to 16-19 education and early years. I want us to join forces to get these issues into the public consciousness – I want to build a partnership with the teaching profession as we go forward.”
Preceding the lobby, Christine Blower, NUT General Secretary and Lucy Powell MP, Shadow Education Secretary addressed the importance of raising awareness amongst decision-makers in Parliament.
Christine took to the podium following the Shadow Education Secretary and emphasised the prejudicial effect of budgetary decisions by the Conservative Government.
Lucy delivered an opening speech that highlighted her commitment to provide a clear voice of opposition to the proposed Conservative cuts. She also conveyed support for strengthening the relationship between the Government and the teaching profession.
“The Government is failing in its duty to provide children and young people in England with an education that is properly funded and gives all children the start in life they deserve,” she stressed.
At the beginning of November, NUT members turned out in force to discuss funding concerns with their representatives in Government. Increased class sizes, lack of resources, teacher redundancies and threats to further education were all key issues raised on the day.
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January / February 16 I The Teacher
United voices Members were not shy when articulating their outrage and frustration that the relentless financial squeeze on schools shows no signs of abating. Many told of how funding cuts had affected their schools and colleges. James, a secondary school teacher in London, shared: “Money is very tight at the moment and it’s causing a lot of problems in our school that seriously affect children’s education. Classes are getting bigger and we don’t have the resources we once had.” There were also fears of what the budget cuts would mean for vulnerable students. “I’m really concerned that children with special needs are going to be sidelined,” said Dolores, a recently retired head teacher of a specialist unit for children with dyslexia and learning difficulties. The proposed budget cuts also have new teachers worried. “I’m a newly qualified teacher in further education and there’s a reason why two out of five of us leave after the first five years – it’s because of the harsh conditions that we are now having to face,” said Chris, a sixth form teacher from the Wirral. “I’m here today because it’s important to represent the staff in my school but also I’m here for the kids,” said Hannah, a secondary school teacher in London. “They want their voices to be heard and they want the best out of their education.”
Sixth form lobby
6fc
Invest – don’t cut
“On top of this, the Government is planning a review which will increase funding in some areas of the country simply by taking it from other areas, not by providing the increased funding that some parts of the country sorely need,” Christine added.
The NUT arranged a meeting Save Our Colle focused on sixth form ges colleges during the lobby, which was addressed by Gordon Marsden MP, (Shadow Minister for Further Education, Skills and Regional Growth) as well as Kevin Courtney (NUT Deputy General Secretary), James Kewin (Sixth Form Colleges’ Association) and Labour MPs Pat Glass (Shadow Education Minister), Ian Mearns (Education Select Committee) and Emily Thornberry (Shadow Employment Minister). All speakers recognised that sixth form colleges were successful institutions and should not be under threat due to the combined impact of funding cuts and the Government’s “area-based reviews” of post 16 education. The Labour Party moved a motion on 16-19 funding in the House of Commons on the same day, with Lucy Powell commenting ahead of the debate: “All the evidence shows that investment in education is the best down payment a country can make to secure its economic future. At a time when we are rightly expecting all young people to stay in education until 18, scaling back resources and opportunities is wrong headed.”
Loud and clear The message that members were eager to communicate to MPs is that investment in education is a social obligation. Every child has the basic human right to receive a quality learning experience. Cuts to education leave a harmful legacy and endanger the future life opportunities of the next generation. As Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary, declared: “We need to invest in our children and young people, not sell them short by cutting education funding.”
Photo: Guy Smallman
NUT members wait outside Parliament for their appointment to lobby MPs.
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Standing up for supply teachers
Standing up for supply teachers Supply teachers turned out in force for the NUT lobby of supply agency HQs in central London on 28 October 2015. Over 100 members from around England and Wales attended the lobby. With agencies treating supply teachers as ‘human resources, commodities for sale’ as one member put it, the NUT took its campaign directly to their doors.
On the march “I’m here because there is a fragmentation of the supply teacher service,” said one West Midlands supply teacher. “Schools are being let down and so are teachers.”
Photo: Jess Hurd
The lobby started with a rallying speech at NUT HQ from NUT President Philipa Harvey. Then a sea of NUT members moved off through the streets of central London, holding their placards high and handing out flyers to passers-by. Assembling at Protocol Education – the first rallying point – chants of “Stop the agency rip-off!” could be heard blocks away as the public learnt all about the NUT campaign. It was a truly traffic-stopping event. Lobbyists then moved on to the HQ of recruitment group Hays, where an open letter to the agency was handed in.
Demanding change Supply teaching can be rewarding and challenging in equal measure, but the current position on pay and pensions makes it almost impossible to rely on supply teaching for a decent income. The general mood of discontent among lobbyists was accompanied by a passionate desire for change and a willingness to make it happen. “Conditions have steadily deteriorated due to local authorities’ needless farming out of supply teacher provisions to private agencies. Their main concern is making a profit – nothing goes back into education,” explained one supply teacher on the march. “I’d like to see something like they have in Northern Ireland – a centrally run scheme that all supply teachers belong to, and no private agencies for supply teachers,” said another.
Hopeful expectations Along with action on fair pay, pensions and employment, NUT members are hoping for a long-overdue overhaul to the agency system. The lobby therefore drew attention to the register system in place just across the Irish Sea. Today’s IT facilities mean that registers like this, offering schools and teachers the opportunity to be in direct contact and cutting out the agencies, could be an alternative to the current set-up in England and Wales.
The campaign continues “Schools are being charged huge fees by agencies, but this is money which should be used for children’s education,” reiterates NUT General Secretary Christine Blower. “The NUT is calling for new systems for supply teachers, which would save schools money while paying supply teachers fairly too. Our lobby has been a further step towards making this happen.” The NUT encourages all supply teachers to get involved in the campaign. For resources and ideas on how to fight for your rights, please visit: teachers.org.uk/supply
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An NUT member demonstrates outside a supply agency in London, in protest against its working practices and pay.
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.uk er@nut.org h c a te t a k wsdes mail our ne E ? y r to s a Got
t u o b a d n a Out Show Racism the Red Card School Competition 2016 The annual Show Racism the Red Card competition for England’s schools is now open for registration. Young people of all ages in full-time education can produce their own anti-racism themed artwork, creative writing, films and music for the competition. The NUT has supported the SRtRC competition for many years and is sponsoring it in 2016. Christine Blower said: “I encourage all schools to get involved with this competition... the quality of the young people’s creative
work is always very high, children and young people all love getting involved. Show Racism the Red Card has a central message for society.” Participants can use any medium to get their anti-racism messages across. Over the years t-shirts, sculpture, 3D artwork, stories, poetry and factual reports have all won prizes. Full rules and registration details are available at: theredcard.org/ competitions/england
Lucy Lund Holiday Grants Fund The Lucy Lund Fund registered charity was established in 1927 and provides financial support to teachers and retired teachers of limited means who need help in taking a few days’ holiday. Most qualifying applications come from retired members, particularly those who took early retirement on the grounds of ill health. Typically, an applicant with an income from state and occupational pension benefits of
less than £14-15,000 a year may qualify for support. The Fund is able to pay a grant of up to £250 towards the cost of a holiday break.
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Children and staff at Glebelands Primary School in Leicester are working hard to raise awareness of the issues surrounding asylum seekers and refugees. Class teacher Ruth Sinhal has launched a project called Leicester Schools Welcome Refugees. They are collecting items to be distributed as welcome packs by the Red Cross and Open Hands. The project is supported by Leicester City Council and all schools are invited to take part. As well as donating items, the children at Glebelands are writing welcome letters to be included in the packs, so that new arrivals will feel personally welcomed to Leicester. If your school would like to be involved in this project contact rsinhal@glebelands.leics.sch.uk or follow @leics_refugees on Twitter. There are many other ways to help asylum seekers and refugees and you can find out how at: leicester.cityofsanctuary.org/ what-you-can-do
If you or someone you know would benefit from a grant, please submit an application. Forms can be obtained from: The Honorary Secretary, Lucy Lund Holiday Grants Fund, c/o Teachers Provident Society, Tringham House, Deansleigh Road, Bournemouth BH7 7DT.
Take action in February to oppose the Trade Union Bill The NUT is backing a week of action called by the TUC from 8-14 February. The week is intended to highlight how the Trade Union Bill, currently being considered in the House of Lords, is an unprecedented and unnecessary attack on trade unions and the rights of working people. The week of action will also be a showcase for the vital role unions perform both in workplaces and
Refugees welcomed in Leicester schools
civil society. As Valentine’s Day marks the end of the week, the TUC has decided to brand the activities Heartunions. We hope NUT members will take part and help spread the word to friends and family. Further information and resources will be made available at: heartunions.org
Northern rights North West activists Debs Gwynn and Sarah Troughton led an equality conference in the region around stress and mental health issues. It is the latest in a series of equality conferences in the North West following an event in May which focused on workplace issues for LGBT members and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic members.
Out and about
Election of National Officers: 2016-2018 Voting in the elections for Senior and Junior Vice-President and Treasurer for 2016-2018 closed at midday Wednesday, 18 November 2015. The following have been elected: Senior Vice-President:
Louise Regan
Junior Vice-President:
Kiri Tunks
Treasurer:
Ian Murch
Examiners of Accounts:
Judy Moorhouse and Alyson Palmer – elected unopposed
A full report of the Independent Scrutineer, Electoral Reform Services, including the Certified Election Result Sheet is available at: teachers.org.uk/your-union/elections
Elections for Executive Members: 2016-2018 Nominations for the Executive – including the three equality seats for black members, disabled members and LGBT members – are now being sought. Nominations close on 11 January 2016. Where seats are contested, ballot papers will be sent to members
eligible to vote on 24 February and the closing date for returning ballot papers is midday on 16 March 2016. The independent scrutineer for the Executive elections will be the ERS and their address is: The Election Centre, 33 Clarendon Road, London N8 0NW.
Small Heath school campaign against academisation
London launch LGBT+ network
NUT, ATL and NASUWT members have staged four strikes in their ongoing dispute at Small Heath School in Birmingham against the proposal to convert the school into an academy. The number of members striking has grown, with support staff now joining the action. Small Heath was one of the so-called ‘Trojan Horse’ schools and was placed into Special Measures during the height of the controversy, despite achieving four previous ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspections.
Over 80 people attended the launch of a London region LGBT+ Teachers’ Network on 20 November at the Somers Town Coffee House. A registration survey at the event showed that 65% of attendees had never attended an NUT event before and 84% were interested in attending future association meetings. At least 15 attendees want to become a school rep.
Parents have handed in a petition signed by 800 community members to the City Council, calling on it to support the school and to oppose the forced academisation. NUT members have engaged in serious discussions about the education situation with a number of Birmingham MPs and a further strike date was announced in December.
The event was organised by LGBT+ members and had special guests including London Assembly Member Tom Copley and campaigner Nicola Field. If you would like to know more or host a similar event in your region please email: D.Braniff-Herbert@nut.org.uk
Academy chain abandons DfE project The Midland Academies Trust shock decision to close their flagship studio schools by July 2016 struck a blow to the heart of the Government’s national education strategy, as 155 students and more than 30 staff will have to find alternative placements. The NUT is dismayed at the impact this
will have on the displaced students and staff, the school infrastructure in Warwickshire and the local communities, as well as the extraordinary cost to the public purse for this failed venture. In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, the NUT is calling for a
full enquiry into the studio school element of the DfE’s national strategy. The NUT is seeking answers to ensure its members are supported and the students of Warwickshire and their parents and carers are fully informed of the reasons behind this deeply troubling decision.
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Regional Reps of the Year
Regional Reps of the Year Being an NUT rep isn’t always easy, and every year we celebrate the hard work of our representatives through the NUT regional rep awards. We talk to three of last year’s winners about their day-to-day experiences, and what it takes to be an NUT rep. Aneela Shah Aneela Shah is NUT rep at Fortismere School. She has been a science teacher for 15 years, before which she worked as a chemistry lecturer. We asked her what had changed since she started teaching. “When I began teaching it was more about planning really good lessons for students,” she says. “But now it’s justifying everything, showing progress, recording nonsense bits of data all the time, and there’s so much more admin. “I’m worried about the number of teachers who are getting burnt out or overworked,” she continues. “We have really intelligent people with good degrees and further degrees and if you think of how we’re treated by the Government… it’s not a very attractive profession.” Talking about what it takes to be a school rep Aneela says, “I think you have to be quite persistent, quite a strong person and a good listener.” She tells us how highly she thinks of her colleagues. “They’re incredibly brave. It’s only because they stand by me that I can do my job.”
Nigel Fox Nigel Fox was a teacher and rep at Peter Symonds College in Winchester for 34 years. Starting with only eight members, he retired in 2015 with an impressive total of 148 NUT members at his college. In discussing his more than three decades of service, we asked him what had been his greatest success. “A key victory for us was establishing collective bargaining machinery after the incorporation of sixth form colleges in 1993,” he tells us. Incorporation was a government measure that took colleges out of local authority management and made them autonomous; a predecessor to the academisation model schools are now experiencing. “We insisted that we had direct representation to negotiate and consult over key local issues. We won and my college was the first to establish local collective bargaining machinery. It has meant that we have never had a serious all-out dispute and has fostered good relations in the college.” But it has not been an easy ride for Nigel and his sixth form colleagues. The sector as a whole has been subject to debilitating cuts which have had a massive impact on working conditions, increasing workload and increasing class sizes.
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“You’re fighting cuts in an atomised environment where every college is autonomous and fighting for students from other post-16 providers. It’s horrendous.” His experience of fighting the effects of funding cuts has convinced Nigel of the importance of trade unions on the ground. “Trade unions are the vanguard of defending public services and it has reinforced my belief in the value of trade unionism. I think what the Government is doing with its new trade union bill is appalling. It is trying to completely undercut and undermine trade unionism. “All college reps and school reps will be committed to the basic trade union principle that members are best served by sticking together and collective bargaining. And as a rep, that’s your role: making sure you unite your members.”
Rob Howlett Rob Howlett has been a teacher at Plume School in Essex for the last nine years. He became rep three years ago after his school became an academy. “It’s been challenging at times. There were a lot of changes at our school when we converted into an academy. I volunteered to become a rep to make sure the well-being of the members was not overlooked in these changes. “Fortunately, we’ve worked together with our leadership and we have good strong communication.” Since becoming a school rep, Rob has also become more involved at association level, taking on the additional role of young teachers’ officer for mid-Essex. “A lot of the time young teachers are scared of voicing their opinions as they don’t want to affect their chances of progression in their careers. When I started as rep, I was concerned that I would be seen as a trouble-maker but in fact it has only had positive benefits for my career.” Rob has since been made head of the department and he attributes a great deal to being school rep. “A lot of it is due to the experience I’ve gained: my understanding of policies, procedures and the added exposure and communication I have with senior leadership.” Asked how he feels to be an NUT rep, Rob replies: “It’s a huge privilege to be a spokesperson for NUT members. And a real honour to have been elected.”
Success stories
Success stories NUT teachers have been working hard in schools across England and Wales to secure better rights and conditions in their schools. Here are just a few of the victories that you’ve been telling us about. A fair pay policy for teachers Members in a Suffolk junior school sought NUT support with reviewing their school’s pay policy at the end of last year. After comparing it to the NUT model policy and DfE guidance, it became clear that there were inappropriate targets, excessive criteria for progression, vague wording and a poor appeals procedure. Members drew up a list of amendments and presented them to the head teacher, who then accompanied the NUT rep to a governors meeting where they were discussed. A few weeks later the governors agreed to modify the school’s pay policy. For more information visit: teachers.org.uk/paytoolkit
Fighting back Teachers in a Suffolk secondary school voted unanimously to reject unreasonable appraisal objectives after their new rep attended NUT pay progression training, which highlighted glaring issues with their school’s pay policy. While the head teacher is considering their response, members are already thinking collectively about the changes that are needed in their school, including to appraisal procedures and excessive targets. Congratulations to the rep who has put her training to good use and mobilised her colleagues!
Young teacher conferences The Eastern Region has pulled together a number of its young teacher activists to help shape and organise future young teacher conferences in the region. Teachers on the ground will be steering the conferences, helping to reach out to the profession at a grassroots level. The first meeting of the new young teachers group was held recently and, as hoped, they came up with lots of fresh ideas for ways to engage fellow young members at next year’s conferences. To keep up with other conferences and events go to: teachers.org.uk/events.
Mocksted halted A two-day ‘Mocksted’ was halted after the first day when NUT members refused to cooperate. Members at the Mayflower School in Essex agreed not to cooperate on the grounds that the mock inspection was unnecessary and because of concerns about the impact on workload and work-life balance. When inspectors entered classrooms they were shown a statement making it clear that teaching would cease if they stayed in the room. Inspectors quickly left lessons. The planned second day of inspection was then considered ‘unnecessary’ as the school had already been declared outstanding. Jerry Glazier, NUT Division Secretary for Essex said: “The school rep and members are to be congratulated on their united determination to halt this unnecessary, time consuming and stressful activity by following the Union’s instructions on workload.” If you have concerns about unreasonable workload in your school, discuss it with your colleagues or contact the NUT AdviceLine at nutadviceline@nut.org.uk or on 020 3006 6266.
If you have achieved a victory at your school and would like to share it with the Union, email your story to: success@nut.org.uk
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International
l a n o i t a n r Inte Send My Friend to School 2016 Speak out for the 37 million children missing out on school in crisis affected countries.
When conflicts are long-term or massive natural disasters hit, children may go years without attending school, causing whole generations to lose their chance of an education. Half of Syrian children are now missing out on school. Twelve year-old Mohamed has been out of education since 2011 when his family had to flee after an explosive hit their home in Syria. “I was very scared by the noise and the explosives and often could not sleep at night,” said Mohamed. “We are now living in a refugee camp in Lebanon, along with hundreds of other Syrian families. “I miss school. If I could go back to education I would study to be a doctor, so I could return home to Syria and help people who have been hurt in the war.” Every year, natural disasters affect 175 million children. Last year in Nepal, one million children were left out of school after two massive earthquakes destroyed 35,000 classrooms and 600,000 homes. Apart from wars and natural disasters, other emergencies are keeping children from their basic right to an education. In Sierra Leone, nearly two million children were forced to abandon school because of Ebola. In northern Nigeria, the violence from Boko Haram has displaced 1.4 million children from their homes and destroyed 900 schools. Education is vital for all children, but it is more important than ever in an emergency. In the middle of destruction, violence and instability, school should be not just a place of learning but also of stability, safety and hope for the future.
World leaders have made a new commitment to deliver quality education for every child up until the age of 15, but currently more funding is needed to support children in crisis situations.
Photo: Gurufo
Worldwide, the numbers affected by emergencies are at an all-time high, displacing more children than ever before from their homes and schools. For 2016, the Send My Friend to School campaign is calling on pupils in the UK to speak out for the tens of millions of children who are missing out on school due to conflicts, natural disasters and other crises.
The Send My Friend to School campaign, supported by the National Union of Teachers, has launched a new free teaching pack. The pack aims to inspire schools to speak out for the right to education for children who are missing out due to conflict or disaster. The pack is suitable for 5-15 year olds and includes a DVD, posters and stickers. A teachers guide and a wide range of resources are also available online. This summer term, thousands of pupils in the UK will be creating powerful messages in the form of colourful paper school bags to deliver to their MPs. The bags will detail what they would miss the most if they had to leave their school behind, and will symbolise the journeys undertaken by children fleeing war or disaster. They’ll be using persuasive words to ask world leaders to take action and ensure that education is made a top priority for children affected by emergencies.
Get your school involved! Find out more and sign up to get your free teaching pack at: sendmyfriend.org
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exam markers and moderators ţ ,ǒƯÖǒŤƁ ˇǜȳȍ ȥƁÖŤƯƲǒƠ ȕǀƲǃǃȕǷ ţ MǒƘǜȍǍ ˇǜȳȍ ȳǒųƁȍȕȥÖǒųƲǒƠ ǜƘ ȥƯƁ Ɓ˅ÖǍ DZȍǜŤƁȕȕǷ ţ ,Öȍǒ Ɓ˅ȥȍÖ ƲǒŤǜǍƁ ÖǃǜǒƠȕƲųƁ ˇǜȳȍ ȥƁÖŤƯƲǒƠ ŤÖȍƁƁȍǷ ţ JǜǍƁ řÖȕƁųů ƛ Ɓ˅ƲřǃƁ ˃ǜȍǀƲǒƠǷ
Apply now to mark/moderate 2016 GCSEs and A-levels
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IT’S NOT THE WINNING... ...it’s the running, hopping, skipping, dancing, tug-ofwarring, teacher gunging, cake baking and generally feeling brilliant about pushing yourself and trying something new to help others that counts.
Sport Relief is back on Friday 18th March 2016. So get a head start and order your free Fundraising Event Pack today at sportrelief.com/pack Sport Relief is an initiative of Comic Relief, registered charity 326568 (England and Wales); SC039730 (Scotland) Photo credit: Gary Moyes.
A place to lay your head
Photo: Justin Tallis
Exorbitant housing costs and unaffordable mortgages are forcing young teachers into the arms of private landlords‌where debt and insecurity are all part of the deal.
January / February 16 I The Teacher
17
Whether dubbed Generation Y, Millennials or now Generation Rent, those born between 1981-2001 have become the first generation in modern history who will be economically worse off than their parents. Spiralling house prices and a decade-long real terms wage freeze has led a significant proportion of young people, teachers included, to all but give up on the idea of owning a home. According to figures from Which? and HMRC, 20-24 year olds would need to earn £39,000 to be granted a mortgage on an average starter home – over £22,000 more than the average salary for that age group. Unable to secure a home of their own, young people are becoming trapped in the private rental market – where high rents and short-term lets make saving or long-term planning little more than a pipe dream. The result is that now 48% of all 25-34 year olds rent privately, more than double the number a decade ago. Budgets are tight and conditions are unpredictable for these young people. Some 39% admit to having cut down on heating to make rent, while a third cut back on food (ComRes).
Teacher shortage One by-product of the young persons’ housing crisis is a growing teacher shortage, as teacher pay fails to secure mortgage loans or cover private rent – meaning fewer teachers will join the profession. Equally as troubling, many existing teachers are already having to choose between leaving the profession or the city in which they live, in order to earn enough for housing. Either result could be disastrous for schools that already struggle with recruitment. As one young teacher told the NUT: “We never have enough money to buy a home, we have to constantly move about to try and find something cheaper, and travel long distances to get to work.” In London, 60% of young teachers say they will leave the city within the next five years, as the average cost of renting a one bed flat (£1,100 and rising) now all but consumes their average take-home pay of £1,600. Living in London is simply no longer a sustainable, long-term option for teachers looking to plan for their future. But this is not just a problem facing London, as house prices in all our major cities are rising far beyond the rate of pay or inflation. As such, the UK faces a problem: if no teachers are able to live in central city areas, who will remain to educate the children that do? Of course overpriced housing also affects children and their families. Rising rents are forcing many families into unsuitable housing, where insecurity impacts on children’s ability to settle and make progress in school.
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January / February 16 I The Teacher
Many local councils, short of council housing, are having to find homes for families where there simply are none. Teachers tell of ‘disappearing children’ as families are priced out of their communities and forced to relocate sometimes hundreds of miles away.
Daily struggle The NUT recently surveyed members to measure the effect of the housing crisis on young teachers in London. The results were startling. One teacher explained how they found themselves in low quality housing as it was all their salary could cover. “My one bed flat is too small, but it is all I can afford. My landlord takes a long time to get things fixed,” one said. While another described how they are stuck in the private rental market, stating: “Private rent is so high that I cannot begin to save for a mortgage. I cannot see how I ever will be able to save for a mortgage, which is extremely depressing.” Many in the survey told of poor living conditions and landlords who neglect damp and fail to fix broken appliances. Others told of struggles obtaining deposit money at the end of a tenancy and on-the-spot rent increases or contract changes with no prior warning. In all, the survey found that one in five young teachers still lives at home and that most teachers believe they will still be renting in five years.
Taking action Clearly, urgent action is required. In its 2016 London Manifesto, the NUT makes a number of suggestions that could help ease the plight of not only young teachers in the capital, but all those struggling with the housing and cost of living crisis across the UK. These suggestions include rent controls on privately let properties and investment for local councils to build homes, so that teachers, parents and children are not priced out of their communities. Key worker housing for public sector employees could also help stop young teachers feeling they have to leave large cities altogether. Likewise, tougher restrictions on developers and a greater proportion of affordable housing would alleviate both rental and mortgage prices for all. The NUT would like to hear about your experiences of the housing market, how it is impacting your teaching career and your ideas for alleviating the housing crisis. Email us at: housing@nut.org.uk
Photo: Justin Tallis
“Private rent is so high that I cannot begin to save for a mortgage. I cannot see how I ever will be able to save for a mortgage, which is extremely depressing.� January / February 16 I The Teacher
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new Lewis Carroll ‘Alice’ book Under the floorboards of a college room at Christ Church, Oxford, an electrician has found a manuscript thought to have been written by ‘Lewis Carroll’ (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). Some of it is hard to decipher and it’s clearly incomplete. Here’s one passage: ‘Come in,’ said a woman in a loud voice. Alice walked into a large room at the Compartment of Edification. Sitting in front of her, staring into the middle distance was the Blue Queen. ‘How old are you?’ said the Blue Queen. ‘I’m seven years old,’ said Alice politely. Sitting next to the Queen was the Gibblet. ‘Seven?’ said the Gibblet, ‘Seven? Test her.’ ‘Test her,’ said the Blue Queen. ‘Test me?’ said Alice, ‘but we’ve only just met.’ ‘And be robust,’ said the Gibblet. ‘And be robust,’ said the Blue Queen.
Poem by Michael Rosen
Alice heard a scratching sound. She looked round and observed a row of scribes scratching the word ‘robust’ on their scrolls. ‘Why are you doing that?’ enquired Alice. ‘To tell the world the good news about robust tests,’ they chorused. ‘But how do you know robust tests is good news?’ asked Alice. ‘Because the Blue Queen said it is,’ chorused the scribes. ‘Just because someone says something is something, doesn’t mean that it is the thing they say it is,’ said Alice. ‘Test her!’ shouted the Gibblet. ‘Test her!’ shouted the Blue Queen. ‘Robustly,’ said the Gibblet. ‘Robustly,’ said the Blue Queen.
‘Why do you keep repeating what he says?’ said Alice. ‘How else would I know what to say?’ said the Blue Queen. ‘You could think for yourself,’ said Alice. ‘No, no, no!’ screamed the Gibblet. ‘That’s why we have the tests.’ ‘What? To help people think for themselves?’ ‘No, the opposite, you little ninny,’ screamed the Gibblet. ‘I like opposites,’ said Alice. ‘I like thinking of things that don’t have opposites, like... a cupboard.’ ‘You go on like that, you’ll fail the test,’ laughed the Gibblet. ‘You go on like that, you’ll fail the test,’ laughed the Blue Queen. ‘As far as I’m concerned you’ve both failed,’ said Alice. She turned round and walked out.
Illustration by Dan Berry I The Teacher 21
Stunning literary find: new Lewis Carroll ‘Alice’ book
Stunning literary find:
Illustration: Enis Aksoy
New teachers –
the first term
As they prepared for the Christmas break, new teachers told us about their experiences of their first term in teaching.
We know how daunting it can be the first time you step into a classroom. Sweaty palms, shaky voice, dry throat… those first few days can feel like an eternity as you question whether you chose the right career, especially when pupils misbehave or a class lacks enthusiasm. But then you see glimmers of hope – a struggling student ‘gets it’, a class erupts in giggles at a silly joke you told, a parent offers a kind word of praise – and your optimism is renewed. It can feel like a rollercoaster ride at the beginning of the year, but new teachers overwhelmingly agree that it is a ride worth sticking out as the rewards far outweigh the challenges.
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January / February 16 I The Teacher
Surprises Teaching is an unpredictable profession and training can only prepare you for so much. Zoe, a School Direct teacher in East Yorkshire, explained some of her initial wobbles. “The start of the year was really hard. I felt nervous at first contacting parents, since I’m young, but it’s getting better.” Bethan, an NQT at a primary school in Wales, shares that for her “the most surprising thing has been the workload”. Naomi, an NQT supply teacher in Nottinghamshire, was equally surprised by the workload. “It’s incredible how long it takes to do the marking, which I didn’t expect.” “At first it was challenging and emotionally draining,” says Hannah, an NQT in a London secondary school. “It was little things – I didn’t have a fob, I didn’t know my colleagues, I didn’t have the photocopier code and so on.”
Support systems Having someone to turn to with questions or concerns is crucial in those first few months and building a proper support network helps smooth out the bumps along the way. “The other reception teacher has been amazing guiding me through everything,” explains Bethan. “My NQT mentor in the school has always been there when I’ve needed someone to speak to regarding observations and parents evenings.” “As a supply teacher it can be difficult, since every school is completely different,” says Naomi. “Generally, schools have been supportive and head teachers have popped in to see how I’m doing. Some schools haven’t been very helpful though, for example, not showing me where the toilets or staffrooms are.”
Rewards
New teachers – the first term
Here we look at NUT members’ candid reflections of the past few months in the life of a new teacher.
Chris, an NQT at a sixth form in the Wirral, tells us: “I’ve loved the past few months, it’s been very interesting. I really like interacting with my students and having a positive influence in shaping their futures.” For Bethan, the most rewarding part is watching pupils achieve a goal. “Seeing a child practising a certain letter or number over and over again and then they finally do it correctly makes you so proud. It helps you remember why you love your job.”
Future aspirations Festus shares his hopes for the next term: “I have spent this term getting to know my pupils and I look forward to building on that and forming positive relationships in an environment where they are appropriately stretched and challenged.” “Working with a range of ages and abilities has given me a wealth of experience and confidence,” says Naomi. “I look forward to taking everything I have learned and applying it in my own class one day.” “I’m looking forward to seeing the pupils in my class grow more in the various areas of the curriculum,” Bethan says. “It’s been lovely seeing the children enjoy school life and there’s never a dull moment – every day they make me laugh.”
NUT support The NUT is here to support you every step of the way during your first year and there are many advantages of membership. “Being an NUT member has been very beneficial to me in terms of CPD. I have attended three workshops which have helped me to improve my teaching strategies and promote behaviour for learning in my classroom,” says Festus. “It is great being an NUT member in Wales – the NUT team have been very supportive and are always there if I need advice,” Bethan adds. “I have been very impressed by the amount of courses available and the ones I have attended have given me many ideas and tips to take back into the classroom.”
We all know teaching can be challenging at times, but the consensus is that the rewards compensate for the difficult moments. “One thing I have found rewarding is that teaching has presented me with the opportunity to keep learning every day,” shares Festus, an NQT at a London academy. “I work in a dynamic environment where no two days are the same. Each lesson comes with its own challenges which has pushed me to be more creative and think outside the box.”
Training to teach this year? You will have received the NUT guide Finding your first job, which was posted to members before Christmas. If you are training to teach via School Direct we will send you more information soon. If you know someone who hasn’t yet joined the Union please ask them to join. Membership is free whilst training to teach and just £1 for NQTs. Go to: teachers.org.uk/join
January / February 16 I The Teacher
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The NUT in 2016:
our year ahead As the new year begins, the NUT is setting out a range of key campaigns that will see members across England and Wales fight for a better system for teachers, pupils and parents alike. Between funding cuts, creeping privatisation and a government that seems set on turning our schools into exam factories, we know that working as a teacher can be challenging. However, we also know that teachers are some of the most dedicated professionals around and that helping young people learn is one of the most rewarding vocations anyone can undertake. Whether in their first or thirtieth year of teaching, NUT members remain passionate about improving our education system for young people. We’re proud of all the members who stood up for education and put forward our positive vision in 2015. The next 12 months will be a crucial period for our schools and colleges and the Union will be at the heart of key issues affecting your working life and children’s education. So, as the new year starts, here are just some of the ways that the NUT will be Standing Up for Education in 2016.
Invest – don’t cut
Meanwhile, Government plans for a national funding formula threaten to take funding away from some areas to give to others. The NUT agrees that some areas are underfunded but doesn’t accept that any are over-funded – the solution has to be more money in the system.
Photo: Andrew Wiard
The Conservative Government’s plans for education funding are hitting schools and colleges hard. School funding is set to be frozen at its current cash level per pupil, which means cuts of up to 8% in real terms due to inflation, even before the costs of higher pension and NI contributions.
The NUT is calling for a restoration of 16-19 funding to the levels – which existed before the Coalition Government started its cuts programme – and exemption from VAT for colleges, without them having to apply for academy status. We need to publicise the funding crisis. Discuss it with NUT members. Invite local MPs to visit your college or go to see them – Conservative MPs in particular need to realise the problems that the cuts will cause. Use the materials at: teachers.org.uk/campaigns/funding
If you’re a sixth form college member, take part in the Union’s indicative ballot in early January on a national demonstration for post 16 funding and a national one-day strike in sixth form colleges to coincide with the demonstration.
6fc Save Our Colle ges
I The Teacher 27
The NUT in 2016: our year ahead
Meanwhile, post 16 funding has been slashed by 14% in the last five years and cuts continue to come. The Sixth Form Colleges Association says that 72% of sixth form colleges have already dropped courses and 81% have increased class sizes.
The report received immediate support from organisations such as YoungMinds and the then head of the Confederation of British Industry John Cridland. It also received coverage in the media from publications such as the Guardian and BBC news. However, with Nicky Morgan’s announcement in November 2015 that she was considering introducing testing for seven year olds, 2016 looks set to be an important year for the NUT’s Exam Factories? campaign. This autumn, teachers organised a day called #YouCantTestThis. Teachers everywhere were encouraged to “reclaim the classroom” and to “teach brilliant things that can’t be tested”. Lessons included books made by Year Eight pupils to send to primary children in Rwanda, clapping compositions with Year Two pupils, and bridge building with spaghetti and marshmallows. Meetings have also been organised by teachers around the country to discuss the report. In Ealing, Merryn Hutchings and Mike Sheridan, the London Regional Director of Ofsted, spoke to NUT reps and led some of their training sessions.
Photo: Justin Tallis
The NUT would like to encourage reps to find time in 2016 to organise more of these meetings and #YouCantTestThis days, as well as using the report to lobby their MPs about the potentially damaging effects of exam factory culture. For more information, please contact your local NUT association or division or visit: teachers.org.uk/examfactories
Promoting democracy The Wales, London and local government elections on 5 May 2016 will be an opportunity for NUT members to vote for education. Yet hundreds of thousands of people are known to have dropped off the electoral register in recent months. They have until 19 April to register to vote and can sign up online at: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote The Union is proud to support the work of the charity Bite the Ballot – an organisation dedicated to empowering young people to become active citizens. Their aim this year is to maximise the number of 16-24 year olds registered to vote and inspired to turn out and use their vote on polling day. Bite The Ballot are looking for help from NUT members to run National Voter Registration Drives, particularly in sixth form colleges and school sixth forms between 1-5 February and will provide resources to support teachers. For further information please email: btb@nut.org.uk
Exam factories
The report highlighted the negative impact of accountability measures on young people in England and unveiled some worrying findings. One such finding was that teachers are witnessing unprecedented levels of school-related anxiety, stress and mental health problems amongst pupils, particularly around exam time.
Photo: John Harris
Last year the NUT commissioned a major new report by Emeritus Professor Merryn Hutchings of London Metropolitan University, entitled: Exam Factories? The impact of accountability measures on children and young people.
What does education in Wales need? That is the fundamental question which a new NUT Cymru manifesto, sent to every member in Wales with this edition of the Teacher, aims to answer ahead of the Welsh election in May. Based on the expertise of teachers from across Wales, the policies put forward by the Union provide progressive solutions to some of the biggest issues facing teachers, pupils and parents. From tackling the chronic underfunding of Welsh schools to promoting sustainable class sizes and access to continued professional development, the NUT Cymru manifesto makes a comprehensive case for empowering the education sector.
The NUT in 2016: our year ahead
A manifesto for Wales
stand
up for
education A manifesto for Welsh children’s education
As well as calling for an end to standardised testing and underperforming regional education consortia, the manifesto also suggests progressive new ideas. You can read the Cymru Manifesto in full at: teachers.org.uk/walesmanifesto On 3 March 2016, NUT Cymru will be hosting a national education question time, with a view to scrutinising what each main political party is proposing for the sector should they form the next Welsh Government.
Standing up for London’s Education
National Union of Teachers Cymru
Working with the ATL and UCAC unions, this hustings event will be the key education debate of the Welsh election. Panelists include representatives of each of the current parties, who will all be fielding questions. For more information or to register to attend, contact the NUT Cymru office on 02920 491818 or email: cymru.wales@nut.org.uk
A manifesto for London London is a city full of creativity, talent and potential. However, there are significant challenges facing the capital’s schools. Child poverty and unfit testing regimes jeopardise our children’s education, and now local authorities and London’s schools face huge budget cuts. The London Manifesto – Standing Up for London’s Education – sets out to tackle these issues ahead of the Mayoral and London Assembly elections in May 2016. It contains a series of proposals that ask the next Mayor and London Assembly to champion tough measures around housing, school places, supply teacher provision and qualified teacher status. The manifesto has been sent to members in London with this issue of the Teacher and will be used at community events in the run up to the elections. To order copies or to give us your views email: manifesto@nut.org.uk
Standing Up for Education together No matter where you work in England and Wales, we all need to Stand Up for Education together. Keep up to date with NUT campaigning in your area and find out how you can get involved at: teachers.org.uk
I The Teacher 29
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Your pay in numbers
Your pay in numbers Pay freezes and 1% pay rises have cut teachers’ pay in real terms by 14% since 2010. Last year the Government imposed PRP on all teachers as well. So what’s happening now? Performance Related Pay – cutting our pay The NUT has surveyed members to find out how PRP has affected pay progression this year. It found…
All respondents One in five eligible
Those denied pay progression
teachers didn’t get pay progression
91% think the decision
44% say that their
91% were never told they
school’s pay policy is unfair
59% say that linking pay to appraisal has undermined appraisal for CPD
was unfair were not meeting standards for progression But 71% are not appealing
DfE advice to schools emphasises the “no surprises” principle – if you weren’t told you were not meeting the standards, you have strong grounds to appeal and should do so.
Putting matters right Growing awareness that pay progression isn’t guaranteed is hitting graduate recruitment, as Initial Teacher Training targets were missed by almost 10% this year.
£2,000
The NUT is proposing a £2,000 increase for all teachers – making starting pay immediately more attractive – followed by further increases to restore pay to pre-austerity levels and put it on a professional footing for the long-term. Just as important, we’re calling again for the restoration of fixed pay scales and removal of PRP from teaching.
Support at school level If you think your school’s policy or pay decisions are unfair, or if it didn’t increase pay with effect from September 2015, talk to your colleagues and school rep. Don’t be afraid to act collectively to challenge unfairness and protect your pay. For more information, read the NUT guidance at: teachers.org.uk/paytoolkit
I The Teacher 31
Illustration: CSA – Printstock
Beneath the rhetoric Are secondary teachers ‘soft bigots’? Do you care about the pupils you teach and want them to flourish in whatever subject they enjoy most? Do you think we should have a broad and balanced curriculum? Then you, according to the Secretary of State, are a bigot.
For those who think that it might not be a good idea to move away from a broad and balanced curriculum, Secretary of State Nicky Morgan has a word: “bigotry”. To be more precise, Morgan alleged in a November 2015 speech that she would “complete the mission that we started in the last Parliament, finally to slay the soft bigotry of low expectations”. She accuses teachers of underestimating what students are capable of and selling disadvantaged children short. ‘Soft bigotry’ is a phrase that has been around for a long time; George W. Bush’s speech-writers coined it for him back in 2000. Nicky Morgan seems to think that it’s a good way of slapping down her critics. She often uses it in speeches, and it is prominent in her introduction to the EBacc consultation document that is now with schools. But is it an accusation that stands up? Bigotry involves – so the dictionaries tell us – ‘strong, unreasonable beliefs’, linked to ‘hatred and intolerance towards particular groups’. So is opposition to the new EBacc proposals unreasonable, and is it based on prejudice against disadvantaged students? Let’s look at some of the evidence. Anne Hodgson and Ken Spours of the UCL Institute of Education have analysed the impact of policy on GCSE attainment and on student progression – particularly with reference to the ‘middle attainers’ that Nicky Morgan says she is keen to help. In what Morgan might call the bad old days of 2006 to 2011, attainment was rising. The percentage of students attaining 5+ A*-C GCSEs and equivalent rose to 79.6% by 2011, and success in this broad mix of general and vocational qualifications had what Hodgson and Spours call “a highly motivating effect” on middle attainers: it increased their aspiration to study post 16. The policies, first of Michael Gove and then of Nicky Morgan, seem designed to reverse this trend and stifle the aspirations it helped nurture. The decline of the vocational offer, the abolition of modular GCSEs, the removal of speaking and listening from the English curriculum all send powerful signals that, from now on, the rule for secondary education is one size fits all; what’s (supposedly) good for the higher attainers is now declared good for nearly everyone. How does the Government intend to deal with this mismatch between what students are interested in, and might aspire to, and the narrow academic curriculum that ministers confuse with rigour and high standards?
Share your views Please tell the DfE what you think about the proposal that 90% of pupils should study and be entered for GCSEs in the EBacc subjects. Take part in the current DfE consultation at: gov.uk/government/consultations/ implementing-the-english-baccalaureate. The consultation closes on 29 January 2016. The NUT is a key supporter of the Bacc for the Future campaign, which focuses in particular on the exclusion of arts and creative subjects from the EBacc curriculum. Find out more about the campaign and sign the petition at: baccforthefuture.com The NUT has more facts and figures about the EBacc on its website. Keep up to date at: teachers.org.uk/schoolsector/secondary
Here, it is Schools Minister Nick Gibb who has the answer. “The one change that will drive up educational standards in this country,” says Mr Gibb, “is improved teaching methods.” To achieve this, teachers have to follow the American way – or rather, adopt an approach which is controversial and fiercely criticised in the United States, and which Gibb, on the basis of minimal evidence, wants to introduce to England. This is the No Excuses policy favoured by some Charter schools in the USA, that “emphasises discipline and comportment, traditional reading and math skills… and selective teacher hiring”. Importing No Excuses, suggests Nick Gibb, is the way that the EBacc can work for the 90%. He will accept no suggestion that it will make learning joyless and stressful, nor any argument that it is not the way to educate the future citizens of our complex, creative and demanding society. US critics, such as Joan Goodman, of the Teach for America programme at the University of Pennsylvania, point out that No Excuses only works if “you have very submissive children… with almost no opportunity for relaxation and very little time for extra-curricular activities”. Nick Gibb and Nicky Morgan would no doubt dismiss these views as yet another sign of the bigotry of educators. They couldn’t be more wrong. Teachers want success for their students. They want a curriculum that enables success, not one that makes it harder to achieve. Bigotry in this context belongs to those who deny evidence, refuse argument, smear their critics with tired rhetoric – and in the process threaten to turn our schools into exam factories.
Beneath the rhetoric
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) attainment measure was first published in 2011. Pupils achieve the EBacc if they secure a good pass in GCSE English, mathematics, sciences, history or geography, and a language. Now Nicky Morgan wants to extend the EBacc offer to 90% of GCSE students.
n o i n U Your
Coming together The NUT holds a range of equality conferences for members to come together to discuss the issues that matter. The Black Teachers’ Conference and Disabled Teachers’ Conference give teachers the opportunity to discuss racism and disablism in education – how far we’ve come and how far we still have to travel.
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I The Teacher
Your Union
Teachers learned from each other how to develop regional black teachers’ networks and participate in and shape the Union’s campaigns. Many members now plan to get involved in more Union activity in their local areas.
Black Teachers’ Conference The NUT’s Black Teachers’ Conference is a vital part of the NUT calendar, providing a space for black members to discuss and address issues of race equality, education and the workplace.
“I plan to team up with two other members to develop a black teachers’ group within our division,” one delegate told us. Several others told us they now plan to become equalities officers for their division, Union reps for their schools, to attend NUT conference and to “report back to local associations with the aim of ensuring greater understanding of black teachers’ issues”.
The NUT uses the term ‘black’ in a political context to encompass all members who identify as black or Asian and all other minority ethnic groups who do not identify themselves as white. It is a key priority of the NUT to ensure that its black teachers have a voice in the Union, in the classroom, and in broader society, and do not face barriers to promotion, representation or participation. The NUT’s annual Black Teachers’ Conference plays an integral role in enabling and empowering black members to lead and shape Union campaigns and activities.
Delegates attending described the two days as “inspiring, informative and essential” and that this “empowering and insightful” event created a “strong sense of solidarity”.
“We recognise that prejudice and racism continue to wield power in our society,” said NUT General Secretary Christine Blower at the November 2015 conference. “We haven’t got a fair and equal education system in this country, any more than we have a fair and equal society.”
“It’s a brilliant opportunity for black teachers to come together to share ideas, experiences, concerns, and to network and socialise in a supportive environment,” said one delegate.
Disabled Teachers’ Conference
Sufyan Ismail, CEO of Muslim Engagement & Development (MEND), spoke about the extent of prejudice against Muslims and attacked the Prevent strategy, describing it as “ideologically flawed”.
UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) takes place between 22 November and 22 December each year and celebrates the lives and achievements of disabled people. As part of UKDHM, the NUT holds its annual Disabled Teachers’ Conference in November. The conference provides NUT disabled members with a space to share experiences and discuss ways to promote disabled teachers in the workplace. This year, broadcaster and journalist Mik Scarlet was keynote speaker. He gave an inspirational speech to delegates about his own experiences growing up with a disability. “Mainstream education played a major role in giving me the confidence and ability to pursue a career in the media,” he said. He continued, “I believe my experience of school should be available to all disabled children. The lack of representation of disabled people impacts on how disabled children see themselves and how wider society understands what it means to be disabled.” The NUT General Secretary was also present, speaking to delegates about how “the NUT will continue to campaign and highlight the impact of the welfare cuts on teachers and on the children and young people that they teach.” She also promised that the NUT will “campaign with other organisations to change the attitude of some employers who refuse to make adjustments for workers and who do not take on mental health issues in the workplace.”
Photo: Andrew Wiard
Attending delegates described the conference as “encouraging, inspirational and essential”. “I got some great ideas to take back to division level,” said one NUT disabled member. “It reminded me that I need to be an agent of change.” Another delegate described the conference as “a great opportunity to share experiences and strengthen the fight for the rights of disabled teachers to be fully recognised within the classroom and beyond”. I The Teacher 35
Photo: chaoss
n o i n U e h t k As
Asbestos Asbestos was discovered in a store cupboard that I use regularly. Although the asbestos has now been removed and asbestos is now being properly managed in my school, I am concerned that I may have been exposed – albeit at a low level – over a number of years. My employer has assured me that the likelihood of me suffering any future health problems as a result of this is very slight. This may well be the case but I feel that my potential exposure should be recorded somewhere in case I
Q
do develop an asbestos-related disease in later life. What is the best way of ensuring that information about this potential exposure is securely held? All school staff should be told about the location of asbestos in their schools and how it is managed and should ensure that a record is kept of any exposure to asbestos of which they are aware. Although the vast majority of teachers who are exposed to asbestos will not go on to develop any related disease, the NUT will support those who do and fully understands the anxiety that such a diagnosis brings. Having access to a record helps us to
A
support members who find themselves in this extremely difficult situation. This information would be valuable in the event of the development of mesothelioma, an incurable cancer which is specifically linked to cumulative low-level asbestos exposure. In such unfortunate circumstances, a record of past exposure could help you pursue a claim for compensation, with NUT help, against the responsible party. The best and most secure method of recording this information is to visit your GP to report your concerns so that details can be included in your medical record. Employers should maintain their own records but not all do. Find out if your employer does keep
Contact the NUT AdviceLine on 020 3006 6266 or email nutadviceline@nut.org.uk. Members in Wales should contact NUT Cymru on 029 2049 1818 or email cymru.wales@nut.org.uk
Ask the Union such a record and if so, request that the information is recorded, and ask for written confirmation that this has happened. As a further back up the NUT has developed a form for members to use to record any exposure, or possible exposure, to asbestos fibres. The form, which is attached to the NUT’s Asbestos Briefing (available at teachers.org.uk/node/12493), asks a series of questions, the answers to which will constitute a useful record of asbestos exposure over your teaching career. Once you have completed the form, keep it somewhere safe, update it where necessary and, if your employer doesn’t maintain a register, send them a copy requesting confirmation that it has been received. The NUT continues to campaign, along with the other teaching and support staff unions through the Joint Union Asbestos Committee, for better management of asbestos in schools and ultimately for its complete removal.
Cameras in classrooms There is a proposal at my school to introduce cameras into classrooms. We have been told that the system will be a useful tool for teacher collaboration, allowing teachers to reflect on, analyse and share good practice, but staff are concerned. What is the NUT view?
Q
You are right to be concerned. Teachers may be accustomed to CCTV in schools for security reasons, but its installation in classrooms is seen by many teachers as a step too far. The NUT’s position on this is clear – monitoring teachers by means of CCTV for the purposes outlined above and in the absence of ‘explicit’ consent amounts to a breach of Data Protection Principles and should be resisted.
A
We would suggest that, once you know the full details of what is proposed – including how the system would work and whether or not it is voluntary – you get together with your NUT colleagues to discuss how it would affect you and the way you work. If it seems likely that the system could be used to make judgments about teachers’ performance outside the appraisal process, and is not genuinely voluntary, you and your colleagues might want to raise concerns with management. If your concerns are not heeded, the NUT’s programme of Action Short of Strike Action allows members to refuse to co-operate with initiatives which are educationally unsound and/or unnecessarily increase the burdens on teachers. See: teachers.org.uk/asos
The EBacc is a narrowly defined set of ‘academic’ subjects that will not meet the needs of all learners. While nearly 40% of pupils were entered for the EBacc in 2015, fewer than a quarter of pupils achieved it. The gulf between the number of pupils entered for the EBacc compared with those achieving it has risen from 6.7 percentage points five years ago to nearly 15 percentage points today. Imposition of the Ebacc will set up some learners to fail, and hold down success rates.
A
The EBacc excludes creative and arts subjects, vocational learning, and curriculum areas such as physical education, all of which can lead to opportunities for further learning and careers which contribute significantly to the national economy and the wider life of society. The NUT supports the campaign Bacc for the Future. Find out more information and sign the petition at: baccforthefuture.com The NUT urges members to have their say and voice any concerns through the DfE consultation process, which closes on 29 January 2016: gov.uk/government/ consultations/implementingthe-english-baccalaureate
EBACC What is the Union’s view on proposals that the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) should be mandatory for at least 90% of learners in England?
Q
Send your questions to: Ask the Union, the Teacher, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD or email: teacher@nut.org.uk
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Reviews
s w e i Rev s For teacher For pupils
Petbots: School Shutdown A fun, fast-moving story which would suit independent readers in Years 2-4. It features the story of three robot animals that are unlikely friends – a cat, a mouse and a bird. The ‘petbots’ and their human friends are a resourceful bunch, drawing on electronics, Spanish, binary code and other knowledge to triumph in this adventure. A great book for young readers. Elli Rhodes Petbots: School Shutdown by Judy Brown. Piccadilly Press Ltd. Paperback. £5.99.
Replica Replica starts off with a great opening that hooks you in straight away. Chloe wakes up unable to move and staring at her double. Immediately you’re intrigued and want to know more. As well as providing thrills and surprises there are thoughtprovoking issues and LGBT themes threaded throughout the story. Lee Ryder Replica by Jack Heath. Oxford University Press. Paperback. £5.99.
Charlie Merrick’s Misfits: I’m a nobody, get me out of here! Survival is the name, adventure is the game in the second book of a short series. There are plentiful tips on living in the wild with lashings of entertaining illustrations, handy hints on navigation, timing a walk, setting up camp, staying safe, and finding food and water. Part story, part manual and a lot of fun – this is an ideal introduction to lateral thinking and problem solving skills, outdoor learning and facing challenges. Dr Len Parkyn Charlie Merrick’s Misfits: I’m a nobody, get me out of here! by Dave Cousins. Oxford University Press. Paperback. £6.99.
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I The Teacher
Northern ReSisters: Conversations with Radical Women A 78-page full colour booklet of interviews, accounts and information focusing on some key female members of political movements in northern England during the last 40 years. Hyland is a Mancunian and the book has a particular emphasis on the North West, including immigrants from Ireland who settled in that area. Of interest to anyone with connections to feminism, anti-racism, Ireland or Palestine campaigns; this book is also very relevant to those of us who are female and young enough to take for granted many rights fought for by those profiled here. Elli Rhodes Northern ReSisters: Conversations with Radical Women by Bernadette Hyland. Mary Quaile Club. Paperback. £5.95.
The Story of London Challenge This book takes a look back at the struggles and successes of the London Challenge and is edited by two of those closely involved, Sir Tim Brighouse and Professor David Woods. The initiative is explored from a number of varying perspectives and will give education leaders in and out of London a wealth of ideas to consider and explore. This inspiring book may see you though some of the more challenging days ahead. Lindi Green The Story of London Challenge by David Woods & Tim Brighouse. London Leadership Strategy. Paperback. £9.99.
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d r a o b e c i t o N Resources WANTED: Funny and amusing stories Primary school teacher Mary Barry is writing a book of funny stories from the classroom and is looking for your contributions! It may be a misheard phrase, an answer to a question or a simple event that you will never forget. There is no need to include a name or school – initials and a general area will suffice to ensure confidentiality. For more information or to submit your story please email: mbschoolstories@gmail.com
Lancaster University recruitment Study part-time for a PhD in Education and Social Justice at a top 10 UK university. Lancaster University is now inviting applications for its very popular four year, online PhD programme, by coursework and thesis. It’s designed for professionals working in education with interests in social justice. See: bit.ly/1WPnjag
Events Inspiring activism Together with the TUC, the NUT is running an exciting online course for reps and members interested in becoming more involved in the work of the Union. The course is focused on organising, building effective teams and networks and leadership in your school. There will be courses on 18 January and 18 April 2016. For more details please email: london@nut.org.uk
Black Teachers' Network The next meeting of the London Black Teachers' Network will be held on 21 January 2016 from 5.30pm at Hamilton House, Room 5. Please email london@nut.org.uk if you would like to attend.
Safe surfing Safer Internet Day 2016 will be celebrated globally on 9 February, with schools, parents and pupils being encouraged to help create a better internet. The NUT is supporting the event, which promotes the safe and responsible use of digital technology for children and young people. Individual schools can sign up to support the event and find ideas of what to do on the day here: saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day
Good Samaritans Suicide is a major public health issue and is a devastating event for families and communities. Samaritans, the suicide prevention charity, has specially-trained volunteers in their Step by Step team who offer free support for senior staff at schools affected by suicide. Email stepbystep@samaritans.org or go to samaritans.org for more information.
Young Teachers’ Conference The annual Young Teachers’ Conference will be held from 29 April - 1 May 2016 at Stoke Rochford Hall. The theme will be “Celebrating Success – Local, National and International.” To register, go to: teachers.org.uk/ youngteachersconference
Celebrating the LGBT Community Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans History Month takes place every year in February and celebrates the lives and achievements of the LGBT community and embraces diversity and cultural pluralism as a positive force. Schools are encouraged to hold activities throughout the month. The theme of 2016 is “Religion, Belief and Philosophy’’. For more information visit: lgbthistorymonth.org.uk
January / February 16 I The Teacher
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Learning with the NUT
Developing black and minority ethnic school leaders Aspiring to Leadership and Equal Access to Promotion are two customised continuing professional development (CPD) leadership programmes the NUT offers to teachers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
The most recent Aspiring to Leadership course took place on 20-21 November. It is designed to support BAME teachers between their second and fifth year of teaching who are interested in developing their leadership skills and knowledge. This two-day seminar enables teachers to leave with: • a clearer understanding of their leadership strengths and areas for development • more awareness of changing models of leadership at all levels in the profession • a sense of broad career goals and the standards needed to achieve them • a personal development plan. The course gives teachers the opportunity to reflect on where they are in their careers and recognise what skills and experience they need to move up the career ladder. Viv Grant and Mike Hanoman from Integrity Coaching are experienced tutors who bring a wealth of knowledge and passion to the two-day course. Delegates learned about goal setting and how personal values are an integral part of becoming a successful leader. Teachers left the course more prepared to identify and set their own personal goals, had a better understanding of what makes an effective leader, and were equipped to successfully complete an application form. One teacher commented that the course was “very practical and allowed for the exploration of our own strengths and weaknesses”.
Photo: Andrew Wiard
The Department for Education’s annual School Census on BAME head teachers showed that less than 3% of head teachers are from BAME groups. This is significantly disproportionate to the number of young people coming into schools from BAME backgrounds. Almost one in three primary school children now come from a BAME background and these CPD opportunities seek to create leaders who reflect the communities they serve.
Similarly Equal Access to Promotion is a development programme for teachers in their fifth to twelfth year of teaching, who already have some leadership responsibilities. The two-day residential programme took place in October at the NUT training centre, Stoke Rochford Hall. The programme aims to raise the influence of BAME teachers as leaders in school in order to impact on student learning and wellbeing. As part of their learning, teachers are asked to carry out a specific school-based project which has been mutually agreed with the support of their school. The project is an opportunity for teachers to produce evidence relating to leadership, management and professional development issues. Leadership styles, leading teams and leading with emotional intelligence are some of the themes covered on the programme. The following are some of the comments made by the teachers who attended the course: “The six approaches/styles of leadership made me aware of how to adjust my leadership style to suit the situation.” “This course has enabled me to reflect on my own practices and made me more aware of the changes I need to apply.” Dates for the next cohort of Aspiring to Leadership and Equal Access to Promotion can be found at: teachers.org.uk/courses
January / February 16 I The Teacher
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Staffroom confidential
m o o r f f l a i t n e d Sta i f n o c Reader’s rant: s p i t ’ s r e h c a Te We asked you for your #YouCantTestThis ideas, and the answers came flooding in! Here are some great ones. Divide your class into teams and ask them to build a structure from lollipop sticks and newspaper that can prevent an egg from breaking when dropped from a great height. Then test them! Allows for creativity and teamwork, and afterwards you can talk about different structures and how they work. Add a bit of drama to English by asking students to act out their favourite story or fairytale, or even chapters from the book you’re all studying. Ever tried investigating magic squares? How do they work? What common patterns do they share? Can you create one? In French class create a setting with French store names such as boulangerie (bakery), la piscine (the swimming pool) and ask students to create a play based around the settings. They can include some French buzz words in the script. For more art based activities, students can focus on 4-5 key French artists such as Monet, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne and Gaugin.
Teaching is easy, isn’t it? Why should a talent for communicating with young kids be given so little consequence in our society? It is a mystery because that talent is the one vital element of primary education. The politicians, a few years back, made a token gesture towards skilled educators with an expensive TV recruiting campaign. They asked if we remembered the teacher who made us believe we could do well and helped us achieve. Of course, they left out the small print: “No matter how inspiring you are, you wont get paid much. We realise that teaching is an art and that you need to work in your own style, but you will have to conform to our formula – the National Curriculum. Because we do not trust you an inch, you will be required to forecast and record every educational step your kids take.” I have worked with many genuinely gifted educators but none of them were truly aware of how special they were. The kids knew, but the teachers took their own talent for granted. Our first mission is to convince parents, politicians and the other professions that primary teaching is not so easy. It takes dedication, hard work and that very special talent, without which no system can succeed. Name supplied *This is an abridged version of the original letter.
For more information on the NUT’s Exam Factories? and #YouCantTestThis campaign go to page 26.
We are looking for your tips to keep your pupils enthusiastic in class. Send your advice by 29 January 2016 to teacher@nut.org.uk
Don’t Super miss the king oo Early B ds n rate – e m ber e 31 Dec 2015!
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XI Autism-Europe INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS 2016 16 September – 18 September 2016 Edinburgh International Convention Centre, Edinburgh, UK
Call for papers We are now accepting submissions for presentation at the XI Autism-Europe International Congress. For more information about the Congress and detailed guidance about submitting your abstract, please visit www.autism.org.uk/autismeurope. The extended deadline for abstract submissions is now 31 January 2016.
www.autism.org.uk/autismeurope
Image: Convention Edinburgh http://conventi onedinburgh.com/.
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Star letter Dear Nicky Morgan… Student Megan Brewster has written a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, expressing her concerns on teachers’ workload. Here is what she said… Dear Education Secretary, I am writing to you to express my distress about a certain subject; this subject is teachers working extra hours. My mum is a teacher and I barely ever get to see her apart from in the summer holidays and Christmas holidays. This is because she is always working extra hours. Every weekend and after school she is marking and planning. It also doesn’t help that the tracker software that she has been provided with is extremely poor. I am not saying that there should be hours of school taken away, I would just like the seventy hours that my mum works a week to be only forty five, which according to my research, should be the amount that mum and other teachers are working. Those twenty five hours are what they could spend with their children; they could be shopping together or just going on journeys together. I know that I am only one child in England but I know that there are more children like my older sister and I in England. Our opinions should be important to you since you are the Education Secretary. I would be happy if you could read this and reply, and ecstatic if you could deal with this problem that many teachers are having. Yours sincerely, Megan Brewster (aged 12)
Please write The editor welcomes your letters but reserves the right to edit them. Write to: Your letters, the Teacher, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD or email teacher@nut.org.uk. Letters for the March/April issue should reach us no later than 31 January 2016. Please note we cannot print letters sent in without name and postal address (or NUT membership number), though we can withhold details from publication if you wish.
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I The Teacher
No NUT rep in your workplace? You can elect one Hold a meeting of NUT members in your school to elect a rep. Please notify your division or association secretary, whose details you can find on your membership credential and at teachers.org.uk/contactus
Find out what reps do at: teachers.org.uk/getinvolved
Cutting back After working in one of the most deprived areas in the country, Cutting Education (November/ December) resonated with my own experiences. Working as a supply teacher, I have noticed the dynamics of staff change: axed dinner ladies, cleaning staff reduced, TAs covering lessons, class sizes bulging and resources shrinking. Recently, I was saddened to discover that a lovely nursery school I've worked in now faces closure because the council has had its budget slashed. Being an outstanding school that is loved by the parents and children alike doesn't even come into the equation when finances are involved. Wherever I teach, I am full of admiration for the many different staff I meet each week who remain professional and strong after facing one damaging blow after another.
You may be eligible for reduced NUT subscriptions if there is a change in your circumstances... Reduced subscriptions may apply if you work part-time, fixed term, or supply, or if you are about to retire or take maternity leave.
Have you moved? Please tell us your new home or school address. Visit teachers.org.uk/update, email membership@nut.org.uk, call 020 7380 6366 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm), or write to: Membership and Subscriptions, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD.
Let the NUT know your email address and mobile number to make sure you stay informed about important campaigns, professional development courses and events.
No wonder teachers are leaving. Name supplied
Need help or advice?
Supply and demand
If you have a problem at work or want to know more about NUT services, you can contact:
I have been a supply teacher since 2011. I had left full-time teaching due to increasing pressure as well as to write a book.
• your NUT representative • the NUT AdviceLine • NUT Cymru.
I have loved the flexibility, the variety of schools as well as the different ages I have been asked to cover. I know there are lean times at the beginning and ends of terms as well as holidays with no money, but I enjoy supply teaching and the freedoms it gives. The financial constraints make it a difficult task, plus the uncertainty of the waiting game for the morning phone call – especially last term when I found supply bookings slow to start with. So I know it is not for everyone. Name supplied *This is an abridged version of the original letter.
For advice and guidance in England contact:
NUT AdviceLine Tel: 020 3006 6266 Email: nutadviceline@nut.org.uk In Wales contact:
NUT Cymru Tel: 029 2049 1818 Email: cymru.wales@nut.org.uk Find full contact details at:
teachers.org.uk/contactus
I The Teacher 47
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49
Backbeat
Happy teachers By Alan Gibbons, author of End Game, The Edge and An Act of Love
Words are powerful things. Put together in the right way they can act as a flash of lightning, clarifying matters perfectly. So it was with two young teachers I met within a month recently. They summarised their careers in almost identical terms. The first flopped into her seat next to me and said, “I can be a teacher or I can be happy.” The second, a couple of weeks later said, “Either I can go on teaching or I can have a life.” It was these two encounters that persuaded me to organise the open letter on teacher workload, published in late 2015 in the Guardian, the Times Educational Supplement and The Bookseller, supported by 40 authors and over 300 educationalists. Of course, I had been aware of this issue for a long time. A recent survey revealed that 53% of teachers were thinking of quitting in the next two years. Half of newly qualified staff already move on after the first year. I was a teacher myself and witnessed firsthand how the profession was changing dramatically, especially during and after the tenure of Kenneth Baker. From that point on there was a qualitative shift in the amount of tracking, testing and accumulation of data. What is interesting is that there was no body of independent educational research that proved any of this contributed in any way to children’s learning. Each new raft of tests and assessments was introduced with a breezy certainty that they raised standards in and of themselves.
Even when the SATs continually changed, the National Literacy hour and nine subject curricula came and went and all the accompanying forms of assessment such as the hundred word reading overlay at Key Stage Two morphed into completely different creatures; there was no credible review of procedures, no mea culpa over time and money wasted. The entire arcane superstructure – burdening teacher and child alike – grew and grew until it reached the point where teachers’ entire lives are driven more by data collection, evaluation and appraisal than by teaching. The buzz words are success criteria and evidence even though there seems to be no burden on the Department for Education to provide conclusive evidence of its own. These days, I earn my living as an author visiting 150-180 schools a year in the UK and abroad. This experience has shown me that countries with more benign and manageable assessment procedures are at least as successful as those with ones that consume teachers’ and children’s lives like some voracious juggernaut. I hear the same complaints over and over again, about having to administer baseline assessments for reception children taking up many hours and only confirming what the teacher has already learned by working with their charges; marking, planning and assessment taking until 10 or 11 o’clock at night in spite of Education Secretary Nicky Morgan’s advice to have the evenings free; about the quality of the classroom experience becoming an afterthought because there was barely time to prepare for it, given the pressures of the appraisal regime. At the heart of this is trust. When will we value the teaching profession and accept that teachers join it to do the best for the children in their care? If we go on the way we are, piling distrust upon denigration, the teaching profession will be a demoralised husk. Things have got to change.
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CFPCBA0047 11.2015
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