the Teacher – July 2015 by Educate Magazine

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August 2015

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Ask the Contents Union

Welcome Educating the nation’s young people on an austerity budget Welcome to a new issue of the Teacher magazine. It’s been an eventful two months since the election. We are now beginning to see how things will shape up under this new Government. As we go to press, the Emergency Budget has just been announced (July 8). We should all be concerned by the Government’s addiction to austerity. In the midst of the slowest recovery on record, we need urgent additional investment in public services, including education. With the value of pay for teachers cut in real terms, we need an urgent repair job on public sector workers’ living standards. Instead, this Budget fails to address the pressing issues in education funding. Freezing school funding per pupil in cash terms will mean a significant cut in real terms – potentially 10 per cent or more depending on inflation. Further limits on teachers' pay will simply lead to even greater problems in recruitment and retention while nothing has been done to protect schools against higher National Insurance and pension contributions. Likewise the school places crisis will get ever worse. Further cuts in post-16 funding will drive the hugely successful sixth form college sector to the wall. Absolute child poverty has risen by half a million since 2010 while there has been no progress on relative poverty.

The Government is already failing the most vulnerable and the situation is only set to get worse following this Budget. As the OECD has found, inequality hurts economic growth – yet this Government is determined to widen inequality by attacking tax credits, taking more money from low earners even as it has cut taxes for millionaires. Nicky Morgan’s announcement on teachers’ pay from September was quickly followed by George Osborne announcing a 1 per cent pay limit for another four years. Doing this will significantly increase teacher shortages. See p25 for more details on NUT campaigning on this. In this issue we highlight a number of the challenges currently facing the education service, but – perhaps more importantly – discover the incredible ways that teachers are providing an amazing education for their pupils, despite the dificulties we all face. As we see in our roundup of conferences and events (p34) NUT members are coming together and finding creative ways to improve their schools. It’s a tough time for teachers and trade unions, but the NUT is here to Stand Up for Education, to provide help and support to members individually and collectively to advance our vision of the alternatives that are possible. Christine Blower – General Secretary 17 Drawing the line Putting creativity Ebacc in its box.

Features

21 The eleventh commandment Our resident poet Michael Rosen on the Government’s desire to academise.

04 One year in We grill seven new teachers to find out what life as an NQT is really like.

22 Exam factories A new report into the effects of accountability confirms what we've long suspected.

06 Empowering young voters 16-year-olds can marry, prepare for war and pay taxes shouldn’t they be allowed to vote?

26 The value option The impact of new counter-terrorism legislation. 32 Coasting to conversion An analysis of the Education and Adoption Bill.

09 Getting your facts right Telegraph journalists “should learn basic reading comprehension” says our resident columnist Kate Smurthwaite. President Philipa Harvey General Secretary Christine Blower Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney Editor Daniel Humphry Journalists Emily Jenkins, Monica Roland Administration Maryam Hulme Cover The Project Twins Newsdesk 020 7380 4708 teacher@nut.org.uk

50 Backbeat Our young people are feeling the brunt of austerity politics, writes Owen Jones.

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Regulars 10 Out and about 15 International 31 Time Off 34 Your Union 36 Ask the Union

38 Reviews 41 Noticeboard 44 Staffroom confidential 46 Letters 48 Learning

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July / August 15 I The Teacher

One Year In Illustration: Erhui1979, Getty

Your initial teacher education is complete – now it’s time to take centre stage in front of energetic young minds whose future is in your hands. No pressure, right? For thousands of teachers who have recently qualified, last September heralded the beginning of an exciting new chapter in their lives. So we’ve grilled seven freshly-minted teachers based in schools across England and Wales to discover what life as an NQT is really like.

First steps The first term as an NQT is undeniably daunting and unsurprisingly overwhelming as new teachers learn to navigate their schools, classes and staffroom politics. As Matt, an NQT in a secondary school in Nottingham explains: “The first year of teaching is quite different than training year. You can never fully prepare for the workload.” “I’m a much better teacher when I’m rested, and not overthinking lessons and spending too much time on

July / August 15 I The Teacher

planning,” says Irma, an NQT at a high school in Norwich. “I went on a three-day course offered by the NUT over the summer which really improved my confidence and gave me strategies to deal with bad behaviour,” she adds. Helena, an NQT based in a rural secondary school in North Yorkshire agrees: “It’s how you deal with problems that determines how successful your first year is. I think resilience is one of the most important things.”

Early challenges Most NQTs share Irma’s view. She wasn’t surprised by the challenges, as she knew it was going to be difficult, but the workload, planning, marking, and managing pupil behaviour certainly kept her on her toes. “The start was difficult as I was trying to stay on top of everything and just keep my head above water,” she says.

One year in The first year has had its ups and downs for Zoe, a music teacher at a secondary school in East Yorkshire, who has had to fight to gain respect from her students. “Once you have the students on your side they are quite loyal” she says “but they don’t make it easy for you.” Mike, a secondary school teacher from Cheshire, touches on insecurities new teachers face at the beginning: “You feel like a fake teacher. Even though you’ve done all the training, you’ve never been responsible for someone else’s progress and then it’s suddenly thrown on you. It’s quite hard to get your head around it but you eventually get the hang of it.”

Helping hands Undoubtedly, the key ingredient to a successful first year is having a strong network of support at the school and being open with colleagues if a helping hand is needed. Nigel, a first year teacher at a primary school in Bridgend, Wales found the NUT guides for NQTs to be an invaluable resource. “The guides have been very useful and something I can refer to if I have any questions.” “Instead of thinking you have to be strong all the time, don’t be afraid to ask for support. There’s no point feeling awful and crying in a cupboard – ask for help!” Helena advises. Tom, a primary school NQT in Somerset relies on fellow teachers for guidance. “If you don’t have the support network around you then it can be hard. I have a lot of friends who are NQTs and we text each other and have a Facebook group where we discuss different issues that come up and ideas for lesson plans.” For Mike, extra training and hands-on guidance have helped him the most. “I’ve had the opportunity to do CPD with the Union and my mentor has been really supportive,” he explains.

Letters from parents Despite the difficulties of being a first year teacher, there are plenty of instances that encourage and inspire NQTs to continue doing what they love.

“I’ve had letters from parents thanking me for being an inspiration and letters from students saying thank you. I wasn’t expecting that kind of praise.” “Every day I come into school I learn something new. Teaching gives you a really good sense of self-worth, I feel really proud of what I do,” enthuses Helena. The best moment for Nigel was passing not one but two Estyn inspections during his first year as an NQT. “We passed with flying colours which was a good feeling,” he says.

Ways to get by “Treat every day as a fresh start with the students,” Mike advises. “The key is having positive relationships with the pupils – although I wish I’d been warned that the behaviour in the staffroom is often worse than the behaviour in the classroom!” Amy, an NQT at an academy in Stoke-on-Trent adds: “Be prepared to work your butt off! It’s not an easy role and if you’re going to do it, you need to do it properly. It’s children’s lives at the end of the day.” “You need to have a clear idea of why you became a teacher and re-visit that regularly to stay passionate in your role. If you forget why you are teaching you can undermine even your best intentions,” Matt warns. “When it gets really hard you need a light at the end of the tunnel. That’s when you think about why you became a teacher.” While life as an NQT can be a rollercoaster of good days and bad days, the message from new teachers is that the rewards of teaching far outweigh the challenges. And, of course, the NUT is always there to help.

“The best moment is when you put a lot of effort into helping a student who is struggling and you can see them progress and do really well,” Irma reveals. “Also, a Year 7 class sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me on my birthday which was very sweet.”

Qualified to teach this year? Get full membership until 2017 for just £1 at www.teachers.org.uk/join

Mike adds: “I’ve had letters from parents thanking me for being an inspiration and letters from students saying thank you. I wasn’t expecting that kind of praise.”

Explore the NUT guides packed with vital information for NQTs at www.teachers.org.uk/nqt

Find NUT NQT-specific courses at www.teachers.org.uk/courses

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Empowering young voters

Empowering young voters Marry. Prepare for war. Pay taxes. These are just a few of the responsibilities that the UK has judged 16 year olds mature enough to handle – yet voting for who legislates a marriage, declares the war or spends their taxes is not among that list of rights. Teachers know, perhaps better than anyone, that maturity is graded on a curve. Few would argue that someone becomes instantly mature at 16, 18 or even 30. But with a renewed Government push to teach our youngsters the values of democracy – see Prevent article on p26 – are we at risk of preaching double standards? Oliver Sidorczuk, policy coordinator at pro-democracy campaign organisation Bite the Ballot, believes that we are still behind the times when it comes to youth engagement in politics. “If you can legally bring a new life into the world, but not vote on any policy that may affect that life, you have to admit that you’ve moved into a ridiculous situation,” says Oliver. “We have already seen flashes of youth engagement in Scotland, and if we step back from that then we’ll remain with these archaic voting policies.” The engagement in Scotland of which Oliver speaks came during the 2014 referendum, where 75 per cent of 16 and 17 year olds voted – some 100,000 in total. Similarly, plans are afoot to lower the age of voting to 16 in future Welsh Government elections, though such a change is not expected to happen in time for the May 2016 election. “What the Scottish referendum showed is that when young voters are properly engaged and educated about the importance of voting, they become impassioned and flock to the ballot.” Oliver suggests the high number of young voters in the Scottish referendum can be attributed to the focus placed on citizenship and democracy lessons in schools. Pupils are taught the intricacies of our voting systems, of the effect and empowerment voting can bring about and of the importance of participating in a democracy.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Jane Wai n: Meriel Illustratio

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This is something that both Bite the Ballot and British Youth Council Chair Mita Desai would like to see extended in UK schools. “One awesome outcome of the Scottish referendum is that where a special politics syllabus was introduced, 16-17 year olds had a higher voter turnout than 18-25 year olds,” says Mita. “It created a generation educated in politics. Without that education, our democratic system will continue to be the combined reflection of our social class and what the media constructs.” Indeed, with three quarters of the over-65 age group voting in May’s general election, it should have been no surprise to see manifestos full of tuition fee rises and FE budget cuts. But until 16 and 17 year olds can vote, and those between 18 and 21 are educated and engaged by the political process, we should not expect any less, says Oliver. “We have to ask, are elected officials properly representing those who put them in power? At the moment you’d have to say yes, because political manifestos largely ignore young people, and are serving the will of the older generations who put them in power.” One idea that is being pushed by youth representation groups is to use the looming EU referendum as a testing bed for 16 and 17 year old voters, as Scotland did with its referendum. As Oliver explains, this should be an easy sell given the decision will affect our future generations far more than those in their older years. But what are your thoughts on lowering the age of the vote to 16? Is it a right that’s long overdue, or a step too far for our young? We would love to hear your thoughts, by email to teacher@nut.org.uk

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Kate Smurthwaite column

Telegraph journalists “should learn basic reading comprehension” says BBC writer by comedian and activist Kate Smurthwaite. Last issue my column made it out of the Teacher and all the way to your second favourite publication, The Telegraph. I suppose I should be happy at my expanding readership. There were a few small problems with the piece in The Telegraph though, so forgive my churlishness at listing a couple just from the headline of the piece.

1. The headline was an outright lie. ‘Girls “should not speak up online” says BBC writer.’ I haven’t said that, I don’t think that. My article said that, rather than urging young women to speak up we should dedicate our energies to making the Internet a less misogynistic place. Interpreting that as “should not speak up” and putting it in direct quotes is ludicrous. What next? ‘Martin Luther King admits racial equality is “just a dream”?’

2. The headline also contains a major distortion. I’m a comedian. I sometimes write for The Revolution Will Be Televised and Have I Got News For You. Both of these shows are produced by Hat Trick who sell the finished products to the BBC and other channels. Calling me a BBC writer is like calling Grant Shapps an MP – sure I do it occasionally, for the fun and for a bit of attention, but it’s hardly my main source of income. I am far from the biggest victim of press misrepresentation. In fact this isn’t even the worst press misrepresentation I’ve had. Nor is it the worst press misrepresentation I’ve had this year. It’s not even the worst I’ve had this year in The Telegraph. That dubious honour lies with a certain Rupert Myers, who claimed I had had a show cancelled over poor ticket sales and failed to notice that the show in question was free. Fail. I’m not offended though by being called a BBC writer. I’d gladly write for the BBC. I’ll even present a few episodes of Top Gear as a freebee (I was so relieved they found a straight white guy for that job – they really had me worried). And raising the issue of misogynistic internet abuse is probably a good thing, however it’s done. But lies and distortion in the press is a real issue. It’s a real issue because two days after the election a man at my gym told me: “I voted Conservative, it’s better for me because I earn £13k a year so I’ll pay less tax.”That’s a lie. One he’s picked up from glancing at a few misleading headlines. The gym is going to need to replace those punchbags soon. Democracy is a brilliant, brilliant idea. But it’s meaningless if the press can’t be relied upon to report fairly and accurately on the issues. Starting with their surprisingly detailed coverage of this column. So go ahead – report this: The Telegraph regularly fails to meet basic standards for quality journalism. You can have that as a direct quote.

For details of Kate’s upcoming shows and appearances sign up to her mailing list at katesmurthwaite.co.uk

Illustration: Erhui1979, Getty July / August 15 I The Teacher

.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 Students on the march The two students were invited to speak by Bristol NUT Secretary, Lisa Middle and South West Regional Secretary, Andy Woolley. They explained how they had used social media to involve people and how the demonstration had grown organically as a result.

Photo: Avis Gilmore/Dawn Taylor

School representatives on their advanced course in Bristol recently had an extra session during their lunch hour when Year 13 school students Mollie Lewington and Rosie Simmons spoke to them about the anti-austerity demonstration they organised which attracted 6,000 people shortly after the General Election.

May Day celebrations in Manchester

Inaugural Young Teachers’ Conference in Herts The first ever Hertfordshire Young Teachers’ Conference took place at the end of spring in the Thistle Hotel in St Albans. The event was organised by young teachers with the aim of providing members with a range of CPD, promoting the NUT and inspiring more young teachers in Hertfordshire to get involved in the Union. The weekend consisted of a selection of workshops and keynote speakers, with time allocated for rest and

relaxation to promote ‘work/life balance in action’. Workshops included use of IT, tackling workload, SEN in the mainstream and the structure of the Union. There were also fun learning opportunities for all, such as team challenges and quizzes. The dedication and enthusiasm of these young teachers resulted in a successful, productive conference.

NUT annual financial statement The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 requires unions to provide members with an annual statement of financial information summarised from the annual return to the certification officer for trade unions. The NUT annual financial statement for the year ending 31 December 2014 is now available online at www.teachers.org.uk/financialstatement. For a full NUT financial statement write to NUT Accountant, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BD.

Keep up to date with education and the NUT – follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/NUTonline for the latest news and views. And stay informed at www.teachers.org.uk.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

The North West NUT Marching Band took to the streets of Manchester to play during the May Day march from Piccadilly Gardens to the Mechanics’ Institute, where a full day of activities, plays, discussion groups and speeches ensued. The band received applause all the way around the route and thoroughly enjoyed the day out.

Guernsey pension dispute NUT members and public sector unions rallied in Guernsey recently for a demonstration showing widespread opposition to their Government’s plans to diminish pension provision and to raise the retirement age to 70. Local and regional officers have since held further talks about the situation and also about this year’s pay claim and hope to make progress after the unprecedented show of strength to local politicians.

You can also find the NUT on Facebook. Keep up with the latest campaigning and Union news via the official NUT Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nut.campaigns.

The Annual Women’s Conference and Regional Conference were held backto-back in the South West during the May half-term. Delegates at the Women’s Conference were addressed by several speakers including President Philipa Harvey and undertook a number of activities designed to increase the involvement of women members in Union activity. The main outcome was a decision to set up a Regional Women’s Network.

VIEWPOINT

At the Regional Conference delegates attended sessions on international solidarity, working under the new Government and organising in the new school climate, and were addressed by Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney. The Conference ended with a session explaining how Annual Conference works and giving delegates confidence to be first-time speakers next year.

No Pasarán! – Greenwich NUT organises visit to Spain

“What an incredible two days: my first TUC LGBT Conference. Passionate speeches, inspiring guest speakers and an overwhelming atmosphere of solidarity from every union.

Members from Greenwich, Lewisham, Bexley and Redbridge took part in a guided tour of Madrid to commemorate the Spanish Civil War this summer. The group heard inspiring accounts of how ordinary people went to great lengths to fight for the ideals of the Republic.

Taking time out in Stoke-on-Trent At the start of the summer a wellbeing day was held in the lovely surroundings of the Moat House Hotel, Etruria. The day’s activities were arranged by Stokeon-Trent NUT and were chosen so participants could relax away from their workplaces, have fun learning new skills and develop techniques to help them deal with stress.

“Making my own first-time speech in support of our motion was an extraordinary personal moment. The NUT is calling for a national ‘diversity in education programme’, which ensures LGBT diversity is addressed in all teacher training routes, and that school policy and practice ensure a safe, inclusive space for LGBT students and staff.

by Rachael Neal, teacher

After a welcome from NUT Midlands Regional Secretary Kit Armstrong, delegates took part in a series of workshops, which included archery, massage, yoga, raw food and samba drumming. If you would like to know more about the event or would be interested in organising one for your members, please contact: secretary@stoke-on-trentdivision.org.uk.

Newcastle comes together to celebrate diversity

Photo: Mr_Swan-Photography

“Finally and most importantly, it was a privilege to be able to hear so many stories from older colleagues: awe-inspiring people who fought for LGBT equality throughout the dark days of Section 28. There was a sense of undeniable positivity during discussions about how far we have come, yet with the looming spectre of how the expansion of academies and free schools could undermine this – a threat we must continue to fight against.”

Photo: Tim Woodcock

TUC LGBT Conference

“Particular highlights included Sian James and Mike Jackson (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners) discussing solidarity, equality and their role in the "real story" that inspired the film Pride. Furthermore, the launch of LGBT History Month's wall chart, a soon-to-be digital school resource documenting important milestones in the UK's LGBT community, was excellent.

Out and about

Women’s Conference and Regional Conference in the South West

It’s not often NUT Presidents get to share a stage with BRIT Award winners, but that is exactly where Philipa Harvey found herself when visiting Newcastle. The sun came out and thousands flocked to the Newcastle Unity Festival as music fans, anti-racism activists and community campaigners rubbed shoulders in a fantastic celebration of the diversity of the city. Headline acts including Ms. Dynamite, Natty and many more drew the crowds, who welcomed the messages of hope and solidarity from the speakers.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Reps Report Sarah Vaughan

NUT Regional Rep of the Year Sarah Vaughan has been a history teacher for 21 years. This year she has been awarded the NUT North West Regional Rep of the Year Award for her work, amongst other things, fighting an academy conversion at Malbank School in Nantwich, Cheshire East Division. Sarah attributes her success in stopping an academy conversion to a ‘collective approach’ to union work, collaborating closely with fellow NASUWT and Unison reps at her school. “What it means is that people have become a lot more involved in union issues: we canvass everybody’s opinions regardless of what union you’re in; including mid-day and support staff … it certainly helped us in our anti-academy fight; we stuck together.” Last May, Sarah and her fellow union reps were informed that Malbank School was to be converted into an academy by the following September. Using the collective approach, she held an open meeting for all staff to discuss the situation and, following an almost unanimous expression of concern, proceeded to start a campaign against academisation. “It was a difficult fight,” says Sarah, “a very frustrating process. It became very clear that the people who were supposed to be in charge of your school were making decisions about your future without thinking about what the staff wanted. They’d been convinced by the rhetoric dished out by central Government.” “We decided to set up a petition and 108 members signed it in two days. We presented it to the governors.” Sarah managed to keep the dogs at bay for over six months until it was eventually announced that the school would no longer be pursuing academy conversion. Sarah now has over 90 NUT members at her school. Describing her time as rep, she explains that the job is not just about fighting management or being an “insurance policy for members,” but rather, is about working positively to improve staff and students’ well being in a multitude of different ways on a daily basis. She tells me proudly about a recent training course she organised for all staff alongside the NASUWT rep that raised awareness of the issues relating to menopause.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

“It is an issue that affects the whole of the workplace but it is often brushed under the carpet. It needs to be talked about.” I ask her whether teaching has changed at all since she first started 21 years ago. “A great deal,” she responds. “I think the sad thing about education is we are now setting children up to fail … it’s all about statistics and progress when it should be about learning and educating our children to be more rounded individuals.” Sarah describes her experience of winning the NUT Regional Rep of the Year Award as a “highlight”. She humbly says that she doesn’t think she deserves it because, “there are hundreds of reps doing exactly the same thing as me: working hard in schools to campaign for the rights of their Union members.”

Out and about

Success stories We've recently heard about some incredible, hard-fought victories that teachers have achieved and wanted to share them with you. Here is just a small selection of some of the stories that have been filling our inboxes. In Tower Hamlets, one primary school saw morale hitting rock bottom until teachers came together with a list of demands for management. After open forums and a meeting with the school’s head, teachers’ PPA time was raised, while the school’s marking policy was reviewed and eventually all requirements reduced.

Teachers at Millais School wore their Stand Up for Education t-shirts on strike day

Joint action from members of NUT, Unison and ATL at a school in Kent saw the submission of a collective grievance that made serious allegations against the head who had tried to academise the school. After thorough investigation, Kent County Council upheld the grievance in all areas, expressing their ‘serious concerns’ and removing the head from her post. The school recently featured on a Dispatches documentary about testing in schools. Finally, teachers in Gateshead took strike action in defence of colleagues being threatened with compulsory redundancy. In January the school announced it would have to make savings of more than £500,000 and that this would threaten the jobs of 22 teachers and 10 support staff. In addition, the school announced that it would ‘delete’ all 46 TLR positions. A unanimous ‘yes’ vote in the strike ballot led to a successful strike day, gaining the warm support of local parents and commuters. Consequently the threat of compulsory redundancy was withdrawn and there is a new air of teacher solidarity in the hallways.

A student in Gateshead joins his teachers in protest

Across the country, teachers at a federation of academies were unhappy with their pay and appraisal policies, which included Ofsted grades and unlimited drop-ins, observations and learning walks. After several negotiating meetings little changed, and so teachers from all three federation schools joined forces to ballot for strike action. The ballot came out almost 100% in favour of action and, once the head was informed, all teachers’ demands were met. A new rep in Gloucestershire, just one year into her role, has made a transformative change in her school. Laura Wells took up the rep position during a time of little Union influence in her school, with just two members attending meetings. Now, one year and one school-wide stress survey later, Laura has won a number of victories for her colleagues, including the removal of any requirement to cover for planned absences. PPA time will also be properly scheduled and teachers will not be pressured into arranging cover when absent through illness.

If you have won victories at your school and would like to share them with the Union, email your story to success@nut.org.uk

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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Teachers lead the way in earthquake aftermath Almost a million children across Nepal are still without classrooms months after the Gorkha earthquake hit the country in April – and it is the country’s teacher unions that are working tirelessly to rebuild them. On 25 April 2015 a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Nepal, leaving schools and homes destroyed and thousands dead. The country’s education system has been devastated. The quake demolished more than 32,000 classrooms across the country and 62 teachers and support staff lost their lives. Teachers led the way in the aftermath of the shock. In the days following the first major earthquake, all members of Nepal’s teacher unions (NNTA and NTA) agreed to forfeit six days of salary – equivalent to more than $6 million USD – in support of fellow citizens and teachers in need. “Teachers are the real stakeholders,” Ms Chitra Lekha Yadav, Nepal’s Minister of Education said. “…Education is most important for all development.” Working around the clock to help to set up temporary education centres – some no more than bamboo huts amongst the rubble – teachers have been working closely with the Nepalese Government and aid agencies to build 137 temporary learning centres that have allowed 14,000 children – many still traumatised and without homes – to return to school. However, as the story fades from the international newspapers, Education International (EI) says that at least another 4,500 education centres have to be built to accommodate almost a million children across Nepal who are still without classrooms. The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has warned that the disaster could reverse the progress Nepal has made in education over the last 25 years, during which time primary school enrolment has risen from 64 per cent to more than 95 per cent.

Photo: Unicef

International

l a n o i t a n r Inte

“The longer children stay at home, the more difficult it will be for them to return to school,” says Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF’s Nepal representative. The NUT is calling on all members to show support and solidarity for the Nepalese teachers who have lost colleagues, homes and schools in this terrible disaster, and now continue to work amongst the rubble of their former classrooms. “We are asking members to donate to Education International’s relief fund which will help teachers rebuild their schools and help and encourage those children affected by the disaster to return to school and continue their education,” says NUT International Relations Officer Samidha Garg. “Solidarity is a key trade union issue,” says Christine Blower. “I am proud that the NUT stands in solidarity with the many teachers around the world.” To show solidarity and donate, go to the Education International website www.ei-ie.org.

Why not become an NUT International Solidarity Officer? The NUT has a proud history on the global stage. International solidarity officers play a key role locally in working towards the NUT’s global vision to show solidarity, protect teachers’ trade union rights and to support high quality public education for all. Speak to your division secretary for more information: Find your secretary’s details at: www.teachers.org.uk/contactus

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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Creative arts Illustration: Neasden Control Centre

Drawing the line on creativity July / August 15 I The Teacher

Illustration: Neasden Control Centre

What are your happiest memories from school? Was it that thrilling day when you were cast in the school play, or performed in a concert with your classmates… maybe it was bringing home a wobbly clay vase that your parents put in pride of place on the mantelpiece. Often our most vivid memories from childhood are those sudden moments of creative achievement that change the way we think about the world and our place within it. Sadly, these memories are set to fade as arts subjects are squeezed from education as part of the Government’s new English Baccalaureate (Ebacc); which places extra value on a narrow list of five subject areas – maths, English, sciences, languages and history or geography. As part of the drive art, music, D&T, drama and sport have been downgraded, playing second fiddle to core academic subjects and, as prominence slips, so too will their funding, creating further barriers to the arts for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. This is clear from the National Society for Education in Art and Design’s (NSEAD) most recent survey, whose worrying statistics found that, “learning opportunities for pupils in art, craft and design at key stages 3 and 4 in many state schools have reduced significantly.”

Barriers to the arts The logic behind this new system is patchy at best. According to Secretary of State for Education Nicky Morgan, the rationale that underpins the Government’s plans for education isn’t about an “outdated world view or old fashioned nostalgia” but a refusal to accept that educational success must be affected by the wealth of your parents. However according to the Cultural Learning Alliance, pupils who attend schools with a high rate of free school meals (FSM) are already nearly three times as likely to withdraw from arts subjects as those who attend a school with a low rate of FSM – some 21 per cent versus eight per cent. “If schools don’t offer arts subjects, the most disadvantaged will arguably suffer most as they have far fewer opportunities to engage with arts subjects on an extra-curricular basis,” says Nottinghamshire teacher Megan Mansworth.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

“This will ensure that only the middle and upper classes will have access to the life-enriching powers of arts subjects.” A recent study by the Children’s Commission on Poverty heard first hand how arts subjects were being dropped by the most disadvantaged children. One child on FSM told the Commission: “With art [subjects such as photography], the teachers told us that if you don’t have your own camera it would be harder to take the subject, as you would have to borrow their cameras. It makes it harder to do that option.” The Cost of Going to School, from Young People’s Perspectives report, gathered similar testimonies from young people on FSM: “Purchasing extra materials has always been an issue for me. I only chose lessons that I didn’t have to spend (too) much money on,” said one young person.

Stifling the creative industries But not studying an art goes far beyond missed creative opportunities, and the narrowing of the curriculum is just the thin end of a wedge, explains creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson.

Creative arts

“You can imagine that if you don’t have music on the curriculum then parents in areas like mine are unlikely to go out and spend money on a trombone and get private music lessons… our future musicians and engineers and artists are just going to come from private schools and wealthy families.” Baljeet Ghale, deputy head, Tower Hamlets

According to the Warwick Commission on the Future of Cultural Value, there are now major concerns that: “the education system is not focusing on the future needs of the cultural and creative industries and the broader needs for innovation and growth in the UK.” As NUT General Secretary Christine Blower points out, “no-one is saying that studying these core subjects is a bad thing. What we’re saying is find the space for drama, art, music, PE and design and technology. Don’t close off people’s options.” Statistics already show worrying trends when these options are closed off, and the effect on teachers. “If you think of it, the whole system of public education around the world is a protracted process of university entrance,” he says. “The consequence is that many highly talented, brilliant, creative people think they’re not, because the thing they were good at in school wasn’t valued, or was actually stigmatised. And I think we can’t afford to go on that way.” The Government’s own website recognises that the creative industries contribute £71.4 billion pounds a year to the UK economy – 11 per cent total GDP. Yet, instead of looking to stimulate this economic success, the Government is beginning to cut the school subjects that are the bedrock of this industry.

Since 2010 the number of arts teachers in schools has fallen by up to 11 per cent, teaching hours and teachers for design and technology are down 11 per cent, drama teacher levels have fallen by eight per cent and teaching hours for the subject, including hours taught by non-specialists, have reduced by four per cent. Once the Ebacc is firmly established in secondary schools, these percentages will only get worse. “We will be left with a stultifying, turgid curriculum” says Megan, “with limited opportunities for allowing students with skill that go beyond the academic to shine.” So if English is not your forte, if your Maths is off key, if you’re drawn to Escher or go Dada for Dali then you’re in trouble: creative thinking is being put firmly Ebacc in its box.

Back in 2013 the NUT was part of a successful campaign (of 45,000+ individuals and 120+ organisations) to stop the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) from becoming compulsory in all state secondary schools. We are now working with the Bacc for the Future campaign to urge the Government to ‘retract or reform’ the Ebacc accountability measure. Please sign the petition at www.baccforthefuture.com.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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Education Commandments And when Moses came down from the Mountain, the Prophet Michael asked of him, how many Commandments do you have, and Moses replied verily, ‘Have I ten’ and then did Michael cry out, ‘Ten! Is it not eleven?’ whereupon Michael pronounced an eleventh, ‘Thou shalt convert’. Then did the people ask, ‘Wherefore convert?’ and Michael replied unto them saying, ‘For this way, in my Academies of Learning, will all children become better’.

Then did she refuse to answer. Yea, verily, was she asked a second time, and then, again she answered not. Yea, verily, was she asked a third time, and then, again, she answered not. And thus it was seen on BBC Breakfast.

But then did the leader pronounce Michael as poison and he was cast out into the wilderness to do with his time nothing other than raising old members from their slumbers.

And were the people not mystified by this, full of wonder that such ordure could be spoken by a Prophet.

Beyond the eyes of the people, however, Michael did cause his eleventh commandment to be carried on by those in his place, even as news came that not all those who had converted to his Academies of Learning were outstanding. Some forsooth needed improvement. Yet others were failing. Yea, verily, further news came from the land where such Academies of Learning were legion, and the news was not good for Michael: in this land, such Academies were being struck down, for lo, the children had not become better.

Illustration: Katie Edwards, Alamy

Whereupon Michael and his followers sayeth unto each other, ‘Shhhhh, let not this matter be known.’ In Michael’s place the Prophet Nicola came forth unto the people and spake wise words: ‘No child can be left to linger in a House of Failure, nay, not for one day.’ But then did doubters come forth and ask Nicola how many of Michael’s Academies of Learning were themselves Houses of Failure?

Then did the Prophet Nicola speak words exceeding strange. Again did she cry, ‘No child can be left to linger in a House of Failure.’

Scholars come forth and revealed that out of the great Prophet Michael’s Academies of Learning, were there 133 that were Houses of Failure. And did not the people cry out in mocking ways, ‘No child can be left to linger. Convert! Convert!’ But it was found that though the Eleventh Commandment stated ‘Thou shalt convert’, there was no Twelfth Commandment to state what these 133 Houses of Failure could convert to, for were they not already converted? But the Prophet Nicola did not shake or tremble. And was it not then that the word ‘brass neck’ came into being? Or ‘chutzpah’. Or both.

Poem by Michael Rosen – poet in residence Illustration by Dan Berry

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Illustration: Sorbetto, Getty

Exam Factories A culture of form-filling is squeezing spontaneity and innovation from classrooms. Teachers work 60 hour weeks to stay on top of paperwork, while pupils struggle to cope under the pressure of repeated tests, not for their own benefit, but to judge schools. These are the overriding findings of a major new report, commissioned by the NUT and conducted independently by Emeritus Professor Merryn Hutchings of London Metropolitan University.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Exam Factories? The impact of accountability measures on children and young people draws on a survey of nearly 8,000 teachers, as well as extensive research and case studies of heads, teachers and children across England. The report highlights the negative impact of accountability measures on young people in England and unveils some worrying findings. Amongst them comes the clear message that teachers are witnessing unprecedented levels of school-related anxiety, stress and mental health problems amongst pupils, particularly around exam time.

Exam factories

Photo: Andrew Wiard

Professor Merryn Hutchings with the NUT-commissioned Exam Factories? report.

One account from a primary teacher in a school that Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ reads: “It is heart-breaking to have a four-year-old approach me in tears because they ‘are still in the bad group for reading’ because they have already been streamed in phonics at age four.”

“My child is in Year 6 and he and his friends were worrying about SATs all through the summer. He has had migraines and a close friend, who is slightly autistic, has been placed on medication because the stress caused her to stop eating,” said one parent.

Another teacher told the report: “I have had a child off school for three days because he was so worried about his recent test result and didn’t want to take any more tests. In the lead up to SATs, I had pupils in tears, feeling sick, feeling stressed because they were so worried about the results from the tests.”

The Government has claimed that accountability measures and exams are designed to help employability in a growing global market. However, John Cridland, the head of the Confederation of British Industry, believes that job recruiters don’t recruit on academic results alone. “It’s about who they are – their characters and interests… we want young people who are rounded and grounded. Something’s not working,” he says.

NUT Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney expressed his concern that our entire school system has become geared towards meeting Government targets and Ofsted expectations. Teachers are being forced to teach to the test and, as such, “schools are on the verge of becoming exam factories”. This has been a long time frustration to creative education campaigner Sir Ken Robinson, who points out: “schools are still pretty much organised along factory lines – ringing bells, separate facilities specialised into separate subjects. We still educate children in batches.” According to Lucie Russell – Director of Campaigns at children’s wellbeing and mental health charity YoungMinds – as we standardise our education system, it is the pupils who suffer. “Many of the young people YoungMinds works with say they feel completely defined by their grades and that this is very detrimental to their well being and self-esteem,” she says. Similarly ChildLine, the counselling service for young people, has reported a 200 per cent increase in counselling sessions related to exam stress between 2012-13 and 2013-14. Overall school and exam pressures were one of the biggest causes of feelings of stress and anxiety among children and young people.

“Accountability measures are not raising standards and they aren’t closing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.” Professor Merryn Hutchings

But how are schools supposed to create “rounded and grounded” individuals if children are to be tested within the first six weeks of primary education, and league tables are now entirely dependent on a list of narrowed, ‘core academic’ subjects? “I don’t think there are many young people who fail. There are, however, many young people who are failed by the current system,” says Cridland. “Head teachers and teachers feel like rebels in the system. They are doing their best for young people in spite of the rules and not because of them.” After reading the report, we hope members will work with the NUT to use this evidence as a platform for change. We need better and fairer ways to evaluate what happens in schools, what works and what matters. ‘’There is a gathering storm for the Government around the excessive testing of students and the unsophisticated targets imposed on schools,” says Ros McNeil, NUT head of education and equality. “Assessing pupils to support their progress must be separated and distinguished from public information through which schools are held to account. The Government has an agenda on accountability – and that agenda’s not working.” The Union has sent the new research to politicians asking them to act without delay to ensure the accountability system is re-examined.

Exam Factories? The impact of accountability measures on children and young people is available to order. Please go to www.teachers.org.uk/node/23666 and get your copy now.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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The largest teachers’ union

News

July 2015

Working together to win on pay The NUT has joined with other leading teacher unions to help win your September pay rise. Nicky Morgan’s announcement on teachers’ pay from September was quickly followed by George Osborne announcing a 1 per cent pay limit for another four years. To win fair pay for teachers, we have to start by winning the September pay rise in all schools. The joint advice with ATL, NAHT, UCAC in Wales and Voice reaffirms the fixed

pay scales, including the 6 point Main Scale and 3 point Upper Scale. It sets out the values of the pay scale points that all schools should adopt to maintain that structure and give all teachers the promised pay rise.

Support for action on pay The NUT will support all members who are denied the pay rise, including through sustained strike action if needed. Contact the NUT locally if your school doesn’t confirm your pay rise.

To see the joint advice and other key NUT advice on pay, go to www.teachers.org.uk/pay Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said:

“Limiting pay rises to 1 per cent will significantly increase teacher shortages. The NUT will lead the campaign against this. The Government also wants to break up our pay system. That’s why it is important that we are working alongside other unions to protect it. Make sure your school acts on this joint advice – and come to the NUT for help if it doesn’t.”

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Julyy / August 15 I The Teacher

The value option

value option As children, we are encouraged to question what we are told. Good students explore every angle and debate what is considered right and wrong. But new counter-terrorism legislation has formalised the Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prevent strategy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; opening up a wide debate about British values and how and whether schools can gauge the risk of young people being drawn into terrorism.

Illustration: Nate Kitch

Julyy / August 15 I The Teacher

Previous governments introduced a Prevent ‘strategy’ as part of counter-terrorism measures almost a decade ago. The debate has intensified recently, because Prevent has been given greater prominence in schools and colleges in England and Wales, with a new statutory duty to prevent people being drawn into terrorism. Part of this next phase of Prevent follows on from Ofsted’s insertion of a focus on British values into the inspection framework. Ranging from tolerance for different faiths to a respect for the democratic process, the values themselves are perhaps uncontentious, but whether they should be described as uniquely ‘British’ has become a matter of wide debate. The Government rhetoric accompanying the legal changes has prompted many teachers to question the likely impact of the Prevent strategy.

Misguided expectations about the impact of Prevent There are contradictory messages from Government, in relation to what teachers might be expected to report, following the new Prevent duty on schools. On the one hand, schools are advised not to intrude unnecessarily into the family lives of learners, or to stifle debate about controversial issues. On the other hand, they are told to, “equip staff to identify learners at risk of being drawn into terrorism” and to, “understand when it is appropriate to make a referral to Channel”, which essentially requires schools to bring children to the attention of the counter-terrorism multi-agency panels. Schools and teachers are unclear about how to find their way through this, and how far their individual professional judgements will be supported, or questioned. As Amanda Brown, Assistant General Secretary, confirms: “Members have told us that they are having to consider how their existing practice might be interpreted. One teacher, who seats children away from their close friends to help them concentrate in class, is worried that this might be seen as her imposing segregation between girls and boys. Another teacher was criticised by an inspector for talking through the issues raised in a pupil’s piece of fiction, rather than immediately reporting the young person to the multi-agency Channel panel.“ In June, the NUT convened a roundtable on Prevent and schools’ responses. In London, one teacher told of students in east London who, on the day of the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, were hesitant to discuss with the class the complexity of the unfolding story, and the violent reaction to the drawing of the prophet Muhammad. When asked why they were hesitant to explore the topic, they admitted they were worried of being labeled ‘risks’ if they expressed offence at the cartoons, even if in no way agreeing that such offence should give rise to violence.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

What is your workplace doing? • Has your SMT offered CPD to staff? • Have teachers been consulted about policies that contain the thresholds for reporting concerns? What has been done to ensure the response is proportionate and measured? • How is your school interpreting British values? Tell us your experiences at equality@nut.org.uk

During the roundtable, Chair of the Restorative Justice Council, Graham Robb posed the challenge as how to discuss our complex, violent world with pupils, while keeping their safety at the forefront. “These are difficult issues, but we need people from a range of backgrounds and communities responding positively, with the interests of the child at heart, while not playing down the threats and risks,” he said. This is at the heart of the Prevent controversy. Teachers are committed to the well being of their students and understand the role they can play in safeguarding – but are intent on keeping spaces open for dialogue and learning, as young people develop their identities and views. Many teachers appear anxious that the approach their school will take to reporting incidents could lead to a counter-productive loss of trust among students, stifling the opportunity for ‘healthy’ educational debate and reducing free speech.

Good values, bad narrative Dr Aminul Hoque MBE, Lecturer in Education at Goldsmiths, believes Prevent could alienate some pupils. Perhaps most troubling are recent ministerial speeches which have used the ‘us versus them’ narrative. Values such as asking teachers to enable students to distinguish right from wrong and to respect the civil and criminal law of England are clearly laudable goals – but now they are tied with what Dr Hoque describes as a negative gaze upon other cultures. “Although the Prevent strategy is about tackling radicalisation and extremism affecting all communities, in practice, there has been a disproportionate negative gaze and focus on the many Muslim communities across Britain – the vast majority of whom are hard working, honest and

Many of the values described in the Ofsted framework as ‘British’ equate to common values and respect for human rights – perhaps ironic given the current Government’s disparaging remarks about the European Court of Human Rights. Schools welcome debates about values, the social and emotional aspects of learning and critical thinking skills – but they are currently confronted with Government policies on curriculum and accountability which make it harder, not easier, to allocate curriculum time to these vital aspects.

Design your curricular response Many schools have heard of Unicef’s Rights Respecting Schools Award, which helps schools embed children’s human rights in their ethos and culture. The programme has been adopted by over 3,500 schools. “It is plain that there is great public interest in the question of what it means to be

The value option

law abiding citizens. Prevent has therefore become counter-productive and has engulfed British Muslims further into the political rhetoric of the global ‘war on terror’. It has contributed further to a growing socially constructed moral panic between a British ‘us’ and a Muslim ‘other’,” he says.

‘British’,” says Christine Blower, NUT General Secretary. “It would be wrong to assume that this means that the public are looking for easy definitions, of the sort that can be summed up in a list of bullet points. “Teachers will approach this in the way they always have: using conversations about issues of diversity and commonality, about what enables us to get along, with consideration of points of friction and conflict and with a steady focus on making connections and giving every child a sense of belonging. “This conversation is always evolving, and will never end. Teachers are justifiably wary of policies that tend to isolate particular groups and exclude them from this conversation.” The NUT is campaigning for policies which support all children’s and young people’s sense of belonging in 21st century Britain. In the autumn, the NUT will publish a resource pack to support schools to develop a curriculum for children and young people that supports the democratic values of a diverse Britain. Find current Union advice on Prevent at: www.teachers.org.uk/educationandequalities

Useful resources Many schools focus on values using whole school strategies or particular subjects. The following resources are packed with good ideas and inspiration. • Index for Inclusion – developing learning and participation in schools – www.csie.org.uk/resources/inclusion-index-explained.shtml This toolkit applies to primary, secondary and special schools. • International Values-Based Education Quality Mark – www.valuesbasededucation.com Values-based education is an approach that nourishes and enables learners to flourish, making a difference to the world through who and how they are. • Miriam’s Vision – miriamsvision.org Resources for secondary schools, including lesson plans and guidance notes. Miriam’s Vision is about living in an inclusive, non-violent society respecting fundamental rights. It is produced by the Miriam Hyman Memorial Trust and the Institute of Education. • Association for Citizenship Teaching – www.teachingcitizenship.org.uk The resources section of the website has a range of useful materials arranged by age group and content which is easy to navigate.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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Richard Williams –

Big Band Jazz Extraordinaire “I may not be Bristol’s best drummer, but I am Bristol’s best dressed drummer!” By day, Rich Williams is a history and humanities teacher at Cotham School and a committee member of the Bristol division NUT. But by night he indulges in another passion – playing in a swing jazz band. Spurred on by his enthusiasm for drumming and love of music, Rich – known in the entertainment world as Richie Paradise – formed the 16-piece ‘The Big R Big Band’ over five years ago and has enjoyed performing at gigs in the South West ever since. Whether he is in front of a class of eager pupils or crowds of adoring jazz fans, Rich certainly knows how to entertain. When did you first get into drumming? I fell into it by accident. When I was 16 there was a sixth form band that played at an assembly once and the next day I went into school and said “I’m starting a band.” It just happened that one guy had a drum kit but nowhere to play it and I had a spare room so I ended up on the drums. I wasn’t very keen on it but it was the end of exams and I had lots of spare time so it just kind of clicked. It’s been a difficult love affair ever since! What inspired you to start a classic swing band? It’s something I wanted to do for a really long time. Big bands involve a lot of people and it’s hard enough finding a band with four people, let alone 16. But I suddenly realised I knew enough horn players to set it up and I felt that I was ready to do it. What do like most about performing? Bristol has a really great swing dance movement and there’s nothing quite like playing that kind of music and seeing the guys in suits and girls in dresses and everyone enjoying themselves and making an effort. It can make up for a bad day at work. Do you have a favourite jazz band moment? One of our best gigs was opening the internationally known Slapstick festival here in Bristol. Punters turned up to the

Colston Hall unknowingly, to find us playing 1930s jazz tunes and dozens of swing dancers strutting their stuff. It was wild. How do you juggle your teaching and band obligations? With great difficulty! It was possibly easier when I started teaching, I could play a lot more as a musician and teach at the same time. I think it’s harder now because there seem to be more expectations of assessment and marking, and that’s the reason a lot of teachers are leaving the profession in droves. What are some of the changes you’ve noticed in the past 12 years of teaching? Everyone is so busy and people don’t have time to socialise. The staffroom is empty - all the teachers are eating at their desks, marking or planning lessons. It didn’t used to be like that. Teachers are being observed and inspected all the time, they aren’t being given the chance to develop as practitioners. Before there was a lot more room to have character in the classroom. Are there any parallels between teaching and performing on stage? There’s a real element of showmanship to it, and being a teacher, we are showmen, we are always performing. Being in a big band is like being in the classroom – in class you have 32 kids, 32 egos, 32 personalities, 32 learning styles, etc that you have to manage and with the band it is similar. Also, teachers are setting a legacy for the future, and jazz music is the same.

Catch Rich in action, with The Big R Big Band on 19 September 2015 at the Clevedon Tides Festival. For more information go to www.bigr.org.uk or follow their Facebook page.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Coasting to conversion The Government’s Education and Adoption Bill could put even institutions rated ‘outstanding’ at risk of forced academisation. The Teacher investigates.

Put in motion by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, the Education and Adoption Bill will widen the definition of schools that are eligible for intervention and remove the requirement for governing bodies to consult teachers and parents if a school is subject to an academy order because of its performance. The Secretary of State claims the new Bill will ‘sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes’. In practice it centralises power over education and paves the way for schools to be converted into sponsored academies in much shorter order. “The Bill curtails democratic debate and forces both governing bodies and local authorities to support an academy order, whether or not they believe it is in the best interests of the children,” says Henry Stewart, co-founder of the Local Schools Network. “This crosses a line into a new centralist and more authoritarian approach, forcing the education world to accept a policy, not because of the evidence, but because it is the view of the Secretary of State.” The Government has identified two types of school which the Bill will force to become academies. These are the schools that will be defined as ‘failing’ or ‘coasting’. A ‘failing’ school will be one that has been characterised by Ofsted as requiring significant improvement or special measures. Failing schools will automatically be turned into academies without consultation and the sponsor will be decided by the Secretary of State. The proposed definition of a ‘coasting’ school is a school which fails to meet both an attainment measure and a progress measure, over a three-year period. For fuller explanation of the detail of the attainment and progress measures, view the Education Bill campaign page at www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/beatthebill

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Evidence base? The Conservative Government has been quick to trumpet academy conversion as a fail-safe solution, yet research suggests otherwise. A recent cross-party Education Select Committee report stated that: “Current evidence does not allow us to draw conclusions on whether academies in themselves are a positive force for change.” As of April 2015, there were proportionally more ‘inadequate’ academies than maintained schools – with almost 50 per cent of sponsored academies rated ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ at their first Ofsted inspection as an academy. “A change in structure is not axiomatically the path to school improvement. It is irresponsible to say otherwise,” reasons Christine Blower, General Secretary. The National Audit Office recently reported that informal interventions with support from governors and parents have been more effective than structural interventions such as academy conversion. Indeed Conservative Councillor David Simmonds, chairman of the Local Government Association Children and Young People board, has voiced support from the local community as a crucial factor in transforming struggling schools. The Bill’s approach to forced academisation removes a local community’s rights to consultation and reduces the role of parents and governors. By dictating academy conversion as the only option, the views and expertise of teachers and parents alike are ignored – and with it any concerns for their children’s education.

Coasting to conversion

“If all of us want the best for our children, why does the Government consistently pursue paths that are not based on evidence of what is best for our children’s education?” Kevin Brennan, Shadow Schools Minister

Illustration: Eleanor Taylor

As Christine points out, “A pledge to convert ‘up to 1,000’ schools is as irrational as it is impractical. Head teachers are already in short supply, so the promise to sack more of them will simply exacerbate the problem. Where does Nicky Morgan imagine that new teachers and heads will come from?”

Joint concern ATL General Secretary Mary Bousted has voiced apprehension about the current state of recruitment and retention of school leaders while Emma Knights, Chief Executive of the National Governors’ Association, has said: “We recognise the need for appropriate intervention where schools are failing in order to deliver better outcomes for pupils as quickly as possible. But one school structure is not necessarily better than another in ensuring improvement in outcomes for pupils.” At the second reading of the Education and Adoption Bill in the House of Commons, Shadow Schools Minister Kevin Brennan highlighted that school improvement is based on teamwork, collaboration and a passion for excellence.

“Everyone who is involved in education knows that a school is a school, and that its success is built, not on the nameplate on the sign outside, but on the quality of the leadership and teaching within,” he said. “If all of us want the best for our children, why does the Government consistently pursue paths that are not based on evidence of what is best for our children’s education?” The NUT is working with other unions to lobby parliamentarians to amend the Bill, retain democracy in education and shape a much wider range of options to develop schools that meet the needs of every child.

We urge all members to voice their concerns about the Bill by emailing their MP using the model letter at www.teachers.org.uk/ campaigns/beatthebill

July / August 15 I The Teacher

n o i n U Your Common ground Teachers have been coming together at events. We round up all of your latest gatherings. Summer term can be overwhelming, with exams to be sat, reports to write and all the while the sun shining through the window, calling pupils and teachers alike to leave the stuffy classrooms and soak up some wellearned Vitamin D. This year we helped teachers get a bit of headspace at a variety of NUT conferences designed to get delegates out of their hot classrooms, and coming together to refocus, vent, and discuss the future of our profession.

“Welcome to your conference,” said NUT General Secretary Christine Blower to the Young Teachers Conference. “You made the very wise decision to be teachers, then you made the even wiser decision to join the NUT – the largest teachers’ union in Europe – and then you went on to make the very wise decision to be activists in the union.” NUT Conferences are a vital part of Union work. They bring teachers together, allow members to share their experiences and concerns, and

most importantly, shape the future campaigns and work of the Union. The Education at What Price? Conference kicked things off. Held at NUT headquarters on 16 May it focused on politics, power and privatisation. Over 100 delegates attended, eager to learn, engage and debate. The major topics discussed were the Global Education Reform Movement (GERM) and the creation of private schools paid for by public money. “Education is a fundamental human right and private schools must be resisted,” said Kishore Singh, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to education. “We are at a pivotal time in the future of education,” agreed NUT President Philipa Harvey. “We must not let

Photo: Andrew Wiard

Teachers come together at the People’s Assembly demonstration in June.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Your Union

Events calendar 2015 Don’t miss these events between now and the end of the year. Pride events – contact your local regional office for details of events taking place in your area and see www.teachers.org.uk/conferences/LGBT-teachers Anthony Walker Memorial Lecture – 16 October – Liverpool, International Slavery Museum Black Teachers’ Conference – 13-15 November www.teachers.org.uk/black-teachers-conference quality public education slip away as a top priority for governments. It is our job to keep pressing the core message that, without properly resourced high-quality education for all, society itself will be fundamentally damaged.” Guest speaker Owen Jones at the Young Teachers Conference on 12-14 June expanded on this theme. “The answer to inequality in our society isn’t free schools but Free School Meals (FSM), decent housing and ending food hunger.” Giving a rousing speech to delegates he discussed the continuing social inequality that pervades our country and praised the value and power of unions, describing them as the “biggest democratic movement in this country… trade unionism keeps the country working day to day.” Christine Blower thanked Owen for his words, expressed her pride at the Union’s Stand Up for Education campaign and highlighted the central role young teachers play in the future of education. The conference was deemed to be an ‘inspiring weekend’ by many of the delegates in attendance. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) Conference held the following weekend, carried on the theme of unionism and activism and looked outside our own borders towards encouraging activism in other countries. Delegates spoke with great feeling about the backlash against gay rights in Russia as well as the success of the Irish people on 23 May 2015 in legalising equal marriage. Solidarity again was a key issue here and David Braniff-Herbert, Senior Organiser LGBT, put it best as he encouraged LGBT members to work together to develop, “a strong sense of

Disabled Teachers’ Conference – 28 November www.teachers.org.uk/disabledteachers Information correct at time of going to print.

community rooted in deep relationships with a shared understanding of power and privilege.” The response from delegates was fantastically positive: ”Informative and interesting... I have lots of ideas to take back to school and implement.” Working together was the topic for discussion at the Owning our Profession Conference, co-hosted by ATL and the NUT. “The more we can speak with one voice, the more effective we can be,” NUT Deputy General Secretary Kevin Courtney told delegates. The conference consisted of a series of meetings and workshops to help teachers work together in schools to “own our voice and own our profession.” “Now is the time – more than ever before – to find ways for us to work more closely together, to strengthen our voice and to take back our profession,” agreed ATL Deputy General Secretary Peter Pendle. “It is vital for us to work closely together to defend our members, defend our schools and colleges and to speak up for parents and students to oppose the worst excesses of the new government.” Working together was also a key theme at the NUT Supply Teacher Conference. This was particularly in relation to the privatisation of supply agencies. The Union is organising a national lobby of supply teacher agencies on 28 October. You can

register your intention to attend at www.teachers.org.uk/supply. The lobby will highlight the unacceptable pay and pensions position facing supply teachers as well as the role that agencies play in driving down pay, while taking huge sums in commission and paying their own senior employees huge salaries. Personal experiences were also shared. Shelagh Kavanagh gave a wellreceived and articulate portrayal of everyday life as a supply teacher and Kate Shoesmith, Head of Public Policy and Affairs, at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), said it was important to find some common ground between supply agencies and teachers. And it is the idea of finding common ground that is the great strength of conferences such as these. Although each conference may have had its particular perspective, it seems clear there were some common words on the lips of every delegate at every conference: privatisation, workload, social inequality, and the importance of unionism and activism to defend human rights in this country. “Because frankly” said Christine Blower, continuing her speech to The Young Teachers Conference, “if we didn’t have activists coming forward we would be a declining movement and actually, because of you – as Kevin Courtney puts it – our Union is ‘defying gravity’ and going from strength to strength.”

July / August 15 I The Teacher

n o i n U e h t Ask Q

How will the new pay framework for sixth form colleges affect me?

The new pay framework offers teachers the prospect of higher pay and faster pay progression than now – but it does link all pay progression to appraisal as in schools.

The new structure doesn’t come into effect until September 2016 – but appraisal processes for 2015-16 will be used to inform pay decisions in September 2016.

If you haven’t had a meeting at college, ask your NUT rep to hold one. Most will have done so – and most will have been involved in discussions with management on how the new system will work. The key challenge will be to ensure that rates of pay progression aren’t cut in future, either by unfair thresholds for progression or by unfair pay decisions unsupported by evidence. The assumption underlying the new framework is that teachers are assumed to be meeting the necessary standards unless evidence exists otherwise, and that acceptable appraisal outcomes lead to pay progression.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Photo: Williv, Getty

You don’t say where you are on the structure now. However, the NUT website contains guidance on the arrangements for assimilating teachers to the new scale, with flowcharts to show you how you’ll be affected. All the information you need is on the NUT website at www.teachers.org.uk/6fcs

The agreed guidance contains plenty of protective statements – the key is making them stick. The NUT will support members in colleges which try to use the new system to cut pay progression. The new structure keeps many important features which are under

threat or lost in schools such as fixed pay scale points. It restores pay comparability in sixth form colleges after some years lagging behind schools. All of these benefits, however, will only be worthwhile if we ensure that teachers continue to progress on the scales.

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 How will Baseline Assessment affect children and teachers when it starts this September?

Under pressure from the DfE, most primary schools in England have opted in to Baseline Assessment, although a “few thousand” according to the department, have not. Within the first six weeks of term, reception teachers will be expected to assess children, one-to-one, using the materials supplied by their school’s chosen provider.

Like other campaigners against Baseline, the Union believes that this will disrupt the vital settlingin period where children should be helped to feel confident and happy at school. The majority of schools have chosen to use the provider Early Excellence – which is closest in its approach to the EYFSP. It is observation based and doesn’t involve the child sitting a ‘test’. However, all models of Baseline Assessment – whoever the provider – involve scoring children against what the DfE calls “a pre-determined content domain”. Some children will receive a score of 0 for the knowledge, skills and understanding that they display if it cannot be captured within the narrow scale of the test. Teachers should discuss their concerns about Baseline Assessment with their heads as well as with parents. Baseline

Assessment does not, and is not designed to benefit either the child or the teacher. It is a test introduced for the purposes of school accountability. It takes no account of a pupil’s age, nor of their home language. The results of the baseline, despite a lack of reliability or validity, will be used to assess pupil progress, and therefore school and teacher effectiveness throughout the child’s time at school. This means that Baseline Assessment has the potential to impact on the pay, conditions and classroom work of all teachers, not just those working in the early years and foundation stage.

What exactly is ‘gained time’ and what can I be required to do during this time? Can I be required to cover for absent colleagues?

Gained time is time during the academic year, particularly in the summer term, when teachers who take examination classes or groups are released from some of their timetabled teaching commitments as a result of pupils being on study or examination leave.

You can be directed to use gained time to provide shortterm teaching cover for absent colleagues, however this should only be ‘rarely’ in accordance with the ‘rarely cover’ provision. ‘Rarely cover’ means teachers are asked to cover only in

unforeseen circumstances, such as emergency situations. Gained time shouldn’t be used to cover maternity leave or long-term sickness absence. It would also be unacceptable for a head teacher to adjust a timetable as a way of sidestepping the’ rarely cover’ provision. Until 2014 the STPCD had a definition of the type of work teachers could be directed to undertake whilst working on gained time. The NUT believes it is reasonable for a teacher to be asked to do the following tasks (that formed part of the STPCD guidance): • Developing/revising curriculum materials/schemes of work and lesson plans for the new academic year • Assisting colleagues in planned team teaching • Providing additional group learning support and supporting selected pupils with coursework • Planned activities with pupils transferring between year groups or from primary school • CPD activities where your school has a policy to release staff for CPD during school sessions.

Send your questions to: Ask the Union, the Teacher, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD or email teacher@nut.org.uk.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Reviews

s w e i Rev For pupils The Accidental Prime Minister Following the unpredictable general election, children may have developed a newfound curiosity in politics. This timely comic novel creates a wonderful central character in Joe Perkins - who meets the Prime Minister and has his wild rant recorded and go viral. The author really has fun with the premise, filling the book with comic scenes and characters. Fans of David Walliams will love this book. Lee Ryder The Accidental Prime Minister by Tom McLaughlin. The Oxford University Press. Paperback. £6.99.

Jay-Jay: The Supersonic Bus Jay-Jay is a bus who is no longer wanted. He feels unloved and spends his days in the scrapyard dreaming of his old journeys. Everything changes for him though when he is taken away and magically transformed into the ‘Supersonic Play Bus’. What follows is a summer of fun, adventure and imagination for Jay-Jay and the children who come to play aboard him. With toys, books, games and even a slide on his bonnet, Jay-Jay is loved and needed once more. In fact he makes such an impression that a special letter arrives for him from Buckingham Palace! Sian Collinson Jay-Jay: The Supersonic Bus by Sue Wickstead. Sue Wickstead (Publisher). Paperback. £6.99.

Apple and Rain Apple (short for Apollinia, naturally) is a typical – that is, stereotypical – teenage girl living with nana, disappointed by her largely absent dad, irritated by his new wife, bored with her hobbies and nursing a crush on a boy at school. The story is an oft-trodden tale of redemption, with a fairly large cast of supporting characters. After eleven years away, Apple’s mother returns and the story focuses on the bond between them. When Apple encounters Rain, she helps Apple gain some perspective on her life. The use of poetry is an interesting device that adds another dimension to the telling. Elli Rhodes Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossman. Bloomsbury. Paperback. £6.99.

s For teacher

The Teacher’s Guide to Attachment: Practical essentials for teachers, carers and school support staff This book is packed with invaluable insight and concise information on attachment theory and how to build effective relationships in the classroom. Combining neuroscience and developmental psychology, Marshall explains a range of behaviour that teachers will recognise, and packs in practical strategies to improve life in the classroom. Equally applicable for new and seasoned teachers alike, it is a welcome addition to any bookshelf. ER The Teacher’s Guide to Attachment: Practical essentials for teachers, carers and school support staff by Nicola Marshall. Jessica Kingsley (Publishers). Paperback. £13.99.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

In Defense Of A Liberal Education This book looks at the way the liberal arts are being downgraded, whilst technical training is being pushed. Although written from an American perspective, the points presented can certainly be applied to Great Britain. It argues that universities should not have a prejudice against vocational studies and that a liberal education teaches students to think and speak their minds. This book will make you consider the importance of your subject and why you teach. LR In Defense Of A Liberal Education by Fareed Zakaria. W.W.Norton & Company. Hardback. £14.99.

Mindfulness for Teachers: simple skills for peace and productivity in the classroom There is a focus on what Jennings terms the ‘emotional art’ of teaching – an area which can easily be overlooked in busy school life – and lots of exercises and strategies to help teachers be more aware of emotional responses to others’ behaviour. Another interesting aspect was ‘mindful pauses’ which can allow children more time to process language and information. This can have particularly beneficial results when working with children with SEND. ER Mindfulness for Teachers: simple skills for peace and productivity in the classroom by Patricia A Jennings. Norton. Paperback. £22.99.

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DO WE NEED TO SPELL IT OUT? Saving a life can be as easy as ABC. You can make sure your pupils know what to do in a crisis. Sign up now to keep first aid on the national curriculum at redcross.org.uk/pupilcitizenlifesaver

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Champions of Change Schools are invited to join forces to help disadvantaged children and young people across the UK through an initiative launched by BBC Children in Need and Lloyds Bank which puts students in charge of fundraising, while learning and developing new skills to enhance their own futures. Teachers can sign up to receive one of 8,000 free Rewards Kits containing educational resources and lesson plans built around the National Curriculum to inspire children to take part in fundraising by registering here: www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/championsofchange

Events Retired Teachers’ Convention The Retired Teachers’ Convention 2015 will be held on 13 October at NUT HQ from approximately 11am to 3.30pm. The theme is campaigning issues for retired members under a majority Conservative Government and the cost is £20. Divisions and Associations are encouraged to make funds available for retired members to participate. Go to www.teachers.org.uk/ retiredteachers for more details. Digital Futures Digital Day is an initiative that prepares pupils for careers in the digital economy. On 17 November, digital agencies will visit schools to talk careers and skills, and run workshops for school teams to enter a national competition. Materials will be available for those who cannot take part in the in-school activity. Register at: www.bimadday.org.uk/school-sign-up

Noticeboard

d r a o b e c i t o N Teaching and Learning Toolkit The Education Endowment Foundation has published ten new evaluation reports to add to the growing body of evidence summarised in their Teaching and Learning Toolkit. The new findings include trials of an intervention that aims to develop pupils’ understanding of the logical principles underlying mathematics and a trial of Thinking, Doing, Talking Science, a low-cost intervention that helps primary school teachers to deliver creative science lessons. To access the report and Toolkit go to: www.educationendowment foundation.org.uk Year of Assessment Working with the Curriculum Foundation, the Union has published CPD material that will be invaluable to teachers aiming to respond constructively to new assessment situations in schools. The programme explores some of the principles of assessment and provides practical examples of good practice. Unit 5 is now available online: www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/ curriculum

ns Competitio Cuban Rhythms The University of Southampton has launched a free competition for students to submit songs for a brand new musical about Fidel Castro and the Cuban revolution. Winning songs are selected to be in the final musical. The deadline is 6 November 2015. For more information go to: www.fidelthemusical.org. Tycoon in Schools Tycoon in Schools is a free national enterprise competition which aims to encourage the UK’s budding entrepreneurs to get involved in business by giving them a start-up loan of between £50 and £1000 to run a business whilst at school or college. For more information and to register go to: www.tycooninschools.com

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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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 Tea Even during the summer break some teachers find it difficult to switch off. So we asked for your tips on how to get away from work and unwind… I think the best thing to do is book yourself activities in the first week – say a holiday or adventure of some kind – something that is paid for and with other people so that you have to go. Then, if you do have to work after the holiday, I would either block book some days or select a day a week to work. I would then have something booked at the end of the holidays so that you come back to work after being away from the job. Louise Three words: DVD box sets. Or take up a valuable course in something like car maintenance or teach yourself something which interests you. Throw your thoughts and energies into specialising in a skill such as cake decorating, flower arranging, knitting, sewing, braid hairstyles. Who knows, you might get so good you could start a popular YouTube channel!

Profit from education Should important decisions about education be made by a profit making company? I am appalled to learn that Pearson is making a huge profit (Pearson: the creeping arm of privatisation – May issue). Who thinks a ‘Free Market’ is best for education? I am a full-time teacher of Japanese (as a MFL subject) with QTS and I have taught Japanese A-Levels and GCSE for over ten years at secondary schools here in England. My students have always been highly motivated and some progressed to read Japanese at top universities. Now there are attempts to axe Japanese A-Level exams, together with ‘small entry’ MFL exams. It would be too sad if the exam of Japanese A-Level were lost. It would deprive our students of opportunities. Also, teachers of Japanese are now all worried about the uncertainty of our employment in the near future, even teachers with a permanent contract like myself. It is not only Japanese – many other languages including Arabic, Punjabi and Polish are also in crisis. Please sign the petition to keep all of the exams: www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/ save-lesser-modern-languages. Name supplied

Name withheld When you rest, you are a king, surveying your estate. Look at the woodland. The peacocks on the lawn. Be the king of your own calm kingdom. Be on the look out for things that make you laugh. If you see nothing worth laughing at, pretend you see it, then laugh. Manny

We are looking for teachers’ tips on how to survive your NQT year. Send your advice by 10 August 2015 to teacher@nut.org.uk.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

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2646315

Five years on supply

Star letter I love SATs I have recently reduced my hours to part time, as I have become a long-term foster carer for a nine-year-old boy who was in my Year 3 class last year. When I asked him if he had any tests coming up he replied: “Yes SATs, I love SATs because I get them finished in the first five minutes then I draw cats on the back.” Name withheld

I had a long and successful career as a Nurse Specialist Practitioner before training to become a primary school teacher. I had always wanted to teach, but my parents didn’t see the point in girls having a career, so that was that! However, they could not thwart my plan B, nursing, as you were paid a salary from day one. I did enjoy nursing on the whole, but teaching was always there in the background. I did my Cert Ed and taught in FE, short-term fixed contracts that fitted in with my nursing, but primary teaching would not go away. So after raising my four kids, getting two through uni – both now primary teachers! – and doing four weddings, it was now or never. So I began to live the dream and did my PGCE, graduating in 2011. Shortly after graduating I started working on supply, thinking it would do me good to consolidate my skills as I applied for jobs. After I had applied for over 100 jobs without so much as an interview, I gave up and have continued on supply ever since. Whilst I don’t regret for a moment doing my PGCE, I am appalled that there is such ageism in the profession, especially as the retirement age continues to rise. To add insult to injury NQTs are only able to work on supply for “five years, leaving no room for discretion.” I live in the North West where there are at least five teacher training providers, churning out NQTs year on year.

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 September/October issue should reach us no later than 10 August 2015. 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.

This is especially galling when I think of the furore over non-qualified teachers being allowed to teach whilst NQTs – who have been soundly trained and rigorously tested – have to go through the induction period. So come next Easter after five years on supply, where does that leave me? Name supplied

Struggle to survive I understand the frustration that the author of Reader’s Rant, Struggle to survive feels (May/June). It is sickening to be overlooked because you are too expensive. I am a supply teacher (M6) who has had to opt for an alternative due to the reduction in supply teaching positions. The last couple of years has forced me to switch from supply teaching to long-term admin and teaching assistant work. I was under the illusion it was just me but I have found more supply teachers are choosing to work as teaching assistants and nursery nurses rather than face unemployment and poverty. The situation has become so bad and the thought of more Tory cuts has forced me to rethink my goals. I am seriously considering applying for a teaching assistant post where I can receive some pay over the holidays and utilise the skills I have. Name withheld

July / August 15 I The Teacher

No NUT rep in your workplace? Please elect one!

Problems with Baseline I am a retired nursery teacher and am concerned about the skills and abilities that are not tested in baseline tests. My grandson, who was later diagnosed with dyslexia, never did well in any school tests in primary school, but when he was two taught me how to countersink a screw and what components were necessary to make a slurry pit! He would have started ‘failing’ at a much earlier age with baseline testing. Why can’t we celebrate young children’s achievements and give them space to build on these rather than imposing our ideas of desirable skills in the nursery? Paddy Thompson

Asbestos I wish to comment on your brief report on asbestos (May/June edition of the Teacher). I wonder if your figure of 80 per cent, relating to asbestos in our schools, refers only to the substance being present in the schools’ fabric. If it is, the figure is indeed staggering. But in the past there was also another risk factor, hopefully not present today. As a science teacher I handled asbestos gauzes and mats on an almost daily basis, as did my students. This was of course the white variety, not the more dangerous blue. I am in my late 70s and as far as I’m aware, in good health. But I still wonder if the asbestos time bomb is ticking away inside me because this dangerous substance usually strikes after a considerable lapse of time. Hopefully not.

Once a rep has been elected, notify your division/association secretary, whose details are on your membership credential and at www.teachers.org.uk/contactus.

Find out what reps do at www.teachers.org.uk/getinvolved

A change in your circumstances? Please let us know if you: • change your home or school address • change your employment contract (to part-time, fixed-term or supply), where a range of reduced subscriptions apply • are about to retire, take maternity leave, or leave the profession, where differing subscription rates apply • are appointed to a new post such as deputy or head teacher or SENCO. Ring 0845 300 1666, visit www.teachers.org.uk/update, or write to Records and Subscription Services, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD. By providing your email address and mobile number you help the Union to keep you informed of important campaigns and to contact you about professional development courses and events.

Need help or advice?

David T Craggs

If you’ve got a problem at work, or want to know more about NUT services, you can contact:

Pause for thought

• your school representative • the NUT AdviceLine • NUT Cymru.

I am writing to let you know how supportive I have found the correspondence on older women teachers facing capability. The letters have reduced me to tears as did the recent article Pause For Thought. I recently found myself in a similar situation having taught for almost 35 years. During the last Ofsted three years ago I had a ‘good’ and an ‘outstanding’ observation. Over the last couple of years I felt my confidence was being gradually eroded by being constantly undermined and told how good the young teachers were. Before Christmas I was criticised in an observation. I was then told I had three areas of concern. Other teachers were sent to ‘support’ me but this just made me feel even more humiliated. I was told I would have more observations and if there was no improvement it would become formal. During this time my anxiety levels increased dramatically and I suffered from stress. I visited my GP and also went for counselling. Throughout this time I did not take any time off work. I eventually felt that I had no option but to take early retirement. I feel that I have been cheated out of planning for and looking forward to my retirement. I have obviously lost out financially. This whole experience knocked my confidence and even left me wondering if the last 35 years of teaching have been worthwhile.

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:

www.teachers.org.uk/contactus

Name withheld July / August 15 I The Teacher

Discovering new ways of working

Discovering new ways of working Continued professional development helps students succeed and teachers thrive. The NUT is proud of its CPD programme, which is delivered by specialists and underpinned by evidence to make effective change. Renewing practice and reflecting on learning is important to teachers. With the right support, and the room to take risks, teachers are discovering new ideas in teaching and learning. After attending an initial two-day training seminar earlier in the year, which included a session on Leading Behaviour and Supporting Equality in Your School, teachers recently took what they had learnt into the classroom to trial new strategies. In June, teachers from each course returned to discuss the changes they had made. One attendee, Elizabeth Wilson from Varndean School in Brighton, formed a Student Equality Group made up of Year 10 students. The group meets to discuss how equality can be promoted across the school and even planned a school assembly that focused on each of the nine protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act 2010.

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Illustration: Akindo, Getty

From there, students developed the idea of Equality Allies. As Allies, students and staff across the school have begun to volunteer to wear a badge either supporting a protected equality characteristic or one that encompasses all nine. This student-led venture is educating and changing the culture in Varndean School by positively promoting equality and valuing diversity. Alison Holmes from St Nicholas School in Essex attended the Leading Behaviour course in March and once back at school, along with colleagues, identified ‘hotspots’ that needed addressing. The first of these was to look at how detentions were set. It was agreed that teachers would take responsibility for setting detentions, whereas in the past permission had to be sought from the senior leadership team for a detention to be set. Likewise the school’s time out room is to be renamed to reflect a more positive environment and lesson change-over times are to be staggered, to help create a smoother school life. These are just some of the lessons learned at NUT CPD courses. Visit www.teachers.org.uk/courses for details about NUT Union Training and CPD courses.

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Backbeat

Our young people are feeling the brunt of austerity politics, writes newspaper columnist and author of The Establishment – Owen Jones Comprehensive education is often scapegoated for many of the ills of society. But it is the grave social and economic ills that scar our society and explain the huge divisions that exist in educational attainment. Tragically, current Government policies promise only to widen the gulf that exists between the affluent and much of the rest of society. Take housing. In London, rich property developers from a range of countries snap up new build properties, often leaving them vacant, whilst one in four young people grow up in an overcrowded home. According to housing charities such as Shelter, the educational attainment, health and wellbeing of children is damaged by overcrowding. But the Government’s strategy is not to build new homes: and indeed housebuilding in Britain remains at historic low levels, far below the 250,000 homes a year required to meet need. Instead, the Government has imposed a bedroom tax which forces disproportionately poor disabled people to pay extra money they do not have, or to downsize to smaller properties that mostly do not exist. Five million Britons languish on social housing waiting lists, depriving families of the basic right to have an affordable home for them and their families. Rather than allowing councils to build a new generation of council housing – which would create skilled jobs for young people, slash waiting lists and reduce housing benefit spending – the Government instead proposes to flog off even more social housing by extending right-tobuy to housing associations. There is no help for the surging numbers of families driven into private rented accommodation, at the mercy of private landlords who differ wildly in quality, often charge unaffordable rents and offer precious little security. At least half of Britons in poverty are in work, a plight that again has a huge impact on the health, education and wellbeing of children. But rather than introducing a living wage or adopting an industrial strategy to create the middle-income skilled jobs of the future, the

July / August 15 I The Teacher

Government proposes to slash tax credits for the working poor. Britain spends billions on in-work benefits which subsidise poverty pay, but increasing the minimum wage would save money; cutting tax credits will merely further impoverish families and damage the lives and prospects of children. The steep reduction of Government funding for local authorities – felt hardest in poorer areas – further hits our young. Youth services are often the first to be cut. The abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance stripped away a bit of extra cash for working class young people who wanted to stay in education. The trebling of tuition fees was another attack on the aspiration of young people, saddling them with debt for the audacity of aspiring to education. And the proliferation of zero hours contracts, other insecure forms of work and the stripping away of pensions, paid maternity and sick leave means young people are stripped of basic workers’ rights once taken for granted. It doesn’t have to be like this. We could build a Britain where young workers are paid a living wage for working, where good quality houses are built to meet their needs and allow them to flourish, where education is invested in and treated as a social good not a privilege, where youth services keep their minds and bodies active. But these are policies based on hope; sadly despair is the order of this Government.

“Tragically, current Government policies promise only to widen the gulf that exists between the affluent and much of the rest of society.”

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