Suffolk
Division NUT
Executive Committee (17:30 - 18:45)
and DIVISION COUNCIL MEETING (18:45 - 21:00)
May 23rd 2002 Venue: Stowmarket Local Learning Centre
Notes for Division Meeting: May 23rd 2002
Previous Meeting's notes( April 25th 2002)
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Suffolk
Division NUT |
| May 23rd 2002 Venue: Stowmarket Local Learning Centre |
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Apologies already recorded: For EC / Both: Paul Brewerton, Penny Cook, Glenys Shepherd For Council: .
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Section A: National with National Executive Report
| Special Executive Meeting on STRB Review on Reducing Teacher Workload: The GS welcomed the report as a basis for negotiation. Recommendations for guaranteed non-teaching time for all teachers, heads to have regard to work/life balance of staff, and limits to cover are useful principles. Talks will continue with the Governmentn and other teacehrs' unions. There is much still to pursue and there will be a further update at the net meeting. | |
| Executive Meeting: | Upper Pay Spine: Eligible members should follow the advice circulated. There is a possibility of a legal challenge over the SHA and NAHT talks with Estelle Morris over new criteria. |
| Motions were passed (1) supporting the inclusion of children from asylum seeking familities in mainstream schools with proper resourcing and | |
| (2) Inviting John Monks to address a special meeting of the Ececutive on Professional Unity, | |
| Responses to consultation papers were agreed, namely:
14-19 Consultation on Language Learning National College of Schoool Leadership Consultation: Leading from the Middle OFSTED draft framework for school inspection DfES publication of school and college Performance Tables in 2002. |
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Progress on the Upper Pay Scale: Copy of the leaflet giving
Information and Advice to NUT Members who are post-threshold teachers.
Key discussion area.EXECUTIVE NEWS NO 89 (copies
available at the meeting). 
02-062-H&S - HEALTH AND SAFETY : UNION INSPECTION NOTICES.
Important new TU Initiative to introduce Union Inspection Notices (UIN) which
are a formal notice issued to an employer by an accredited trade union safety
representative. It registers the safety representative's view that the employer
is not complying with health and safety law in respect of an identified
workplace hazard, suggests action which the safety representative believes
should be taken to comply with the law and specifies a date by which action is
requested. Within the NUT it would operate at Divisional level, not school
level, and only be used where the normal channels or registering concern had
not been successful. UINs could be used if the Divisions is convinved
that:| * There is a breach of Health and Safety Law |
| * The breach has been brought to the attention of the employer in the appropraite manner through agree channels |
| * The enmployer has failed to respond appropriately within a resaonebl time and |
| * The matter is not already the subject of an enforcement action by HSE inspectors. |
02-064-COS -
TAXATION OF CAR ALLOWANCES 2001/2002 Notification of
the "deemed profit" on travel expenses. Note that the 2002-2003
mileage rates (due 1/4/2) have not yet been published.| · NUT Health & Safety Advisers' Briefing Course
2002: Report Back · TUC Survey Of Safety Representatives 2002 · National Health and Safety Week 2002 · Heating/Electrical Safety : NUT Leaflets |
· HSC Enforcement Policy Statement · Hazards Conference 2002 · BUSK Minibus Drivers' Training Package · National Food Safety Week It also includes an index of NUT health and safety advisers' bulletins for the period 1996 to date. |
02-067-E&EO - RELEARNING TO LEARN: Forwarded to Derek Merrill.
Contains an application for copies of the booklet designed for teachers new to
teaching the children of refugees and asylum seekers. Needs to be targeted at
schools which receive asylum seekers: how can these be readily
identified?
02-072-CCU -
ANNUAL
CONFERENCE 2002 - RESOLUTIONS. Published on website for reference.
02-073-M&C - CONFERENCE
RESOLUTION, LEAGUE TABLES AND SATS | A new model document, 'NOT GOOD FOR CHILDREN - THE CASE AGAINST NATIONAL CURRICULUM TESTING', has been prepared in accordance with the Conference resolution on 'LEAGUE TABLES AND SATS'. It is aimed at parents and the public. Conference called for a leaflet for mass distribution during the SATs period and the model leaflet is available for divisions and associations to have printed in quantities appropriate to their chosen method of distribution. |
| 'NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR CHILDREN' is being made available on the Union's website in Word and PDF format. Either of these, whichever is most convenient, can be downloaded and printed off for use as artwork with your local and high street printer. They can also be used for photocopying. In addition, the same files can be used as email attachments for you to use when circulating information electronically and via the web. |
02-074-E&EO - NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2002 - 'MOVING THE
GOAL POSTS: ACHIEVEMENT AND DIVERSITY' . Division has agreed to sponsor one
delegate for the conference. 02-076-M&C - NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME: DIVISION SECRETARIES'
BRIEFING: WEDNESDAY, 9 - FRIDAY, 11 OCTOBER 2002 AND NEW SECRETARIES' COURSE:
MONDAY, 7 - WEDNESDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2002: Forwarded to Ian Ford of Waveney &
Yoxford Assoc.02-078-SALS - STRB REPORT 2002 on Workload, + Press release.
List of tasks which STRB say should not be done by teachers.
| · collecting money | · chasing absences | · bulk photocopying; |
| · copy typing | · producing standard letters | · producing class lists; |
| · record keeping and filing | · classroom display | · analysing attendance figures |
| · processing exam results | · collating pupil records | · administering work experience; |
| · administering examinations | · invigilating examinations; | · administering teacher cover |
| · ICT trouble shooting and minor repairs; | · commissioning new ICT equipment; | · ordering supplies and equipment; |
| · stocktaking; | · cataloguing, preparing, issuing and maintaining equipment and materials; | · minuting meetings; |
| · co-ordinating and submitting bids; | · seeking and giving personnel advice; | · managing pupil data; and |
| · inputting pupil data |
02-080-M&C - CAMPAIGN TO RECRUIT NEWLY-QUALIFIED TEACHERS
02-082-M&C - NUT POCKET DIARY and order form. 02-087-CCU -
SEARCHLIGHT EDUCATIONAL TRUST CONFERENCE: Sat 8 June, 10:30-16:30 Congress Ho,
London. Conference for trade unionists against racism. Fee £15.00.
.From
CASE: Renewal notice (£20.00). (See Part 2). and Parents and
Schools, Edition 119.Local
training for Upper Pay Spine issues: Paul Brewerton and Andrew Guite
invited to a follow-up course on 19th June, from 10:30 to 12:30.There is
still a vacancy for a rep from Eastern Region for the role of nursery
teacher representative on the Early Years WP. The working party generally
meets once a term at HQ (approx 10:30 to 2:30). The reps may occasionally be
asked to comment on consultative documents or to represent the union at
relevant conferences/meetings.From RO: "We are receiving urgent requests from the media for
interviews on Teacher Recruitment problems, especially in the light of the
London Allowance Campaign. It would be useful if Divisions could provide us
with a list of potential schools/people willing to be interviewed or referred
to."PRUs: The inspection of PRUs in Suffolk by OFSTED has
criticised both the Albany Centre and the Westbridge PRU. Initial enquiries of
members indicate that the nature of pupils admitted to PRUs has changed, due to
the closure of Oakwood and unpopularity with some schools of NTAS services. JCa
has "investigated" the staffing situation at the PRUs and found it to
be "satisfactory" and "no less difficult than in many
schools". However, the poor OFSTED reports (compared with generally very
good reports last time) indicate that all is not well. A high proportion of the
Units are working under great stress, some with acting Heads of Unit because
the LEA has used existing expertise on secondments. The Secretary is seeking to
have a meeting with councillors and officers to look at the crisis in EBD in
Suffolk. The officers seem to be surprised: it may be time for the Union to say
"We told you so!" Some Units are being expected to cope with pupils
who have been assessed as in need of secure facilities and/or residential
facilites. The situation has been made more difficult by the changes in
regulation which make it more possible for headteachers to exclude on grounds
of violent behaviour. Kingsfield took its first "on site" pupils just
after Easter, but they are so heavily committed to outreach work, that there is
not the personnel to staff even just 4 pupils at the Unit. We did say!
SEN Audit: JCa said that the raw score came to 57,980 units,
before moderation. This means that one unit would work out at about £40.
Of course, the number of units is likely to go down, rather than up, on
moderation. The Union has expressed concern at the workload the moderation has
entailed.KS3 Audit: Concern being expressed about the workload issues,
for Heads of Department and other KS3 staff. Placed on Part 2 of the
agenda.Absence Policies: We raised the need for the LEA to have a
model absence policy, subsuming the established custom and practice on special
leave, including P&P, contained in the LMS Personnel Manual. LEA asked for
help from the TOs on this. Secretary has forwarded to Alan Aldred the NUT
circular 126/00 on Absence Monitoring. It includes statements about avoiding
asking staff to set work when off ill. Schools have to have an absence policy,
and many have devised their own with most unhelpful clauses within. One emerged
recently because a member of staff had had "more than 4 day's paid leave
in a year"!
Website: Documents posted on the website now include: The Joint National
Guidelines on Allegations of abuse against
teachers, Circular 2/98 Reducing the Bureaucratic
Burden on Teachers the 1968 School Meals
Agreement (another extract from the Burgundy book),
Pay Scales for 2002 and Headquarter's Circular on
Parental Leave. In preparation: Suffolk LEA's
Complaints Procedure for "parents and others".| 1) Performance Management: CMS not able to implement scheme as in schools: too few team leaders and difficult to arrange professional dialogue/observations because of distance, etc. 2 hours have been allowed for performance management feed-back and professional dialogue on peris' time budget. The County Policy has been formulated after consultation with the Teacher Unions. Any amendments or adaptations to be undertaken by the CMS should be subject to further consultation, at least with the Union Reps. Those who passed the threshold w.e.f. September 2000 will be eligible for the Upper Pay Spine point 2 from September 2002. To be considered for this, they must have already gone through performance management (i.e. targets sets and observations made + feedback), presumably by the end of this term! |
| 2) Post-threshold increments: On the point of Upper Pay Spine, CMS was not aware whether there would be any money made available to meet the extra costs from September 2002.Secretar therefore wroteto Alan Aldred at the LEA to ask what provision has been made for unattached teachers to have access to point 2 on the Upper Spine. |
| 3) Health & Safety Matters: PS agreed to raise with the HT Consultative Group problems over peris signing in when teaching some way away from reception and carrying music, instruments, etc. Also, all CMS teachers have been issued with badges with their first names showing. Some have objected tot his. PS has to change these badges over when they needed replacing. |
| 4) Training: The New Opportunities Funding and courses do not apply to unattached staff, but CMS staff were able to access Red Book training, etc. They should initiated this themselves, said PS |
| 5) Contact Time: We revisited the problems of people trying to fit in all the schools and travelling required, particularly where working on Saturdays meant fitting in school visits into 4 days. The Union reported its willingness to consider mutually agreed variations to contract which allowed greater flexibility, but only for those working on Saturdays, full time or very nearly full time. |
| 6) Leave of Absence: Access to P&P leave for peripatetic Music Staff was reaffirmed |
| .7) There could be problems ahead if the Guildhall Sch of Mu Examiners' accreditation (which is unpopular with some members) becomes a "target" for post-threshold Performance Management. PS is to be approached again, with the Union's policy on Upper Pay Spine progression. |
| 8) Re. Union Representatives: It was agreed that NUT Representation needs to be properly accredited for the CMS, both County-wide and for the area groups. |
REPORT FROM THE
TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES:
received from Alan Draper (Middle). Copies
available at the meeting. These are also to be posted on the SCC website in
future. | L02/15 | Provision for Children and Young People with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder |
| L02/16 | 13-19 Green Paper: Preparing Response and considering implications for Suffolk CC |
| L02/18 | Role of the Theme Panel in Monitoring and Improving Performance |
| L02/19 | Includes LMS Scheme Review. |
| E02/54 | Race Equality Scheme |
| E02/55 | Secondary School Learning Support Units 2002-2003 |
Courses and ConferencesLearning Network conference: Ray Frowd
and Andrew Guite. Peter Byatt nominated to attend the "Men in
Primary" Conference.
Health &
Safety: John Osborne Next County Safety
Meeting, 3rd July, 2.00pm. JNC discussed greater links with the Safety
Committee. Also JNC expressed concern about lack of use of new incident report
forms. LEA is to promote the forms with headteacher training in the Autumn.
They are aware that H&S training is underdeveloped in Suffolk. Preliminary
collations of the incident statistics were promised for the next JNC meeting
(July). An H&S Section of the Suffolk NUT
Website is now being created.Bury St Edmunds NUT Association surveyed members' opinions on
the 6-term year proposals. Results: | % YES | % NO | % Other | |
| Do you agree with the idea of a fixed "Easter" holiday? | 68 | 32 | 0 |
| Do you want to see terms of equal length? | 70 | 27 | 3 |
| Do you want to start Term 1 in August? | 22 | 74 | 4 |
| Do you agree to reducing the summer holiday to less than 6 weeks? | 36 | 63 | 1 |
Part 2: Decision Making
Agenda Item 4 : Confirmation / Amendment of EC recommendations from EC meeting: including:
Agenda item 5: Action arising from National Matters
Agenda item 6. Action arising from Regional and Local Matters
Any other business from Part 1.
Date of next meeting: June 20th 2002, Stowmarket Learning Centre (confirmed)