May 2008

These notes are up-dated regularly and not completed / finalised until the day before the next meeting. If you are accessing this page shortly after a previous meeting, click on "Previous Meeting" below for the latest news.

Apologies already recorded: Alan Wright, Paul Widdowson (Local Stakeholders' meeting SOR)

National Executive Report: Kendra Deacon has been invited.

National Strike, April 24th: Questions and answer about taking strike action.

National Strike: Local activities arrangedoutside Suffolk:

Cambridge @ Guildhall, Cambridge from 12 noon Contact Jon Duveen jon.duveen@btinternet.com 07773 778 062 Chelmsford @ 1.30 Contact Jerry Glazier ejglazier@aol.com 01702 207 780 (office) 0777478 2614
Kings Lynn: West Norfolk and Downham and District local association have organised a drop in meeting to support those striking on 24th April. Come along between 9am and noon to the Family Room at the Farmers Arms, Knights Hill Hotel, King's Lynn. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Norwich: joint rally with UCU and PCS from 11am at The Forum in Norwich - please come along and join in to show your support for the FAIR PAY campaign. From 12.30 - 1.30 after the rally there will be a meeting open to all trades unionists, and speakers are invited from unions with members who work in any area of the public sector. The venue is Norwich Working Men's Club, Keir Hardy, St Gregory's Alley. Peterborough - Regional College , time tbc Contact Andy Willis andy.willis25@btinternet.com 0797 764 9375 Stevenage - Contact Frank Breheny fdbreheny@hotmail.co.uk 01582 410 621
Wymondham: South Norfolk and Breckland are holding a drop in meeting at The Feathers, Wymondham from11am until 1pm.

National Strike: Advice to members about effect on pensions published.

Press Release: TEACHERS’ PAY: STRB REVIEW MECHANISM 15th April:

Following the publication today of the March RPI figure of 3.8%, Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teachers’ organisation, has written to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) to call upon them to seek a remit from the Secretary of State to review teachers’ pay. As the 15th report of the STRB states, ‘…should the average rate of headline inflation for the twelve months preceding April 2007 (i.e. April 2006 to March 2007) or April 2008 (i.e. April 2007 to March 2008) fall below 1.75% or exceed 3.25%, any of the consultees can ask the STRB to consider the case for seeking a remit from the Secretary of State to review teachers’ pay” (STRB December 2005, paragraph 3.69, page 36).’

Publication of the March RPI means that an average rate of inflation for the period April 2007 – March 2008 can now be determined. It stands at 4.1%, which is significantly in excess of the 3.25% ceiling specified by the STRB.

In her letter to the STRB, Christine Blower said: “Three years of below-inflation pay awards for teachers are having a serious and adverse effect on recruitment and retention to the profession. Recent data from the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) shows a significant fall in the number of applicants to postgraduate teacher training courses compared to the same time last year.

The GTTR’s applicant statistics for England show significant declines in a wide range of subjects including, for example:

English                         -15.1%                                        Geography                          -18.7%
Biology                         -18.1%                                        History                                 -13.3%
French                          -12.0%                                        Information Technology    -18.5%
Mathematics               -11.6%
Business Studies       -20.1%

The GTTR also reported significant falls in applications for primary courses. In England there were 6.4 per cent fewer applicants for primary courses than at this time last year. In Wales, there was a decline of 9.4 per cent in primary applications.”

Christine Blower adds that “There is a continuing decline in the real pay levels of teachers. Today’s March figure only confirms the cuts in living standards that teachers are experiencing. Three years of below-inflation awards for teachers continues to have a damaging effect on teacher recruitment and retention, as the latest GTTR figures demonstrate. It is essential to halt this continued downward spiral.”

Press Release: Steve Sinnott, commenting on the report of the School Food Trust, said: “Obviously junk food leads to obesity, but children’s hearts and minds have to be won in the battle for their health. It is schools which must make judgements on the organisation of their school lunchtimes. Closing the school gates at lunchtime could simply mean that youngsters will flock to junk food outlets at the end of the school day. I welcome the School Food Trust’s intentions, but we need to concentrate on providing healthy and attractive food at school lunchtimes and to giving space in the curriculum to learning about healthy eating and cooking. That way, youngsters will learn themselves to discriminate between good and bad food.”

Commenting on the Governments proposed survey into the commercialisation of childhood, Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said: “Commercialisation seeps into all corners of children’s lives. The targeting of children with advertising ranging from fast food to designer clothes is relentlessly pursued by commercial companies. The NUT’s own survey of young people, ‘Growing up in a Material World’, demonstrates precisely the insecurities created by the images and stereotypes promoted by manufacturers of designer goods. The survey shall be a signal from Government that it intends to tell companies to back off the hard sell when it comes to young people. I0t is vital that the survey is used to consult teachers who have first hand experience of the consequences of commercialisation whether in terms of the effects on obesity, or bullying”.

We have congratulated Kendra Deacon on her election to the National Executive and Penny has provided her with future dates of the Division Council meetings. We hope that she will be able to attend.

Circulars from HQ, etc: NB: You need to register and be logged on to the NUT E-mail website (password required) to access these circulars from the links below:

08-086-O&A	CONFERENCE 2009 - CARDIFF: NUT Annual Conference 2009 will be held at St David’s Hall in Cardiff from 10 to 14 April 2009. Phone number and internet site for bookings. The deadline for reservations will be 2 April 2009.
08-085-CCU	2008 COMPASS NATIONAL CONFERENCE: organised by the campaign group, Compass, entitled ’Born Free and Equa' from 9.45 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on Saturday, 14 June 2008 at the Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL. Participants will debate how equality can be delivered in the 21st Century. The Union is organising a seminar at the Conference on the theme of ‘How can we achieve a good local school for every child and for every community?’ from 11.15 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. Speakers are Christine Blower, Jon Trickett MP, Professor Gus John and Melissa Benn. Details on http://www.compassonline.org.uk/conference/
08-084-O&A	INDUSTRIAL ACTION HARDSHIP FUND - confirming that Associations can pay assistance to members who struck, from general funds
08-083/H&S	REFERRALS TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES
08-082-EEO	NATIONAL UNION OF TEACHERS SURVEY 14-19 REFORMS AND 14-19 GATEWAY SUMMARY OF FINDINGS: advice and information for divisions in England on the summary of findings from a survey undertaken within schools/colleges involved in the 14-19 Diploma Gateway Consortia. Two groups were compared, ‘senior management’ (head teachers, deputy head teachers and assistant head teachers) and main scale teachers / heads of department. Also on Hearth at policyandinformation/education/secondary.
08-080-M&C	'WORK TO LIVE, NOT LIVE TO WORK - GETTING THE RIGHT BALANCE' YOUNG TEACHERS' CONFERENCE: Places are still available at the 2008 Young Teachers’ Conference. The deadline for applications has been extended to Monday, 19 May 2008.
08-079/EEO	NICARAGUA: encouraging associations and divisions to support the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign in working to achieve education for all in Nicaragua. The NSC’s education campaign aims to reach the Millennium Development Goal of primary education for all by 2015.
08-078/M&C	NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME - APRIL: Two new courses:Casework for Local Officers: 12-14 May 2008 and Using ICT in Union Work: 11-13 June
08-077/H&S	NUT GUIDANCE ON SCHOOL VISITS: The guidance has been updated to include more detailed advice on planning for emergencies and to reflect changes in the licensing arrangements for adventure activities. The HSE now has overall responsibility for the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations 2004. The Adventure Activities Licensing Service carries out inspections and issues licences on the HSE’s behalf. It is expected that during the latter part of 2008, a ‘quality badge scheme’ will be introduced by the DCSF. Organisations that host school visits, for example, farms and museums, will be encouraged to qualify for ‘quality badges’ which will assist teachers in identifying providers that offer high quality learning in a safe environment.Once this system is in operation, local officers will be notified and the Union’s ‘School Visits’ guidance will be further revised. Updated guidance on ‘School Visits’ is available on Hearth at the knowledge » professional » teachers' duty of care.
08-076/E&EO	GTC ELECTION RESULTS - ENGLAND: Names of those elected, including which are NUT members.
08-075/E&EO	NEW INDUCTION REGULATIONS FOR ENGLAND FROM SEPTEMBER 2008: Changes to the induction arrangements for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in England, which will come into effect from September 2008. Available on Hearth at The Knowledge >Professional > induction. The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (England) Regulations 2008 will replace the current regulations. The new regulations can be accessed via http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/pdf/uksi_20080657_en.pdf. In summary, the new regulations will: enable Further Education Institutions to host induction for NQTs if they wish, provided the institutions comply with regulations and guidance; provide a clearer definition of the induction period for schools which do not operate the traditional three term year by counting the number of “school operating days” an NQT has completed; allow the Appropriate Body (the body responsible for making the final decision on induction, usually the local authority) to shorten the induction period in exceptional circumstances by up to 29 days; allow the GTC(E) one extra day to communicate a decision on an appeal; and remove the requirement to complete induction within five years of starting the induction period. New statutory guidance on induction to accompany these regulations is due to be issued early in the summer term. The Union’s guidance documents on induction 2008/09 will be updated to reflect the new arrangements.
08-074/EEO	PERMANENT EXCLUSIONS FROM ACADEMIES - FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: The NUT has lobbied to achieve some changes so that when Academies exclude pupils who have to be accommodated in LA schools, there are fair financial adjustments.
08-073/E&EO	NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2008 5-6 July 2008 - REMINDER Division to encourage delegates to attend.
08-071/Sals	RECONSTITUTION OF SOULBURY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Division invited to nominate.
08-070/Sup	Survey - Retired Teachers Conference: Questionnaire for Associations and Divisions to be returned by Friday, 30 May
08-069/CCU	Anti Academies Alliance: Invitation to subscribe.
08-068/CCU	2008 Annual Conference Resolutions: Also available on national website.
08-067/EEO	Trust Schools: The DCSF Trust Schools’ Toolkit has been updated. The Toolkit includes a model letter for proposers to use to consult trade unions. Information on trust schools is published on the website of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust at: http://www.ssatrust.org.uk/trustschools2/default.aspa. This includes the Trust Schools’ Toolkit which sets out guidance and information about trust schools, including in relation to consultation on trust schools proposals. The documents can be accessed on Hearth at campaigns>trust school.
08-066/CCU	24 April Strike: - advice on effect on pensions
08-065/CCU	24 April Strike: List of materials and advice.
08-064/CCU	Steve Sinnott: Advising that Steve's the funeral will be a private family affair. The Union will be organising a memorial celebration of Steve's life and commitment to the Union later. The family have would welcome donations in Steve’s memory to the following two charities: ‘No More Landmines’ and ‘The Global Campaign for Education’. No More Landmines: Donations can be made by cheque, payable to No More Landmines and sent to No More Landmines, 4th Floor, Charles House, 375 Kensington High Street, London, W14 8QH. Donations can also be made online at their website: www.landmines.org.uk/donate_now. Please indicate that the donation is in memory of Steve. Global Campaign for Education: Donations should be made by cheque payable to ActionAid. Donations should be marked, ideally on the envelope and also on a slip of paper enclosed with the cheque, with the reference GCE Steve Sinnott. The address for donations is: ActionAid UK Supporter Services, Chataway House, Leach Road, Chard, Somerset, TA20 IFR.
08-063/CCU	Teachers Tv: Teachers TV produced a tribute to Steve Sinnott.
08-062/O&A	National Pay Campaign: Local initiatives
08-061/EEO	Ofsted School Inspection Update: briefing document on OFSTED’s latest advice to schools and to inspectors, via its publication “Schools and Inspection” from the OFSTED website www.ofsted.gov.uk. NUT briefing available on Hearth at policy and information » education » inspections.
08-060/SUP	Boost To Pension Benefits For Teachers Undertaking Voluntary Service Overseas: In particular, teachers and other public service workers in the United Kingdom, who take a career break to volunteer overseas, will benefit from a new £13 million scheme that maintains their pension record while volunteering overseas. Teachers who volunteer with the Voluntary Service Overseas and similar organisations to work in developing countries do not currently get their pension contributions paid. Under a three year pilot scheme, the government will fund the employee and employer pension contributions to enable teachers to maintain their pension record while volunteering overseas.
08-059/EEO	LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM CARNIVAL: The Love Music Hate Racism marked the 30th anniversary of the RAR/ANL carnival and procession with an event in Victoria Park on Sunday, 27 April 2008.
08-058/M&C	NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMME APRIL - JULY 2008
08-057/CCU	NATIONAL STRIKE: Giving the results of the ballot and the decision of the National Executive to call a strike on 24th April.
08-056/CCU	BALLOT OF NUT MEMBERS WORKING IN FE COLLEGES: Members will be asked to vote on both their willingness to take strike action and action short of a strike action. These are the same questions that are being asked of UCU members. Any subsequent action by the Union will be co-ordinated with UCU
08-055/SALS	NUT FUNDING SURVEY - REMINDER: Survey responses requested from Divisions.
08-054/EEO	Send My Friend 2008 Campaign: The GCE UK ‘Send My Friend ‘08’ invites UK schools to take action and to urge politicians to speed up efforts to reach this goal. Schools are being asked to create displays and to communicate with their MPs regarding what would be missed by missing out on education. Free ‘Send My Friend ‘08’ materials and information regarding all aspects of the campaign can be found at www.sendmyfriend.org.
08-053/SUP	CENTENARY OF THE 1908 OLD AGE PENSION ACT: The National Pensioners’ Convention has issued a 16 page souvenir booklet on the campaign that led to the introduction of the State retirement pension. It serves as a tribute to the pioneering campaigners and outlines the moral basis for a decent universal State pension. Order form provided.
08-052/O&A	Executive Elections - 2008-2010: Results of the election.
08-051/CoS	SUPPLY TEACHERS: Action and advice re. supporting supply teachers and their conditions of service.
08-050/EEO	SCHOOL ORGANISATION AND REORGANISATION: A suite of documents on school organisation and reorganisation have been placed on Hearth at policyandinformation>education>general. They provide information and guidance to divisions in England covering: An Analysis of the Different Types of School in England. School Federation and Collaboration. Admission Requirements as they Affect Different Types of School. School Reorganisation and Competitions. Academies. Foundation Schools with Charitable Trusts. The Academy, Trust, Aided and Community School Mix.
08-049/CoS	Work-Life Balance: Guidance on Developing Policies for Schools’ is on Hearth at policyandinformation>conditions>familyissues to assist in the negotiation of work-life balance policies with employers. It includes information on: arguments to use to support the introduction of policies on work-life balance; who is responsible for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of teachers; the key aims of a work-life balance policy; the position of head teachers, for whom work-life balance is equally important; and statutory entitlements and NUT policy on work-life balance, as well as many examples of good practice extracted from local authority and school policies .
08-048/M&C	New Teachers Recruitment Materials 2008Text goes here Details of materials available to recruit NQTs and order for for Associations.

From CASE: Casenotes, April 2008. Also

request for payment of subscription for 2007 which appears to have been overlooked.

Section B: Regional

Bury St Edmunds & West Suffolk	Lobby and open forum with leafletting and video at The Athenaeum, Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, 11:30 - 14:30. Refreshments. The videos showing will include a tribute to Steve Sinnott.
Ipswich and South Suffolk	Meeting 11.00am Ipswich Town Hall steps to leaflet and petition Rally 11.30am onwards Ipswich Borough Social Club, Black Horse Lane, Ipswich. Speakers from NUT and PCS, UCU and FBU. Download map.
Lowestoft and Waveney	Leafleting the public from 12:00 to 14:00 in the Britten Centre, Lowestoft

	All staff "will have the opportunity" to work in SWISS. AR suggested that this would continue in the future, not just be an initial arrangement. Those staff would be employed at and padi by the 11-16 school but the SWISS centre would commission their services and pay the donor school back.
	The intention of the participating schools is that the SWISS centre will be a separate school with an independent governing body and separate "principal", but in participation with the other partner schools
	The Centre is "likely to be" a foundation (i.e. "Trust") school, which AR and the Authority say is still an "authority" school, but one where the links with business are stronger. Trust schools also need a major "sponsor" - this is not named as yet.
	Very vague answers about whether Diploma courses for the 14-16 age range will take place in the "host" 11-16 schools - "it will be up to the individual schools" - this again suggests that concentrating on the post 16 provision is likely to mean that the all important KS4 alternative to GCSEs will be undersold and insufficiently staffed and provided for.
	The building is designed to accommodate 2000 post 16 students for a range of A, AS and Diplomas, plus possibly the International Baccalauret. We remain sceptical about the capacity designed into the building for vocational skills diploma subjects post-16, and cannot see how very many 14-16 students can be accommodated for the same subjects in the same limited accommodation.
	It would not be "on big trust" incorporating all the partner schools - some schools would be part of a larger trust, but not necessarily all. AR denied that this would lead to a two-tier system.
	The schools are already seeking to rationalise courses and work out timetables to "block" days for vocational specialist teaching, etc.
	AR spoke highly of the "inclusive" nature of SWISS, including accommodation for post-16 SEN (currently taught at Belstead Special School, where there will be great implications, including for staff, timetabling and transport.

Michael Lord	SE Suffolk Association
Bob Blizzard	Lowestoft Association
John Gummer	Waveney & Yoxford
Chris Mole	Ipswich
David Ruffley	Bury St Edmunds Association
Richard Spring	Bury St Edmunds or Sudbury
Tim Yeo	Sudbury Association