Hardcopy pinrted for agenda: 6/2/2000. Link to Stop Press for:

February 17th 2000

at Northgate High School, Sidegate Lane West, IPSWICH.

Secretary's mobile 'phone for late apologies: 07850 221051

Items for the each meeting are accumulated weekly on www.suffolknut.org.uk and are circulated "as is" about 10 days before the next meeting. Requests for particular items of correspondence, briefings, can be had by e-mail (martingoold@suffolknut.org.uk).

INFO 1: Matters Pending or Arising from previous meetings:

INFO 2: Information Circulars from Headquarters/National Level

1. STRB Report: Pay Scales and proposals for PRP and Payment by results. Poster "Doing the Government's bidding"; Letter from GS to Governors "The Wrong Path"; A5 pamphlet: The Case Against Payment by Results: Why the Government's proposals for PRP will not work; NUT Executive News No. 68 (Duplicated with agendas). Survey of NUT Headteacher views. Poster: the Wages of Spin. Division Secretaries' briefing on Campaign, Wed. 16th February. A substitute has to be found for Secretary (JNC all day).
2. The Boycott of Appraisal and Performance management continues: new guidelines to NUT Representatives, January 2000.
3. Headway Jan 2000: NUT Headteachers' Newsletter, includes Pay Structures & Performance Reviews, New Pay Structure for Headteachers, Induction, Bureaucracy, Tools for Schools, Free Lap-Top?
4. Election of Deputy General Secretary: Kevin Courtney 15,217; Steve Sinnott 37,821
5. Teachers and research: The Teacher Training Initiative, The TTA is promoting teacher involvement in research to inform their teaching. A leaflet has been distributed by the TTA designed to encourage teachers to make good use of research and evidence. Teachers invited to ask for more details.
6. Computers for teachers: NUT Information Sheet 3, January 2000: Duplicated for distribution with agendas. Note: the previous information sheet has been superseded and should be discarded.
7. Campaign to repeal Section 28 of 1986 Local Government Act
8. Unique Pupil Numbers (UPNs): All pupils are to have (or have already) an UPN which allows the DfEE to track progress of all pupils, regardless of change of school, etc. to collate KS results and, later, public examination results. Union has involved the Data Protection Registrar and has succeeded in getting the original plans amended and privacy safeguards in place.
9. OFSTED Inspections: Up-dated NUT briefing to incorporate advice re. changes to inspection regimes. Duplicated for distribution with agendas.
10. Taxation of Car Allowances 1999/2000, advice from the Employers' Organisation for Local Government.
11. Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnerships. Lengthy NUT Guidance from HQ and list of initiatives. None in Suffolk.
12. Report from HQ on the fate of Union nominations to Employment Tribunals. Union supported 20 applications, which included 8 female, 4 disabled, 3 black or other ethnic minority. Only 2 female and one male candidate was eventually selected, none of whom were of ethnic minority or disabled.
13. Pensions Increases from 10 April: The annual price retail-linked increase is only 1.1%.
14. EAZs: up-date on Menu of Initiatives and Pilots.
15. Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and Nurseries. Pocket size guide (Ref: GICC) or A4 poster (GICP), both available from Dept of Health, PO Box 410, Wetherby, LS23 7LN (FAX. 01937 845381)
16. NUT Health & Safety Guide No 56:

    a) The Hazards Campaign

    b) NUT Guidance on Mmeningitis, Construction Safety, Fire Safety

    c) National Food Safety Work

    d) TUC documents on back pain, VDUs and eye care (leaflet).

17. From HQ on EMTAG: questionnaire sent to Derek Merrill for completion (return by 18th Feb).

Part 1: Executive Committee (17:45 - 18:45)

E2: Campaign against Performance Related Pay: EC to consider news from HQ and recommend local activity. See Correspondence Item 1. Report from Secretary's substitute attending HQ briefing on 16th February.

E3: Preparation for Conference 2000: EC asked to check and decide on all arrangements for Conference .

• Ray Frowd has indicated that he is willing to attend Conference as Second Divisional delegate. (Accommodation already arranged)
• Insurance application received (Treasurer)
• Form 18 to be completed
• Prioritisation results received from HQ: EC to consider recommendations to support or propose amendments.

E4: Plan of Work 2000-2001 (Preparation for AGM)

E5: Requests for financial support /action including Report on cost of Open Meeting, December 8th 1999 and attendance at STOPP demonstration, February 12th. 2000

E6: Teacher Representative by-election, Special. The LEA has called for nominations, due in on 18th February. This did not allow Division Council to consider nominations. Secretary has therefore called a Officers' meeting in week beginning 14th Feb. to select nominees, if there is more than one contender. See Item 9 of County report.

E7: Consideration of a letter from Frank Roberts, Secretary of Brent NUT, who says his nomination for GTC was wrongly dismissed because he was also a member of NASUWT and ATL (as a leading member of Unity 2000).

E8: Division Council agenda: discussion topics for Part B arising from this EC meeting and recommendations for future meetings.

E9: Nominations to SE Regional TUC, required for Full Council, Race Relations Committee, Women's' Rights Committee, Local Government Forum, and Pensioner's network. EC to recommend.

E10: Letter from Finlay Martin, Halesworth Middle School, re. Conference on Teaching and Learning (see above). He is on the GTC Teacher Group which has advised on the setting up of the GTC. Copy of notes of this group meeting on 20 January receievd. EC might wish to invite Mr Martin to a future meeting, Part 2A.

E11: Facilities budget: 180 days had been allocated by 26th Jan2000. For information.

PART 2: DIVISION COUNCIL MEETING

2a: Information Exchange and Reports

Registration: Please sign the attendance register and record any apologies for absence. The meeting will be begin at 19:00, giving a period of reading and informal discussion. Motions arising from anything on this agenda should be sent to the Secretary to arrive before the Executive Committee meeting.

Reports and information exchange:

• National: Executive Member: Glenys Shepherd to report.
• Regional:Regional Official, John Dixon, to report.

  a) Vacancy for Regional Secretary: The post of Regional Secretary for the Eastern Region has been advertised. This presumably indicates the retirement of Alan Ward.

  b) Our nomination for Regional representative on the Executive Working Party on Disability went to an election, Wendy Stapleton v. Alan Stinchcombe of Cambs.

• County:Division Secretary, Martin Goold, to report, including items from the preceding Executive Committee meeting.

1. STOPP: demonstration and rally in London February 12th: A report from one who attended.
2. From Suffolk LEA: You can now get copies of Learning of Life Theme Panel Papers and agenda from the Suffolk County Council website. There is also a direct link to it from the Alphabetical Index page of the Suffolk NUT's page (www.suffolknut.org.uk) under "Suffolk County Council, Committee Papers". It remains to be seen whether they are added to the website in time for lobbying to take place. We assume that we will continue to get papers by post as normal, for the time being.

3. Section 188 Notices received this term from:

   1. Chilton CP, Stowmarket
   2. Cliff Lane (expected soon)
   3. Hillside CP, Ipswich
   4. Laureate CP, Newmarket
   5. Long Melford CP
   6. St Edmundsbury CEVAP, Bury St Edmunds
   7. Tuddenham Primary (Western Area)

4. Up-dates on Gt Cornard Upperand Ben Britten High Schools, Section 188.
5. Oakwood:

   Secretary has spoken to the Times Ed who were interested. Some material FAXed through.

   LEA has agreed to continue to pay extraneous hours money to qualifying staff. Was re-instated in January by special payment after NUT intervention.

   Secretary and Assistant Secretary met with Cllrs Craven, Lewis and Whitworth on 1st Feb, to discuss Oakwood in particular. They said that the timetable for the "temporary" closure could be extended: so the staff might not be redundant in August 31st. They need time to go through the statutory closure process first. We have underlined that we have said all along that there should be no closure until the alternative provision is up and running. That would not be for 2 to 3 years!

   It would appear that our insistence that at least some ex-Oakwood pupils might be offered full-time education has been taken up and it has been agreed to increase the hours of those given tuition on Oakwood premises, to include a lunch hour. However, it may be too late, because the number of pupils taught on Oakwood premises has already slumped from 11 to 8 (going into mainstream schools) and when they get to full time, there will be no pupils left. Year 11 boys continue to be tutored in a corner of the West Suffolk College Library, with no specialist facilities, for a few basic GCSEs, taught by one teacher and classroom assistant. We still have no hard and fast plans for the opening of new PRUs, which could employ the former Oakwood staff.

   The run-down of Oakwood continues apace. After Easter, there will be no Science teachers or lab technician. If any teaching were to be undertaken at Oakwood, there would be huge holes in the provision. Once again, we said this would happen and the LEA have let it happen. Our members are having to be advised to look out for themselves at this stage.

   So the mess gets greater: the LEA are left with a demoralised staff looking over their shoulder all the time to see whether they will have a job in September and, if so, where? A skeleton staff, who cannot yet be made redundant, will continue to haunt a building which cannot be permanently closed. In the meantime, hastily arranged returns of EBD pupils to mainstream will pose their own problems, and most of the boys will be without their statutory rights.

6. Advisory Teachers:

   - Secretary responded to the Section 188 notice before the deadline, but pointed out that the intended timetable broke the LEA's own Section 188 guidelines. There was much protest from the LEA officers, but in the end they agreed and have published a new timetable, which does not seek to select for redundancy at Easter. This is to cost the LEA dearly.

   - NUT and others are lobbying the LEA to think again. NAHT agrees with NUT that the consultation should have started before it was decided by the Officers to declare redundancies only in the Advisory (Head)Teacher areas: Advisors should have been included. The LEA had even published a list of 10 staff most at risk!

   - NUT has pointed out to LEA that there they should have studied the Fair Funding regulations more carefully: there is special provision for the retention of central funding for the promotion of the Visual and Performing Arts. (23: Expenditure which enables pupils to enhance their experience of the visual and performing arts other than music). Their proposals include at least two posts to be lost from the Advisory Teachers in Art and Drama, who enhance the experience of pupils in small primary schools, in particular. When the "Inspection and Advice" money used to pay for these Advisory Teachers' services schools were delegated on a formula basis, there was not enough distributed to small primary school budgets to allow them to buy in what they were already getting. Use of the extra Central Funding allowed by Government could have avoided this.

   - Headteachers, members and others, tell us that the information they had from the LEA was not sufficient for them to make sensible and firm commitments to buy in the services of these advisory teachers. The future was not clear or guaranteed. Heads say they were not consulted on the decision to remove advisory teachers. The Union is therefore asking the LEA to reconsider.

7. Connected with the mistakes made over the Advisory Service, the LEA re-advertised the posts of 4 literacy consultants despite the fact that their contracts were not terminating. The Secretary alerted Alan Aldred of the error on 19th January, but has still not heard back from him! (Not even an acknowledgment). However, Chris Sunley responded rapidly and did put the matter right when he was contacted separately by the Secretary, although some unpleasant misunderstandings about one consultant's concern led to her resignation.
8. Up-date on Orwell High School: casework.
9. Teacher Representative Elections: Rights of part-timers. The Secretary has protested to the LEA over the stipulation that only full-time staff can stand for election as Teacher Representatives and only those on 0.5fte or greater can nominated. We consider this to be in contravention of the European Framework Agreement on the rights of part-time workers which outlaws discrimination against part-time employees simply because they are part-time. This would appear to do just that. One of the Division's potential candidates is part time.
10. Arrangements for KS2 Booster Classes, including payments
11. Premature Retirement on the grounds of efficiency: Once again this year, Heads and Deputies may well figure highly on the list of successful applicants. We know of members who have been rejected, but know no reasons or how the selection is made. Secretary has written to DJET requesting information on how the process works, including advice to Governors presenting a case, and seeking a breakdown of the statistics. We have asked for the number of people applying, and succeeding, in categories of professional status (Heads, etc.), gender and race. This year, the Government has allowed 50% of the cost of early retirements for Headteachers, only, to be met by special "standards" funding. Secretary has also asked DJET for details of the use of this fund in Suffolk. Letter dated January 19th.
12. Central Funding for Disabled staff in LMS schools: HQ replied to our enquiry saying that the Fair Funding mechanism did not, after all, include a special exclusion for employment costs of disabled staff. However, they suggested that the LEA could use two clauses in the Financing of Maintained Schools Regulations 1999 to overcome this omission:

    - 30: Expenditure without which the education of pupils at a school would be seriously impaired and which because of both its size and unexpectedness it would not be reasonable to expect the governing body to meet from the school's budget share.

    - 41: Expenditure for purposes not falling within any other paragraph of this Schedule amounting in total to no more than 0.1 per cent of the authority's local school budget.

    (The point being that the LEA could have used either clause for the creation of a budget heading from which to help schools in difficulty. Prior to Fair Funding, there was some unofficial use of the Central Fund, but Alan Aldred has stated that he did not think it could be tapped in future, because of the Fair Funding arrangements.)
13. Secretary has asked for details of the introduction of actuarially reduced pensions: apparently there is a move to make the reductions less punitive: but it was supposed to be introduced w.e.f.. January 2000, so we were led to believe.
14. Teachers' JNC agenda for 2nd and 16th February.

    a) JNC's competence to be consulted on issues for Headteachers only

    b) A procedure for dealing with injuries at work: The document drafted by NUT and UNISON still awaits adoption by the LEA. It is being published anyway, independently. A copy has been lodged with the NAHT.

    c) A procedure for dealing with assaults in school. Secretary is still asking for a meeting following an incident at Holywells. John Crompton has accepted the Union's arguments for a better policy and is awaiting guidance from the County Solicitor. The Division will develop its own guidelines, anyway.

    d) Implications of the Employment Relations Act 1999 on Mmaternity/Parental leave, and Leave for Family and Domestic Reasons

    e) Redundancy Procedures: written report back requested on meeting with LEA. Certain things were agree in September, but nothing has been put in writing. One item was the proper conduct of Representations and Appeals hearings: these will be under way shortly.

    Term Dates 2001-2002

• Associations

1. Bury St Edmunds: John Monk, former Division Council member, officer of Bury St Edmunds Association and one-time Secretary of the former Stowmarket Association has died. His funeral is on February 9th in Stowmarket. Further details from Peter Dunnett on BSENUT@compuserve.com or 01842 762440. The Division is contacting John's widow to send condolences.
2. From Andrew Rowe, Ipswich Association. Report on Heads and Deputies Advisory Committee, 17/11/99. Duplicated for distribution with agendas.
3. Southern Area School Reps' Course, organised by Ipswich Association. SSPDC, Friday April 7th.

• Any other items of business which a member wishes to discuss (including original motions) in part B. The President shall exercise discretion on admitting new items but should not ignore the will of Council.

There will be a short break between the sessions, but timings could be altered to suit the timing of business, as determined by the Executive Committee, subject to the agreement of the Division Council.

Part 2B: Discussion and Decision making (20:00 - 21:00)

1. Confirmation / amendment of EC recommendations from Part A, including nominations and appointment of second Divisional delegate to Conference 2000.
2. PRP campaign: STRB report: Continuing lobby.
3. Furthering the Boycott
4. Division stance on Appraisal Standing Committee.
5. Future organisation of Teacher Representation on Suffolk County Council: implications for sector-based representation.

Suffolk NUT Stop Press:

Late items of Correspondence and Report for Division Council 17/02/2000

Apologies: John Dixon, Christine Lloyd, Glenys Shepherd (Copies of her report available at the meeting), Colin Stabler, Graham White.

New Correspondence and information items: a) National

1. GTC Elections: (Circular and Poster)

   Jointly Supported Primary: Rosemary Clarke, Marilyn Harrop, Jean McLetchie, Sheila Mountain, John Paul, Ralph Surman. NUT Headteacher: Christopher Davis

   Jointly Supported Secondary: David Belfield, Amanda Haehner, Carole Regan, Alice Robinson, Hans Ruyssenaars, Ray Waterhouse

   7-11: Diane Barlow, Anthony Cuthbert, Norma Redfearn, Mark Taylor, Kim Tyrrell

   Secondary: Alan Cowley, Ketih Gardiner, Helen Moran, Camppbell Russell, John Walder

   Special: David Dewhirst

2. The March and Rally on 12 Feb against PRP was supported by a larger number than was perhaps expected and not all could get into the Conway hall after the march from Malet Square. A motion was proposed by the rally:

   Statement from the STOPP Rally, Feb 12th 2000

   This rally resolves to do everything that we can to stop Performance Related Pay. We firmly reject the Government's proposals to introduce Payment by results, to link pay to performance management and to introduce a divisive "threshold". We condemn the report of the School Teacher Review Body and call for a £2000 increase for alI teachers, with no strings attached.

   We believe their proposals wilI: damage comprehensive education and widen the divide between schools reintroduce a failed system of 'payment by results' distort the relationship between teachers and their students destroy teamwork and set teacher against teacher be used to bully staff into accepting even greater workload leave the majority of teachers undervalued and underpaid.

   We demand that the Teacher Unions urgently build a campaign of actlon to results Performance Related pay, beginning by: 1) Balloting members for one day national strike action 2) Building a national boycott of appraisal and performance management, including the additional training days. We commit ourselves to going back to schools and local associations and A) putting maximum pressure on the Unions to carry out this campaign, including: faxing Union Executives to demand they vote in favour of a ballot for one-day strike action (the NUT Executive next meets on February 17th) lobbying Union Executives to support our demands (including the Lobby of the NUT National Executive in London at 4.30 p.m.... on Wednesday February 16th) carrying out an indicative ballot of teachers in schools to show support for action. calling on colleagues to vote in forthcoming Union elections for candidates who support our demands (particularly the NUT Executive elections in March). B) doing all we can to explain why Performance Related pay must be opposed including: organising publicity against PRP through meetings, leaflets, letters and other activities, starting with the NUT's Week of Action starting on February 28th joining STOPP's Lobby of the DfEE in London at 5pm on Wed. March 1st.

   C) building other initiatives teachers can take to resist PRP including: refusing to cooperate with training days on performance management. organising joint agreement that schools will refuse to operate the threshold. boycotting the training of fast-track teachers.

   D) sending representatives to STOPP's re-call Conference on Saturday March 8th to agree the next steps in our campaign to defeat PRP.

3. Rally: Tony Dooley reports: The Suffolk Division was represented by the Secretary (march only), the Equal Opportunities Secretary, two association secretaries, the president of Ipswich NUT (with her son) as well as its incoming president and Health and Safety Officer. The March and Rally attracted about 1500, some from the NASUWT and ATL with the majority from NUT branches, as well as schools, from many areas of the country - the furthest being Morecombe NUT! In our region there were banners from Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire as well as Ipswich NUT. The Rally was addressed by Tony Benn MP, who said he would be stepping down from Parliament to concentrate on Politics, Michael Rosen, the Children's Poet and Jeremy Hardy ('there's only one thing worse than being a teacher and that is to be a partner of one!'). From the NUT National Executive Members, Bernard Regan and Linda Taffe spoke. Contributions from the floor included Kevin Courtney, secretary of STOPP, who reminded us what his opponent in the election for Deputy General Secretary promised in terms of campaigning against PRP, and urged us to hold him to his word. A statement was voted upon by the meeting, with all Suffolk's delegation approving it. The delegation afterwards discussed the significant issues raised and agreed that urgent activity was needed to implement the 1999 NUT Annual Conference Resolution on the matter. There is simply no choice for Teachers: our union was established to get rid of performance pay, but it took 34 years to achieve it; not to fight would be a disaster for the NUT both as a union and as a body which seeks to uphold educational principles. There is no need for any teacher to apply to seek to cross the threshold, though the date from which applications can be made is March 26th. As the leaflet, The Threshold Trap, states: we should argue (now) that at least people shouldn't apply until after the (Teacher) Conferences. In our view the National Executive needs to have voted in favour of the 1999 Annual Conference decision to ballot for a 1 day National Strike and accordingly it was agreed amongst us that a smaller delegation participate in the lobby of the National Executive on Wednesday, February 16th to call for that before Easter 2000. It is obviously crucial that the week beginning after half-term begins the process, in schools, for an explanation of why members should not apply to cross the threshold (as appropriate) and build the confidence for a resounding YES vote in the strike ballot. Ideas for other forms of action were discussed at the Rally, including no-cover and the boycotting of SCITT, the latter could be a process whereby a teacher gains qualifications only to 'fast track' past the Mentor! The overwhelming sense we gained from the contributions to the Rally was that Teachers are being 'managed' too much as it is; the introduction of PRP will worsen the situation with, ultimately, the losers, besides Teachers, will be children. Suffolk NUT could start the ball rolling by establishing in particular schools (if this has not already been done) the members' willingness to act collectively and agree not to apply to cross the threshold, and to show in indicative ballots their willingness to support the NUT's call for a one day National Strike, a day that can be used for local Rallies. Maximum publicity should be sought beginning in the week February 28th. ABDooley on behalf of the delegation to the STOPP March and Rally.

4. From DfEE via HQ: Proposed Threshold Standards (Consultation Version), together with draft application form and guidance for completion. (Responses to the DfEE by 1st March!)

   Knowledge and Understanding: Teachers should demonstrate that they have a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of the teaching of their subject(s) and take account of wider curriculum developments which are relevant to their work.	Pupil progress: Teachers should demonstrate that, as a result of their teaching, their pupils achieve well relative to the pupils' prior attainment, making progress as good or better than similar pupils nationally. This should be shown in marks or grades in any relevant national tests or examinations, or school based assessment for pupils where national tests and examinations are not taken
   Teaching an assessment: • plan lessons and sequences of lessons to meet pupils' individual learning needs • use a range of appropriate strategies for teaching and classroom management • use information about prior attainment to set well-grounded expectations for pupils and monitor progress to give clear and constructive feedback	Wider Professional Effectiveness: • teacher takes responsibility for his/her professional development and use the outcome to improve their teaching and pupils' learning • makes an active contribution to the polices and aspirations of the school
   Professional Characteristics: effective professionals who challenge and support all pupils to do their best through: • inspiring trust and confidence • engaging and motivating pupils • positive action to improve the quality of pupils' learning	• building team commitment • analytical thinking

5. From HQ: More detail on the STRB report and Union response: Copies at the meeting. Poster from HQ indicating that the NUT will not ask members to refuse to submit applications for threshold assessment. Secretary will need guidance as to how to inform members locally.
6. From ANL: suggested motion re. Freedom Party in Austria.

   The Suffolk Division of the NUT believes that the Freedom Party of Austria poses a real threat to immigrants, ethnic minorities, women's rights, trades unionists' rights and lesbian and gay men. That the inclusion of fascists in Austria's government will increase the confidence of Nazis and racists across Europe and beyond to persecute minorities.

   We resolve: to affirm our opposition to Haider by demanding that Britain severs all links immediately, and in doing so provide 'leadership' in the European Union. To support the call by SOS Mitmensch for a demonstration in Austria on Saturday, February 19th 2000 and fund a delegate with our banner on the Anti-Nazi League coach (The trip costs £190.) or contribute financially to the cost of sending other delegates. To send a message of support to the demonstration in Austria via the ANL (fax 020 7924 0313 or email anl@anti-nazileague.demon.co.uk). To seek to support the picket of the Austrian Embassy called on 19th February at 6.30pm in Belgrave Square, London SW1, called by the the ANL. National Civil Rights Movement, National Assembly Against Racism and Searchlight, and other such pickets. To seek to support other initiatives called against Haider and the Freedom Party in Britain, either locally or nationally. To inform our members on developments, as appropriate.

7. From CASE: Parents and Schools newsletter No 108, February 2000: Alarm bells ring over finance.

b) Regional

1. From TUC - WEA (Workers' Education Association).

   WEA Courses for Union members in Colchester and Ipswich:

   Colchester: New COSHH 10-12 April 2000	Looks at newly-introduced provisions of the Employment Relations Act 1999
   Ipswich: Employment Law Up-date. 17-19 April 2000	Deals with newly-introduced provisions of the EMployment Relations Act 1999

2. Wendy Stapleton was elected to the national working party on Disability for the Eastern Region.

c) County Division

1. Facilities: 181.5 days used by 10 Feb.
2. Oakwood:

   The LEA has relented at last and from February 14 the (now only 7) pupils taught in the Oakwood buildings will be taught more or less full time, from 9:00 to 15:00 with only a short lunch break (the former hours were 9:05 to 15:40). The SCC Executive Committee also resolved to consider re-using the residential accommodation at Oakwood "for those children who need it". No developments on that front as yet.

   Permanent closure and the change of use to a KS3&4 PRU is now due for "no later than December 31st" and a consultation process begins in March. No date for Section 188 notices yet.

   Secretary has asked for high-level talks re. an employment stability policy to ensure that job availability after December 31st is known well in advance as this will provide opportunities for redeployment to (new?) PRUs, etc., managed directly by the LEA. LEA has also agreed to have a meeting with Union members and Secretaries at Oakwood, as part of the new consultation.

   Two consultations: on Oakwood in March/April; on the rest of the EBD Review in the Summer Term.

3. Website: The Division's website now has a search facility on the Index page and on the left hand "navigation" frame. This allows you to look for a particular topic, name, phrase to find the information or the link to that information. It has been test-driven by quite a few guinea-pigs (can guinea-pigs drive?) and found to work well. The search engine is provided free of charge via Picosearch and is a separate programme on the INTERNET. The programme has to re-index each page when it is changed, and I intend to up-date the search index 10 times a year, after each Division meeting.
4. Premature Retirement on the Grounds of Efficiency: reply from DJET: LEA denies that this is a "natural justice" situation because it is the Governors who are making a case for extra funding to allow a member of staff to retire early in the interests of the school's efficiency. Therefore it is the individual case which has to be considered, and not any "selection criteria" to compare one good case against another. The figures were given, but not broken down into "equal opportunities" categories:

   PRIEF in Suffolk 1999-2000

   Schools / Areas putting cases forward	22
   Number of Headteacher cases put forward	5
   Total applications agreed	10
   Headteacher applications agreed	4

   Note: The four successful headteacher applications were part funded by the Standards Fund Grant 37 (Premature Retirement for Headteachers) which, for one year only apparently, compensated LEAs for 50% of the early pension costs. This cost Suffolk £75,000 in 2000-2001 and there are no recurring costs, they say.
5. PRP Training: The Secretary was alerted by a N Area MS NUT Rep to the fact that heads in the Northern Area had agreed to set April 14th as the extra training day for PRP. HQ had circulated Secretaries to point out that the DfEE had amended their timetable to launch PRP training with "Regional Conferences later in the summer term." This was because the NUT had pointed out that training in the Spring Term would be happening before the statutory framework and threshold criteria had not been finalised. Secretary has been in touch with LEA and is FAXing/writing to Northern Area schools to ask members to inform their heads that such a PD day would not be sanctioned by the LEA or DfEE. Secretary is in touch with LEA but so far no clarity in their response.
6. Section 188 notice for Cliff Lane now received. Meeting today (Thursday).
7. New Section 188 expected for Hollesley Primary. Meeting should have been on 15th Feb, but no one got the letters! Meeting now down for March 3rd.
8. Disability Discrimination Act: AA has drafted some schools guidance using the County booklet as a model. He says, however, that "there is no doubt that the statutory responsibility for complying with Section 6 of the Disability Discrimination Act rests with school governing bodies by virtue of the Education (Modification of Enactments Relating to Employment) regulations 1999." However, they admit that there is some possibility of using regulations to help re-imburse Governing bodies for this expense.
9. Other JNC Items:

   a) Paper on Stress is now ready and will lead to an LEA Action Plan

   b) Early Retirement: Heads had a definite advantage through different criteria applying to them. LEA believes that all qualifying applications were accepted: not sure about this year. We pushed for more openness and some way of correcting errors, or of knowing if Governors made a poor case.

   c) Suffolk's Education budget: LMS Budget Newsletter (II) 2000-01, LMS Document No. 06/00 10 Feb 2000.situation looks to be promising and all known inflactions, including salary costs, are being met in full. They are also re-indexing for last year. Also some growth (e.g.. 5% extra on exam fees) and we have a list of all bids for Standards Fund taken up.

   d) SCITT: Manager has been appointed (Primary Head) and LEA promise us a list of schools taking part.

   e) Still no progress on LEA providing information on individual school decisions about out-sourcing. We will have to get the information ourselves. Can be done, but very time consuming, and we would have no way of telling whether we were being given correct or full information. Some schools would not reply at all and we would have to go via Reps.

   f) Term Dates: there is pressure on the LEA to increase the length of the Christmas holiday with either a shorter summer or Easter break.

   g) DJET confirmed that the JNC was the only recognised body for nnegotiations concerning Headteacher's employment matters in the LEA.

   h) Nursery Admissions Policy (Letter to Nursery Heads, 11 feb from Maurice Brenner): 3-yr olds: The admissions policy gives priority to 4 years olds, then to funded 3-year olds (about 14% targeted at those in social need (financial or educational)). Only when these are met and there remain surplus planned places, can other 3-yr olds be admitted. Schools having more priority admissions than there are planned places should ask for a re-assessment of their planned places.

   i) Funding of SEN: there will be a long review of the methodology of paying for SEN costs. A new approach for inclusive education, to follow the child, will be developed over the next 18 months. The LEA admits that SEN funding was insufficient in its LMS models, and that they put too much into the general formula, not enough held back to target at individual pupils.

   j) Social Inclusion: SCC Support Materials for Schools: Division has received a copy of the LEA's Inclusion Pack which is going out to schools. It includes model letters re. exclusion to parents, and much about Pastoral Support Programmes.

10. Casework: Problems with OFSTED in an Ipswich Primary and Castle Hill Middle (John Dixon dealing). Head of CHM has resigned.

d) Local Associations

1. Ipswich: letter to members re. use of PDCs and Advisory Teacher staffing reductions.

2. Ipswich: Members will be saddened to hear of the death in-service of Jenny Tricker, teacher at Copleston High School.

Last Updated: p.m.... 16/2/2000

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Reminder: Nominations for Division Vice President for 2000-2001 should be made asap. Because of the Presidency is now moving to Bury Association, it is the turn of Ipswich Association to make the next nomination.

NEXT MEETING: AGM on March 23rd, Western Area (Venue to be confirmed)