Previous Meeting (November 2000)

January 25th 2001

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Suffolk Division NUT

Executive Committee (17:30 - 18:45)

and DIVISION COUNCIL MEETING (18:45 - 21:00)

January 25th 2000 at Northgate High School, Sidegate Lane West, IPSWICH (Map)

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

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.

Part 1: Information and Reports.

Apologies already recorded: For EC. For Council: Colin Exworth, John Harris, Colin Stabler, Ian Tatchell. Judith Palmer hopes to attend but will be late (for item on SEN Audit).

NB: Timed business 1:: at 7:30, Barbara Robinson of Parkside PRU will speak on the education of sick children. Max. 15 minutes.

NB. Timed business 2: SEN Audit: This will have to be delayed until part 2 of the meeting by which time Judith will hopefully be able to lead the discussion.

Section A:

National Reports and Correspondence: Glenys Shepherd to report.

  1. Teacher supply crisis:"Crisis? What crisis? poster. And NUT News 1-01. Local situation fed to Glenys and RO.
    Three schools were in contact with Secretary re. unfilled vacancies for January: Heads were asking staff to cover, one head was offering an (illegal?) payment to do so, and the LEA was refusing to allow Heads to write to parents to warn of something akin to a "4-day week". In fact, Holywells was granted, on the last day of term, permission to keep yrs 7-9 at home until Jan 8th.
    Secretary wrote to LEA just before Christmas asking them to make a statement about general shortages in the county, affecting town schools most, and to warn parents of short notice problems, invoking the "inclement weather" warning process. The LEA ignored this request. In the event, Essex put out such a warning. Suffolk was too proud to do so, even though they knew that Holywells was already facing such a crisis.
    The LEA promised LEA Advisory help and activities at the Leisure Centre (!) but continued to claim that there was not a general problem in the County. The story broke in the way we were trying to avoid: naming Holywells and the press descends to highlight Holywells's problems. Secretary interviewed by Radio Suffolk, EADT, and Anglia Television. Circular on "unfilled vacancies sent to Upper/High School NUT Reps, 5/1/01.
  2. Threshold assessment: NUT News 30, and NUT News 31, Protecting Teachers' Rights and NUT News 32 Gaining for Teachers. Note from DfEE on Handling of possible discrimination issues (arising from NUT Court Action) clarifies the situation in cases of discrimination on grounds of sex, race or disability. Unfortunately, other forms of discrimination (eg. Union activity) are not included in the DfEE's guidance. Question of seeking evidence is featured in NUT News 2.
  3. Threshold special grants from central Government: The Government is making provisional monthly payments to LEAs based on the number of applicants for each Authority x .88 (the national fte figure). There will be a clawback for those who do not pass, of course! This temporary arrangement, worth £490,749 per month in Suffolk for the 2839 applications, will be revised in March to reflect "emerging and actual success rates". We can expect one in ten to fail.
  4. Threshold assessment for teachers in Social Services establishments. Originally, DfEE excluded teachers in Assessment Centres etc., from the threshold. Now it looks that as if they will be included. Does affect members in Suffolk.
  5. Performance Management: First cases of difficulties with number of objectives, number of observations and access to review reports are coming in. Secretary is advising Heads to adopt the NUT approach, whatever their school policy actually says, adapting it "in the light of experience".
  6. London allowance: materials from HQ re campaign.
  7. Model Salaries Policy: advice to Divisions for information.
  8. Advice on LEA Inspections.
  9. Extension of IT for Divisions: HQ is promising to send out circulars etc. by e-mail, soon.
  10. Regional Officer: vacancy in Northern Region
  11. National Assembly against racism campaign: Hands off my friend, badges.
  12. GTC: The register for teachers. This NUT Briefing is duplicated for the meeting.
  13. The Data Protection Act and the need for notification by schools. Advice from HQ.
  14. Asset Management Plans. NUT Briefing.
  15. National training for local officers 2001
  16. Supporting schools in challenging circumstances / Fresh Start: HQ summary of DfEE policy for (a) Fresh start schools, (b) schools in special measures, (c) Schools with 50%+ pupils receiving free school meals and (d) schools where -25% achieve 5 to more Grade A*-C GCSEs
  17. Golden Jubilee Bank Holiday: Success! HQ has got the government to take a day off the school year in 2001-2001 to give teachers the benefit of the Jubilee Bank Holiday, with a strong preference that this day should be the last day of the Summer Term.
  18. Pensions to be increased by 3.3% from April.
  19. Sharing of Pensions on divorce or annulment: Guidance for Divisions and Associations on the implications of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 on teachers' pensions scheme. A TP pack is available entitled "Ppensions on Divorce".
  20. Secretary has raised with HQ the "mis-selling" of pensions involved in the "step-down" arrangements. Because these came in before the re-structuring of teachers pay and the post-threshold scale, most who pay extra contributions on stepping down will see their actual salary overtake their previously higher salary. There can be no refund of the extra contributions paid for no gain.
  21. National Executive Timetable 2001.
  22. TUC Campaign for new laws on discrimination against gays and lesbians. Card to MP.
  23. Family friendly policies: Parental Leave and Time off for Domestic reasons. Briefing Note.
  24. Soulbury Pay Claim: Another day's talking but no agreement.
  25. Local Government Act 2000: NUT Briefing.
  26. Fixed Term Contracts: NUT Briefing.
  27. From Broadland Association, seeking support for their Conference motions on Music in schools, motions 26 and 27on Creative and Cultural education.
  28. Professional Unity 2000, materials from the Unity campaign.
  29. From CASE: Parents and Schools, November 2000
    SECTION B: REGIONAL (Hilary Bucky to report). A big welcome to Hilary who has responsibility for Suffolk and has already got going of some casework for us.)
  30. Regional Meetings:
    AGM 20 January 2001
    Sub Committees 17 March 2001
    Executive 4 April 2001
    ER Council 5 May 2001
    Executive 27 June 2001
    Sub-Committees 15 September 2001
    ER Council 13 October 2001
    Executive 21 November 2001
    Secretary's Regional Report for Januaryavailable separately.
  31. E-mail address for Regional Office: eastern@nut.org.uk Details added to our contacts page on the website.
  32. Report on Advisory Committee for Primary Schools, November 13th 2000 from Amanda Warren. Copies duplicated for this meeting. Forwarded to ERC.
  33. Letter from John Dixon re. negotiating machinery in Suffolk, esp. re Com Ed. Need to take time out to look at the pattern of representation in Suffolk, compared with national structures.
  34. From RO: Letter to LEAs giving new Office arrangements. Should now be one of the 4 ROs+RS present in the office to deal with urgent matters arising.
  35. Section C: Division / County:Division Secretary, Martin Goold, to report, including items from the preceding Executive Committee meeting.
  36. ****Timed Business for 7:30-7:45, Barbara Robinson on the Education of Sick Children.
  37. **** Nominations to Division Posts.A late nomination has been received for the post of Secretary. This will have to be taken formally at the AGM.
  38. **** Dates and venues for Division Council Meetings: Ipswich Association to be asked to choose a venue for the AGM on March 29th. Ex-President and Secretary have been seeking convenient meeting places near to bus and train services for future reference.
  39. Items deferred from November's meeting:
  40. Membership as of 31/12/00 (for facility time)
    BURY ST EDMUNDS 667
    IPSWICH 610
    LOWESTOFT 215
    SUDBURY 220
    SE SUFFOLK 383
    WAVENEY & YOXFORD 312
    TOTAL= 2407
  41. Threshold assessment in practice: Great differences in rigour and method. Problems with gathering evidence which was not requested in July. Seems to be involving much more work for the individual teachers in the sample. Many assessors seem to be known to the Heads they are assessing.
  42. First examples of members failing the threshold assessment: Secretary knows of three failures, two involved NUT Representatives. The first two cases have been referred to RO, one may be a case of discrimination.
  43. Press Releaseon the motion carried in November concerning Special Allowances for teachers in EBD PRUs was FAXed out on 1/12/00 and posted simultaneously on the INTERNET. Headline: "Special Pay for Special Teachers".
  44. The Division Secretary has also been contacted by The Times (via HQ) for names of young teachers coping with low salaries, and from Channel 4 re. programme on Inclusion. 2 people volunteers from Lowestoft (but then declined?) and one name went forward from BSE. Also request from Channel 4 programme researcher for help in a documentary on Inclusion.
  45. Reply from D Thornton re. Burgundy Book: LEA says it is not allowed, under LMS, to subsidise schools by buying them a copy of the BB. But schools may club together for a bulk purchase, organised by the LEA.
  46. Advisory Service and allied staff: Secretary wrote to AA with counterproposals to preserve differentials and to allow all such teachers to have increases similar to the threshold. The NUT proposes that Advisory teachers and headteachers should be assimilated to the new pay arrangements as if they were Heads and Deputies. This is predicated on determining first the salary of the highest classroom teacher's pay in the advisory service. There are advisory teachers who were paid on main scale + 3. The maxima on the various scales involved are:
    Classroom scale + threshold + 3 management points £35,169
    Classroom scale + threshold + 2 management points £33,018
    Classroom scale + threshold + 1 management point £31,502
    Max on proposed Advanced Skills Scale for Advisory Teachers £31,272
    Max on classroom Scale + threshold £30,018
    The Union has requested negotiation on this basis and to look again at the Pay of PRU Heads in the light of these proposals. Meeting fixed for 30th January (at Oakwood!). The Union is resisting the LEA's proposal to use the Advanced Skills Scale for Advisory Teachers. Our proposal would indicate the following scales:
    Advisory Teachers L5 to L9 (starting at £31,398)
    Advisory Headteachers L9 to L15
  47. From SCC: Budget Newsletter 2001-02 LMS Document 45/00:
    Overall SSA increase for Suffolk is 4.1% (National average 4.5%)
    Education SSA up 4.5%,=cash increase of £12.5m
    Education SSA is 1.3m less than expected because: a) funding for 4-yr provision is to come from existing SSA, not additional
    b) Area Cost Adjustments favour the higher paid SE.
    All Education SSA money to be passported to Education
    Large rise in Standards Fund programme, which will need £9m from LEA budget. For every £1 the LEA devotes to SF, schools actually receive £2.30 in allocations.
    LEA supporting SF with £3.1m from reserves, and with higher school block allowances in the formula budget.
    LEA says the budget will cover in full re-indexation for pay and prices (+2.5%)
    Funds in full an increase of 1,3000+ pupils and increases in pay, pension contributions, "further investment in supporting the EBD policies, and increases in standards fund support to schools.
  48. Payment for Springboard, KS2 booster classes, and "any other out-of-school hours learning activity". Alan Aldred has written to all heads (LMS Doc 43/00) concerning "overtime" payment arrangements for teachers on full-time contracts undertaking out of hours learning activities. Headteachers, deputies, assistant heads and advanced skills teachers cannot receive these extra payments. Teachers participation must be at the head's request and entirely voluntary. The LEA urges governors to pay an hourly rate either based on 1/1265th of the teachers' actual pay or the hourly rate at point 9 of QTS (£18.94). These payments are taxable and subject to NI deductions, but are not superannuable. Alan's letter seems to have forgotten about the new pay arrangements and the threshold. Secretary has written pointing out that there is now no such thing as QTS9.
  49. Notional rate for supply cover, etc: Arising from LMS Document 43/00, above, Secretary is querying the "standard supply rate". As "QTS point 9" no longer represents an average salary, because of the arrival of the post-threshold scale, Secretary wrote to AA questioning the validity of using "QTS point 9" as the basis for payments for the above and as the basis for refunding schools adequately for supply teachers for such purposes as cover for InSeT, NQT release and, indeed, public duties. As an interim suggestion, Secretary proposed that this notional sum be increased to point 1 on the post-threshold scale (£25,959). This would provide a daily rate of £136.63 for supply, and an hourly rate of £20.52 for out-of-hours learning activities, somewhat more than in AA's letter to heads.
  50. Early Retirement 2001: Secretary has written to DJET to ask how many applications were received before the deadline, from heads, deputies/assistants and classroom teachers. AA replied that he did not know, so Secretary asked each Area Office. Reply from West: To date we have 3 applications from heads (2 male &1 female) and 6 teachers (3 of each). these were sent to AA on 22 Dec. From the North: "I can confirm the following applications have been received, Headteachers: 6 Male, 3 Female. Teachers: 5 Male, 3 Female
  51. SCITT
    Duncan Macfarlane of HQ replied re, delay in issuing NUT credentials to SCITT students. He says there "was clear a problem this year and we accept your criticism that the exercise did not reflect well on the efficiency of HH." He blamed "a series of technical problems". All students qualifying in 2001 will receive a new student credential in the early part of the year. This will also serve as a transfer form.
    Christine Lloyd to report on the December 5th Session at SSPDC, further recruitment of SCITT students
    RO will present a session on Teachers' Conditions of Service in April.
    Secretary has made contact with the new Rep at Horringer Court (training school) and hopes to involve their students in some of the recruitment activities.
    It is not too soon to start planning next year's student recruitment in Suffolk. We need also to target the schools which have large cohorts of students (Thurston CC and Farlingaye HS).
  52. Secretary to report verbally on the situation at Holywells High School. One member formerly of HHS has appeared in the press and on TV saying he left because of work stress, mounting bureaucracy and unruly pupils.
  53. Section 188: Notice received from Ringshall CP. Westbourne HS notification still awaited. Union has responded to the proposals for Chilton CP.
  54. ***** Action arising from the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry: Secretary has written to four people professionally involved in race relations and multi-cultural awareness to ask for their advice and participation in setting up our working party. Croydon NUT has sent some details of their policy and action plan. Division now needs to set up the first meeting to consider the Union's Paper: Advice to Association and Division Secretaries on Implications of the Stephen Lawrence Enquiry.
  55. Ex gratia payments for damage to cars: Letter received from "Resources Management Directorate" of SCC, saying that teachers, such as peripatetic music teachers, paid casual user allowance cannot get an ex gratia payment for damage to cars on LEA business because the casual user allowances contains a profit element from which will compensate the driver for any minor damage. Secretary has taken this up with the LEA and will lodge as a JNC item. STOP PRESS!: Peter Dunnett threatened the LEA with the Ombudsman, because they did not reply to his letter. He has now had a call from SCC to say that they were wrong to deny an ex gratia payment and offering £150 for this case. We await this in writing.
  56. GTC: Secretary wrote to David Thornton (20/10/00) as many not willing to pay the £20 fee to registering. Secretary has asked the LEA to consider paying it for all those who are existing teachers. Still no response. Circular from HQ says payment arrangements are still to be decided, by the GTCs themselves!
  57. No reply from DJET on Attendance Policy and Use of Restraint (also raised in my letter of 20/10/00). Secretary wrote again on 22nd November, re. Restraint advice clashing with the Union's advice in "Unacceptable Pupil Behaviour". The Ombudsman?
  58. ***** Some concerns reported that the Secretary's "Autumn Briefing 2000" did not reach all schools. Could all Secretaries please duplicate and despatch sufficient copies for all members to receive their own copy?
  59. What to do when a Member of Staff is injured at school. The Division's advice, with the help of Liz Sole formerly of UNISON, has been printed and published. 2 copies going to all schools (1 for Rep, 1 for Head) with a covering letter. Western Area already delivered, South and North going out this and next week. Many thanks to Ray Frowd for the setting, printing and stapling of 800 copies. There are a few spares for Local Association Secretaries. Secretary has written to DJET asking for LEA support for this publication, so that it is not, as happened in the past, referred to as "of no status" (Ian Brown, thank you very much.)
  60. Form 7 2001: advice from the LEA clarifies the situation re. dual registration and is stopping a loop-hole where schools are not cooperating with the LEA on PRUs, etc.
  61. JNC Report: Teachers' Panel Meeting 24/1/1
    a) From SCC (indirectly): J Carnall has written to Heads (15th January) saying that new Child Protection procedures have been agreed which entail a school representative to attend Child Protection Conferences (in the past it has often been the EWO standing in). If the school's child-protection co-ordinator is not a non-teaching head, then this could lead to supply cover to release the teacher in term time, or require the teacher to go beyond his/her contract by being obliged to attend such conferences in the school holidays.
    b) Best Council: Penny Cook to report.
    c)Scrutiny Commission: Penny Cook to report on Teacher Panel evidence on 18th Dec
    d) Bill Goodwin enquiry: This enquiry is into all education in the LEA for pupils not attending school (sickness, pregnancy, exclusions, etc.) He is finding that there are some "hidden" schemes afoot. POSSE? Montgomery Road? Secretary has asked for information from LEA.
  62. **** Facilities: As of 11 Jan 2001, we had used 171 days. The Division Treasurer has been given one day facility time to prepare the books. If any in-service Association Treasurer needs any facility time, please apply to Div Sec.
  63. Media Comment: 6/12/00: re. league tables at KS2 and Suffolk / National figures:
    Year 1999 2000
    Subject Eng Math Sc Eng Math Sc
    National Average 70.0 69.0 78.0 75.0 72.0 85.0
    Suffolk 72.2 67.5 79.8 75.0 69.2 85.1
    Also approach for comment from Radio Suffolk on Bury St Edmunds Association's Press Release on their stress survey. Main press interest has been re. teacher shortages. Secretary commented to Radio Suffolk and EADT re. League Tables.
  64. Secretary wrote to the EADT Letters Editor, 23/1/1 re. the article in the EADT about the EBD 9-yr old at Sproughton School. Accused LEA of not planning EBD and leaving schools to pick up on the closure of Oakwood and lack of PRUs.
  65. There is a problem looming re. experience points for non-teaching experience. The TP&CD 2000 has dropped the words "up to" from the phrase "up to one point for every year of experience outside teaching". The LEA is advising schools that this means that you cannot now give one point for three years' experience. The Secretary had raised this matter with HQ on 1st August 2000 and was assured that the removal of "up to" only meant that there could no longer be any half points. Secretary has written to the LEA with this advice. JNC matter?
  66. SCC Papers received:
    E01/1 2001-2002 Capital Settlement
    E01/2 Early Education Planning 2001-2004
    E01/4 Quality Protects, Yr3 (Social Services and Children
    L01/01 Education Capital Programme 2001-2002
    L01/03 Learning and Teaching: Draft Policy
    L01/02 CC Policy for the Education of Children and Young People in public care
  67. Teacher Reps: Andrew Guite reports:
    Executive Committee 5th December 2000
    00/153 2001/02 Service Plans and Budgets: It was made clear that this was a snapshot and we had an update on the morning. Suffolk`s SSA has increased in real terms by 4.1%. A “technical” change means the “passported” cash increase in Education SSA is £12.5m. This is £1.9m lower than the 1st August assumption because of the Area Cost Adjustment loss and net effect of transfers of finance and function. Nobody answered my question on this and nobody seemed concerned so perhaps there will be further updates as we get closer to next April. On page 5 it states, “Education is the top priority and its budget is to be increased by the full uplift in Education SSA.” The Climate Change Levy meant Education was the main net gainer and option 4 was chosen from Appendix C, which kept full passporting to the Education SSA. Jane Hore (finance portfolio) wanted schools to be reminded to pursue energy conservation and that green policies can be costly.

    E00/156: Proposed Alterations to School Standard Numbers: This was all about schools in the Beccles area. All the schools and governing bodies were in agreement with the proposals which are now to be submitted to the School Organisation Committee. The main changes proposed are Worlingwoth CEVCP to reduce their standard number from 10 down to 6, and that children attending Ravensmere Infant School would all move on to Albert Pye CP rather than some of them choosing to go to Crowfoot CP. The following was promised: “If population growth continues there will be increased pressure on accommodation, these changes would give the LEA a firm basis on which to make a ‘basic need’ case to the Department for Education and Employment for additional permanent accommodation, because much of the present uncertainty about pupil number forecasts would be removed.”

  68. .Secretary has current casework at: Advisory Service, Ashley Downs Spec, Beccles MS, Castle Hill MS, Castle Manor US, Chilton P, County Music S, Copleston HS, County US, Chantry HS, Deben HS, Farlingaye HS, Grange CP, Grove P, Halesworth MS, Handford Hall, Hollesley P, Holywells HS, Horringer Crt MS, Leiston HS, (Sir J) Leman H, Northgate HS, former Oakwood Spec., Orwell HS, Parkside PRU, Priory Spec, Ringshall, St Mary's PRU, St Pancras P, Somersham P, Stowmarket HS, Thurston CC, Travellers' Education Service, Unattached/Social Services, Westbourne HS, Wetheringsett P., Wortham P.
  69. Grapevine: In Essex, private companies are stepping in to end the teacher crisis by giving away vouchers for new tyres!. That's all right then.
  70. Report on Conference on "Private Sector Involvement in Education" from Amanda Warren (duplicated for meeting)
    Section D: Local Associations
  71. From Bury St Edmunds Association: Survey on stress and press release. A major piece of research undertaken by Peter Dunnett and circulated to the Press and associations, + Headquarters and The Teacher. Carried in EADT and on Radio Suffolk.
  72. Supplements the work from Ipswich Association and their survey, featured in this month's "Teacher" magazine.

Part 2: Decision Making

A) Arising from National Matters

  1. Threshold Assessment: The Suffolk NUT Division calls upon the Union to take immediate action to stop the practice of Threshold Assessors of demanding extra evidence from the sample of applicants to be assessed individually. The Union should establish that the assessor's job is to establish that the Headteacher's decisions were properly arrived at, using the evidence submitted at the time. There should be no pressure for applicants to provide new information for the assessor: this should all have been asked for and verified at the time of the original assessment by the Headteacher, in accordance with the instructions given to applicants at the time.
  2. Action on Teacher Shortages
  3. Action on Performance Management
    Arising from Regional and Local Matters
  4. Confirmation of EC recommendations, including financial decisions.
  5. Motion from EC: "This Division Council instructs the Secretary to seek to negotiate both an hourly rate for out-of-school activities and the daily compensation rate to schools for supply cover on the basis of point 1 of the post-threshold scale."
  6. Motion from EC: "This Division Council endorses the Secretary's proposals for the pay arrangements for unattached staff contained in his letter to the LEA dated December 18th 2000."
  7. Motion from Bury St Edmunds Association: Suffolk Division re Stress & Related Illness:
    Suffolk Division acknowledges the findings and recommendations of the Bury St. Edmunds Association survey of stress and related illness amongst teachers in West Suffolk schools as set out in its' published report 'Stressed Out'. Division supports the view that Government, Local Authority and school management should openly acknowledge their part in creating the unacceptably high occupational stress levels which are making teachers ill and causing many others to leave the profession. Furthermore, Division believes that they have a duty of care for the health and well-being of teachers and must initiate urgent programmes of action that seekto reduce significantly the current high stress levels to an acceptable minimum. .
    Whilst welcoming the LEAs decision to establish a well-being scheme for teachers in conjunction with TEACHERLINE, as a means to reduce stress levels, Suffolk NUT Division calls upon the LEA to :
    (a) actively pursue as a matter of urgency, the formulation of plans for the introduction and operation of the well-being scheme for teachers.
    (b) consult fully with all relevant teacher organisations in Suffolk whilst formulating these plans and on the final draft proposals.
    (c) have all aspects of the well being scheme in place and operative by 1st September 2001,
    (d) use such means as are appropriate to try and ensure that all schools opt into the Suffolk scheme.
    (e) consult fully with all relevant teacher organisations in Suffolk whilst formulating these plans and on the final draft proposals.
    (f) have all aspects of the well-being scheme in place and operative by 1st September 2001,
    (g) use such means as are appropriate to try and ensure that all schools opt into the Suffolk scheme
    h) investigate on an on-going basis all other means by which teacher stress can be reduced, with a view to introducing further appropriate measures wherever possible.
    i) urge government to acknowledge openly the major part its policy decisions have played in creating unacceptable stress and related illness amongst teachers. Furthermore the LEA should call upon government to take positive action nationally via the DfEE to reduce teacher stress.
    Division instructs the Secretary to communicate the contents of this motion to the appropriate LEA officers.
  8. Proposed venues and pattern of meetings for 2001-2002 (preparation for AGM).

Date of next meeting: February 15th 2000, Northgate High School, Ipswich.

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