CAMPAIGNS
Rally for education 2013
Click here for campaign materials
Cambridge Cycling Campaign
Campaign For The Book
Campaign against Trust Schools
SATs
Poster for Public Meeting on 10th Nov.
Flier for Public Meeting on 10th Nov.
Workload
Cover
The 2007 Schoolteachers’ Pay and Conditions Document makes it clear that ‘schools should set their own interim targets…to ensure that they are ready to meet the objective of teachers rarely covering from 1 September 2009’. (Section 4: Guidance on the National Agreement - para. 50). In short, you should be expecting to see the burden of cover in your school reducing this year and so that next year there should be virtually no cover at all. If this is not currently happening in your school then NUT reps and members should be asking the head what plans they are putting in place to ensure the 2009 deadline is met. Heads should be budgeting for this - phasing in new cover policy this academic year should be a part of ensuring this. Note that it is NUT policy that all classes should be covered by a fully qualified teacher.
Factsheet for members on cover
Cover checklist for branch secretaries
In what circumstances can a teaching assistant provide cover?
TLRs
In many schools, especially primary schools, teachers are often asked (told?) to take responsibility for one or more subjects at one or more Key Stages. This has always been a bone of contention between teachers and heads. A close reading of the latest School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) throws up the following paragraph (para 65 in Section 3 of the document):
Teachers are expected to contribute, both orally and in writing as appropriate, to curriculum development by sharing their professional expertise with colleagues and advising on effective practice. This does not mean that they can be expected to take on the responsibility of, and accountability for, a subject area or to manage other teachers without appropriate additional payment. Responsibilities of this nature should be part of a post that is in the leadership group or linked to a post which attracts a TLR on the basis set out in paragraph 22.
It is quite clear. if you don’t have a TLR then you should not be taking on the responsibility and accountability for a subject area.
If you feel that you have been placed in the situation of taking on a subject area without a TLR point, then you need to one of the following:
- If you want to continue with this responsibility then ask your head for a TLR post;
- If you don’t want to continue with the responsibility of the subject area then contact your school NUT representative or us.
If you are a school NUT rep. and a member wants you to take up this issue then you should arrange to meet the Head, with another member, and show them the paragraph from the STPC document, or contact us if you need advice and/or help. If a group of members in a school feel that they would like to take up this issue then contact your school NUT rep. or us.
Workforce agreement checklist
What are the requirements of the national agreement on Workforce Reform, and are they being met in your school? Click here to download a comprehensive checklist.