Executive Meeting: June 2009

The full National Executive met on 25th June.

Unfortunately, due to a prior commitment, I had to leave before Christine Blower gave her report, but I will publish the details of the official executive report on the site as soon as it is published by Hamilton House. I did however take part in the Standing Committees which took place in the morning of the meeting, and provide the business for the main meeting, and details of the main discussions appear below.



Clearly the SATS campaign is going to be a major focus for the upcoming term, and you should already have received the first leaflets and information in your schools. Local associations will be encouraged to hold meetings and produce locally based material, in conjunction with head teacher colleagues in the NAHT. It is also important that we make sure that it is clear that we want a workable, teacher-led assessment system, and not one that will load new bureaucratic workload onto members ! More material and information is available at the union's national website, by clicking here.

O+M Committee: Full training programme for 2009-10

The Organisation and Membership Committee were pleased to receive details of the Union's training programme for the forthcoming academic year.

The NUT remains committed to developing a rep in every school, and our regular three-day residential course for school reps is a must. Held at Stoke Rochford Hall in Lincolnshiore, the course covers all aspects of the role of the school rep. Reps in school are entitled to paid time off for training in their union role, and all accommodation, food and travel is provided or reimbursed by NUT. The next school rep training is on 16th-18th November. You can book now by clicking here.

All schools have a right to trade union Health and Safety reps. This role is a wide ranging and powerful role in protecting the health, safety and welfare of members. The Health and Safety training is a 5 day residential course, and comes highly recommended by all who attend. Like the school rep course, you have a statutory right to paid time off to attend, and all other costs will be met by the union. It was the first NUT course I went on, and I still find most of what was taught useful in my role. The next Health and Safety Reps course is on 30th November-4th December, and you can book by clicking here. (You will need to ensure that NUT members at your school are happy to nominate you as the H+S rep.)

There are other scheduled courses for reps in specialist areas, such as Sixth Forms, Independent Schools and Academies, as well as a range of other well established courses for NQT, part time or supply colleagues, those moving into management roles, teacher governors, and NUT leadership group members. In addition, there are courses on International Development, Stress and Wellbeing and a promised repeat of the Love Music, Hate Racism course.

The training programme for the year will be sent to every school rep shortly, or you can book for courses and keep updated on new dates by visiting the Union's training site by clicking here.

EEPD Committee: APP and Workload

As the SATS campaign gets underway, it is vital that we campaign in tandem with this to ensure that APP is not allowed to be introduced in a way that simply generates more workload, and creates another system of assessment that does not support teachers' teaching and students' learning.

The committee welcomed the assurance from QCA that the APP scheme (Assessing Pupil Progress) is voluntary. However, there was alarm at the way it is being promoted by the DCSF and that it could be seen as the universal "replacement" for Key Stage 3 SATS.

It was agreed that the Union would urgently survey members and officers about the impact on APP where it has been piloted, and where it is likely to be introduced. The results of this will inform what action needs to be taken to protect teachers from more unnecessary workload pressures.

Members are reminded of the Union's existing workload guidance, which may prove helpful in assessing the impact of APP, and taking action to combat this where necessary. This can be found as a pdf. on the union's website by clicking here.

EEPD Committee: GTC Response to BNP Members in teaching posts.

The GTC has faced criticism for its refusal to include a clause banning paid-up members of the fascist BNP from teaching in state schools.

The GTC has been debating a new Code of Conduct for teachers- and the NUT has made a number of responses to this consultation, including campaigning for the right of teachers to have a private life. However, most of us agree that there is a difference between the right to a private life, and activity that demonstrates racist or fascist beliefs.


There is an ongoing debate within the union and the profession about whether membership of a political party such as the BNP should automatically constitute a ban from employment (as it does in the Police and the Prison Service) or whether it would simply provide evidence of an individual's beliefs rendering them unable to uphold the professional standards required for the job (especially in relation to the proposed "Core Values" which include respect, equality and diversity)


Max Hyde, an executive member and an NUT nominee to the GTC wrote a joint letter to the Guardian on 20th June, where she and GTC colleagues urging the GTC to at least allow a debate on the issue. You can read the letter here.

EEPD Committee: Disabled Teachers Conference

Mick Lerry presented the report of the Disabled Teachers Working Party, and noted that the Disabled Teachers Conference had gone ahead at Hamilton House on 13th June. While numbers were smaller than had been hoped for, there was very positive feedback from the delegates who attended, and it was agreed that we need to continue to support and build this important conference in the union's calendar.


The working party had also agreed to write to the DCSF stating that the NUT supported the recommendation by the GTC that the so-called "Fitness to Teach" requirements were an unnecessary barrier to disabled teachers.


The Working Party also agreed to make Teachers' Mental Health a standing item on their agenda. This has been an area of significant work for the NUT in recent years, and particularly following sterling work done by Past President John Illingworth. John's report Crazy About Work is essential reading for all teachers and trade unionists. Click here to download a pdf copy.

EEPD Comittee: LGBT report

The report of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Teachers Working Party (chaired by me) was formally presented to the EEPD Committee. This contained a number of items that we had discussed, including:

• recording and reporting of homophobic bullying
• DCSF guidance on gender-based bullying
• results of delegate monitoring at Annual Conference
• updating equalities issues on the membership database
• TUC LGBT Workers conference and London Pride
• plans for the NUT LGBT Conference in October (Johann Hari since confirmed as a speaker)

There was also a statement from the Committee raising the Conference Motion from 2008, which called for the executive to develop solidarity work with JFLAG and other organisations fighting homophobia and homophobic violence (including State sanctioned) in Jamaica.

I was pleased to commend the work done so far by Samidha and her colleagues in the Union's international department, but drew attention of the committee to the recommendation from the LGBT Working Party which read:

"The Working Party has campaigned within the TUC and NUT around the plight of Jamaican LGBT people. We hear of deaths and atrocities and wish to bring the suffering of Jamaican LGBT people to more members' attention. Therefore we request that the National Executive highlights these issues to regional secretaries and councils, association secretaries and committees, if not all members, and encourages associations to look at the work of JFLAG and possibly affiliate."

EEPD Committee: SEN and the Lamb Report

The Lamb Inquiry into Special Educational Needs and Parental Confidence continues taking evidence until July.

The EEPD committee discussed the progress currently made by the inquiry, much of which is welcomed, although there was concern that the evidence base is predominately from parents (which is the major remit of the report) but that there was a need for greater input and submissions from the teaching profession.


NUT would believe that the Inquiry needs to consider generic factors such as class size and the rights of Statemented children to be taught by a Qualified Teacher.


The Lamb Inquiry (including the online surveys) can be found by clicking here.

Equality Audit Working Party

The Equality Audit Working Party had two main items of discussion at our meeting on 24th June: the analysis of the equality monitoring figures from Annual Conference, and the progress towards Reserved Places on the national executive.


The return of equality forms (monitoring age, race, gender, sexual orientation and disability) had been much improved on the previous year: it was agreed that the decision to distribute the form alongside the voting papers for the Conference Business Committee has helped to avoid the form being overlooked by delegates. However, it was of concern that many delegates were still not returning either.


It is important that the executive and the officials of the union continue to explain to delegates why it is important to monitor who is participating in the work of the union. The key question we have to answer is whether our activist base reflects the actual makeup of the union. It is still the case that at all levels in the union, women members are underrepresented, despite making up more than two thirds of membership.


A key action of the Union has been the setting up of the Fairer Futures Project, which focuses on training and supporting the work of Equal Opportunities Officers at local association and division level. The project has already had marked successes, in training individuals and producing a range of materials to support their work. You can read more about the project here.


There was also a discussion about the working role of the new Black Members representative to be elected in the 2010 round of executive elections, and also what roles would be taken by the LGBT and Disabled Members representatives following the 2012 round. A key question is about reporting back and accountability. While Regional reps are expected to feed back (usually in person) to the local associations in their area, the Equalities members would need to find different ways to remain accountable to their electorate. It was agreed to look further at this in the context of the existing rules and responsibilities for all executive members, and to explore how Equalities representatives in other trade unions, such as the Fire Brigades Union and our sister union UCU fulfil their roles.

Consultation Time !

Loathe as I am to create any more workload for already overstretched colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to two consultations being conducted at the moment by the QCA, and which may be of interest to you.

There is a Questionnaire about the new Early Years Provision requirements at http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_22487.aspx. NUT members across the country have already been identifying a range of concerns about the implementation (and funding!) of these provisions, and there will be a range of materials produced by the union shortly to respond to these. However, I think that it is important that the QCA receive feedback from NUT members (positive or not !) to their own survey: so that they are clear what still needs to be done.

There is also consultation on the review of the Primary curriculum in four separate topics:

• the primary curriculum
• personal, social, health and economic education
• subject level descriptions
• updated non-statutory guidance on religious education.

The consultation is organised into four sections, with four separate questionnaires. You can participate in this consultation by completing any or all of these questionnaires.

If you would like to respond to these surveys, more details can be found online by clicking here.

Both close on 24th July. This is an opportunity to raise your particular concerns directly to QCA.

If you do not have the time to take part in the consultation, rest assured that the Union will also be engaging fully in the process on behalf of all members.

Executive Report: May 2009

The National Executive met on 21st May 2009

We were very pleased to welcome Christine Blower as General Secretary in her own right, following her period of "Acting" in the post. Christine was unopposed, receiving the nominations of a large number of local associations from across England and Wales.

Christine reported that the TUC had met with minister Angela Eagle with what she described as a “robust” response to the budget: especially highlighting the need to improve redundancy packages. She also highlighted her concerns that the combination of the economic crisis and the loss of faith in mainstream politicians could draw voters to the fascist BNP.

Christine suggested that it was important to link our responses to the economic crisis with a defence of public services, and the TUC was likely to be the best forum for achieving this. She again warned members to be vigilant to the “drip-feed” attacks on public sector pensions.

On the SATS campaign, Christine confirmed that we were continuing to produce joint materials with the NAHT, including relaunching the petition with joint “badging”. Local Associations and Divisions are asked to indicate the volume of materials needed for their local campaigns. The timetable for a formal ballot remains a topic of discussion between the two unions.

The NUT will be holding joint fringe meetings with the University and Colleges Union at the three main political party conferences, as part of our newly agreed partnership arrangement with that union (we previously had such an agreement with NATFHE, now part of the UCU)

I was proud to ask Christine to voice her support for the campaign to defend teachers pay and conditions at the former Park College in Eastbourne, and she was pleased to do so. Many executive members and association secretaries have added their messages of support to the website at http://www.keepitpark.com/

At the Education, Equalities and Professional Development Committee an always busy agenda included discussion on the SATS campaign, guidance for campaigning against proposals for Trust Status, highlighting workload issues around APP (which is voluntary for schools) and the union’s response to the MacDonald Report on PSHE.