Education and Equalities
Discussion
and general agreement was reached on final changes to motions for TUC
conferences. The LGBT motion included important campaigning points on LGBT
Equality being included in Initial Teacher training and for the disabled
workers’ conference a motion on the damaged done by one size fits all test
based curriculum.
Compass
report
This
report that the NUT has helped finance in a significant way has after an completely
unacceptable first draft been heavily re-written. However it is still to far
from NUT policy to be supported, not being anti-privatisation as well as
distant from NUT positions on school inspections international tests and adult
education. One more attempt is going to be made to make changes so we can
endorse it but it may well end up not being join badge-able and the NUT will
have to make clear its differences at any launch events.
Carter
review into ITT
We
heard that this did not recommend downgrading of PGCE as Tories wanted however
many recommendations are worrying and the idea of a core curriculum for all ITT
to deliver was central.
Most
concerning is the clear bias towards school direct / academies ITT against university
provision and the fact that the report did not address the growing teacher
supply problem with significant percentages of recruitment falling short.
Prevent
The
committee discussed the issues around ‘Prevent’ and role schools are now
expected to play in counterterrorist monitoring.
Concern
was shared by all on this particularly on the idea of ‘British Values’ which is
suggested we the positive values highlighted are somehow uniquely British and
the difficulties teachers have reported this sort of expectation is causing
when trying to discuss complex issues such as terrorism and imperialism. Certainly it was not felt appropriate that
OFSTED should be making judgments on a schools ability to monitor students as
has already happened in East London.
College of Teaching Proposal Briefing
A briefing
was held plans for a college of teaching. These moving forward but on a worrying
basis.
The
outline seems to be ill thought through with a voluntary organization asking
teachers to volunteer to have more observations to receive master teacher
status with dubious value. I was concerned that the meeting was not hard enough
on the plans and this concern is reinforced by the press release that was far
too uncritical of the scheme.
Organising and Membership
Main
discussion centered around the accountability of organisers and how they can
and should work alongside division officers. This is a not unexpected teething
problem in my opinion and one where the union can meet the correct balance of
maintaining the democratic accountability of the division while maximizing the
effect of the organisers.
Full Executive
The
executive heard a report that updated us on our Stand Up for Education
campaign. Clearly some impressive work is being done with the manifesto,
lobbying and questions times.
However
on the central demands we took to the government we had not been given any
clear concessions. With this in mind it was concerning to see no plans for
further industrial action in the report despite this being agreed previously
and endorsed by 80% of the respondents in our survey
I
seconded an objection that sought to simply reintroduce the working unanimously
agreed in October that if sufficient progress was not made the officers should
draw up plans for up to two days strike action. Disappointingly this was defeated
24 – 12 and leaves me concerned that we will not follow through on the steer
given by members.
This
fear is all the greater given the announcements since the executive by Nicky
Morgan which have offer nothing concrete to reduce teacher workload.
