LEADERSHIP FOCUS | OCTOBER 2018
OPINION
ANDY MELLOR: NAHT president 2018–19
The year ahead elcome back to a new school year and the latest edition of Leadership Focus. I hope you managed to find the break you deserve with your friends and family, which is so scarce once the term begins. It is the workload associated with teaching and the leadership of schools that’s the culprit here, and one of the reasons why the retention of teachers and school leaders is so poor. The Education Policy Institute’s (EPI’s) report on recruitment and retention is an accurate summary of the problems and causes of the crisis we face with encouraging teachers in the making to apply and retaining those we have in schools already. What I believe is unhelpful is the notion that we somehow throw money at recruiting teachers in shortage subjects. As all school leaders know, the development of a school team is critical in moving the school forward, and I can’t think of something more divisive than saying through payment that some subjects and their teachers are more important than others. What happens if the next crisis is in the recruitment of art teachers? Do we do the same again? The answer, of course, is to pay all teachers and school leaders properly. The government had a perfect opportunity to take a step in the right direction in respect of pay with the STRB’s recommendation of a 3.5% pay rise across the board. This would have helped to offset some of the 15% that teachers and school leaders
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have lost in real terms over the last 10 years. Of course, as we know, despite announcing a 3.5% pay rise, the truth is that 60% of teachers and school leaders will again get a below-inflation pay rise. We’re working with the government to put this right, and we would urge them to discuss the repercussions of a differential pay rise with us before announcing it. In terms of school funding, we continue to lobby government for adequate funding for all schools. We’re continuing with our awareness-raising funding summits across the country, details of which are included in this edition of Leadership Focus and on our website (naht.org.uk). These are significant events where we can
Above: Andy Mellor
The development of a school team is critical in moving the school forward, and I can’t think of something more divisive than saying through payment that some subjects and their teachers are more important than others.
hear from you. You are our voice, and only with your support and involvement can we take effective action. The campaign group WorthLess? organised a successful lobby of parliament and march on 28 September. We hope you were one of the many that joined us on the day for the event to deliver the powerful message that funding is in crisis to those in government. On a positive note, we’ve recently published the findings of NAHT’s accountability commission into a fairer system of accountability. I ask that you read it and, where possible, lobby in your area for a fairer accountability system based on these principles. If we want to improve the retention rates of teachers and school leaders, we must address the high-stakes accountability system that drives so many from the profession. Finally, I want to conclude by wishing you every success this school year. Your determination, resilience and expertise are critical to the success of our schools, the high-quality respected system we have (despite what some may say), and our youngsters and the lives they go on to lead beyond the school gate. It is the best job in the world despite all the challenges, and I look forward to working with you to make it even better as we move through this year.
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