the Teacher – January 2017

.uk Jan / Feb

teachers.org

2017

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Welcome Firstly I hope this holiday season has been good to all our members and that you are rested and recovered ahead of the first term of 2017.

Features

The Teacher has been working busily to make sure that you can start the year with all the information you need about the three campaigns that will become a key part of 2017. Go to our campaign update on page 4 for more details.

4 Campaign update Here’s what the NUT has planned for 2017 as we continue to Stand Up for Education.

Professional unity will also be a vital part of this year’s discussions as the NUT moves forward with ATL to see if the two unions might unite to become the NEU (National Education Union). See my interview alongside Dr Mary Bousted, General Secretary of ATL, about this next step on page18.

In our regular Success Stories feature we break down all the great things that NUT members have achieved in 2016, which was a particularly turbulent year for education. I want to thank everyone involved in all our campaigns for their unwavering determination to fight for the best education for our children.

Wishing you all the best for the year ahead, Kevin Courtney, General Secretary of the NUT

14 More Than a Score: Madeline Holt, founder of Meet the Parents, tells us why she went about creating the More Than a Score campaign.

17 A Game of Tables Resident poet Michael Rosen tackles league tables.

18 Professional unity We talk to Kevin Courtney and ATL General Secretary Dr Mary Bousted to discuss professional unity and why they think it is so important.

22 Full plate We look at the revolution in school kitchens and find out how schools are being forced to cook with cuts.

27 Nursery schools matter Nursery schools are under threat. Why is the most successful learning model facing the most uncertain future?

President: Anne Swift General Secretary: Kevin Courtney Editor: Daniel Humphry Journalists: Emily Jenkins, Monica Roland Administration: Maryam Hulme Design: Leard.co.uk

NUT Hamilton House Mabledon Place London WC1H 9BD Newsdesk: t 020 7380 4708 e teacher@nut.org.uk

32 Bridging the gap We look at one primary school in Newham that has found an ingenious way to bridge the gap between young and old.

50 Backbeat Ofsted National Director, Sean Harford, discusses reducing teacher workload.

To advertise, contact: Century One Publishing t 01727 739193 e jonathan@centuryonepublishing.ltd.uk NUT membership enquiries: t 0845 300 1666 Follow us online: Keep up to date with all the latest education and Union news through our social media accounts and website.

Regulars

Twitter: twitter.com/NUTonline Facebook: facebook.com/nut.campaigns Web: teachers.org.uk

8 Out and about 10 Success stories 13 Letters 34 Your Union 36 Ask the Union

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38 Books 43 International 46 Staffroom

confidential 47 Noticeboard

January / February 17 | the Teacher

3

As we enter the new year, the NUT’s Stand Up for Education campaign around funding, assessment and workload has a whole range of events and activities that pupils, parents and teachers can get involved in.

Here are just a few…

SATs a

Funding Check out the upda ted NUT/ATL fundin g website schoolcuts .org.uk to find out exactly how the gove rnment plans to cut your school’s fundin g.

As we went to press the government was about to publish its final pr oposals for its Natio na l Funding Formula (N FF). It wants to give extra money to schools in some areas by takin g it away from others. W ith no increase in fu nding for inflation, virtually every school will be worse off in real terms by 20 20, whether or not it gets more money under the NFF. We’ve gained huge pu blicity for the website so far, helping us win the ar gument that schools need more money. Visit scho olcuts.org.uk and us e it to spread the word abou t the cuts on social m edia.

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

y asse r a m i r p nd

ssment

primary e spring, th s rd a w why the ve to estioning u q As we mo re a s d NUT nd hea out SATs. b a g teachers a in n te t the nt isn’t lis g has kep in y b b lo governme rs’ ing to nd teache t we’re go u b , a pressure a d n e he on the ag in 2017. T rk o w g issue high byin with tep up lob sultation n o c need to s a h c primary ut to laun future of e DfE is abo th t u o b ssion a the profe e’ll t, which w assessmen ed with. ge be engag the dama d n ta rs e sn’t und ho is ment doe rn e v o teacher w g e ry e h v T E t. ic the licies infl impact on ir e th that its po d n a ental bout SATs d child m a n a d d ie a rr o lo w work h the , teacher volved wit in ly e v curriculum ti c an A ta h More Th eds to ge it e n w h rk lt o a e w h . n and our n page 14 ig o a p re o m a m c d NUT S). Rea ners (MTA Score part TAS weekly M e th g in w o n also ed by foll k. You ca .u o .c e r Get involv o sc mpaign orethana ass the Ca p blogs at m to p our u chool gro ary or see im r p / k .u get your s .org rsation teachers the conve rt ta Pledge at s to resources a. campaign in your are ts n re a p h wit

Workload

Members should use the DfE's Working G Independe roup repo nt rts on red around m u cing work arking, pla lo ad n ning and d the recom ata use. C mendation hoose s – maybe that would even just o most bene n e– fit you and and ask yo your colle ur rep to ta agues ke them to teacher. If your head there is no re p in your s one and le chool, ele t the NUT ct know. Wit backing th h th e recomm e DfE e n d right to ex ations, yo u have the pect their implemen DfE guida tation. Furt nce, supp her orted by th published e NUT, wil in early 20 l b e 17.

Read the re ports, NUT guidance o and update n their con d NUT guid tents ance on A Strike Acti c tion Short on (ASOS) o f a t: teachers.o pensions-c rg.uk/pay onditions /workloa d Jess Hurd Photographs:

Get involved at teachers.org.uk

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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November 2016: Teachers marched together in London against Government attacks on education.

Photograph: Jess Hurd

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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Networking in Strasbourg The NUT Young Black Teachers delegation to Strasbourg was given the opportunity to gain an insight into the functions of the European Parliament, network and consider how to amplify the voice of black and minority teachers in the profession.

Delegation members were invited to the European Parliament to discuss current issues affecting education with Lucy Anderson, a Labour MEP for London. There was particular focus on the negative effect that Brexit may have on equality for both teachers and students in the UK. There were also two days of NUT workshops, where delegates discussed the achievements of black and minority teachers in the UK, learned more about NUT governance and exchanged ideas on how to provide support among colleagues.

After the trip many delegates expressed a desire to get more involved in the NUT by becoming a rep, attending further training and/or joining their local committee.

Irish eyes were smiling The NUT London Irish Network held its second annual welcome event for Irish students and teachers in Mander Hall in October. Attendees were addressed by NUT president Anne Swift and Executive Member Dominic Byrne, who spoke of the importance of peer-to-peer support in ensuring newly arrived teachers and students are treated properly in the workplace. Peter Smith, Division Secretary for Newham, spoke of the London Recruits project, which has been supported by the NUT. Phien O’Phien, co-

chair of the Gypsy Council UK, spoke of the hardships facing the Gypsy community and the importance of education. In his closing remarks Dominic stated that he was particularly delighted to welcome teachers from many nationalities, making the affair a truly international one.

Look out for more dates to add to your diary from the London Irish Network. If you would like to get involved please contact Pauline Buchanan at: p.buchanan@nut.org.uk

Commemorating the Jarrow Crusade South Tyneside NUT and Northern Region NUT were represented at the 80th anniversary of the Jarrow Crusade at Monkton Stadium, Jarrow in October. The South Tyneside NUT set up a stall to publicise the campaign against the expansion of grammar schools and to promote inclusive education. An added bonus for the officers and members attending was the chance to meet Jeremy Corbyn MP, leader of the Labour party, who was speaking at the event. Jeremy was keen to acknowledge his support for NUT policy on grammar schools.

Fighting cuts in Jersey NUT Jersey began a public campaign opposing cuts to education in the streets of the capital St Helier in November.

President and chief negotiator Rob Ward reports that teachers have faced real term pay cuts of up to 9.5% over the years.

The most shocking imposition being fought is the £8,000 cut to NQT pay from 2017. Jersey schools also face a real term cut to funding of up to £2.8 million before 2019. The NUT has been at the forefront of opposition to austerity measures and has played a leading role in setting up Jersey Trades Council to co-ordinate the work of all the unions represented on the island. Over recent years NUT membership has grown considerably in response to campaigning activities.

2016 Health and Safety Advisers’ Briefing More than 50 health and safety advisers and local officers gathered in November to discuss and workshop issues in schools, such as asbestos, mental health, stress, local training,

recruiting safety reps and pollution. Health and safety advisers can already sign up to next year's event at: bit.ly/2g5k685

Regional rep of the year Monica Yarra is a food preparation and nutrition teacher at Atherton Community School in Wigan Division. Just one year after she became a school rep she was awarded the NUT regional rep of the year award for her work fighting for teachers’ rights at her school.

The school is only five-years-old. “We began with only three senior teachers and a single year group so we did everything: lunch duties, setting up tables, everything,” says Monica. The school grew rapidly and within four years had become a fully functioning secondary school. Despite the growth in staff numbers and pupils, teachers were still doing more than their fair share of duties. “We started noticing that things weren’t right,” says Monica. “Particularly performance management targets as well as the fact that

many hadn’t received their pay increment. We were working far more hours than we should have been.”

Starting with a petition signed by all members of staff, the teachers of the school slowly managed to get their point across. In the space of a year, Monica managed to get new contracts for staff, in line with NUT guidelines and the Burgundy book, as well as establishing new ways to measure teacher performance, paid lunch duties and reducing workload. She also set up a series of professional support networks with staff from neighbouring schools.

“What I’ve learned is that if you stick together you can do anything,” says Monica. “We’re stronger as a team working together.”

Got a story? Email our newsdesk at teacher@nut.org.uk

Success stories Well, what a year it’s been. 2016 has been chock full of blanket education reforms, flip-flopping education policies, new and ill-thought-out assessment and exams, and so many changes of government leaders that you could get dizzy. Throughout it all the NUT has been campaigning hard to make sure all this chaos doesn’t hurt what matters most: the education of future generations.

So as we move forward into 2017 we thought we’d take a moment to look back at some of the challenges we faced in 2016 and the amazing things NUT members have achieved through their tireless campaigning.

The bill that never was With the focus of the policy world on the current education Green Paper on grammar schools, you could be forgiven for forgetting that in spring 2016 the government issued a White Paper.

However it's important not to overlook it. We should reflect on why the White Paper proposals were not taken forward.

The reforms were set aside by the government because the NUT had brought together a broad alliance of opposition voices. With these allies we exposed the deep flaws in the What It Proposed The White Paper laid out three major reforms: 1. All maintained schools whose council failed to meet a “minimum performance threshold” would be forced to convert to academy status – forcing many schools to become academies against their will.

2. The requirement for teachers to hold Qualified Teacher Status would be scrapped – undermining the professional status of teachers and eroding standards in teacher education.

3. Governing bodies of academy trusts would no longer be required to have at least two parent governors – a key part of ensuring schools are accountable to their communities.

White Paper and made the government step back and weigh up whether they wanted to push forward with proposals that were so controversial, such as getting rid of QTS and moving community schools, as a block, from LAs into academy chains. The Union's pressure and policy arguments made the government halt in their tracks. It was in March 2016 that the then education secretary Nicky Morgan unveiled a White Paper, 'Education Excellence Everywhere' and proposed a new education bill.

What the NUT Did Working in coalition with a broad range of partners including NAHT, UNISON, ATL, the Catholic Education Service, the National Governors Association and the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), the NUT spearheaded opposition to the bill.

NUT members lobbied MPs and were involved in rallies across the country.

What Happened?

In May 2016 the government announced that it was no longer pursuing the route of forcing all schools into academy status.

In September 2016 Justine Greening confirmed that the government was dropping proposals to remove the requirement for academies to have parent governors.

In November 2016 the government announced that it would not bring forward the Education for All bill during this parliamentary session and that the whole bill was to be dropped.

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

Baseline assessment Baseline assessment was intended to generate a ‘baseline’ against which to measure progress in Key Stage One and Two for the purposes of school and teacher accountability. Primary schools were asked to select a reception age assessment scheme from three approved providers.

What the NUT did The NUT, alongside organisations across the primary and early years sectors, set up the Better Without Baseline campaign. This campaign and wider NUT activity encouraged many schools to opt out of the baseline assessment tests by not signing up to the approved providers. In response to our members’ concerns the NUT,

along with the ATL, jointly commissioned independent research into baseline assessment. This was released in February and laid bare the problems with the tests.

What happened?

On 7 April 2016 the DfE announced that it would not be imposing the tests as a measure of progress.

KS1 SPaG test The KS1 spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) test was introduced in 2016.

What the NUT did The NUT surveyed its members and the results showed that teachers felt the test was inappropriate, a constant cause of stress and was setting children up for failure.

Teachers around the country campaigned for the scrapping of the SPaG tests.

What happened?

In April it was revealed that the SPaG paper had been available to download from the website of the Standards and Testing Agency for several months. Schools minister Nick Gibb announced that primary schools would not have to administer the test the following month. The government subsequently confirmed that the test would remain non-statutory for 2016-17.

Get the message out!

Joining a multi-academy trust (MAT) is not the answer

Thanks to the tireless campaigning, several significant government reforms have been shelved. Stopping the government is no mean feat, let alone one happy to ignore experts and evidence!

Many schools have been coming under pressure to form or join multi-academy trusts or MATs. Much of this pressure is fuelled by the idea that the government would introduce the Education for All bill, forcing all maintained schools to convert to academy status as part of MATs by 2022.

The shelving of the White Paper undermines the 'jump before you are pushed' argument that is often being used to try and make schools join MATs. The government's education policy is clearly in disarray and the examples on these pages demonstrate that when we campaign together we can win.

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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Young blood

ned that casually mentio ter when she sis me y ll m te ith to w en h nc nd. She was ke I was having lu ing. Not for the weeke go Back in 2014 n t w n’ to as w in I l te a nice ho uldn’t believe she was off to e NUT and co myself a place. ed to wangle organised by th ag en an be m I d al Early ha n, it fu that all the Region’s Region t my sister have , the Northern dience CT au RE er be w being one to le ne to t a nd turned ou 05 to attract ke 20 ee in w T) ed ly NU ve ish e lo bl th That was esta ting Active In rs event, which ting lled GAIN (Get or ca pp p su ou d Career Teache gr an a ed ng networks om there I join developing stro to the NUT. Fr cognised ts have begun an e nationally re cip th rti g t in pa y ish bl ta es d and alread an gion and wan k Re the Northern organising wor in ith d w se r ba he e ot ar k each ys. If you – rect.org.u ols Creative da are now open Keeping Scho for RECT 2017 ns tio ica pl ap d, to get involve Committee hers Advisory e Young Teac th of r be em m Amy Trowell,

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Letters No NUT rep in your workplace?

Please elect one!

Once a rep has been elected, notify your division/association secretary, whose details are on your membership credential and at: teachers.org.uk/contactus Find out what reps do at teachers.org.uk/getinvolved A change in your circumstances?

Please let us know if you: • change your home or school address • change your employment contract (to part-time, fixed-term or supply), where a range of reduced subscriptions apply • are about to retire, take maternity leave or leave the profession, where differing subscription rates apply • are appointed to a new post such as deputy or head teacher or SENCO. Ring 0207 7380 6366 visit teachers.org. uk/update email membership@nut.org.uk or write to Membership and Subscriptions, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9BD. By providing your email address and mobile number you help the Union to keep you informed of important campaigns and to contact you about professional development courses and events.

Need advice?

Members in England seeking advice and guidance should contact the NUT AdviceLine at 020 3006 6266 or email nutadviceline@nut.org.uk.

Members in Wales should phone 029 2049 1818 or email cymru.wales@nut.org.uk Or get in touch online at: teachers.org.uk/contactus

Please write The editor welcomes your letters but reserves the right to edit them.

Write to: Your letters, the Teacher, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD or email teacher@nut.org.uk Letters for the March/April issue should reach us no later than 1 February 2017.

Please note that we cannot print letters sent in without name and postal address (or NUT membership number), though we can withhold details from publication if you wish.

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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By Madeline Holt, founder of Meet the Parents Illustration by thediggers.net

Last summer a quarter of the children in my son’s Year 6 class were in tears after taking the SATs reading paper. These children had been brilliantly prepared for the tests by their teachers. What’s more, the school is outstanding in the eyes of Ofsted, so students felt no pressure to deliver for the sake of their school’s future.

This small story tells you that something has gone very wrong with primary assessment in England. SATs are too hard and children see them as too important, hence they are becoming increasingly anxious about them. And because they are the principal way of judging a school, teachers are having to push creativity aside and teach to the test. This is not education, this is spoon feeding. The tests are too narrow. Children are so much more than this, as we all know from our experience as both teachers and parents.

These are the key reasons why ten organisations have come together to create More Than a Score. It’s time that parents, mental health specialists, heads, teachers and academics joined forces to argue that SATs and other current forms of primary assessment must be suspended for 2017. Instead we need an expert and independent review – not a government-led one, as promised – into fairer ways to assess children and new ways to hold schools to account other than by test scores.

What’s significant about More Than a Score is the involvement of parents’ groups. On board are Let Our Kids Be Kids – which led a children’s strike last May – and Rescue Our Schools, a broad-ranging campaign that I helped set up after the March 2016 White Paper.

There are nearly 14 million households in England with dependent children so the government would do well to take note of our involvement. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles are all affected when a child becomes unhappy at school. That’s a lot of voters – and it’s a lot of increasingly disaffected voters.

The well-being of children is becoming a major issue and the government can only ignore it for so long. The highly confident children in tears after the reading paper are just one part of the story. There are the children who don’t want to go to school in the first place, who feel like failures the moment they step into a classroom, those with special needs who miss the fun lessons for endless booster sessions and whose talents in other areas don’t count for anything when it comes to SATs. And let’s not forget that nearly half of all 11-year-olds were told in July 2016 that they were not

secondary school-ready. They had a six week holiday to mull over that, to get more and more worried about big school and whether they would cope.

What civilised country treats children in this way? We ignore their experience at our peril. We risk alienating a generation of children from education: they are a ticking time bomb. They will not forget what is being done to them and nor should they.

More Than a Score is a positive movement for change. We are not against tests per se but it is all about the context. We expect our teachers to assess our children continuously so that they can plan for them to progress. Tests have a part to play in this – but they don’t have to be national tests.

The government also sees tests as a way of judging schools.

But it seems plain daft to argue that high scores mean high standards. All the while you can prepare children, factory style, for SATs tests, the results will be largely meaningless. Why else do secondary schools do their own tests on transition?

It is just as obvious that test scores are closely related to the socio-economic intake of the children. Schools could be judged more effectively by peer review and by an informed inspectorate that does not rely on test results to form its judgements.

National standards could be kept under review by testing only a sample of children each year without them having the chance to prepare, as is done in Scotland and New Zealand.

I, like many parents, have got to a point where I am tired of England’s top-down, reductionist and punitive approach, and its effects on education and young children’s lives. It seems a poor preparation for the challenges that lie ahead both in secondary school and in the difficult world that they must navigate as adults. Students need an education that encourages them to question and to think creatively. How else will Britain punch above its weight post-Brexit? To put it simply, SATs are useless.

They are a shoddy way to judge students and schools and they are now having an increasingly toxic effect. We all agree that standards matter, by which I mean that we want the highest-quality education for our children. But test scores don’t guarantee that. A broad imaginative curriculum delivered by happy and well-qualified teachers does.

As every parent and teacher knows, all children are different.

Therein lies their magic. Forcing them through the production line of standardised testing is not the answer. Our children are so much more than just a score. They deserve better – and now.

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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Does society shape the education it needs?

Does the education system shape society?

The people who compile international tables aren’t very interested in this kind of complexity.

They want us to accept league table positions as if these are judgements on pure education with no reference or application that comes from considerations of a culture or nation.

The tables tell us, the compilers inform us, how to run classrooms, how to run schools with no link to the societies that produce them.

Is this because they think we are fools?

Wouldn’t it be useful to pause and think and consider for a moment what kinds of society produce the winners on education tables and might not that give us a degree of anxiety?

Might it not be that league table success can be bought with authoritarianism?

Might it not be that this kind of ‘ism’ matches up nicely with totalitarianism?

But hey, let’s ignore that kind of stuff!

Education must be measured by competition: nation versus nation all over the world, based on education league table position.

We can easily dispose of debate and discussion; dispense with argument, the arts and dissent; all we need are league table performers: education should only aim for more per cent.

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

First things first, you’re both well-known leaders of respected unions so why are you coming together now? Why is 2017-20 the time for this to happen?

KC: So in the NUT we’ve thought that professional unity is the right thing for a long time, that unity is strength and that we need unity to increase the voice for education.

I think both the NUT and ATL are effective, well organised unions that have achieved a great deal but there is so much more we need to do. I think we need to combine to really change things for teachers and other staff and for the young people we teach.

MB:It's never been a tougher time to be an education professional. Teachers work more unpaid overtime than any other profession. Teachers, lecturers, support staff and school leaders are overworked, underpaid and need a stronger collective voice to be heard in government.

The National Education Union will be that voice. Rational, evidence-based, with strong member input which will determine its policies and its future. It is a really exciting idea whose time has come!

How will being one amalgamated union give us more power and help us protect schools, teachers and students better?

KC: We’ll be the fourth biggest union in the country – we’ll have nearly half a million members. A majority of teachers will be in the National Education Union (NEU) and that by itself has an affect. We will speak with authority for the majority of teachers. We will be able to pool resources to offer increased levels of support to members. At school level, if the majority of teachers say something to the head, then with the union's backing you can expect to get changes in that school. And we need changes around workload in all too many schools.

MB: The NEU will have more resources than any other education union, to conduct more research, upon which better education policy can be developed. The NEU will not only ask questions, it will provide answers – ones that will often be better than the government's ideologically driven, but educationally poor policies. And not just in schools – the NEU will have members across other education workplaces including colleges, and will advise and support everyone in the workplace from leaders to support staff.

If you’re currently a member of the NUT or ATL, how will becoming a member of the NEU benefit you personally?

MB: The NEU will be the fourth largest union in the TUC with more than 450,000 members. It will be a force to be reckoned with – something that government ministers are well aware of. The NEU will be able to do more for its members: to support them if they face difficulties at work; to provide relevant, high-quality continuing professional development, provided locally, close to their work; and better education research and policy statements which advance the cause of education for education staff, and for children, young people and adults.

KC: The new union will have fantastic levels of support for members, will offer increased CPD opportunities and will give all its members a real voice. The benefits of uniting at school level can't be overstated. There is so much we have to do to change things for teachers.

Even on just a personal or collegiate level, it would be nice for teachers within the same school to be part of the same union as well….

KC: You’re right, I hope there will be a camaraderie which comes from being in the same union, getting the same messages from your head office, knowing that there’s the support there for all of you.

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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MB: Most definitely, a stronger voice and a collegiate approach across all the roles within the workplace. We know one union for all education professionals would be the best solution to the problems we face. It is a great shame that it has not been possible to make this happen with every education union – and it has not been for want of trying!

But ATL and the NUT are making a great start.

It seems like professional unity, bringing together these two strong unions, is a fairly obvious step – why has it been so difficult to achieve and why has it taken so long?

MB: Unions have long traditions and passionate activists who are fiercely loyal. Unions are also complex organisations. It is no easy job to bring two unions together.

It has taken over two years of negotiations to bring ATL and the NUT to this point. But the effort has been worth it!

KC: Our unions are all proud institutions, they’ve got specific histories that go back many decades before many of us started teaching, and sometimes we just have to show respect to another organisation and not think that our own organisation has a monopoly of wisdom. In the NUT and ATL we’ve been prepared to do that; we want to make this wider, we want to make it so all unions will join, but you can only join with the people who will join with you.

Has the offer been extended to other teachers’ unions to at least join the discussions?

MB: Yes. And the offer remains open to all unions to join with us to transform the lives of teachers, lecturers, support staff and leaders, speaking with one voice, on fundamental educational issues – for the good of our pupils and those who educate them.

KC: Absolutely, it has. We have written to all teachers’ unions asking them to be involved in these discussions but not all of them have responded positively.

There will be a ballot coming up soon – what will be your message about this ballot and how you would like members to vote?

KC: My message would be that there is a huge opportunity for education and teachers if we choose to take it. Of course members will have sentimental loyalty to the union that they’re in. The National Education Union can be bigger and better than both the ATL and NUT. It will be a new union, it will have the best of both, it will be a voice for everybody and it’s a real opportunity to take.

MB: This is a once in a generation chance to make a powerful change and to transform your professional voice. It has never been more important for educational professionals to be heard by the politicians and other education stakeholders.

The NEU will be that voice. Vote for it.

What’s the climate about the NEU when you’re out talking to politicians and the media?

MB: My conversations with politicians and journalists show me that they are very aware of the prospect of the NEU. The journalists look forward to hearing the views of what will be the biggest, most powerful education union. The politicians regard the prospect with some trepidation – and so they should!

KC: Certainly when I’m talking to politicians of all political parties, they are showing a great deal of interest in this. I think government ministers are a little worried about it and I think they should be. We’ll be a louder and more effective voice for teachers and education working together.

The road to professional unity At the 2016 NUT annual conference, the Executive was authorised to call a special conference about professional unity, which took place back in November 2016, to discuss forming the National Education Union and its rules. The conference agreed to the formation of the new union and the next stage is a ballot of the membership of the Union as the final decision is in your hands.

More detailed information about the benefits of forming a new union for all NUT and ATL members will be provided for members over the next two months including how a union of approaching half a million members can better influence government policy and, as the largest union in the workplace, make a positive difference to your working lives.

You can also get more information and have the opportunity to discuss the proposals by attending your local NUT division or association meetings and by asking your NUT rep. The ballot will start on 27 February 2017 and every member, except for student members, will receive a ballot paper at their home address. Student members have a different status in NUT, as they do in ATL, as they are not required to pay a subscription fee and are therefore not eligible to vote in union elections.

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

The ballot will end on 21 March 2017. Please watch out for the ballot paper and make sure that you vote. You will be asked if you agree to the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers amalgamating to form a new union. The NUT urges you to vote yes in the ballot.

Provided the members of both unions agree to form a new union in the ballot, it will come into being on 1 September 2017. For 16 months, until 1 January 2019, you will be a member of the NUT Section of the National Education Union and your present elected representatives at local and national levels will continue to work on your behalf and represent you as they do now. This transition period will give time for the integration of the two unions' ways of working, policies and structures. From January 2019 you will be a member of the National Education Union.

Independent scrutineers The Union has appointed the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) as independent scrutineers for the membership ballot and information about them can be found on teachers.org.uk. ERS will send out the voting papers and you will be asked to return your completed voting papers to them. Each union will hold a separate ballot but neither the NUT or ATL will play any part in the ballot itself.

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

School dinners: a staple of childhood that either conjures a nostalgic vision of comfort foods, such as bangers and mash and cottage pie, or elicit shudders at the horrors of semolina pudding and gelatinous gravy.

Whatever memories you have of this integral part of school life, it is undeniable that lunch time serves as a focal point of the day and provides the essential sustenance needed for the optimum performance of young minds and bodies. But with schools facing everpressing budget constraints and the rising cost of fresh fruit and vegetables, the task of providing delicious and nutritious meals is a mounting challenge.

Ever since Jamie Oliver bounced onto the scene and started a school food revolution in 2005, cafeteria meals have never been the same. Turkey Twizzlers were out; local seasonal produce was in. Schools around the country were encouraged to revitalise their menus and introduce more wholesome options without compromising on taste. In theory this overhaul of food standards was a welcome change but the reality of providing healthy, tasty meals on a tight budget was another story.

Schools already have to make difficult decisions about where to make cuts due to shrinking funding, with the arts, sports and extracurricular activities usually the first to go. Splashing out on expensive organic vegetables when mass-produced

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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processed food only costs a fraction of the price seems unthinkable. So how can schools balance their budgets while also providing balanced meals?

“Schools all over the country are showing how you can use national school food standards for healthier menus even on a tight budget,” states Linda Cregan, CEO of Children’s Food Trust. “Ultimately if schools are offering a good lunchtime experience – food that tastes great in a dining room that gives children a pleasant space and enough time to enjoy their meal – more children opt for school meals and catering teams can build economies of scale,” she continues.

More school meals The first step in securing the sustainability of canteens is tackling the low take-up of school meals. Parents may think that a packed lunch is the healthiest option but it is easier to get the necessary nutrients into a hot cooked meal. If the food on offer in the cafeteria is not appetising students are more likely to be tempted to purchase their food off-site, which usually ends up being junk food high in fat and sugar.

Increasing the intake of school meals would not only ensure children are getting essential vitamins and protein but it would also benefit schools – a half empty dining hall is losing money, not making it.

“The key to a low cost in providing a school meals service is not to reduce the food cost but to increase sales and this spreads staff and other overheads further,” explains Ian Crook from Bath and North East Somerset Council in a submission for the government's consultation on school food standards.

Green fingers Some schools are opting to create their own gardens, with students having a hands-on role in tending them. Not only are schools producing their own organic fruit and vegetables and cutting the cost of food supplies, students are also learning about the environment and exploring where their food comes from. There are various organisations, such as Food for Life, that support schools in the creation of garden spaces and help them engage with the local community.

“Nothing breaks down a child’s fear of fruit and vegetables like growing their own and seeing ‘their spinach’ make the journey to their plate,” says Joanna Lewis, policy director at Food for Life. “Lack of space is no barrier; window boxes and grow bags can be enough.”

A deputy head teacher in London shares her experiences of gardening in her school: “School gardens benefit children in many different ways,” she says.“ All the children at our school love to garden and are very proud of anything they grow.”

“It really helps promote a healthy lifestyle through being active outdoors and producing great, healthy homegrown food,” she continues. “It also links very well with the science and technology curriculum in school.”

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

Great British bake off Cookery lessons are another way to educate children on food production and impart lifelong skills. If kids enjoy cooking and know how to feed themselves well, they are more likely to adopt healthy eating habits and avoid obesity in childhood through to adulthood.

“Cooking is a life skill – just as important as learning to read, write, work with numbers and to navigate the digital world.

Teach a child to cook while they’re young and they’ll love it for life,” says Linda.

Other tips for cutting costs include planning menus well in advance that include seasonal produce; switching from branded to unbranded products; ordering food online; being mindful of hidden food delivery charges; and co-operating with other schools to buy in bulk as bigger orders are generally cheaper.

Changing food culture Schools should take a ‘whole-setting approach’ to food, with cookery classes, gardening projects, nutrition education, breakfast clubs and trained chefs all part of the strategic plan to educate and engage children in healthy eating. The dining hall should be a welcoming place where children can access wholesome food that nourishes both body and mind. Even on a tight budget schools can make small changes to ensure their students are eating flavourful, healthy meals and forming a positive relationship with food.

“We believe that every child should be taught about the importance of food, the significance it has in our lives and the impact it has on us and the environment,” states Sara Jayne Stanes OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. “For a truly beneficial experience we don’t think you can beat young people growing and preparing their own food and then sitting down to eat it together. A well-nourished child is a healthy, happy child and one able to take the best advantage of the learning that he or she is taught.”

You can find out more about various campaigns for healthy school meals plus tips for improving the food culture at your school by visiting these websites: Children’s Food Trust: childrensfoodtrust.org.uk Food for Life: foodforlife.org.uk Children’s Food Campaign: sustainweb.org/childrensfoodcampaign

" We believe that every child should be taught about the importance of food, the significance it has in our lives and the impact it has on us and the environment."

Sara Jayne Stanes OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts January / February 17 | the Teacher

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Nursery schools are under pressure – threatened with closures and damaged by funding cuts, early years education hangs in the balance. Why is the most successful learning model facing the most uncertain future?

Most of us will have fond memories of attending nursery – it was a time for playing, exploring, learning and socialising with other children. But this experience may soon become a thing of the past as nursery schools up and down the country are faced with imminent closures due to budget cuts and national policies that jeopardise them.

A third of maintained nursery schools in England have closed since 1980 and in 2015 little more than 400 remained. The statutory duty to employ qualified teachers in nursery schools makes them more expensive to run than settings without qualified teachers and therefore they are the hardest hit by slashed budgets and changes to early years funding. But it is the trained and experienced staff that are the determining factor for why these settings provide the highest quality early years education. Recent government announcements have reduced the scale of

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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planned funding cuts, but nursery schools across the country remain under threat.

“The nursery schools that are left in the country are a most precious jewel in an educational crown that is toppling down,” states Paula Champion, a nursery teacher in Cambridge. “In every one of them you will find highly qualified and trained staff teams struggling to maintain the highest quality educational provision for young learners that is firmly rooted in understanding their individual needs.”

The government provides funding for 30 hours of childcare for some three and four-year-olds but the money provided is not always enough to cover the costs of this offer. The government’s tactic of funding pre-school childcare for individual children contradicts the international evidence that shows that the most effective approach to funding is to invest directly in services.

“To tackle the nation’s education gap we need a new national focus on early learning to give children the best start – not just increasing free childcare hours but boosting nursery quality to help support children and parents with early learning,” explains Cathy Earley, a head teacher in a nursery school in Merseyside For parents with children with SEND, the struggle to find accessible early years education is acerbated by the closures.

Nursery schools have important statutory duties on SEND and provide a unique cadre of specialist early years teachers, extensive work with parents and early intervention for children with SEND.

the opportunity to succeed and nursery schools provide an invaluable tool in bridging that gap.

“Many of our nursery schools work with children in neighbourhoods of high need,” explains Rikke Waldau, a nursery school head teacher in Cambridge.

“Our staff have become especially attuned to the needs of children who are less resilient and live in more challenging environments,” she continues. “These children have got more hurdles to jump than most others. Depriving this group and early years education would be like removing the neonatal nurse from nursing – it would be abandoning the most needy children and depriving them of the highest specialist educational support and care at a time when they most it.“ While the future of nursery schools may appear bleak, educators are not willing to go down without a fight. The NUT is supporting campaigns such as the National Campaign for Nursery Education, that is fighting to protect nursery schools and reverse the tide of closures.

On a local level, teachers, parents, support staff, councillors and MPs are joining together to protest funding cuts and demand security for this vital phase of early education.

In Cambridge the Save Nursery Schools campaign held a day of action across six county nursery schools threatened with closure and is promoting a petition that has 20,000 signatures and counting.

“Nursery schools are specialist schools, which enable children to engage both in adult-directed learning, as well as in a balance of child-initiated play through a challenging and engaging learning environment and highly trained staff that enable young children to foster and extend their learning,” says Ben Hasan, a head teacher in a nursery school in London.

The next All-Party Parliamentary Group on nursery schools and classes will focus on co-ordinated national action in early years education and teachers everywhere are urged to get involved and lobby their MPs to support the survival of nursery schools. The cause is too important to remain silent and members in all phases of education must stand up for child-centred early years education and nursery schools.

As with the majority of funding cuts, it is the most disadvantaged who suffer the most. 64% of nursery schools are in the most deprived areas in England, which means children living in poverty will be disproportionately impacted by the disappearance of nursery schools. Closing the inequality gap is dependent on every child being afforded

“For the teaching profession it is unthinkable that we would allow a whole sector to be wiped out.

The collective expertise of our early-years teachers is exceptional and well respected internationally. The government cannot be allowed to decimate this sector,” concludes Paula Champion.

Show your concern and please sign the petition calling for the government to recognise the school status of state nursery schools and fund them accordingly: petition.parliament. uk/petitions/171052 For more information on the campaign to protect nursery schools from further closures go to: savenurseryschools.org 28

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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19/10/2016 10:10

Br id gi ng

generation

p ga

I

the

t can often feel in our society that there is a huge gap between the young and old. For many it seems like there are far more differences than similarities and as such neither group feels accepted by the other. In our rapidly changing world, the older generation can feel alienated and disenfranchised, whilst the young feel demonised and misunderstood.

But a school in Newham has found an exciting way to bridge this divide. Established by Kensington Primary School, the aim of the project is to address social isolation and build intergenerational links in the neighbourhood. Teaming up with their community neighbourhood team, they have introduced monthly lunchtime sessions for a small group of local older residents to meet their young neighbours in primary school.

“We invited older people to lunch and asked them questions about their lives, what they did in school and what they do in their spare time," says Reyah, a Year 6 pupil at the school. “We realised that their lives aren’t that much different to ours in some ways. We have lots in common, such as dancing. They’re going to share some of their dancing with us at a future meeting and we’re going to show them the dances from our culture.”

“I wanted to find ways of bridging that generation gap, as most sides view the other as a sort of alien species,” says head teacher Ben Levinson. “But actually when you get them talking you find that there are loads of things in common.”

Kensington Cares is an intergenerational project that encourages older people to not only come into a school to share their life experiences but offers them a chance to have a school lunch with Year-5 and 6 students who are eager to befriend them.

Kamla Chadda, a resident who is 76 years-old, said, “I love going back to the school. I’ve been living here for 40 years and my children went to Kensington Primary School too. The young children who manage Kensington Cares are so polite and are

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

“ I wanted to find ways of bridging that generation gap as most sides view the other as a sort of alien species." such good company for us, while we give them encouragement to do better in their schoolwork.”

Another elderly resident told us: “I feel like I have new friends nearby. I live on my own so this has helped me to meet new people.”

The school itself has been on quite a journey in the last few years. Two years ago, when the current head of the school Ben Levinson took over, Kensington Primary School was in the bottom 20% for progress and had been labelled by Ofsted as “requires improvement.” Two years on it has recently been declared “outstanding” and Ben believes it is due in part to projects such as this.

“We’re very proud of the fact that we’re in the top 5% of schools in the country for the progress children make here,” says Ben. “But it’s about an awful lot more than that. It’s about the child and their development and what they’re going to leave this school with. It’s about leadership, empathy and that caring side.”

Kensington Primary School itself is situated in a diverse area and is a 100% minority ethnic school. The vast majority of the pupils have English as a second language and the school takes in many children from abroad who have little or no English when they start. However, the staff at the school has worked tirelessly and are now extremely proud that all children coming to the school from abroad are at the expected level of English speaking, reading and writing within a year of them joining.

Allowing children the chance to meet and talk with different generations is a big part of the school's turnaround. NUT representative at the school Serin Patel is extremely proud of the children and what a difference Kensington Cares has made. “It’s a wonderful project and I can really see the change in the children. They are more considerate and caring and really look out for other people.”

This is clearly evident in what the children say about the project: “This is important because we help the elderly people who live by themselves. We give them company, interact with them, talk to them. We make them laugh and make them feel they are part of a community, not by themselves," says Year 6 pupil Aisha. "The school is such a colourful lively place that it reminds them of their childhood. Everyone has bright faces, which makes them feel good. For some, their health isn’t good so they don’t always get to leave their houses and the school is close for them to visit so they don’t have to travel far.”

“This is an opportunity for us to get to know our neighbours, while helping in a small way to address social isolation in older local people,” says Ben. "It has broken down barriers and the children and older people now stop for a chat in the street when they meet.”

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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n o i n U r u o Y A curriculum for all?

A new King’s College London report, commissioned by the NUT, uncovers serious problems with the EBacc.

Drawing on the insights and experiences of more than 1,800 teachers – plus in-depth case studies using a range of schools – the groundbreaking 'A curriculum for all?' report clearly shows that teachers have serious concerns that the EBacc is dramatically narrowing the curriculum. Here are the key stats...

4

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84% of teachers worry that the reforms entrench an exam culture that undermines students’ mental health and wellbeing.

74% identify that the EBacc has narrowed the Key Stage 4 curriculum offer in their schools.

77% believe the new GCSE curriculum will be less suitable for low attaining students and is criticised by respondents for being uninspiring and anachronistic.

93% identify that Key Stage 2 SATs results do not provide a reliable basis for tracking students across the whole range of secondary subjects.

A huge majority, 92% of teachers, report that their workload has increased as a result of data collection for Progress 8.

72% of respondents feel that meeting the demands of Progress 8 takes time away from teaching young people.

January / February 17 | the Teacher

Events calendar

NUT

2017

2017 is already set to be a busy year. Here are some key Union dates for your diary: LGBT+ History Month February Professional Unity Ballot 27 February - 21 March Annual Conference 2017 14 – 18 April 2017 Venue: St David’s Hall, Cardiff LGBT+ Conference 29 April 2017 Venue: Nottingham, TBC Young Teachers Conference 9 –11 June 2017 Venue: Stoke Rochford Hall Supply Teachers Conference 24 June Venue: TBC National Education Conference 30 June – 2 July 2017 Venue: TBC Fee: TBC

Struggling in the shadows: Lessons from Srebrenica Conference 15 July 2017 10am – 5pm Venue: Hamilton House, London Black History Month October World Teachers’ Day 5 October 2017 Venue: TBC Disabled Teachers Conference 14 October 2017 Venue: Hamilton House, London Black Teachers Conference November 2017 Venue: TBC UK Disability History Month 22 November – 22 December For more information about NUT events or to book a ticket, please visit: teachers.org.uk/news-events

Fog of Srebrenica Film Screening 11 July 2017 6pm – 9pm Venue: Hamilton House, London January / February 17 | the Teacher

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e h t Ask n o i n U Q

As a sixth form college teacher, how can I find out how the new pay structure affects me?

ensure that it is implemented fairly and pay progression rates maintained.

The new structure came into effect from 1 September 2016 and, with the NUT and the Sixth Form Colleges Association jointly recommending its immediate implementation, all but a handful of colleges have done so from September. The agreement restores pay parity with schools – allowing sixth form college teachers to earn significantly more when the structure is fully implemented – in return for pay progression linked to acceptable appraisal outcomes.

A

All NUT college reps have detailed NUT guidance, including on how teachers at every point of the existing structure should assimilate, which you can read at: teachers.org.uk/6fcs.

The NUT will support members if colleges try to reduce rates of pay progression or implement any unfair pay policy.

The NUT has also reissued its 'Action Short of Strike Action' (ASOS) guidance for colleges which sets out how you can use NUT support in securing improvements on workload issues as well.

Negotiations on the structure were long and difficult, given the sector’s funding problems, and the challenge now is to

Contact the NUT AdviceLine on 020 3006 6266 or email nutadviceline@nut.org.uk.

Members in Wales should contact NUT Cymru on 029 2049 1818 or email cymru.wales@nut.org.uk

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January / February 17 | the Teacher

My head says that our school has to become part of a multi academy trust (MAT) because that’s the direction the government is moving in. Is this true?

Q

On top of this, it’s important to remember that there is no convincing evidence to show that MATs drive school improvement. In fact, there is considerable evidence to the contrary.

A

There are other good reasons for schools to remain cautious about joining a MAT. There is no extra money for schools that join a MAT and, with all schools facing funding shortfalls, the economies of scale available by being part of the local authority family of schools provides greater financial security and better protection of enhanced terms and conditions of employment.

No. In November 2016, the government announced that it was dropping plans to bring forward its Education for All bill. This bill would have included measures to force all schools in ‘failing’ or ‘unviable’ local authorities to become academies as part of MATs. With the shelving of the bill, the government has signalled that it is not going to use legislation to force schools into joining or forming MATs.

Q

As a School Direct teacher, does my school have to employ me once I qualify?

The Government expects schools or partnerships of schools to have a clear capacity to employ trainees when they successfully complete their training programme. However, this ‘expectation’ of employment as a qualified teacher does not equate to a legal entitlement and a school or partnership of schools may decide not to take you on permanently after you have qualified.

A

Send your questions to: Ask the Union, The Teacher, NUT, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD or email teacher@nut.org.uk

January / February 17 | the Teacher

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School books Teacher and NUT member Patricia Guy recently released Keeping Minds Happy and Healthy, a new title focusing on mental health in schools. the Teacher caught up with Patricia to see how her years in the profession shaped the book.

Keeping Minds seems a particularly timely book. Could you explain the concept to our readers?

Keeping Minds Happy and Healthy considers how children’s wellbeing is best supported in mainstream schools as it is known that confident, resilient pupils perform better academically, develop good social skills and are more likely to take responsible roles within society as adults. The book discusses the value of this often-overlooked aspect of education and provides a variety of strategies both for teachers to use to support pupils and for pupils to use to help themselves.

Where did the inspiration come from?

Much of my teaching experience has involved pastoral input and I realise how important this is for so many children. I am aware that the pressure that children and young people feel in modern society has increased the number of pupils requiring such support. It has become obvious that many of the changes and so called 'improvements' to the education system are not always made with pupils’ best interests in mind.

Why do you think this focus on keeping minds happy and healthy has become such an issue now?

Today’s children and young people face pressures that previous generations did not experience. Such pressures include changes within the structure of the family, with young families moving away from extended family support networks; an increase in the number of working parents and in addition the media, social networking sites and advertising have all had an impact on young people's self-image and self-esteem.

Changes in the education system with a narrowing of the curriculum, an increased focus on testing and exams and a desire to be forever measuring the easily measurable

38

January / February 17 | the Teacher

have meant that the needs of those individuals who perform outside an average range are not always being met.

How long have you been a teacher and how much of that experience did you bring to the book?

I have taught for more than 30 years in a variety of roles, in different types of schools and across all phases, from early years to sixth form. I have become increasingly concerned by the interference of those with limited experience of teaching or understanding of child development, who try to dictate what is to take place in the classroom.

Teachers' time and workload are very squeezed these days. Is it difficult for teachers to have time to focus on the concepts raised in your book?

I work in the classroom myself so I am aware of the pressure that teachers are under. The strategies suggested in this book are accessible and easily adapted to all situations, requiring little more than tweaking to provide a change of focus or extra emphasis in a lesson.

If you could give one tip for a teacher looking to keep minds happy and healthy in their school what would it be?

Prevention is better than a cure and support for pupils is best offered before the child becomes unhappy.

We must ensure that all children are taught in a caring environment in which their individual needs are recognised and provided for. When children feel confident, valued and understand they have control over their own lives, they will be more emotionally stable, engaged and successful in school and more likely to carry these attitudes into adult life.

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Pie Corbett MASTERING THE RHYTHMS OF WRITING This conference will be led by Pie Corbett, supported by Ollie Tunmer.

The day will begin by exploring how to draw upon reading great literature and use it to develop writing through shared writing. The conference will also work on the links between art and writing, poetry performance and storytelling.

For part of the day, Pie will work with Ollie from 'Beat Goes On'.

Ollie (you may have seen him perform on stage in STOMP) will be exploring how to use body percussion to emphasise the grammatical rhythms and meaning of poetry and story. Pie and Ollie have worked together before and this day will prove to be both an exciting and innovative approach to using the arts as part of teaching writing.

Be quick to Limited avoid places disappointment Date 1st February 2017 available

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This exciting inservice conference aims to move schools towards excellence through developing teaching practice in literacy with the view to raise standards and attainment in literacy across the curriculum. ✩ By inspiring good teachers ✩ By developing comprehension ✩ By creating effective and versatile writers ✩ By extending vocabulary and use of imagery ✩ Supporting the improvement of classroom ✩ teaching and out of school learning

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Inclusive Education Worldwide Disabled children around the world are being denied a basic human right that we take for granted in the UK: the right to an education.

Disability is one of the biggest barriers facing children eager to learn in the global south. Here we find out more about the impact of this issue.

In many places, going to school is a privilege not a right.

Access to education is dependent on financial resources, proximity to learning facilities and even gender. While these challenges alone are daunting for children in the global south, the struggle is intensified for those with a disability.

It is estimated that half of the world’s 65 million school age children with disabilities are not receiving a formal education. In most low-income countries, children with disabilities are more likely to be out of school than any other group of children. They are also often more likely to drop out and leave school early. In Malawi and Tanzania, for example, a child with a disability is twice as likely to have never attended school as a child without a disability.

Negative attitudes prevail as children with disabilities face discrimination and abuse from their community, school and even their family. They are viewed as ‘different’ or unable to contribute to society, with low expectations of their educational and societal output. As outlined by the Global Partnership for Education, “among marginalised groups, children with disabilities remain the most excluded, discriminated against not only because of their disability but also because of lack of understanding and knowledge about its causes, implications and stigma”.

Photo: iStockphoto

The cost of exclusion is high, not only for children with disabilities but for the wider community. Countries are losing out on potential income when those with disabilities are not working or educated.

Communities also miss out on the benefits that increased awareness and respect for differences bring to social cohesion.

“For children who are not disabled, contact with children with a disability in an inclusive setting can increase familiarity and reduce prejudice,” reinforced a report by the World Health Organisation.

The British government has ratified a number of international accords that protect education as a right for all children, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action on Special Needs Education. As a signatory, the UK is obligated to uphold the values enshrined in these documents, which are tools to be used at local and national level. This means not only financially contributing to projects across the globe that promote inclusive education, but also ensuring that classrooms in the UK are abiding by the principles set out in the agreements.

“We have to be there, every inch of the way, encouraging education authorities, school boards, policy makers, governments, parents and disabled people to make them work,” states Dr Rachel Hurst, director of Disability Awareness in Action. “Disabled children, young people and adults must no longer be denied their right to be full and equal citizens in their own countries. We must be silent no longer.”

Building education systems that support learning for children with disabilities, no matter where they are in the world, requires a shift in attitude, along with a greater allocation of resources and specialised training for teachers.

While it is a formidable task, it is not impossible through collective effort.

“The UK should play its role in change, not only in our classrooms at home but further afield as well,” says Samidha Garg, NUT international relations officer.

“We have the opportunity and the duty to provide solidarity to countries that are striving to promote equitable treatment of children with disabilities and working towards realising the right to high quality inclusive education.”

January / February 17 | the Teacher

43

The importance of teacher wellbeing

By Peter Hrekow, Education consultant In recent years the pressure on schools and teachers from government has arguably been greater than ever. Over the same period support for schools has dwindled. Local authority services have been dramatically reduced as a consequence of government cuts and an unprecedented growth of academies. Huge numbers of teachers are leaving the profession. DfE figures show that in the 12 months to November 2015, more than 50,000 qualified teachers in England left the state sector.

It is hardly surprising that teachers are becoming demoralised and disenchanted with the profession they entered to make a difference. This ideal is constantly under threat from impossible workloads, often collecting meaningless information, and a lack of support from senior leaders.

Common sense would indicate that when teachers are not stressed and feel positive, their pupils will make good progress. Research into the link between teacher wellbeing and pupils’ achievement is sparse. However, where it does exist, it supports this common-sense view and suggests that there is a very real connection between the two.

Physiologically, stress also induces changes in the body, some of which can result in long-term psychological damage if left unchecked. Initially, stressed teachers can become easily agitated and less tolerant. Stress can reduce teachers’ creativity, self-esteem and ability to think clearly. Indeed, one has to question teacher stress and low levels of wellbeing when considering that suicide among teachers is 40% above the national average.

Children in England have a low sense of wellbeing compared with other countries (UNICEF) and we are facing an unprecedented rise in mental health conditions, especially in the areas of anxiety, depression and self-harm. In order to support the children effectively teachers need good mental health themselves.

Clearly, teachers' stress can be reduced and their wellbeing increased through a number of relatively simple measures: reducing workload to more manageable proportions; giving teachers greater control over how and what they teach; managing change more effectively; and providing appropriate support.

So, is it all gloom? Is the only way forward a major shift in government policy? Well, surprisingly, there still is a tremendous amount of resilience in the teaching profession.

Initiatives such as the NUT’s CPD programme can have a positive impact on teachers’ sense of wellbeing. I have delivered training in the areas of behaviour and social, emotional and mental health needs as part of the NUT’s programme for the past 15 years and during that time I have worked with a great many demoralised and disillusioned teachers. The training for them has been liberating and frequently led to comments such as “I feel calmer”, “I seem to have more time” and “I feel a lot happier now.”

A new venture for 2017 is a course on improving wellbeing in your school, as an innovative collaboration between the NUT and SEBDA (the Social and Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Association). This course is aimed at senior staff in schools and there is already a waiting list.

For more information visit: teachers.org.uk/courses

January / February 16 | the Teacher

45

A cautionary (fairy) tale Once upon a time in a sleepy market town in deepest rural England all the children went happily to three all-ability secondary schools. But there was one thing the sleepy market town lacked – social mobility. So one day three parents went to see the town’s MP. “We want a grammar school” said the parents. “Good“ said the MP and went to see the Minister. “Excellent “ said the Minister, “just what we need for social mobility.”

“But what about our schools?” said the teachers. The minister replied sternly, “It’s not about you, it’s about the children.” And so it came to pass that by the next year a shiny new grammar school had been built. But teachers in the other schools lost heart. Their best colleagues and ablest pupils had gone to the grammar school. And soon the schools in the town were inspected. The grammar school was proudly proclaimed outstanding, but the other schools were said to be failing and were placed in special measures. “If only the money spent on the grammar school could have been spent on improving our schools” said the teachers. But the Minister replied, ”Ah, but now we have social mobility – and parental choice.”

Name withheld

getting Tips for ve kids acti

Yoga is a great form of relaxation and also has health benefits.

You can incorporate yoga in the classroom by having stretch breaks where you instruct the class in basic yoga poses or have the kids invent their own. For younger children, poses with animal names such as turtle, frog and crocodile can be a fun way to teach them about the natural world as well!

Weather permitting (and with permission from your head) hold your classroom session outside where kids can get fresh air and do different interactive activities that get them up and running around.

If you want to encourage kids to get active and engaged in the community, keep an eye out for local charity events such as sponsored walks/runs where you can set up a school team with your class.

Next issue we’re looking for tips on how to get through Ofsted inspections...!

During long dark winter months children can lack energy and find it hard to concentrate. If your students look like they are flagging have everyone get up and do five jumping jacks to get their heart pumping and blood circulating.

It's a great way to get them moving AND it helps them to focus.

46

January / February 17 | the Teacher

Send your advice by 1 February to teacher@nut.org.uk

Coffee stains: iStockphoto

The NUT’s comprehensive guide to maternity rights, Maternity Matters, is now available online. It includes detailed sections on paternity leave, shared parental leave and adoption leave. To access the guide please go to: teachers.org.uk/help-and-advice/self-help/m/ maternitymatters

This annual event is taking place on 7 February 2017 with the theme Be the Change: unite for a better internet. The day promotes the safe and positive use of technology for children and young people. To register your school as a supporter of the event and to access education packs, please go to: saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internetday/2017

are being urged to create Young people across the country part of the national their own anti-racism message as sm the Red Card. competition organised by Show Raci enter competition Open to young people, the free-toanti-racism-themed encourages participants to produce poetry, short stories, artwork in any medium, including music pieces. newspaper-style articles, film and

The official coun tdown to UK Robo tics Week 2017 is underway, with a brand new School Robot Challenge now open for en tries. This year’s ch all enge is to design a robot bu g and digital gard en . Schools can now download th e information pa ck s via the website: roboticsweek.uk . To register your sc ho ol to take part in this compe tition, please com plete the online registration form by 28 February 20 17.

ed to a special awards All competition winners will be invit with prizes presented ceremony at a Premier League stadium, footballers. For more by current and former professional se go to: theredcard.org information about the competition plea

in tition ompe c w h e t an nd e eter a nched P u e have la lu s B g ha ren to lief, d in e il n R r h y c a ic e om age omed BBC L with C t to encour Day C n e s io t o s N ia d ru on assoc racy T The Re ion calls up y, al Lite it room. t s s e e funn p la e c r Nation the er com to write th t in e P le e g g e a gig each a ith Blu n the UK oom w -12 across ners in rmed live o in w e Classr 6 o h f T r d e . e s h p g e c s r na jok in Ma g joke childre nd creative -ticklin programme ib a 17. r l 0 ir a 2 e in y orig ruar Peter see th b l e e il F lu w B 8 2 ry d ay ses on catego Red Nose D ces an ion clo oom resour l it t ia e c p e ssr a sp e com room ee cla ear. Th and fr yclass s d il e next y a t m e /co rther d .co.uk For fu it bbc is v , s ie activit

Labour MP Rachel Reeves has released a new book on the life and achievements of Alice Bacon, a Leeds MP and former NUT member who helped transform children’s education by rolling out comprehensive schools during her time as schools minister.

Rachel’s book 'Alice in Westminster: The Political Life of Alice Bacon' is out now.

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January/February | The Teacher

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January/February | The Teacher

49

Myth busting – one of the keys to reducing workload

By Sean Harford, National Director, Ofsted At Ofsted we are acutely aware of the workload pressures faced by many classroom teachers and are taking active steps to play our part in alleviating some of these. We are doing so principally through a concerted campaign to debunk the myths that have grown over the years about what we expect when we go into schools.

It is not surprising that such misconceptions and misunderstandings arise. It is understandable that some in the profession will seek to identify and then propagate particular formulae for achieving a favourable judgement.

It’s probably fair to say that in the past we have not moved swiftly enough to prevent these myths from taking root among teachers, senior leaders and governors. However, it is not something we are prepared to tolerate nowadays.

So my message to NUT members is clear. When it comes to inspection, if you are still struggling to separate the facts from the fiction, check out our mythbuster document at bit.ly/OfstedMyths or our video at bit.ly/23gMmsX. I would also encourage those of you involved in the NUT’s workload campaign to circulate our materials among your colleagues. We need people like you to help get the message out because, despite the steps we have taken to curtail unnecessary practices, the message is taking time to be absorbed.

Marking in particular is one of the harder myths to bust.

I have now instructed inspectors to avoid giving any impression in their written reports that marking should be

January / February 17 | the Teacher

‘Verbal-feedback-given’ stamps, green pens, purple pens, triple marking – we don’t have a view on any of these. It is a point that cannot be overly repeated.

We are simply interested in the quality of leadership and teaching at the school – on the impact that this has on the progress children are making and their safety and wellbeing.

Whether it is about marking, feedback, lesson planning and structure or assessment, our mythbuster is there to reduce the unintended burden of inspection. It’s also there to help you challenge inspectors if you feel that they are not carrying out their work in line with the school inspection handbook.

I have no problem with NUT members sharing our document with their school leadership team if you believe Ofsted’s name is being erroneously cited as the reason a particular approach is being adopted. We have been very clear that it is up to schools themselves to determine their own practices and for senior leaders to justify them on their own merits.

I genuinely hope and believe that once this message has become firmly embedded across all schools, inspection will become a far less work-generating experience than it has often felt in the past.

Illustration by thediggers.net

50

undertaken in a particular format and to a particular degree of sophistication or detail. Ofsted may want to report on whether teachers’ marking is following the school’s own policy but that is all.

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Register to receive your FREE* pen licences for your class at: blog.stabilo.co.uk/pen-licence Also includes useful handwriting hints, tips and modules.

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Each STABILO Pen Licence has a Certificate, Pen Licence with a space for a photo and a 10% discount at WHSmiths off their first EASYoriginal pen.

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*T&C’s Apply (see wesbite for details)

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