NEWS FOCUS
www.sec-ed.com
SecEd: On Your Side
Don’t lump SecEd
with the boo boys
The naTional press of this
country came in for a bashing
Pete
at the recent national Union of
Henshaw,
Teachers conference over the
Editor,
easter weekend.
SecEd
The union’s new president,
Martin Reed, in his address to the conference questioned
the obsession of the national press in “talking down” state
schools and providing “unbalanced” reporting.
he didn’t just attacked the press in this regard – his list
of critics included ofsted and ministers, but his vitriol was
turned pointedly towards the education journalists of this
country, many of whom were present at the event.
he said: “Results have never been higher. Teachers
Voting for change: Delegates vote at the
Hakansson
meet never-ending demands with year-on-year successes.
NASUWT’s annual conference, one of three
Mark
Yet from all sides, teachers are attacked and their work union conferences which took place over Easter
denigrated.”
Photos:
i agree. The attitude of the mainstream press and the
public towards teachers and heads in this country frequently
shocks me, and is frequently formulated from a position of
ignorance.
Unions in the spotlight
however, i want to put in a plea for SecEd: don’t lump
us in with the boo boys. Yes, we are a member of the
national press for education. Yes, we report on the myriad
“The only way to ensure this is
stories that come to light every week. however, unlike our
The biggest issues affecting British education were to develop a national framework
peers, we are here for teachers and we report constructively.
We have the expertise of practising teachers and heads
debated by hundreds of teachers over Easter as three of the
of entitlement that includes special
school provision.”
through our expert editorial panel firmly behind us, and this country’s education unions held their annual conferences.
Celia Foote, a teacher from
leeds who proposed a motion
guides everything we do.
Chris Parr takes us through the highlights
calling for all local authorities
We are the voice of the teacher and while we are not to offer appropriate provision in
naïve in what we report, we do approach our news stories
mainstream and special schools,
from a teacher’s point of view – analysing criticism, asking
ATL
“Challenging behaviour is cited in Wales since the ending of the said there was confusion over the
if it is fair, asking the real experts – teachers – whether
Worrying levels of student violence by one in five of those new teachers tests to assist transition had seen term inclusion.
towards teachers took centre stage leaving the profession in the first closer working between teachers at She said: “Some local authorities
things really do need to change.
at the association of Teachers and five years. We need to investigate key stage 2 and 3. took inclusion to mean they should
Sadly, i fear we will always have to put up with the lecturers’ annual conference in the level of training being given on he added: “at secondary we set about closing all of their special
doom-mongers and self-proclaimed soothsayers who
liverpool. this issue during iTT,” she said. now have more teaching time schools, and many authorities have
wrongly criticise and harangue the profession. however,
a survey of more than 1,000 Trainee teacher Carly Prout said because there was a certain amount closed a significant number of them,
teachers, released at the conference, she was completely unprepared for of time spent re-assessing pupils moving more and more pupils into
within these pages you will always find honest reporting,
revealed that almost a quarter of facing children who flatly refused and transition linking should mean mainstream schools.”
which asks you for your opinion and allows you to lead the
school and college staff had endured to co-operate in a lesson, and called that the children are better prepared Ms Foote claimed that many
debate. after all – you are the experts. physical violence from a student, for a stronger focus on behavioural for learning.” mainstream schools were unable
while just under 40 per cent had issues during training. elsewhere, ofsted was slammed to adequately address the variety
Linking the world
been confronted by an aggressive She said: “i had a one and a by members for ignoring requests of pupil needs, and were too often
parent or guardian. quarter hour PowerPoint presentation to discuss the issue of teachers’ calling for unqualified staff to care
ian Martin, a teacher at City of on what i can and can’t do. There is mental health with the union. for Sen students.
Bristol College, spoke in favour of a real grey area surrounding what The nUT’s Teacher Mental Ms Keates added: “a lack of
This week sees the launch of our new and exciting
a motion calling for a zero tolerance comprises acceptable physical health Working Party reported on its a clear shared, national definition
fortnightly international links page, which will be dedicated
policy towards violent pupils. restraint.” ongoing work into the issue, which of what inclusion means and the
to promoting the best international partnerships being
Mr Martin said he knew of has already seen the dissemination variation of provision across the
incidents where teachers had been
NUT
of good practice and guidance to country means pupils, parents and
undertaken by UK schools.
threatened with rudimentary knives, at the national Union of Teachers’ schools. in presenting the report, indeed teachers face a postcode
SecEd has long supported international work in our fashioned in technology workshops, conference in Cardiff, secondary executive member helen andrews lottery of support and provision.”
schools by highlighting great projects and spreading good
or fired at with air guns. teachers united with their primary slammed ofsted for ignoring the The union also claimed that Sen
practice in this crucial area. The new page, which is being
“it’s unacceptable that teachers colleagues to vote unanimously for group’s requests for a meeting. teaching in northern ireland was
supported by the British Council, will bring together this
should be expected to teach a boycott of key stage 2 SaTs. She said: “We wanted to explore “undervalued and unappreciated”,
returning students that have an emergency motion approved the way in which the constant threat saying that cost-cutting is leading
regular coverage and create an up-to-date resource for
previously attacked them,” he said. by delegates gave the go-ahead for of inspection frequently causes to a lack of special schools for the
teachers across the UK. irene Baker, a supply teacher members to boycott next May’s unacceptable levels of stress.” country’s Sen students.
By way of celebration at the launch of this page, we
in Merseyside, claimed that many tests in england at key stage 1 london teacher Dennis Charman Seamus Searson, the naSUWT’s
have themed this entire issue on international linking. on
schools were creating a “fluffy and 2 if the government does not added: “i’m outraged that ofsted northern ireland organiser, said that
atmosphere where students don’t abandon SaTs altogether. The vote felt it had a choice about speaking parents with children with special
page 8 and 9 we look at the legal issues that some UK
have to face the consequences of was greeted by chants of “no more to the nUT. ofsted is one of the needs had a right to a special school
schools are facing when it comes to international students,
their actions”. tests” from the auditorium. biggest causes of mental health and were not being fully informed
while on page 10, we take a technological viewpoint, Warwickshire teacher John it comes after the launch of a issues in schools.” of this option.
looking at how one school is using its learning platform to
Collins was jeered by delegates joint campaign by the nUT and an ofsted spokesman said: “a he said: “Special schools are
foster links in Sri lanka, and on page 15 we report on a
for suggesting that exclusion could the national association of head representative from ofsted was part of the education picture and are
be counterproductive, as badly Teachers (nahT) against the tests. invited to meet the nUT’s working slowly being erased by administrators,
new resource that has been launched using The Democratic
behaved children were likely to The nahT will vote on an party in 2008 but was unable to but the reality is that teachers in
Republic of Congo to teach French and global citizenship.
come from the looked-after sector. identical motion at its annual attend. ofsted meets with teachers’ mainstream schools would not be
We culminate with the new international section on
The motion was passed by conference next month. associations, including the nUT, able to cope with an influx of children
page 19, which for its first focus visited Cardinal newman
delegates. Dr Mary Bousted, general Secondary head and nUT every term.” with a wide range of special needs
Catholic School in Brighton to look at its links with
secretary of the union, said: “We member neil Foden, from Friars should these schools close.”
believe that no member of staff should School in Bangor, told SecEd that
NASUWT
elsewhere at the conference,
Senegal and Tanzania – it makes for great reading.
be subjected to violent behaviour by despite the scrapping of key stage Sen topped the bill at the national the union published the findings
international linking and global citizenship are vital and, either students or parents. Parents 3 SaTs, secondary schools still had association of Schoolmasters of a survey on pupil behaviour in
to my mind, one of the most important areas of modern
should be acting as good role models a great interest in seeing the end of Union of Women Teachers’ annual schools, concluding that teachers
education. The world is getting smaller and, more than ever,
by supporting staff and helping the tests at primary level. conference in Bournemouth, with in secondary schools lose an
we are living in a global community.
them create a more positive learning Speaking after the vote, he said four of the priority motions relating average of 50 minutes’ teaching
environment for their children.” that his school had already seen a to provision in this area. time a day due to disruptive pupil
it is crucial our young people understand this amazing
in a separate motion – also marked difference since the ending The union claimed there are behaviour.
new world, and with the wonderful work being driven passed – Derby-based teacher of the tests in Wales. “stark inequalities” in the standard The findings, based on responses
by teachers and students in our schools today, i have no
Maxine hardy claimed that “Children coming from year of Sen education across the UK, from more than 10,000 teachers,
doubt that the future is bright and we are proud at SecEd to
challenging behaviour was the main 6 have a fresher attitude towards and called for an end to the postcode indicate that around 26 days are lost
reason for a fifth of all new teachers learning,” he explained. “Many lottery that decides the options to bad behaviour each academic
support this fantastic work. SecEd
leaving the profession in their first children struggled with the tests, available to parents of Sen children. year. SecEd
five years. they became overwhelmed and Chris Keates, general secretary
• Do you have a view on any aspect of education? Contact
Ms hardy claimed that trainee were disaffected by the time they of the union, told SecEd: “Children
Further information
the editor of Seced, Pete Henshaw, on 020 7501 6771,
teachers received just over an got to secondary school.” with Sen should be entitled to Published with SecEd this week
hour’s training on challenging he added that he had seen “no consistency of provision regardless is our Sen supplement, produced
editor@sec-ed.co.uk or via www.sec-ed.co.uk
behaviour during initial teacher evidence of a parental backlash” of the school they attend or the area in association with the naSUWT.
training (iTT). and said the schemes implemented of the country in which they live. Download it at www.sec-ed.co.uk
6 SecEd • April 23 2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20