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Upfront

Anger at Ambleside closure plan

NUT student members in Ambleside, Cumbria, took to the streets on 3 December to protest against proposals to end undergraduate teaching at their campus. The University of Cumbria plans to close the former Charlotte Mason college site and move students to Lancaster or Carlisle, both over 30 miles away.

The debt-ridden university is looking to lay off 200 of its 1,400 staff. “The university says it needs to make savings, but we think there are other ways of saving that money,” said student’s union president Emma Green. “Commuting to Carlisle or Lancaster is not a viable option,” she added.

Teachers have been trained at the Ambleside site since 1892, thanks largely to a legacy by educationalist Charlotte Mason. If the plans are approved, the college will close this autumn.

PICTURE: Student protesters.


H&S DVD honoured by TUC

A joint health and safety project by the NUT and NASUWT has won a national TUC award.

A DVD package entitled Slipping Up by Campbell Russell, NUT health and safety adviser for Cheshire, and his NASUWT equivalent Geoff Smith, won the annual health and safety award.

The film was originally aimed at secondary students, but Unison, who co-sponsored and developed the package, found it appealed to workers of all ages. It conveys a number of key messages. Lancashire NUT plans to send it to secondary schools, and other NUT associations in the region look set to follow suit.

Copies can be ordered from Cheshire West NUT by emailing h&sadviser@cheshire.nut.org.uk or phoning Campbell Russell on 07710 438570.


Barrie’s golden life

Guests gathered at the Lysses Hotel in Fareham on 24 November to celebrate NUT Fareham and Gosport association president Barrie Smith’s 50 years in the NUT. General secretary Christine Blower is pictured below presenting him with life membership of the union.

Barrie served on the executive from 1992-2002, has held numerous union posts and is still involved, despite retiring in 2001. He was headteacher at Rowner junior school from 1976 until his retirement.

At 69, he says he is not quite ready to stop. “I will reduce my workload but I’m still doing the casework – you need people experience for that. I think people have a moral duty to care about their fellow human beings.”

PICTURE: Barrie with Christine Blower.


Regional training

Members in the north west took part in a one-day seminar in November on understanding NUT annual conference. Presentations covered pre-conference work on motions and amendments, how conference works, and the fringe. Participants also had the opportunity to try out their public speaking skills.

A number of those present said they would now seek a place on their local delegation to conference.


In November, 50 NUT heads and deputies discussed issues facing school leaders, and how they can best support each other, at a seminar in the
north west region.

They exchanged email addresses, and are meeting the north west representatives to the NUT headteacher and deputy headteacher advisory committee to co-ordinate further meetings in the region.


The NUT’s East Sussex division hosted a supply teachers’ training course in Eastbourne in November. Behaviour management expert Paul Howard, who tutors on the NUT CPD programme, delivered two entertaining sessions on behaviour management techniques for supply teachers.

Encouraged by division secretary Dave Brinson, members have embarked upon drawing up a supply teachers’ charter, to set out their expectations of an employing school.


Young NUT members in the south west recently took part in the region’s first young activists’ event in Bristol.

Sessions covered NUT work on equal opportunities, international issues and climate change. General secretary Christine Blower outlined current NUT campaigns and answered questions on topics ranging from racism in schools to the union’s website.

Delegates decided to set up a Facebook page for young members in the region so they can network and co-ordinate union campaign work.

Young teacher weekends will be held in Bournemouth, Somerset, Bristol and Devon/Cornwall in 2010. Members in the region aged 35 or under who are interested in coming along should email south.west@nut.org.uk.

PICTURE CAPTION: Young activists with NUT general secretary Christine Blower.