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Your union

Your NQT essentials

Starting teaching? Daunted? Don’t panic! Your passport to teaching, the NUT guide for just-qualified teachers, has all you need to know, with advice on salaries, conditions, duties and legal responsibilities.

Value added! Shop and save with the NUT is packed with offers from Countdown and the NUT to save you £££s.

100 years ago The Schoolmaster, 23 July 1910.

Common Room Chatter

An aspect of our schools which gives some educationists ground for alarm is the increasing importance being attached to athletics.

Both booklets were sent to PGCE and final year students at Easter.

If you haven’t received yours, rIng NUT First Post on 020 7380 4844.

Organised sports form a very useful element in the training of a boy, apart from the fact that they are necessary to his physical wellbeing; but when athletic contests grow to be a dominant passion in a school to the exclusion of almost all intellectual pursuits, then one is bound to feel that reasonable limits have been overstepped. At schools frequented by the sons of the rich, who have no incentive to work, the ‘strenuous sloth’ of athleticism is especially dangerous. The worship of athleticism is stronger perhaps at Eton than at any other public school.

“What in our estimation,” wrote an Eton boy, “is mind, intellect and hard and successful cultivation of the faculties? Nothing. What is cricket, football, rowing, athletics? Everything.”

The athlete is lauded, praised and worshipped, while he who is merely studiously inclined often has to endure sneers, tyranny and contempt.

My role in the union

Member of the disability working party Colleen Johnson is KS2 and maths coordinator at a Birmingham primary school. She represents the Midlands on the NUT’s disability working party.

When did you first become active in the union?

I joined as a student teacher and became more involved as I became politicised as a disabled person. Prejudice exists within the profession just as in society in general. I wanted to change that and my NUT association were inspirational in their support.

What role do you currently hold?

I represent the Midlands on the NUT disability working party. I keep in touch with our regional council by sending reports and information, and I attend the TUC disability conference as an NUT delegate.

What does the role involve?

The working party meets twice a year. Its members come from all areas of the country and different sectors of education. We comment and give feedback on documents and resources from government departments, charities and other organisations. We also help shape the NUT’s annual disabled teachers’ conference, which is very important to me. (See page 8.)

What are the best aspects of the role?

I get to talk about things I feel passionately about, such as the need for more disabled role models in our profession.

At the TUC conference, my colleagues and I represent the agreed NUT viewpoint and I learn a lot about disabled workers in other walks of life.

My experience has helped me in school too. We have worked together to earn an Impetus award for our work on disability equality.

And what are the worst aspects?

Colleagues’ reluctance to get involved. I understand why, but together we are stronger.

Plus speaking at the TUC conference is nerve-wracking!

What changes would you like to see?

• Statutory curricular work on disability equality from the foundation stage to key stage 2 and beyond.

• More young disabled teachers coming into our profession.

• Good disabled teachers getting the promotion they deserve.

• No teacher being left to deal with ignorance and prejudice on their own.