Teachers in Wales /Autumn term 2010 2


 


NUT tells Plaid: ‘Close funding gap’


NUT Cymru was well represented at the annual Plaid Cymru conference, held in Aberystwyth from 9 to 11 September 2010.


Principal officers Stuart Williams and Glesni Jones led the delegation. They had the opportunity to speak with party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones and other Assembly Members, including child poverty spokesperson Bethan Jenkins, about the Union’s campaigns in Wales.


Pictured are Ieuan Wyn Jones and Stuart Williams with a leaflet from one of our most important campaigns, Fair Play for Children in Wales. This calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to close the funding gap between pupils in Wales and England. Pupils in Wales have on average £527 less spent on their education each year than their counterparts in England.


For more about the campaign, see page 1 and visit www.teachers.org.uk/walesfunding.






Ridding schools of racism


The NUT works with the charity Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) to stamp out racism in schools.


Recent SRtRC research discovered that 80 per cent of teachers in Wales have not been trained on how to deal with racism in school. The charity’s response was to hold an Equality in Education conference – sponsored by the NUT – for student teachers in Wales at Trinity College, Carmarthen, on 29 September.


The aim was to educate the teachers of tomorrow – in this instance final year students on the BA(QTS) course – on how to deal with these issues and teach pupils the wrongs of racism.


The students watched an interactive play performed by Theatr Fforwm Cymru, and listened to speakers including Farrukh Khan from Estyn, Steve Bowden from the Welsh Assembly Government and Paul Hoskins from the Wales Children’s Commissioner’s offi ce. There were workshops on delivering personal and social education, and participants also looked at drama, critical thinking, philosophy for children and terminology.


• Further conferences have been organised in Cardiff, Swansea and Newport. For more information contact wales@theredcard.org or call 029 2034 0422.


Enter SRtRC’s schools’ competition for 2011 to win a laptop computer, match tickets, signed footballs and shirts, and more.


You need to register by 25 February 2011. Find out everything else you need to know about this great way to encourage children to think about the issue at www.theredcard.org/educational/competitions/wales.


 


Making a stand at the Eisteddfod


The NUT stand at this summer’s National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale was a whirlwind of activity, welcoming many guests and NUT members.


Following the Welsh Assembly Government’s decision to abolish funding for CPD through the General Teaching Council for Wales, members were invited to tell us what learning opportunities they would like the Union to provide, and they responded with enthusiasm.


The children’s artwork adorning the stand was a popular attraction. It was donated by Ysgol Gymraeg Brynmawr, which has now moved and changed its name to Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Helyg, and NantyGlo Comprehensive, which closed in August, with pupils and staff relocating to Abertillery and Brynmawr Comprehensives.


For more on NUT CPD, go to www.teachers.org.uk/cpd.


 

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