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FEATURE


Behaviour

• Extend the powers to search pupils, allow same day detentions and use reasonable force.
• Strengthen headteachers’ authority beyond the school gates.
• Empower headteachers to take a stand against bullying.
• Change the current system of Independent Appeals Panels.
• Make schools responsible for excluded pupils.
• Increase privatisation of alternative provision.
• Focus Ofsted more strongly on pupil behaviour.
• Grant teachers anonymity when accused by pupils.

The NASUWT’s view

“The NASUWT welcomes a continuing focus on tackling pupil indiscipline and the continuation of the current provisions available to schools. The Union also welcomes the commitment to anonymity for teachers, which has been a long standing campaign of the NASUWT.

However, the new approach to exclusions will in effect mean that a permanently excluded pupil will remain the responsibility of their school in terms of educational progress, care and funding of the alternative placement. This will increase pressure on schools not to permanently exclude pupils.

The opening of alternative provision to a market of new private providers has the potential to increase costs, undermine the ability of schools to access local authority support and jeopardise the work of teachers and other staff who work in PRUs.”


The new school system

• More freedom and autonomy for all schools.
• Force more ‘underachieving’ schools to become academies.
• Encourage collaboration through more academy chains, trusts and federations.
• Further encourage free schools.
• Relegate local authorities to championing parents.

The NASUWT’s view

“There is no evidence that structural change raises standards of education. Equally there is no evidence that the model of autonomy being proposed which removes local democratic accou ntability improves school performance. Evidence suggests the opposite is the case.

Evidence shows that in academies the pay and conditions of the majority of teachers worsens with academy status.”


Accountability

• More information on individual school’s performance and expenditure will be published.
• Reform performance tables to remove contextual information and GCSE equivalents.
• Hold schools accountable for pupils progress when they leave school.
• Reform Ofsted so that inspectors spend more time in the classroom.
• Raise the floor targets for secondary to 35% A-Cs and lower the primary floor target to 60%.

The NASUWT’s view

“The information on schools performance will incl ude details of teachers’ sickness absence, qualifications and pay.

The performance tables are being reformed to reflect only the English Baccalaureate subjects, which will mean a downgrading of other subjects in terms of status and curriculum time.

The reform of Of sted will put even more pressure on classroom teachers, as will the new floor standards in secondary.”


Funding and school improvement

• Move away from School Improvement Partners to extending National Leaders in Education.
• Benchmark regional data as a measure of performance and expectation.
• 60% a smaller capital investment.
• Move to a single national funding formula.

The NASUWT’s view

“It is clear that schools are now expected to have responsibility for their own improvement and that of others which could place immense pressure on teachers.

The analysis of the Comprehensive Spending Review has exposed the fact that school budgets are not only not protected, they are being severely reduced.

There is no plan or funding for addressing the poor and dilapidated state of some school buildings. It will mean a return to the ‘patch and mend’ system which characterised the approach to school building under the last Tory Government.”


THE NEXT STEPS

These are proposals. To implement these will require major legislative change which will take a considerable period of time.

There must be no changes made at school level on the basis of the White Paper to any aspect of pay, conditions of service, performance management, curriculum or any other statutory provision.

The NASUWT will provide information for members to enable you to lobby MPs on these issues.

The NASUWT will also engage in wide consultation with members to seek views directly on the Coalition Government’s proposals.

The Union will also continue to seek to engage with the Coalition Government to seek changes to its direction of travel which will have major adverse consequences for the school workforce and children and young people.

Further analysis, reaction and guidance is available at the NASUWT’s website at www.nasuwt.org.uk.