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NEWS In brief Pension votes


Ofsted calls time on ‘satisfactory’ grading


by Daniel White


Ofsted has scrapped its “satisfacto- ry” judgement and replaced it with the term “requires improvement”. The inspectorate has said that


the change is to target “coasting” schools which have remained “stub- bornly satisfactory” for a number of inspections in a row. However, headteachers have


attacked Ofsted for announcing the changes without consultation and within two weeks of the introduc- tion of a new inspection framework. Under the new approach, no


school will be allowed to remain in the “requires improvement” cat- egory for more than three years. Schools in this category will also


be subject to earlier re-inspections – within 12 to 18 months instead of up to three years at the moment. Schools failing to demonstrate improvements will then require special measures. The announcement was made


ahead of chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw attending a “summit” on coasting schools at Downing Street on Tuesday (January 17). Sir Michael said: “There are too


many coasting schools not provid- ing an acceptable standard of edu- cation. Of particular concern are the 3,000 schools educating a million children that have been ‘satisfac- tory’ two inspections in a row. This is not good enough. That is why I am determined to look again at the judgements we award, not only so


Unions clash over one-term sackings


Teaching and leadership unions have clashed following the gov- ernment’s decision to allow headteachers to sack underper- forming teachers within a term. It can currently take more than


a year for a school to remove a teacher from the classroom but education minister Michael Gove said that the new regulations will prevent schools becoming “tan- gled up in complex red tape” when dealing with struggling teachers. The new rules, which were


announced for consultation in May and confirmed last week, will come into effect from September. They will also mean that


schools can now decide the length of time for which teachers are observed, with the current three- hour limit being scrapped. Teaching unions have


slammed the changes as “draco- nian” and claim the government is planning a “bully’s charter”, while leadership unions have said the changes are “firm but fair”. Chris Keates, general secretary


of the NASUWT, said: “The dra- conian measures announced are totally unnecessary. There is no evidence which demonstrates that there are problems with the current system. “This announcement will only


serve further to devastate teach- er morale and endanger future recruitment to the profession and the retention of existing teachers.” Christine Blower, general sec-


retary of the National Union of Teachers, said: “Teaching is about getting the very best from every


learner in every lesson. It isn’t about ‘performing for observers’. What the government proposes is potentially a bully’s charter. We believe that many well function- ing schools, where development and professionalism is prized, will not adopt Mr Gove’s model.” However, Russell Hobby,


general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “They (the changes) are simple and flexible, firm but fair. A streamlined approach to capability will, on the rare occasions that it is needed, help schools act more decisively in pupils’ interests and reduce the con- flict that these actions can generate.” The government is also con-


sulting on proposals to allow schools to pass information to other schools on request about whether a teacher is suitable. The Department for Education (DfE) believes this will help schools deal with the problem of “recycling” poor teachers. Elsewhere, from September


more than 50 pages of “unneces- sary guidance” and appraisal regu- lations will be streamlined, the DfE had said. Mr Gove said: “Schools need


to be able to dismiss more quickly those teachers who, despite best efforts, do not perform to the expected standard. Future employ- ers also need to know more about the strengths and weaknesses of teachers they are potentially employing. Nobody benefits when poor teaching is tolerated. It puts pressure on other teachers and undermines children’s education.”


we are accurately reporting what we see, but so that those schools that most need help are identified and can properly begin the process of improvement. “I make no apology for making


even greater demands of an educa- tion system which has to respond with greater urgency to increas- ingly difficult and competitive economic circumstances. We will consult properly about the changes that we make but I am clear about our mission.” It is the second sweeping change


made by the inspectorate in the past few days following last week’s announcement that all inspections from September this year will be conducted without any notice. However, general secretary


of the Association of School and College Leaders, Brian Lightman, warned Ofsted that if any school is given the new “requires improvement” judge- ment then they must be given the necessary support. He continued: “Our main con-


cern is about the implementation of these changes. This is the second set of changes to inspection that Ofsted has announced without consulta- tion within the first two weeks of a new inspection framework and a new chief inspector. We have also been told that there will be a further consultation on the future of Ofsted inspections. “School leaders need to be able


to focus on the quality of provision in their institutions but instead they


are being distracted by having to look over their shoulders every day to see what the next announce- ment is.” Meanwhile, Christine Blower,


general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, slammed Ofsted for continually insulting schools and students. She added: “First we had


‘underperforming’ schools, now we have ‘coasting’ schools. Labelling schools in this way is derogatory and insulting to pupils, teachers, school leaders and gov- ernors. “The government’s real agenda


behind this change is of course inventing yet another category of schools that it will then seek to force into academy status.”


Closures reshape school map


The shape of Northern Ireland’s secondary schools map is begin- ning to change with details of a series of closures and amalgama- tions emerging. Three small rural second-


ary schools are planning to come together to form a large comprehen- sive as part of a major shake up of post-primary education. Massive debts and increas-


ing numbers of empty desks have thrown the future of many second- ary providers across the North into doubt. Education minister John


O’Dowd has ordered a viability audit to identify schools that are evidencing stress. The results of this audit are


imminent, but ahead of its pub- lication three schools in rural Co


Fermanagh have backed a merger plan. St Comhghall’s in Lisnaskea, St


Eugene’s in Roslea, and St Aidan’s in Derrylin have all endorsed a pro- posal to merge into one school to serve the area south of Enniskillen. St Comhghall’s is the largest


of the three with about 350 pupils while St Eugene’s and St Aidan’s have about 170 students each. The Department of Education’s


sustainable schools policy says post-primary providers should have a minimum of 500 pupils if they want to survive. The three schools say the merg-


er will take account of the needs of all pupils, those studying for exams, entering different year groups and those requiring additional educa- tional needs.


Similar change is expected in


other areas, especially now that Mr O’Dowd has published the terms of references for area planning that will shape the educational estate of the future. The minister said: “The fact is


that we can no longer carry on administering the education estate as we have done in the past. “We are faced with changing


demographics and a challenging financial landscape and it is essen- tial that we consider and plan for the overall education provision required to meet the needs of children in an area rather than considering indi- vidual schools. “We must ensure we have strong


sustainable schools that can provide a quality education to our children and young people.”


‘Unfair pay’ provokes supply crisis


Some Scottish schools are facing a staffing crisis as teachers boycott supply work because the pay is so low, MSPs have been told. Labour education spokesman


Hugh Henry said the attempt to dilute pay in the teaching pro- fession was “a throwback to the 1930s” and the situation was unsustainable. Teachers are being offered


stints of five days or less, he told a Holyrood debate on education. Under changes introduced last year, this lets employers pay them at a reduced rate of just £70 a day, half of what permanent staff were being paid. Savings to local authorities are estimated at £60 million. “It’s no wonder that teachers are


starting to boycott supply posts,” Mr Henry, a former education min-


SecEd • January 19 2012


ister, said. “This cannot go on. It’s not fair to pupils who are facing a succession of different faces, and it’s not fair to teachers who worked hard for their qualification and who deserve a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. This unfair and unjust pay agreement needs to be scrapped now.” More than 90 per cent of


short-term supply requests are not being filled, with Edinburgh fac- ing “serious problems”, according to Labour’s MSP for Edinburgh North and Leith MSP, Malcolm Chisholm. Labour schools spokesman Neil


Findlay accused education secre- tary Mike Russell of avoiding the issue in his address to Parliament. Schools minister Alasdair Allan said unions and government had


already reached an agreement on the issue but he added: “It is cer- tainly something that we’re alive to and continue to monitor the situation.” The EIS, Scotland’s biggest


teaching union, has already branded the situation a crisis at a time when the new Curriculum for Excellence is being introduced. Supply teachers in Scotland


have formed their own website to fight the “unjust and devastat- ing” attack on their pay levels and conditions. Local government umbrella


group Cosla has defended the changes in conditions, saying they reflect the fact that teachers on “very short-term” posts did not have the same responsibilities as longer-term colleagues.


Two major education unions are consulting their members on the government’s latest pension offer. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers is carrying out an opinion poll of all its members who are eligible for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme in England and Wales and of the Northern Ireland Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme and of the Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme. The union said the result will influence its executive committee’s decision when it meets on January 28. The National Association of Head Teachers meanwhile is also surveying its members and will discuss the offer at a special meeting of its national executive on January 30.


ICT awards


Four secondary schools and a special school have received Millennium Awards this week. Organised by ICT association, Naace, the awards celebrate schools that harness technology for learning. Gowerton Comprehensive School in Swansea, Monkseaton High School in North Tyneside, The RSA Academy in Sandwell, The Minster School in Nottinghamshire, and Parkside Pupil Referral Unit in Suffolk received their awards at the BETT Show in London last week. Schools gaining the award have a focus on learning with technology and share good practice in a public video aimed at parents and the community. Visit: www.naace.org.uk


Admissions plea


Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg has asked Liberal Democrat MPs to stop the new-look Admissions Code from being approved by the government. Mr Twigg fears proposed changes will favour the expansion of grammar schools and reduce the ability to appeal against changes to school allocations. In a letter to every Liberal Democrat MP he said: “The Tory-led government is expanding selection at 11 by the back door, by trying to sneak through changes to the Admissions Code without Parliamentary debate. They are removing the rights of parents to appeal to the schools’ adjudicator on the expansion of grammar schools – shamelessly reversing what the schools minister told Parliament just six months ago.”


Sporting chance


Schools across England can win a visit from a top athlete by promoting a healthy eating and activities. The Change4Life competition is supported by Olympic gold medal winner Jonathan Edwards, and aims to encourage teachers to work with their class to pick a 2012 Games- themed event to inspire students to participate in exercise. The competition is run by the NHS and the winning schools will be visited by high profile athletes in April, May or June. Each class can only enter once and the competition closes on March 9. Visit: www.nhs.uk/Change4Life/ Pages/SmallSteps4Life- competition.aspx


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