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NUT conference 2012

Contined from page 25 

On appraisal and capability

Delegates expressed anger over changes to appraisal and capability arrangements. “Every week there’s a story in the news about teachers’ performance,” said Sara Tomlinson, Lambeth.

Speakers called the changes a “bully’s charter”, which “suddenly turns into a disciplinary procedure,” said Robert Wilkinson of Wokingham.

Delegates voted resoundingly for the Union to revise its existing model performance management advice and policy, and to agree to work with other teacher unions on the issue, including through nationally coordinated action.

In a separate debate, speakers noted with concern that capability procedures are increasingly used to sack women teachers aged 50+, often on the upper pay spine.

Conference calls to end Ofsted

After a long, lively debate on Ofsted, delegates voted overwhelmingly to reinvigorate the campaign for its abolition and campaign for the introduction of a bottom-up school self-evaluation, with a petition to the Secretary of State.

Keith Williamson, Kirklees, said that under Wilshaw and Gove, Ofsted continued to create a hostile environment. “Its purpose is to undermine state education and open the door to privatisation.” Junior Vice- President Max Hyde called for a campaign to ensure that Ofsted was not used as a political tool to do this.

A woman’s place

“Women are the most affected by cuts to services, therefore it is vital they have the protection of a union,” said Lee Probert, Central Nottingham. Delegates voted for strategies to increase women members’ involvement.

Emerging democracies

Conference reaffirmed its solidarity with those fighting for their democratic rights in countries across the Middle East and North Africa.

Delegates instructed the Executive to affiliate to the Middle East and North Africa Solidarity Network to work with other UK trade unionists.

Resisting racism

Leonora Smith, of the NUT black teachers’ conference, seconded a motion on racist abuse urging the Executive to work with local authorities to gather statistics of incidents in schools.

The Union was also urged to continue its campaigns against far right groups.

Disability cuts

A motion moved by Richard Reiser, Hackney, on disability called on the Executive to seek a moratorium on the Government’s unprecedented attack on the independence and welfare of disabled people.

‘Leave us alone!’

“Get your hands off our schools and stop increasing our workload… Leave us alone!” Jane Walton from Wakefield said to applause, moving a motion on teacher workload. Sheena Wheatley from Nottingham City, where the council plans to impose a five-term year with a four- week summer break to combat ‘learning loss’, told delegates how this would contribute to stress.

Delegates voted overwhelmingly to draw up a strategy to support teachers and highlight excessive workload issues.

Over 70 per cent of teachers cited excessive workload as the thing most likely to make them leave teaching, according to a YouGov poll for the NUT.

Notts NUT members have been on strike over the five-term year. See report on page 9.

Blair Peach award

The NUT Blair Peach Award this year goes jointly to Sarah Troughton, equalities officer for Preston association, and Neil Hancox, the assistant division secretary in West Lancashire. They, along with their colleagues, have worked on a range of strategies to raise issues of equality and diversity.

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