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NEWS

Disabled teachers facing discrimination

The NASUWT’s General Secretary hit out at the “unprecedented freedoms” given to employers by the Coalition Government to exploit their workforce, which, she said, is hitting disabled workers particularly hard.

Speaking at the Union’s Disabled Teachers’ Consultation Conference chaired by Kathy Wallis NASUWT Junior Vice-President, the largest gathering of disabled teachers in the country, Chris Keates said that “there can be no doubt that disabled people have become some of those hit the hardest by this Government’s social, economic and, indeed, education policies. The track record is absolutely appalling.”

She detailed the impact of the Government’s austerity measures, changes to the benefits system and reform of employment rights on disabled workers, saying that many are now facing financial hardship and discrimination.

This was borne out by the findings of a real-time electronic poll of members at the Conference which found that disabled teachers are being held back in their careers, with the majority having experienced discrimination as a result of Government changes:

more than three quarters of respondents (77%) reported having been discriminated against on the basis of their disability;

73% said they had not been given fair and equal opportunities when applying for teaching jobs or promotion;

81% said they had been bullied at some point in their teaching career;

over half (53%) said their school has not taken seriously requests for reasonable adjustments for disabled staff.

Workshops were also held during the event on:

• neuro-diversity in the workplace,

• capability and equality,

• serour about SEN and Disability,

• autism awareness.

read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/DisabledTeachers

New teachers get support

Access to high-quality induction and support for new teachers is under threat as a result of the Coalition Government’s deregulation drive, newly qualifed teachers have heard.

Schools are not only being allowed to shorten the induction period to as little as a term but also to choose who quality-assures the school’s induction programme, potentially removing an independent assesment, NASUWT’s Deputy General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach [bottom right] told a recent NASUWT NQT seminar chaired by Senior Vice- President Graham Dawson [middle left].

“We don’t accept that the quality of teachers can exceed the quality of support teachers receive during their careers,” he said. “It is therefore critical that we continue our campaign for high-quality induction, teacher training and CPD because that is the bedrock of ensuring high standards of education for children and young people.”

NQTs also shared their successes and challenges from their first year, with lack of access to support from a mentor, cuts to TA support and excessive monitoring all key concerns. New teachers were able to get advice on preparing for performance management, managing pupil behaviour, using their voice and presence in the classroom, and staying calm.



read more www.nasuwt.org.uk/NQTs