It is very likely that the number of physical and verbal assaults on teachers in Bradford is higher than the number reported to the local authority.
Employers must, by law, have a system of recording all forms of violence at work. Bradford Council has such a system in its Violence at Work forms, but there is evidence that the system is not functioning efficiently. We are aware, for example, of forms which have been completed and then not reached Education Bradford, and of NUT members who have reported assaults to Union reps. but have not submitted a form.
There are a number of possible causes for the under-reporting:
* the victim does not think the incident is serious enough to report;
* the forms are not freely available in school and tracking them down is a hassle;
* the school management discourages the use of the forms because they think it reflects badly on the school;
* the management does not understand the system and so does not operate the process properly;
* the victim feels a “failure” and does not report the incident.
It is essential that none of these reasons obscures the real picture and the extremely challenging circumstances which many teachers face in their day-to-day work in schools.
The Local Authority has written recently to all Headteachers pointing out that all incidents of physical violence and sexual, racial or threatening abuse must be recorded by the victim on the Violence at Work form, signed by the Head and sent to Education Bradford at Future House.
If you suffer any form of physical violence or verbal abuse whilst at work, please follow the reporting procedures.
The reporting system in brief:
Teacher completes form and gives to Head – Head records what action has been taken and signs it – Head sends form to the address on the form – Education Bradford log the incident and send a copy of the form to the NUT office so we can offer support to members if required.
If you feel the system is not being administered properly at your school, please ring the union office.
NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY WEBSITE
Bradford Council have set up a new website entirely devoted to occupational health and safety, with a separate section for schools. It is a useful reference for a number of Health and Safety issues, although you still might want to ring the union office for our interpretation.
It can be found at
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/scsafety.
User name SOS. Password lookout.
HAVE YOUR SAY ON EASTER HOLIDAY 2006
A questionnaire has gone out to School Reps asking for members’ views on a proposed change to the Easter holiday in 2006.
The authority’s proposal would make the holiday less than the customary two weeks, schools re-opening on the Wednesday after the Easter weekend. The lost days would be allocated elsewhere.
The reason given is a late Easter, leaving only four weeks until the Spring Bank holiday. Neighbouring authorities however – Calderdale, Leeds, Kirklees – are having the customary two weeks.
Let your Rep know what you think.
WAIT UNTIL 65 SAYS
GOVERNMENT
The Government intends to press ahead with plans to change to 65 the age at which we are able to get our full pension, and to change the rules for access to ill-health retirement.
Teachers are being consulted but it is unlikely that anything will drop through your letter box. To make your views known to the DfES about this proposed robbery from our pension fund you need to log on to www.dfes.gov.uk
and follow the links to pension consultation. The closing date for responses is December 12th 2004.
Moving up to UPS 3 and UPS 2
Moving up to UPS 3 and UPS 2
If you have been two years on either UPS2 or UPS1 by 1st September 2004 then your school governing body has to automatically consider whether you move up by 1 point to UPS 3 or UPS 2. Despite myths to the contrary there is no need to apply. It is the headteacher’s responsibility to make a recommendation to the governing body of whether a teacher has met the criteria for movement to the next point. There is no quota on UPS progression. There is no greater requirement placed on teachers moving to UPS 3 than those moving to UPS2 – the criteria for movement is standard for all UPS points.
What are the criteria for movement?
They are apparently unchanged from previous years whereby no movement will take place unless:
· There has been a performance review
and
· The achievements and contribution of the teacher have been substantial and sustained
However,
The other teacher unions (not the NUT) agreed with the Secretary of State that guidance should be issued to Governing Bodies intended to make it more difficult to meet the criteria than was the case in 2002. They also agreed to abolition of UPS 4 and 5.
Now, governing bodies are advised that progression should be based on:
· two successful consecutive performance reviews(new)
· an assessment that the teacher has continued to meet threshold standards (the old guidance)
· an assessment that the teacher has grown professionally by developing their teaching expertise post threshold (new)
When should teachers move up the scale?
The movement is dated from 1st September but it would be normal for consideration by the Governing Body to take place in the Autumn term and be backdated to 1st September. Governing Bodies are warned that they “should determine teachers’ pay without undue delay”.
Do teachers have any say about how the Governing Body determines their pay?
Yes, because every Governing Body has to have a Pay Policy in place by the end of December 2004 “at the latest” which is then reviewed annually. “Teachers and representatives of recognised unions should always be consulted on formulating the policy and on any changes to it.”
What is the NUT advice?
The NUT advises that all teachers who have previously been assessed as meeting the threshold standards and who have continued in the last two years to meet those standards should be regarded as having met the criteria of “substantial and sustained” and therefore in your school the NUT expects:
1. progression from September 2004 to be made in a manner consistent with expectations and procedures in place during the previous 2 years. Teachers should not be subjected to changes in expectations at this late stage.
2. that the guidance issued by the LEA and Education Bradford for progression in 2002 still applies as schools should have followed this subsequently. The Union is sending a copy of this guidance to school reps. It states that “substantial and sustained is defined as the teacher having at least sustained the performance level which resulted in the award of threshold.”
3. that there should be no retrospective changes to targets or performance management processes.
4. that the governing body will accept that every teacher who has continued to meet the threshold standards will necessarily through their additional two years’ teaching experience have “grown professionally”.
Protection for members
The NUT is determined to ensure that all post-threshold teachers are treated fairly with regard to UPS progression and will support members individually in appeals and collectively in seeking to persuade governing bodies to follow the above advice. We will also support members where the school is not consulting about the process or is being dilatory about implementing the statutory review of salaries.
Threshold Application – Round 5
Changes
There are significant changes to the threshold application process this year mostly for the bad.
The main one is that the process now has no external assessment or verification so that the decisions are made entirely at school level. Any appeal against rejection has to be made to the Pay Committee of the Governing Body. As a result of this there is no national deadline for submission as in previous years except that application for 2004/2005 must be made no later than 31st August 2005.
Eligibility and Payment
You are eligible to apply if you are paid on M6 at the moment. However there are two possible payment dates depending on whether you are in cohort 7 or cohort 8.
Cohort 7 covers teachers who were on M6 on or before 31/8/03 or those who were placed on M6 on or after 1/9/03 but before 31/8/04 who did not apply in a previous round. These teachers will move to UPS 1 from 1/9/04
Cohort 8 covers teachers who moved to M6 on or after 1/9/04 OR those placed on M6 on or after 1/9/03 who previously applied for threshold in Round 4(cohort 6) and were rejected. These teachers will move to UPS1 from 1/9/05.
Guidance and application forms are available at www.teachernet.gov.uk/performancethreshold The Union can also offer advice and support on application and appeals. There are also a number of special cases not covered by this advice. Contact the Office if you are not covered by the above advice.