OTHER UNIONS SHOOT DOWN MANAGEMENT ALLOWANCES
AND SAFEGUARDED SALARIES
In a submission to the School Teachers’ Review Body, the group with the ironic acronym RIG has recommended that all Management Allowances be abolished and a system of Teaching and Learning Responsibility Payments (TLRs) introduced.
The award of TLRs is to be governed by strict criteria. They cannot be awarded for tasks no longer deemed appropriate under the remodelling “agreement” (certainly administrative ones and possibly pastoral as well), or for recruitment and retention, and they cannot be continued for historical reasons.
So what will happen to teachers whose current Management Allowance is phased out? Will their pay be protected? Not if these submissions by RIG are accepted by the STRB
In a double whammy, RIG has agreed with the Government that the long-standing agreement on the safeguarding of teachers’ salaries be abolished.
Mary Bousted, ATL General Secretary, recognised in the TES that
“It has been a difficult decision to reach and no-one is saying that teachers will be jumping up and down about it”
Quite. Especially those whose pay and pensions are being sacrificed on the altar of reform.
There are possible implications here for the large number of Bradford teachers who were relocated during school reorganisation and had their salary protected as part of the process. Any threat to this protection would be fought case by case by the NUT.
The information we have seen from the other unions does not necessarily make these risks clear. Make sure your colleagues know.
TO JOIN THE NUT PHONE
0845 300 1669
BSF AND THE UNAFFORDABILITY GAP
Bradford Council is set to embark upon the first phase of a private finance initiative project, known as “Building Schools for the Future”, which will provide new buildings for three secondary schools. There are future phases which are intended to build new Special Schools, and which will eventually include all the district’s secondary schools. Although new buildings would obviously be welcome, there are serious financial implications associated with the private finance initiative.
What is PFI?
Essentially, a private consortium provides a school with a new building which is then leased to the council for a period of 25-30 years. The consortium is responsible for maintenance during this period and may also provide other services such as IT, heating, catering, and secretarial work, which the council would also pay for.
The Affordability Gap
PFI projects are paid for by PFI credits supplied by the government, plus a contribution from the schools involved. This contribution will amount to10% of the budgets of these schools. If these two sources of funding, combined, do not meet the full cost of the project, there is said to be an Affordability Gap which has to be met by additional funds.
Bradford Council expects the gap, in the first year of the project, to be in the region of £1.7 million.
Where will these additional funds come from? The answer is the general education budget. This means that schools in Bradford which are not part of the Building Schools for the Future Project will have their budgets top-sliced to pay for it. Schools which are part of the project will also have their budgets top-sliced in addition to the 10% of their budget which they will have to contribute.
It is also important to remember that the £1.7 million gap is for the first year of the scheme only and funds only three schools. There will be a gap for every one of the 25-30 years for which the project runs, and it will grow proportionately as subsequent phases come on stream.
BSF cannot be afforded as a means of re-building all schools, but we wait to see how big a mess we get into before this is recognised.
FEEDBACK FROM
EDUCATION BRADFORD INSPECTIONS
Last week Union Officers met with Heather Rushton, Education Bradford’s Director of Primary Improvement, to discuss how EB inspections are carried out in schools. David Platt, Director of Secondary Improvement, will also be at our next meeting in November.
These discussions are at an early stage but Heather was clear that for any EB observation the teacher should know in advance that they are to be seen and should also be told the focus of the observation. They should always receive early developmental verbal feedback with written feedback to follow.
This has been a problem for members in the past when feedback had been given to the Head and they only got it second hand.
Inspections are never going to be the highlight of our week and they only have a purpose if they recognise good practice or support improvement. There are Inspectors who work like that but some have left members demoralised and undermined.
It is schools in special measures or serious weaknesses who have the most inspections and the hardest time between inspections. We expect any EB staff working in these schools to be mindful of the stress and workload issues faced by the staff. They should be showing how teachers can work smarter not harder and helping to maintain staff morale. Heather Rushton spoke as though she was in sympathy with the points we were making and we will be talking to her half-termly as she introduces changes.
If you have experiences you would like to have drawn to EB’s attention please get in touch with us at the NUT office.
TRAINING FOR SCHOOL
REPRESENTATIVES
A reminder about the Training Day for School Reps on
Friday November 19th.
at our office at 22 Edmund Street.
It should be especially useful for new(ish) reps but don’t be put off if you are an old one!
We will be covering the main sources of useful information, the rights and responsibilities of a rep, and practical advice on handling casework and negotiating with management.
Plus the chance to ask questions on any other issues.
You have the right to attend training for your role as Rep.
There are also valuable, 3-day residential courses for School Reps held at the Union’s training centre at Stoke Rochford. Courses are in December, March, April and July.
Please ring the Bradford NUT office for details.
APPROACHING
RETIREMENT?
If you are approaching retirement you may be interested in the Pre-Retirement Workshop programme held at the
Centre for Learning,
St. Peter’s House,
on Tuesdays at 9.30 am to 12. It is possible to attend all the sessions or just those of your choice.
The dates are
October 12, 19, 26
November 2, 9,16, 23
Topics include making a will, pensions, financial planning, health and fitness, tax, leisure.
For further information ring or e-mail Hilary Morgan at Human Resources on 01274 432130 or hilary.morgan@bradford.gov.uk
LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT
Tuesday, November 16th 2004
The Union is aiming to send two members from each constituency to meet with MPs in the House of Commons.
If you think you might be interested in taking part, please ring the union office.
STOP THE PENSIONS ROBBERY!