NEWSLETTER - MAY 2006

 

HELP THE UNION FIGHT THE BILL

 Trust Schools, like Academies, are a serious threat to state education and to teachers’ pay and conditions of service.

 

A Trust School is run by a group of external sponsors who can apply to the DfES to change rates of pay and conditions . The Trust will own the school buildings and land – and can, if they so wish, dispose of them . Trust Schools will extend selection and encourage damaging competition between schools .

Trust Schools form a central plank of the Government’s Education Bill, which is why the NUT is campaigning to get it changed .

 

What You Can Do

At the touch of a button you can send a letter to your MP and state your opposition, using the NUT website . MPs really do take notice of constituents – letters can mean lost votes .

Just go to www.teachers.org.uk; then Education Bill; then Write to your MP .

You will then see a copy of the letter in the centre of the screen . Scroll down this central box until you get to the request to enter your post code, and click Search . Details of your MP will appear . Just fill in your personal details, click Send, and the letter is sent automatically .

 

Or send your own letter;

Or arrange to see your MP at her/his surgery .

 

 

Delegates at the recent NUT Conference voted overwhelmingly to oppose the section of the Bill which sets up Trust schools .

 

 

INVIGILATION – YOUR RIGHTS

The exam season is upon us and, in most cases, teachers no longer have to invigilate . The School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document says:

 

“Invigilating examinations is not a productive use of teachers’ time . From September 2005 teachers will no longer routinely be required to invigilate external examinations (eg . National Curriculum tests, GCSE and AS/A2 examinations) . ”

 

Exceptions:

You may need to conduct practical and oral exams in your subject;

You can be required to invigilate internal exams when they are held in normal lesson times – but not if your school has reorganised the timetable .

 

Gained Time

Teachers sometimes gain time as a result of pupils doing exams or being on study leave . You can be asked to cover for an absent colleague in this time only if you have not reached your 38 hour annual cover limit .

If you are asked to invigilate an external exam, or to cover beyond the 38 hour limit, please ring the office for advice .

 

 

YOUNG TEACHERS CONFERENCE

 

Bradford NUT is looking for members to attend the Young Teachers’ Conference on the weekend of July 7 th – 9 th .

The Conference will be held at the union’s training centre, Stoke Rochford Hall .

 

So, if you are under 35 and would like to be a voice for young teachers within the NUT, and would like to sample the delights of Stoke Rochford Hall, why not give us a ring for further details?

All expenses will be paid .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bradford NUT,
22 Edmund St, BD5 0BH.
Tel:01274 414664 - Fax:01274 414665
e-mail: "name"@bradfordnut.org

 

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