Broadband Vol3 No2

The latest edition of Broadband is available by clicking here

It is published by regional office and is of interest to all union officers and reps.

It also has some quite interesting news about the Haywards Heath office.

Union elections 2007-2011

2007-2011 Elections for · National Disciplinary Panel
· National Appeals Committee
· Advisory Committee for Young Teachers
· Advisory Committee for Retired Teachers

You can vote online at
https://secure.votebyinternet.com/nutrpc07/default.asp

The end of SATS (NCTs)?

The Government is consulting on proposals to change National Curriculum testing. If you are interested you can give your views on the NUT website http://www.teachers.org.uk/consult.php .

Are you under 35?

YOUNG TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE
2 – 4 MARCH 2007
APPLY FOR YOUR CONFERENCE PLACE TODAY!

‘The young teachers’ conference provides so many opportunities and has helped me develop as a teacher and a professional’
2006 Young Teachers’ Conference Participant

The 2007 Young Teachers’ Conference is being held in the tranquil splendour of the Union’s National Training Centre, Stoke Rochford Hall near Grantham in Lincolnshire.

All young teachers, aged 35 or under, are eligible to attend.

It is both a fun and stimulating weekend. This year’s conference is focusing on environmental issues and climate change.

There will be plenary sessions, subject based workshops and campaign based task groups.

The keynote speakers are:

* Steve Sinnott, General Secretary, NUT
* Caroline Molloy, Green Workplaces Project Leader, TUC
* Chris Southwood, Development Coordinator, Groundwork UK
* Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary, Education International

Workshops will include:

* Behaviour Management
* Being a School Rep
* Financial Matters
* How to be Assertive
* Managing Workload/Personal Stress

Task Groups will cover:

* A Charter for Young Teachers
* Climate Change

For your place at the conference please contact your 01342 410805 or email WSTAlearn@yahoo.co.uk

Need to know more?
Call the NUT Young Teachers’ Unit on 020 7380 4822
Your presence will help make this year’s Conference a success

Be our 4000th member

At the last count West Sussex Teachers Association was 33 away from its target of 4000 members. The person who becomes our 4000th member will get a meal out at our expense.

You can join immediately by ringing 0845 300 1669

You can join online here

WSGFL and the WSTA

If you cannot access this blog from school then you will need to submit a request to ictinschools@westsussex.gov.uk. They can provide you with the name of the "nominated person" for your school to engage in the (somewhat tedious and ludicrously bureaucractic) process of unblocking.

We have received the following message from WSGFL:

Thank you all for your comments.

Government guidance is available from Becta on 'E-safety' and 'Safeguarding Children in a Digital World,' these documents can be found here:

http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=25934&page=1835
http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=25933&page=1835

All schools have an AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) - guidance and sample policies for schools to adapt can be found here: http://wsgfl.westsussex.gov.uk/aup
There are differing ranges of filter policies available to and in use by West Sussex schools. The West Sussex Policy is currently under review following implementation of a new filtering system, which will give more flexibility to those schools that wish to take on filtering at school level, in addition to the standard filter. This will allow schools the option to add or remove access to websites for school users and will extend to having the power to give differing levels of filtering to groups of computers within school networks.

The West Sussex Filter Policy Group is a team made up of representatives from West Sussex schools. Based on consultation they agree policy and practice for the filtering in West Sussex. The filter policy is also shared with a number of Local Authorities.

The westsussexteachersassociation.blogspot.com has always been available to schools to view but the posting of blogs to any blogging site is blocked under the current West Sussex Filtering Policy.

In consultation with the Filter Policy Group, this site has now been given the correct classification of ‘blogging’ which does mean this site is now blocked as a default for children.

However, the site is available to 'view and post' from within school on computers that have a specific filter applied should the school choose to. In this particular case the Staff filter will allow full access to the site. This can be arranged through the school Nominated Contact.

There is a process in place for schools requesting the unblocking and blocking of websites. The request is submitted for consideration and reclassification of the site as necessary.

Members in Independent Schools

Members in Independent Schools

Available dates:

* Friday July 20 2007 - Sunday July 22 2007 (Code: IND/07)

Length: 3 days

Are you an NUT member working in an independent school? If so, this course is for you.
You will find out about:
# your rights;
# the support available to you from the NUT;
# key NUT policies; and
# how to become more active in the NUT.

You will have the opportunity to meet colleagues from independent schools in England and Wales. It’s too good to miss!

Who should attend: All members, including representatives, in independent schools.

Please email wstalearn@yahoo.co.uk or ring the helpline 01342 410805

Schools Out

The Schools Out conference on 03 February was a typically lively event with a lot of debate and discussion. A lot of progress has been made in combatting homophobia in schools and in society at large.

Judy Moorhouse, representing the NUT and the GTC reminded the conference that teachers who engage in homophobic bullying are guilty of professional misconduct.

Many Local Authorities remind employees of the legal framework which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The Human Resources manual available in all West Sussex Schools for example says,

“Employees are legally protected from discrimination and harassment at work on the grounds of sexual orientation, religion or belief. This applies throughout the employment relationship, including during the recruitment process, in the workplace, on dismissal and, in certain circumstances, after employment has finished. It also applies to terms and conditions, pay, promotions, transfers, training and dismissals."

However there is still a good deal of homophobic bullying of both teachers and pupils and there is a long way to go.




Aside from the discussion, one of the highlights of Schools Out was the performance by MzFontaine, a remarkable rap artist who had the audience on their feet. We could do with her at NUT conference.

Check access to this blog

This blog has been unblocked but we suggest members check whether they can access it from school and inform ictinschools@westsussex.gov.uk if there is a problem. (Part of the screen is blocked on school computers but this is the link to the rest of blogspot.)

It would also be worthwhile for members to check out which other sites are blocked.

Censorship in West Sussex

We have commented in the past on how useful WSGFL is for teachers in West Sussex. However in their zeal to protect pupils from evil websites they have gone a step too far.

They have blocked this blog so that teachers cannot access it from school. Of course you can still access it from home.

This is extraordinary because the site has links to inservice training and ICT training courses teachers can take.


If you have any thoughts on this you might like to email ictinschools@westsussex.gov.uk and give them your opinion. The more people contact them the sooner this unfortunate policy can be reversed.