Deal or no deal?

All out on 24th April

Jumping the gun slightly here.
The Classroom Teacher leaflet on what to do if the union votes to strike on 24th April can be downloaded here

You can download it and print it out at no extra charge.

Conference Blog: Classroom Teacher

Derek McMillan:

I attended Classroom Teacher meeting on Monday. There is a lot of enthusiasm for the Classroom Teacher initiative which aims to involve new teachers in the union. I believe that young teachers (and newly-involved teachers of any age) can transform the union.

The third Classroom Teacher Flyer will be made available online and people can freely download and print it out. It has information about organising for the strike this time.

Teachers can contribute to the Classroom Teacher blog http://classroomteacher.org.uk/weblog and join the yahoo discussion group click here

Three articles on the Classroom Teacher blog have been the focus of
discussions on the TES website.

click here
and here
and here

Conference Blog: Early Years

Angela Ahern writes about the early years motion on the expansion of children's centres and the threatened role of the nursery teacher.

We heard some excellent and knowledgeable spreakers on this issue - both from the primary and secondary sector, particularly Peter Flack from Leicerter.

the role of the nursery teacher in Children's Centres is under threat. Teachers are currently employed under teachers' pay and conditions: so far so good. However, once they leave there is the danger that they are being replaced by teachers on the Soulbury scale to work 48 weeks a year. So teachers will be expected to work for longer hours under worsening pay and conditions.

It was heartening to hear a secondary teacher expressing his concern about this. Teachers from all sectors need to be aware of what is happeniong to their colleagues in the nursery sector.

Conference Blog: Languages in Primaries

The teaching of Modern Foreign Languages in Primaries is superficially a very sensible idea but sadly it has been under funded and under-supported with provision depending on the willingness and skills of already-overworked teachers.

To be an MFL teacher takes five years of Higher Education. How can primary teachers all be expected to deliver MFL on the basis of an occasional twilight session?

Conference Blog: Academies

Jenny Howells:

It was very interesting to listen to the debate about Academies. I now have a much better understanding about these schools. I am worries about the prospect of Academies for a number of reasons.

* higher rates of exclusion among pupils
* building land that taxpayers own being handed to businesses without knowledge of cost.
* covert selection
* sponsors being able to dictate the curriculum which will be taught.
* Teachers' pay and conditions being changed for the worse.
* lack of union recognition

It seems to me that we should be giving the millions set aside for academies to these co-called "failing" schools to properly resource and staff schools.

Conference Blog: Workload and Pay

Phil Dufty:

Great to see the workload issues so plainly spelt out and to see the pay campaign broadened to include these.

Derek McMillan

I think Richard Reisser summed the situation up well. For teachers the issues of workload, performance management and pay are not separate, they are all seen as part of the same problem.

Martin Powell Davies' speech was so convincing it led to what is being called "the miracle of Gerry Glazier" where Gerry got up to oppose Martin's view and ended up changing his mind half way through. The Executive are feeling the pressure of members who want action on pay and workload and so long as the pressure is maintained the miraculous transformation will be continued.

I also attended the Socialist Teachers fringe meeting to hear Tony Mulhearn talking about a Labour Council (yes a Labour Council) which stood up for the people of Liverpool against Margaret Thatcher. In fact Tony concentrated mainly on the future rather than the past and the prospects for trade unions to act independently in the political sphere.

A blind pig in a poke?

NAME: No Academy in Midhurst or Easebourne
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release – 10:00 Tuesday March 25th, 2008
A blind pig in a poke?
Confused about proposed change to an Academy for the Rother Valley? Do you know all the details you should? Do you know to whom you have the chance to respond and when?
NAME regards it as totally unacceptable that important decisions that will affect generations and could have a negative effect on the communities involved are being rushed through pell-mell, with inadequate information, and via a series of "consultations" so overlapping that one could legitimately wonder if the process is deliberately intended to confuse.
"We now have two booklets that do not cover anywhere near all we really need to know to make truly informed responses," said NAME spokespersons Janet and John Newman. "A new building apart, what information are we given about how ULT will provide a better education than a good local authority can? The booklet simply states aspirations with which we would all agree and which are not new. There is no detail, for instance, about how the curriculum will change – which surely we should know, if we are to be able to agree that things might be better. What information is given about a considered analysis of the effect of change on communities? How can a headlong rush be justified when the decisions involved are so important? Have even the county councillors been fully informed of all the issues involved?"
Curiously, one of the few details we are given in the second booklet, which interestingly was available to the public only the day after the opportunity to discuss change with local councillors at Lodsworth, is that "A key characteristic of the ……. Academy will be it work in partnership with schools from the independent sector as well as the public sector". The expertise of a selective private boys’ school with small classes, even Winchester College, is not obviously well matched, let alone central, to the very different skills required in a mixed comprehensive.
Neither booklet publicly states where the new Academy will be sited. Surely this is of critical importance to Easebourne, Midhurst and Petworth, and NAME demands that all of these communities be properly informed and consulted before any decision is made.
There are presently two overlapping consultations – the WSCC consultation, which closes on 8th April, and that run by DJB Consultancy, which closes on 10th May. It is vital that as many people as possible, both for education and community reasons, respond to both, so that the authorities have to make a decision based on knowledge of what local people really think.
NAME plan to hold further meetings in both Midhurst and Petworth so that as many as possible can come and find out and discuss what is really afoot and what effect the proposed changes will have – in so far as the authorities have told us enough to know. These meetings will be on:
Monday 31st March 7.30pm Garden Room, Grange Centre, Midhurst
Wednesday 2nd April 1.00pm Methodist Church Hall, Midhurst
Thursday 3rd April 7.30pm Leconfield Hall, Petworth
'All enquiries to Simon Boxley.01730 821464 http://namecampaign.blogspot.com/'

Conference Blog: Anti-Academies Alliance

Derek McMillan:

Memberrs of WSTA attended the meeting of the Anti-Academies Alliance at Conference.

Paul Holmes MP revealed that one of the great advantages of Academies from a business point of view was that "teachers could be paid less for more work." The otherr advantage quoted to him by supporterrs of the academy policy was that "schools could be released from the restrictions of the national curriculum." As he said, the government could choose to release all schools to innovate rather than restricting that right to the academies.

It will interest teachers in West Sussex that Alice Mahon referred to the "blackmail" in Halifax where teachers were told that academies were "the only game in town". does that ring any bells? She also detailed how debate in the Labour Party was closed down on this issue with critics of the academy programme like herself being censured for speaking out.



.

Conference blog: supply teachers

Kathy Bennetts-Brown:


Supply teachers depend on he solidarity of their full-time colleagues. They aree a dispersed workforce. Where colleagues can they should support situations where suply teachers are being paid on national pay scales

The loss of pension contributions will hit women hardest again. They are still the main carers in society and often choose to supply teach at times when they need to combine the role of earner and carer.
There is no divide between supply teachers and full-time teachers. Supply teacherrs. Supply teachers move into full time teaching and full-timerrs move into supply.

No worker in education should be faced with the situation of a thirty pound pay cut and loss of pension rights more-or-less overrnight. yet this happened to West Sussex supply teacherrs recently.

(Conference didn't reach the WSTA amendment on supply teachers but the NUT does now have a policy of supporting supply teachers and members in West Sussex can push for supply teachers to get teachers' pay and conditions by being directly employed by the school)

Amtrit (Brontosaurus) Bhogal:

Thank you for bringing the plight of the dying breed (supply teachers) to the forefront. But quicker action is necessary. We are almost extinct!

HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT

NUT AND National Education Association HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT

The US National Education Association (NEA) and National Union of Teachers are planning to hold a joint seminar for teachers focusing on civil liberties, human rights and freedom. The NEA and NUT are keen to draw on the experience of their highly successful professional development programmes and to work together to build on this.

It is expected that this will be a remarkable professional development opportunity for those involved. I am writing to ask if you are aware of any colleagues that would be interested and able to attend the initial two day seminar on Tuesday 15th April and Wednesday 16th April 2008.

The aim of the programme is to focus on the Magna Carta, a document of its time, but which encompasses values that are now seen as the very embodiment of the ideas of freedom, justice, fairness and human rights. In particular there would be analysis of the Magna Carta and how it relates to human rights, freedom and democracy; this would underpin further work developing strategies and materials for teaching and learning about the Magna Carta. A trip to Lincoln to learn about the Magna Carta is planned as part of the programme.

The format of the programme will provide an opportunity for teachers to work together during a two-day seminar, followed by further work through communication with a partner teacher. Participating teachers, from the NUT and NEA, will be 'linked' to provide professional support to each other (using telephone, e-mail etc) as they try out teaching and learning strategies in their classrooms. Participants may be teachers of any subject.

I hope that you may pass this information on relevant colleagues. If you have any questions regarding this initiative please contact my colleague Samidha Garg on 020 7380 4716 or via international@nut.org.uk . I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely


STEVE SINNOTT
General Secretary

Pay campaign update

Meetings about Academies

West Sussex County Council is proposing to hand over majority control of 3 schools along the coast to an organisation outside your democratic control. There will be less WSCC involvement in the Governing Body and policies of the new Academies.

Currently, if you feel County education policies are wrong you can complain or raise issues to your County Councillor who has direct access to those making the decisions.

Once Academies exist this may not be the case. The schools will be run principally by a private body, the Woodard Corporation. You may feel this is a good thing or it may give you concern.

Many of the staff involved are uneasy about the direction this faith based corporation will take the schools over the coming years. They may be right or their fears could be unfounded.

Currently some of you may attend Adult Education classes or you may have family members who use the Youth Service facilities on Boundstone’s site. Will there still be access to these and at a rate that can be afforded once the new management take over?

Clearly at the Public Meeting on February 7th in Worthing Mr Back, the outgoing Director of Children’s and Young People’s Services, was unable to respond on that issue. He described it as “interesting” and something that “would be looked into”. Perhaps now there is an answer.

All your questions, concerns and enthusiasm for the project may be taken into consideration if or when contracts with these or other sponsors are drawn up. Whatever your opinions when you have read the booklet I would urge you to attend the public meeting being held to hear your community’s views.

Without your attendance and your contributions how can the proper way forward for your children and your community be shaped?

The Sompting and Lancing meeting is on March 11th at 7pm in Boundstone School Hall

Please make your voice heard as part of your children’s and your community’s future.

AGM: John Illingworth's Speech

It is a great pleasure to be invited to speak at your Presidential dinner today. This is my first visit to Arundel and it is a very pleasant surprise so thank you for inviting me.

My congratulations to Angela on becoming your President and on her excellent address earlier today. I’ve visited around 60 Divisions in the last year talking about teacher mental health and to be invited to speak about something else was a rare but very welcome pleasure.

Angela initially invited me to speak about Early Years having heard me speak on the subject at Conference last Easter. This speech is partly about that but also about on the importance of play in the learning and well-being of not just young children, but all children and adults as well.

After the meal we’ve just had I wanted to give you some food for thought. I hope you will find some of what I say thought provoking or even controversial.

I started my teaching career 35 years ago as a secondary maths teacher but it wasn’t long before I realised that early learning in maths was crucial to later development. I wanted to be involved in shaping that learning and moved to a primary school in my second year of teaching. I spent the rest of my career teaching primary aged children including 24 years as a primary head.

My experience has led me to two important conclusions about learning that I think should be at the forefront of the minds of teachers. You might call these things principles or truths. As a mathematician I’ll call them axioms. You may of course disagree with them but I believe them to be self-evident.

The first axiom is that each year in life is less significant for learning than the one before. So each year we are capable of learning less than during the preceding one. The complexity of the things we learn may increase but the totality of our learning becomes less and less significant. That is not to say that learning does not continue throughout our lives. I’m certainly still learning, but by the time you reach a certain age I think we forget more than we learn. I may well have reached that point.

However, it is little short of miraculous to witness the acquisition of knowledge and skills by a child of two. By the age of 3 a child has developed a good working knowledge of their mother tongue. They have developed physical and social skills and have a well developed sense of self-determination. They can already demonstrate quite sophisticated traits such as empathy, although they wouldn’t know what it was called. They can sing, rhyme and dance. They can count, sort and organise. The downside is that by 3 the gap between the high and low achievers of the future is already developing. Why is this, and how can all this learning have taken place before a child is exposed to any formal education?

This brings me to my second axiom.

Learning often takes place without teaching and teaching does not always result in learning. Therefore, more teaching does not always lead to more learning.

This is important because increasingly those who control our education system plan on the basis that teaching will automatically lead to learning. They conversely assume that failure to learn must be because of bad teaching or not enough teaching.

Learning is almost only measured only by crude tests and the credit or blame for success or failure placed firmly at the door of teachers.

But learning is about much more than that which can be tested. Indeed, success in a test is no guarantee of long term learning. Primary teachers regularly observe that pupil’s learning is not retained from one day to the next never mind in the longer term. How we learn is crucial.

Early Years teachers know that just as much is learnt through ‘play’ as through ‘work’. Here is an example of what I mean. I used it in a speech at 2007 Conference so if you heard it there I apologise for the repetition. I understand however that some delegates went for a coffee during the Early Years debate but this time you will have to listen. Lock the doors please!

Shortly before I retired as a primary HT, I was visiting the nursery outdoor area on a warm sunny morning. the teacher had set up a range of around 20 activities for the children which included a large sandpit. Sitting near it I noticed a 3 year old girl who was playing in the sand . The sandpit was half in the sun and half in the shade and she was dragging her fingers through the sand. As she moved from shade to sun it was clear that she had discovered something and she repeated the action several times smiling to herself. She looked at me, came over to me and took my hand leading me to the sandpit. She carefully placed my palm on the sunny sand and then the shaded sand. She repeated this. Not a word had been spoken throughout this by either of us until this point. I had witnessed several things:

Her learning of a scientific concept,
Her intrinsic joy that accompanied her discovery,
Her desire to communicate her discovery and reinforce the communication,
Her effective non-verbal communication skills,
Her appropriate social interaction.

I don’t think the nursery teacher expected the heating of objects through the sun’s radiation to be a learning outcome for the morning, but nonetheless the learning took place and I contend it has a better chance of being remembered and retained than a theoretical science lesson that sets out to teach that concept. The teacher was planning in the expectation of many possible learning outcomes and was successful.


We should all accept that this kind of learning takes place all the time.
It is therefore no accident that the pre-school child who comes from a language and experience ‘rich’ home is likely to have much higher levels of informal learning than one from a poor family with a meagre experiential and language diet. I believe this factor explains the achievement gap which emerges before the age of 3. That gap continues to grow even after formal school begins because a high proportion of learning continues to take place outside the school. The school cannot fully compensate for a child’s lack of experiences and it is disingenuous to pretend it can.

Even in school, much of what a child learns emanates from the peers they learn alongside. If your peers have a wealth of talent and experience some will be passed on to you. If you attend an unpopular sink school sadly such peer learning is likely to be diminished. So, whether a school is perceived as good or bad, popular or unpopular, often becomes a self fulfilling cycle.

This philosophy of learning through play and discovery is not new. It is enshrined in the much discredited Plowden Report of the 1960s. Of course, leaving the child to learn in an ad hoc manner with no structure or formal teaching is absurd but no more absurd than to take the view that all that is worthwhile can be tested and learnt through formal teaching.

As a HT, I encouraged teachers to change their teaching age group from time to time if they wished to do so. When these changes were announced I was always amused that parents congratulated a teacher because they had been ‘promoted’ to teach a class of older children or commiserated with if they had been ‘demoted’ to teach younger ones.

The view that small children are only playing and therefore can be taught by less qualified staff is absolutely wrong but it is widespread and even some HTs have replaced teachers with TAs in Early Years classes. This demonstrates an appalling lack of understanding about how children learn.

Creating and structuring learning activities in early years needs particular skills and teachers of older children have much to learn. Young children, helped by their teachers, make choices about what they learn, when they learn, and how they learn. Activities are designed by teachers which appeal to different learning styles and preferences. Social and emotional learning is seen as just as important as early acquisition of literacy and numeracy, although other countries are more advanced in understanding that formal teaching of these subjects has no place until the age of 6 or 7. If the social, emotional and language foundations are well established through play then it is easy to build on them. However failure to lay such firm foundations will undermine a child’s education throughout their school career.

So, why do we foster such choice and independent learning amongst our very young learners, and then remove the choice from them as they get older? This removal of choice doesn’t only apply to children. Why are teachers often forced to following more and more prescriptive teaching methodologies? Does prescription for learners or teachers improve the outcome?
Not according to the report in yesterdays INDEPENDENT, published after I had written this speech. The front page headline ‘Damning official report says political interference has stopped our teachers teaching, prevented children learning and set back the quality of education for a generation” (Every other front page yesterday was about Prince Harry’s return from Afganistan!) I agree with the reports findings.

The distinction between ‘work’ and ‘play’ is also not helpful in promoting learning. If children and adults learn through play, and we know they do, if they are more highly motivated in play situations than those perceived as ‘work’ why do give play so little value?

I have recently come to the conclusion that a third ‘axiom’ is also crucial for learning.

For effective learning to take place the brain needs recreation and recovery time.

All work and no play really does make you dull. If we want sharp enthusiastic citizens the two Rs are both essential

The ‘Gradgrind’ approach to work in both schools and adult life is often promoted as one of productivity, value for money and wealth creation. Education is too often seen by politicians as the place where skills for work are obtained. Fulfilment in life is seen as secondary to the demands of the world of work.

British citizens work the longest hours in Europe, our children have the shortest school holidays, parents complain that they have little quality time to spend with their children and much of the time they do have each evening is wasted on home ‘work’ set by teachers chasing test targets. Exeter University Research shows that homework is of no value and may be counterproductive. However, time spent by children and parents engaged in joint activity (playing together perhaps!) or just in simple conversation has a huge impact on achievement at school. Even argument between parents and children has benefit in developing thinking.

Politicians and business leaders advocate the higher levels of economic growth based on our long hours culture, driving more parents back into work. with childcare at both ends of the school day adding to the demands placed on schools.

My work during the last two years on teacher mental health has demonstrated the disastrous consequences which may follow an ‘I will work harder’ approach by teachers. Insufficient play and recreation is the cause of illness amongst many teachers not to mention its impact on their children and partners. Teaching is now accepted as one of, if not the most stressful occupations and much of this is driven by excessive workload. But teachers are far from being exceptions, the workload in other occupations and the work demands we place on our children are also excessive.

There are high levels of dissatisfaction amongst many people in Britain. Mental illness is on the increase, our children, according to UNESCO, are the unhappiest in the developed world. Levels of drug addiction and the crime that feeds addiction are very high. Binge drinking and obesity is on the increase. These are indicators of a society that is not at ease with itself and all have significant financial costs. Even the ‘bottom line’ accountants should question the sense of our heavy workload culture.

I believe we need a rethink of how we approach the balance of play and work in our lives and we should all reflect on our own lifestyle. Lunch is not for wimps. Next time you are in a situation where you are tempted to work through your lunch, are invited to a working lunch or even breakfast – think first. Take a break or a walk in the park. Sit down to some slow food with your family or friends. Don’t always set homework – give the kids a break – think of their rest and recreation; and because you won’t have to mark the homework you’ll have more time to play with you own children or friends. A win win situation!

These are just a few examples but what is really required is a shift in our thinking about work and play.

We must also resuscitate Education. Education is not just what can be tested and therefore taught, not just that which is utilitarian or useful for the workplace. We need to return Education to it’s former glory.

Education is worthwhile for its own sake and can illuminate our lives. Teachers should champion true Education and not the mechanistic process the Government seeks to imposes on us.

We should stamp out the kind of teaching that is turning children off books and poetry. We should restore art, music and drama to their proper place in the curriculum.

Weekly announcements from the Department for Carpets and Soft Furnishings of initiatives like 5 hours of sport, 5 hours of culture, citizenship lessons, and so on mean nothing whilst teachers are shackled by the most harsh accountability measures and the longest working hours in the developed world.

So who should lead the Education renaissance which is long overdue? I can think of no better group of people than our EY teachers, like Angela your new President, who best understand the learning process.

We need to free teachers, free children, free our citizens from a life driven by targets, drudgery and the demands of the global economy.

More play and less work all will make us brighter, happier, more productive citizens.

Some people are gay

Thinking Skills

THE NUT CPD PROGRAMME IS INVITING 20 SCHOOLS - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY - TO TAKE

PART IN A UNIQUE eCOLLABORATIVE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROJECT DURING 2008



For £100 participating schools will get an excellent CD produced by 'Imaginative Minds' and Steve Williams (usual price £235). The CD package is designed to underpin 6 one-hour staff development sessions (in-school CPD for the whole staff or departments). The outcomes will enhance the teaching of critical thinking to pupils/students.

In return, each school will nominate a link teacher who will take part in a learning conversation on NUT's CPD bulletin-board CHATROOM. 'Thinkers' like John MacBeath and Viv Baumfield will join in too.

If you and your colleagues/school are interested, please email (Quote 'Critical Thinking'):



nutcpd@nut.org.uk

AGM -Student Membership Report

The annual Fresher’s Fair was held at Chichester University on 23rd September 2008. Including this, a GTP meeting on 21st September and the Teaching Fair on 23rd October we recruited 289 student members.

A recent article in the Teacher magazine reported a very successful inaugural meeting of NUT student members at Winchester University. The executive has been contacted by a student at Chichester with a view to starting up a similar group there. The WSTA has agreed to support the group by helping with funding and input from our officers. We have also agreed to try and recruit a student member this year to join our delegation at the Education Conference in the summer. These developments will develop and strengthen our relationship with our student members who will be the teaching force members of the future.

My thanks go to Dave Thomas for his help and support recruiting at Fresher’s Fair and to Patrick Ginnelly from the regional office who attended all of the recruitment sessions on our behalf.

Chris Miles

Student Membership Officer

February 2008

AGM Health and Safety Report

Hamilton House continue to send updates on new Health and Safety legislation, initiatives and key issues. These are now accessed in detail via ‘Hearth’ on line.

I have been working with the county on a consultation group for the new ‘Hot School Meals’ programme now being rolled out across the county. There have been several H&S issues, ranging from the safety of packaging materials to the disposal and recycling of waste. I have informed Martin Clarke, the officer in charge of the programme, of these concerns as they arise.

Other H&S issues have been taken to the county secretaries group and the Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) as they have been reported to me or have arisen as casework. These include the safety of staff using inadequately lit parking areas, risk assessing pupils with behavioural problems and building work being undertaken in the Adur area schools as part of the age of transfer changes.

I continue to encourage our school reps to make sure there is an NUT H&S rep in school and the importance of the role. Anyone with H&S concerns or who needs more information can contact me via the contact details on the membership card.


Chris Miles

Health and Safety Officer

February 2008

AGM Presidential Address

Presidential Address
West Sussex Teachers’ Association AGM March 1st 2008

Thank you Bob for your hard work as president over this last year, and thank you to the executive committee for all the hard work they do on behalf of the teachers in West Sussex. I know they will continue to support me in the coming year. Thank you to you all for coming today.
It is an honour and a privilege to be selected as president of the WSTA for this year. It will be a challenge for me and the rest of the executive committee, and a steep learning curve. It is also an opportunity for me as a nursery teacher, to talk about the concerns that nursery/early years teachers currently have and the challenges facing them as nursery schools disappear and children’s centres become the norm for early years education.
Firstly, I would like to introduce myself and tell you a bit about my background in teaching and in the NUT. I’m sorry to say that I did not join the NUT as a student teacher. It was AMMA who got to me first, and happily for me, they no longer exist. I initially trained as a secondary teacher, in remedial Maths and English. I did my PGCE at Edgehill College in Ormskirk in Lancashire, and my placements were in quite challenging comprehensives in Preston and Liverpool.
I found myself either with a class of Year 7s, attempting some basic maths or english, or with a group of 15 year olds, mostly boys, who were waiting to leave school. One memorable occasion was in a year 7 class, I had written some maths problems up on the board and turned round and said to the class; “Are you with me?” One bright spark replied, “No Miss, we’re with the Woolwich!” I’m sure that child has done well. It did make me smile.
Other than those moments of light relief, it was a difficult year. Staffrooms then didn’t seem particularly friendly places. I remember the ones that I encountered as being full of smoke – to which I contributed furiously as well, between lessons, and the scariest thing was trying to figure out which chair or mug you could use without being yelled at. I’m not sure who I was most scared of – my pupils or my colleagues. Actually, it’s the same now – just that I’m taller than the children I teach – mostly!
After qualifying I went for a number of interviews, one of which was in a children’s home in Liverpool that had education on the premises. It was a secure home for girls from 11-18 who were habitual absconders, from their homes as well as from schools. I didn’t get the teaching job, but was offered a job on the care team. I enjoyed working there and made a lasting friendship to this day, with a fellow member of my team, who had also trained as a teacher.
I spent two years in Liverpool, and then moved to Bristol, where my eldest son was born. Two moves and two more children later, I arrived in West Sussex, and when my daughter, Liz went to school I decided to try to get back into teaching. However, not in secondary education. After the initial shock of having young children, I really enjoyed spending time with, and educating and being educated by my children and their friends. In addition to my 3, I found I often had a house full of other young children. I helped out and worked in my children’s playgroup, and completed a training course with the Pre-school Playgroups Association, on child development, working with and providing a suitable environment for young children to learn and develop. After completing a certificate in Adult and Further Education I tutored adults in pre-school courses. I joined KIT – a West Sussex organisation for returning teachers and volunteered in a local reception class. In 1995 I applied for and got my first teaching post as a nursery teacher at Horsham Nursery School. Since then I have worked in two other nursery schools and one children’s centre.
Not long after starting at Horsham Nursery School, I joined the NUT and was contacted by Veronica, who invited me and my colleague, Mandy to her presidential dinner. I knew Veronica socially, through church and having two children the same age – our sons both played football for Horsham teams. Mandy and I attended Veronica’s presidential dinner at Slinfold Golf Club, and began to attend local NUT meetings. We both felt that nursery/early years teachers needed some representation, and we were the women to do it!
That leads me to today and becoming president for 2008/9. What are the issues concerning teachers at this moment and over the next year? Pay – on which we are about to be balloted for strike action – the first national ballot over pay in more than 20 years. Workload – still an issue for many teachers despite legislation to ensure 10% PPA time for full-time teachers – no matter what phase of education they are employed in. Academies – an issue we are currently campaigning against in West Sussex, as NUT members in other parts of the country are doing. Early years education, the introduction of children’s centres and the role of the nursery teacher – not issues that you may have read about in the paper or listened to on the news, but ones that are quietly transforming the nature of early years education as we have known it since the time when Margaret McMillan introduced the first nursery schools.
Nursery schools, which have traditionally employed qualified teachers to work in a team alongside nursery nurses, with young children aged 3 and 4 years old, are disappearing nationally. There were 4 LEA maintained nursery schools in West Sussex. These have been and are in the process of being transformed into children’s centres. Children’s centres are part of the government’s 10 year plan for children and families to have all services located in one place – a “one stop shop”. Excellent plan so far – families can access nursery education, day-care for under 3s, health visitors, childminders, social workers, family support workers, parenting classes, learndirect courses, job centre information, a whole range of services and training opportunities in one place. The worrying aspect for nursery/early years teachers who find themselves in a children’s centre rather than a maintained nursery school, is that their role is changing, and in some instances disappearing. Job opportunities for teachers whose specialism is in early years are few now and possibly non-existent in the future, in the non-statutory sector. When a teacher leaves or is promoted to the management team, they are not replaced by qualified teachers on the classroom team. This is my experience.
The government seems to take the view that it is not necessary to employ teachers to work with young children. This is despite all the evidence and research to the contrary. The government’s own funded research, EPPE, which stands for Effective Provision of Pre-School Education, is the first major longitudinal study in the UK to focus specifically on the effectiveness of early years education. It is a large scale study of the progress and development of 3,000 children in a range of government funded settings, exploring the characteristics of the different kinds of provision and examining children’s development in early years settings from the age of 3, and their progress in school to the end of KS1. The study has recently been extended to the end of KS2. What the research has shown is that high quality pre-school provision is one of the key factors influencing a child’s later progress in school. The other key factor is their home environment. By high quality provision, we are talking about specialised nursery teachers working alongside well trained and qualified nursery nurses as part of a team. Children’s centres most recently, seem to be appointing a teacher to lead the nursery team, rather than being a working part of it. Young children need qualified teachers to work and play with them and to make relationships with them, in order to extend and enable their learning – not to be in an office surrounded by planning.
Let’s look at the example of Finland, where results from the third Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), released in December, confirmed that Finnish students were the outstanding performers, setting a record score in science and coming second in literacy and maths. One of Finland’s strengths, alongside truly comprehensive education, is systematic and professional early childhood education delivered by teachers with masters degrees.
It does not help that nursery education is not part of the statutory sector, nor that it is traditionally seen as “women’s work”, as young children are involved. I have met reception class teachers who ask me what qualifications I have and are astounded to discover that I have the same qualifications as them.
The NUT understands and supports the position of nursery teachers, as can be seen by its policies and currently, the executive motion to conference. This calls for the maintenance of high quality provision within children’s centres and the continuing requirement for Heads of Centres to have QTS and experience of working in early years settings. The union reasserts its belief that qualified early years teachers are essential to the provision of high quality early years education and that they create the best possible conditions for children’s learning and for their personal, social and emotional development. I would go further and state my belief that if we get it right for 3 and 4 year olds, if we nurture in them a positive attitude towards learning and a delight in exploring and experimenting, then their primary and secondary school lives can only benefit.
So, to finish, for all of you primary and secondary colleagues out there, I’d like to leave you with this thought. Nursery/early years teachers need your support and your interest in their phase of education – so please, no yawning or going out for coffee when early years motions are discussed – stick with it! Hang on in there – even if your bum is numb.
Think about it – what are your best moments in teaching – attending endless meetings, planning lessons, making assessments, writing reports – unlikely, I would hope. The best moments happen when you are interacting with children – those are the moments in a day that make you smile and make you feel that you are doing a worthwhile job. Early years teachers want to continue to experience those moments too.
As Daniel Day-Lewis said when he collected one of his awards, “it’s just playing”, and we all need to do that!

AGM: Report of the Membership Secretary for 2007

Report of the Membership Secretary for 2007


Over the course of the year our total membership grew from 3,964 to 4,065 which represents 2.5% growth. This is very encouraging after the 2006 figure of 1.6% growth and compares very favourably with a national figure of +0.5%. The increase of 101 members is nearly all in-service members, the figure for retired and left profession members having remained virtually static.


I have again submitted an application on behalf of WSTA for a National Union membership Development Award (NUMDA) reporting on the outcome of our 4,000th member recruitment initiative which was launched in Autumn ’06. In Autumn ’07 Linda Kavanagh, an NQT at Oriel High School (Maidenbower, Crawley) was identified as the
lucky person and I visited her at school to present her with a cheque. I included a photo of Linda and the School Rep in our submission for the NUMDA; also included was a copy of the colourful flyer advertising the Salsa Evening which Dave (Thomas) organised in the Autumn.

The Union is now able to take direct debit instructions over the phone or internet, whereas previously, although bank account details were taken down over the phone, a
paper mandate had to be sent out for the new member to sign and return (which, unfortunately, they sometimes failed to do). I think we need to urge School Reps to
promote this method of joining the Union and suggest that at our Secretariat Planning
Day we give some thought to how this might best be done.


Veronica Peppiatt

AGM Officers for 2007-2008

Angela Ahern took over as president of WSTA.

The other officers elected were as follows:

Vice President Alison Baker
Secretary Dave Thomas
Assistant Secretary Marje Hammond
Treasurer Phil Dufty
Assistyant Treasurer Nick Isherwood
Membership Secretary Veronica Peppiatt
Parliamentary Correspondent Derek McMillan
PRO and Newsletter Editor Alison Baker
Helpline and ULR Derek McMillan
Health and Safety Officer Chris Miles
Student Membership Officer Chris Miles
Young Teacher Officer Jenny Howells

AGM: Helpline and Learning Rep report

The number of calls to the helpline continues to rise with 286 calls in 2007. The increased number of calls shows we are providing a useful service.

The helpline system only works because I can rely on the support of other members and we have a very good team of caseworkers: Bob Cross, Phil Dufty, Marje Hammond, Chris Miles, Dave Thomas, and Veronica Peppiatt and now Alison Baker.

I am happy to go on doing the helpline for another year if elected but we will need more caseworkers to cope with the rising load of casework especially in Crawley. One solution has been to involve reps in more casework. Proposed action over pay or Academy Status should be an opportunity to involve more people in the union.

Union learning rep is an interesting job and the union’s Continuing Professional Development and ICT work are very useful both in their own right and as a way of promoting the union.

I have continued to use a weblog which has been a useful way to publicise union activities, including CPD to members.


When I am not blogging I am tweaking my Moodle :) and my target for this year is to involve more members in online discussion and learning not just ICT but all aspects of CPD and union work. Anyone who is interested email wstalearn(at)yahoo.co.uk and you will be welcomed to the wonderful world of Moodle Lifelong Learning.

Having one day a week to cover our 4000 plus members, the internet has been an invaluable tool. However, for those who still prefer paper-based materials I have produced a Lifelong Learning newsletter.

Derek McMillan
Helpline Co-ordinator
Union Learning Rep
Website author, blogger and Moodler

(Moodle is an open-source online learning environment which is being used more widely in West Sussex and has a lot of potential for building the NUT.)