Workforce Remodelling

We are pleased to announce that despite all the friction apparent at a national level between the unions, there is total agreeemnt between all six unions in Lambeth. On Monday 13th October 2003 Lambeth Teachers' Association representatives put a proposal on whole class teaching to all the other unions. Our proposal was simple and unambiguous. Teaching of whole classes, including cover shall be conducted only by qualified teachers or teachers on an employment based route to qualification. (For example Graduates on GTP or Overseas Trained Teachers). ATL, GMB, NAHT, NASUWT and UNISON are all happy with this proposal. If union members are undermined by unqualified staff being asked to cover, this is a national union issue.

It is the NUT's belief, and clearly not NUT alone that the crisis in our schools, including the poor pay and lack of career prospects for assistants is due to the atrocious working conditions in many schools and general underfunding.

In negotiating with the authority, it is the NUT's intention to highlight this shortage and insist that funding is made available so that GMB and UNISON coleagues who support teachers are employed in greater numbers with better pay in order that the 21 tasks no longer carried out by teachers can be managed with out increasing their workload.

Since September 2004, no teacher cannot be expected to cover more than 38 hours per year. Any teacher asked to do more must bring it to our attention

From September 2005, all teachers must have PPA time. If this isn't in place we need to be told.

Health and Safety

We are at the stage now of ensuring that Lambeth has serious health and safety policies protecting all workers in education. This means defence against stress, bullying and harassment, sickness among other questions..

School Places

At one time this year, we were told that there were only 14 out of school. Then the media discovered over 500. This is due to several factors, not least the lack of proper school places. The arrival of academies is no solution - it means selection and the typical youngster who is out of school now, dejected as a failure because of the exam system, the narrow curriculum will not be placed in acadmies - especially as they have no special needs committment.

Restructuring - Access and Inclusion

The Access and Inclusion division is scheduled to restructure. More will be reported on this in due course. Meanwhile, we understand that the consultant headteacher appointed to oversee the process has departed. There is a working party and the union representation is Ray Sirotkin (NUT and Panel Secretary) and Richard Beeby (NASUWT). Ray has taught in Secondary and the PRU. Richard has taught in Special Education.

Upper pay spine

Most schools are coping, but we do have to raise this from time to time - usually in the autumn term as schools lag behind. We do have advice on- line.Advice on Upper Spine Points or more recently if things haven't gone well: Pay Appeals

NQTs

We have been reliably informed that the number of NQTs is down this year. However, judging from the turnout on their induction day and their sudden appearance in some schools, we suspect that they are more numerous than first imagined. If you are a NQT but nobody has contacted you, please contact us.

Academies

Following the opening of the Lambeth Academy, the LEA is hell bent on opening Academies like there's no tomorrow. They have been thwarted at Glenbrook, but are intent on opening one at Shakespeare Road. We are not sure who in Lambeth will get a peerage for this one.

In addition, they are prepared to open another Academy in Shakespeare Road, at present used by Cleanaway, the rubbish people. Their preferred bidder is Ark who have among their trustees Jennifer Moses recently of Goldman Sachs who have been wrapped up in financila scandals, including the Maxwell Pensions going back.Are these people really fit to run schools?

We are trying to establish links with the new school at it emerges. We haven't yet had success. Their admissions policy is said to be based on 'walk to school'. We shall see.Please move to coverage on Secondary Shortages

There is £106 million in LEA coffers for secondary schools. Why can't they build their own schools, instead of contracting out to private financiers and their like? The LEA have decided to open a further school. on the Elm Court site. This will encompass the Elm Court special as a unit, but there remains other problems. They are so hesitant about running it themselves - they are opening this to tender and all sorts of bodies are coming forward. At least it isn't an academy. (Yet)