Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association

• Tweet

REVIEW OF THE SCOTTISH TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION SCHEME (STSS)

The Scottish Executive has published a consultation paper regarding the Review of the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme. The consultation paper can be accessed via the Scottish Executive website. The Association urges all members to express their views in this consultation. The Association will, of course, make a formal submission and will continue to represent members at all negotiating meetings. What will have a huge impact, however, is if all teachers make their views abundantly clear to the government now. To view the advice the Association has issued to members click here. Response forms can be downloaded at the Scottish Executive Website. The consultation closes on 14 January 2005 so act before that date.
3 November 2004

• Tweet

SSTA WARNING ON CHILD SAFETY DANGER

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association today warned that there is a real danger of chaos if the Scottish Parliament does not proceed urgently with the Bill designed to improve child protection (Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scotland) Bill).

“We are becoming increasingly concerned that the Bill will not make sufficient progress to pass into law before the dissolution of Parliament ahead of the election in May” said David Eaglesham, General Secretary.
“It is vital that provision is made urgently to give full protection to all young people and other vulnerable groups, and also that the system of disclosure checks be made manageable for all concerned.”
“Following the evidence we gave to Sir Michael Bichard’s Inquiry in 2003, it is clear that existing provisions are inadequate and it is vital that these are upgraded urgently.”
“It is equally true that current requirements for disclosure checks are creating enormous difficulties for many groups and organisations. The need for repeated and multiple checks to be made – up to 14 for an individual – is both slowing down the process and undoubtedly discouraging individuals from working with children in a huge range of activities on a voluntary basis. The system has to be streamlined or many sectors will suffer, not least sports activities. The consequent reduction in these will lead to a generation which is less fit, and to even less chance of success in competitive sports at international level. “
“At the end of the day, we cannot check on every person in the country. If Ian Huntley had been a building worker or bank employee and not a school caretaker, he would not have been disclosure checked under the new system, yet the contact with Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman could still have taken place through Maxine Carr’s employment in the school. Vigilance by all those with responsibility for young people remains the best weapon to avoid harm.
Parliament must ensure that the Bill does not run into the sands of time”
Further information fromDavid Eaglesham
General Secretary

• Tweet

SSTA EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT PROGRESS REPORT ON TEACHING

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) has commented on the report published today by HMIe (Schools Inspectors) entitled “Teaching Scotland’s Children.” “Whilst we welcome the many positive findings from the report, it contains several simplistic and unwarranted assumptions,” said David Eaglesham, General Secretary of the SSTA. “The report states that the Agreement between Teachers, employers and the

Scottish Executive has been by and large successfully delivered in all of its aspects. Recruitment has improved, there is much greater flexibility in schools, there is a more constructive environment, better CPD exists, and support for new recruits is greatly improved.”
“Where the report fails, however, is in seeking to interpose, retrospectively, standards for pupil attainment, the effect of local restructuring and National Priorities for education as if these were themselves part of what was agreed in 2001. They were not. In this sense the report becomes an attempt to rewrite history and to analyse programs against a revised set of purposes. This is inaccurate and cannot be sustained.”
“The Teachers’ Agreement was reached against a background of plummeting morale and deep disenchantment amongst teachers about salaries and conditions. The improvements within the Agreement were primarily intended to address this deficit. None of the parties sought to set future standards by which improvement in education might be addressed. Had this been the case, much detailed work on linkage would have been required and this would have been published at the time.”
"It is clear that standards have improved in our schools and education systems. To what extent this stems from the Teachers’ Agreement and the extent of future required improvement are matters of conjecture and not analysis at this stage.”As an Association we are fully committed to the best possible system of education in Scotland and our members are committed to delivering this. If output measures are required, then these need to be agreed in advance amongst the stakeholders and we will be happy to participate in such an exercise within the ‘Curriculum for Excellence.’”
Further information on this release may be obtained from:DAVID EAGLESHAM
General Secretary

• Tweet

CENSUS OF NEW TEACHERS REQUIRED

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association today called on the Scottish Executive to undertake a rolling census of new entrants to initial teacher education and to teaching service.
“We need to have a more comprehensive picture of what is happening to the supply of teachers in Scotland,” said David Eaglesham, General Secretary of the SSTA. “At present, we do not adequately track the destinations of all those who enter training for teaching service. We need to know just what the effective retention rate is to ensure that we avoid future shortages.”
The Association will be asking the Scottish Executive to expand the collection and publication of data to provide a comprehensive analysis of intake to training, dropout within training, uptake of the induction year, intake to the longer probation period, and dropout from teaching service within the first five years.
“ We have tended to concentrate on getting initial teacher education places filled on the assumption that this will provide an adequate flow of teachers into the classroom. With changes in employment in society and a reducing pool of potential teachers, we need to ensure that all aspects of teacher supply are rigorously examined. As demand for new teachers will rise substantially in the coming 5 years, we must ensure that the models used for projected numbers correspond to the actual position in the schools. Theoretical teachers are singularly ineffective at any form of service delivery! Only actual teachers can serve the needs of young people.
Further details from:David Eaglesham
General Secretary