Scottish Secondary Teachers Association : SSTA & Education News /index.php/ Founded in 1944, the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association is Scotland's only specialist union for Secondary Teachers. The union was set up to focus on secondary issues, initially as a reaction to the undue influence exercised on national education issues at that time by the primary sector. Nowadays this has developed into a commitment to ensure that the secondary view is properly represented en-gb © 2012 Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association. All rights reserved. Andrew@nospam.com (Andrew Brown) Andrew@nospam.com (Andrew Brown) Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:19:08 +0100 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:19:08 +0100 http://backend.userland.com/rss e107 (http://e107.org) hourly 1 60 Scottish Secondary Teachers Association : SSTA & Education News http://www.ssta.org.uk/ssta-images/logo.png /index.php/ 88 31 Founded in 1944, the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association is Scotland's only specialist union for Secondary Teachers. The union was set up to focus on secondary issues, initially as a reaction to the undue influence exercised on national education issues at that time by the primary sector. Nowadays this has developed into a commitment to ensure that the secondary view is properly represented Council http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.362.20
EXECUTIVE

Euan Duncan (Ayrshire)

Valerie Liddell (Renfrewshire)

Ward McCormick (Ayrshire)

Janine McCullough (South Lanarkshire)

Anne O’Kane (Fife)

Sid Sandison (City of Aberdeen)


FINANCE

Catherine Cavanagh (South Lanarkshire)

Ward McCormick (Ayrshire)

Lesley Roberts (Lothian)

Sid Sandison (City of Aberdeen)

]]> Information for members SSTA03 Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:17:41 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.362.20 Survey of Members http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.361.20
The full results of the survey can be accessed at the following link...... http://www.ssta.org.uk/request.php?35

It is work noting that when asked “How confident are you in your ability to deliver appropriate course materials”, two thirds (65.3%) of respondents felt they were either ‘not at all confident’ or ‘not confident’. When asked “How confident are you in your ability to assess your pupils for the new National Qualifications”, over three-quarters (81.5%) were either ‘not at all confident’ or ‘not confident’.

A wide range of written comments were submitted and these are included in the full results link.

Thanks to all those who have participated in the survey.

Richard Goring
(on behalf of the Education Committee)



]]>
The full results of the survey can be accessed at the following link...... http://www.ssta.org.uk/request.php?35

It is work noting that when asked “How confident are you in your ability to deliver appropriate course materials”, two thirds (65.3%) of respondents felt they were either ‘not at all confident’ or ‘not confident’. When asked “How confident are you in your ability to assess your pupils for the new National Qualifications”, over three-quarters (81.5%) were either ‘not at all confident’ or ‘not confident’.

A wide range of written comments were submitted and these are included in the full results link.

Thanks to all those who have participated in the survey.

Richard Goring
(on behalf of the Education Committee)



]]> Information for members SSTA01 Wed, 15 May 2013 14:53:26 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.361.20 Annual STUC Black Workers’ Conference http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.360.26 ]]> ]]> STUC SSTA01 Wed, 15 May 2013 14:14:38 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.360.26 Annual STUC Youth Conference http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.359.26
The conference will be held on Saturday 22 June and Sunday 23 June at the Mercure Hotel, Ingram Street, Glasgow. Attendance could be for either or both of the above dates. Although motions to be discussed cover a wide range of Trade Union issues, a number relate specifically to educational concerns.
]]>
The conference will be held on Saturday 22 June and Sunday 23 June at the Mercure Hotel, Ingram Street, Glasgow. Attendance could be for either or both of the above dates. Although motions to be discussed cover a wide range of Trade Union issues, a number relate specifically to educational concerns.
]]> STUC SSTA01 Wed, 15 May 2013 14:13:53 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.359.26 Report of the General Secretary - Congress 2013 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.358.5
However, I would contend that the last 12 months have been particularly challenging as we have tried to come to terms with some fairly serious internal matters. It is as a consequence that I address you this afternoon slightly surreal as I imagined my days of Presidential addresses or General Secretary reports were well and truly over.

Sometimes a phrase sets the tone of our years work. Were I to choose such a phrase my choice would be “in good faith”. I used this phrase in relation to Pensions when I took over duties as acting General Secretary. It is a phrase that I continue to use and indeed a phrase increasingly used by trade union colleagues. I would have to say to you that keeping good faith has been a cardinal principle of this Association since our inception. Of that I am inordinately proud. At no time would this Association fail to act in good faith.

Therefore, during the last session, Council took a very courageous decision. It decided that the Work to Contract for which we had balloted was inappropriate given the ongoing negotiations with Scottish Government to obtain a soft landing for the UK Pensions negotiations. Now nobody embodies political cynicism greater than I. In simple terms, we regard all politicians of all parties dealing with Scottish education with the greatest of suspicion. We have witnessed in the SSTA over the decades too many examples of broken promise; too many pieces of political posturing; too many instances of cheap vote chasing. Why would the attempt to secure a Pension soft landing be any different?



Now let us be clear. We are not deluded into believing that Scottish Government is entirely motivated by its wish to secure a reasonable public pension settlement. It is obvious that an impending independence referendum must clearly influence a posture of defiance against the UK Treasury. In a sense it is a 2 way bet for politicians. Concession wrung out are a victory for Holyrood; intransigence from The Treasury and no concessions a defeat for Westminster. Fine, that’s “real politik” and we will have to roll with some of these punches.

However, the teachers’ side and our members will not be treated like patsies by any Government and, I am sad to say, we have increasingly been given the impression that that is exactly how we have been regarded. The Teachers side position is abundantly clear. Treat us with good faith and we will treat you with good faith. Do not attempt to indulge in elaborate kidology and cast yourself as honest broker in negotiations unless you are an honest broker. Consequently, we may well re-engage our industrial action and indeed we may seek your permission to escalate. The “prize” in all of this has been made clear. We have made concessions in terms of UK Government case of affordability BUT we still hold dear the concept of a mechanism whereby teachers in the future can retire at 65. We simply cannot imagine the prospect of teachers with compromised health struggling on beyond that. That fight continues and thanks to Fiona Dalziel for taking my place in these negotiations in the difficult post September situation in which the Association found itself.

Moving on from Pensions, I have to report to you that, almost as an unintended consequence of the wrangles I have just described, the UK and Scottish Government not widely known for their unity of purpose have been jointly responsible for a huge achievement. They have done what has in my view never been done before and that is to bring the SSTA and the EIS closer together on an issue that affects all teachers.

Now, Congress, with the help of all our powers of crystal ball gazing let us try to gaze into the future. Peter Wright, the Immediate Past President took us there at the end of last year’s Congress with, you will recall, Motion L. Well Motion L, calling as it did for co-operation between teachers unions and passed by last year’s Congress has been rigorously followed up. As we gaze into the next 10 years let us be clear the landscape we shall occupy as a teachers’ union is a completely different one from the last ten years. There is a worrying animosity to teachers out there - much more than in the past. We must – that is those representing teachers – re-position ourselves to withstand the attacks from Holyrood and COSLA, from GTCS and Learning Scotland, from ill informed parents and out of control youngsters. Is it not absolute folly to expend our energy fighting unwinnable turf wars against each other? Is it not suicidal to allow the real adversaries to exploit the differences that exist between teacher organisations and engage in a divide and rule strategy? Is it not a missed opportunity of cataclysmic proportions to fail to work progressively with colleagues in other unions? Surely what we must do is establish who our allies are in the next ten years and forge with them common purpose. Our allies should be obvious – other teacher unions; a properly informed parental body; an ethical free press unrestrained by “Ministry of Truth” tactics; a motivated and well-behaved pupil body. I should dearly like to say that our Employers and Scottish Government are our allies too. That is what we dream of in the progressive society teachers are attempting to create, a society which allows our members to act as professionals in a properly collegiate environment not simply as the factotums of COSLA and Scottish Government; not just those who meekly perform the bidding of the great and the good. But professionals whose views are adopted, not ignored; whose professional opinions respected not derided; whose expertise is valued not rubbished; whose skills are built upon not distilled into crude performance indicators used to beat the profession up.

I am delighted to report to Congress that this Association and the EIS, on the basis of Motion L and our mutual experiences of the last 12 months have formally met on a number of occasions and had constructive talks on sharing targets, of having joint positions, of making joint public statements.

Over-riding these meeting has been the concept of yes, good faith. We have each presented good faith to the other. We have each agreed to put aside as far as we can the sometimes trivial differences that exist between us and concentrate on the challenges that await us in the next ten years. Many of you, probably most of you, will have enjoyed close, mutually supportive relations at school level with the EIS. I certainly was fortunate in having that as a school rep and as District Secretary in Inverclyde. It is this kind of relationship we wish to achieve nationally and the sound of that bugle call WILL be heard by those who have wished to divide us in the past, knowing that fault lines on the Teachers’ side only give them the advantage. We cannot give ANY advantage so hostile is the landscape that we foresee in the future. All of this, all of the working together, the whole of the alliance is based on good faith. I guarantee that this Association will act in good faith, that is where this Report started today. I am confident that colleagues in sister unions are similarly committed. Congress, Operation Torch was the joint US/British attack on N. Africa. Before then 2 ideologically similar nations avoided joint action. The coming together of these nations in an alliance against the enemies that confronted Britain may have saved the world from the greatest evil. I ask you Congress to support this, our alliance, an alliance in support of teachers, let us commit to working as closely as we can with other unions to plan our own D-Day invasion. Without such an invasion I fear frankly for the survival of teacher unions as we know and love them and without teacher unions we are lost!!

Congress, finally, may I take the opportunity to thank all of you who have helped me in the last few difficult months. Obviously office colleagues have been invaluable. Both Admin and Secretariat team have been supportive of me and patient with me. Without that I would have been lost. Office bearers, Executive and Council too have given me huge support. Thank you all for that. Let us hope Congress that in the coming period we can at least secure some stability and good leadership that will allow us to advance into some pretty hostile landscape.

For further information, please contact

Alan McKenzie
Acting General Secretary
Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
West End House
14 West End Place
Edinburgh
EH11 2ED]]> Congress SSTA01 Fri, 10 May 2013 15:00:26 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.358.5 Margaret Smith’s Presidential Address - Congress 2013 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.357.5
-and what a two years they have been Following my last Congress address I was described in the editorial of a national newspaper as, ‘selfish and irresponsible,’ ‘living on the moon,’ and an example of ‘why members were deserting trade unions.’ I must have got something right.

Unfortunately, the concerns I raised last year still beset us. Pensions remain under attack. Despite the Association’s gesture of goodwill to the Scottish Government in suspending our work to contract in defence of our pensions, little if any, progress has been made. Alan McKenzie will expand on this in his General Secretary’s report.

During my tenure I have tried to visit as many schools as possible, from Orkney to the Scottish Borders, and members have repeatedly made it clear to me that Curriculum for Excellence, both in terms of what is required to deliver it and the workload implications of delivering it, remain a major cause of concern. Confusion and distress at the workload implications of that confusion are universally voiced, and in many cases, reflect real despair among teachers.

Nor have concerns regarding the ‘independent’ GTCs been resolved and teachers continue to be subject to the judgment either of ‘appointees,’ or by persons, whether or not they have a teaching background, who have simply volunteered their services. It seems that ‘independence’ means being ‘independent’ only of those who continue to fund the entire cost of the GTCs – Scotland’s teachers.

A serious re-evaluation of the SSTA’s relationship with this body is overdue.


Fewer opportunities for career progression owing to cost driven Management Restructuring Policies, lack of meaningful CPD – and of course – ‘Professional Update’ and the confusion, and apprehension which accompany this yet another politically imposed initiative are all still with us…

Yes, the concerns I raised last year have not gone away; however, the main thrust of my speech this year, and the theme of this year’s Congress, is my old hobby horse – pupil indiscipline. For many years now I have spoken out at Congress about indiscipline and its effect on learning and teaching – not to mention teacher welfare and professional confidence.

Although some statistics suggest that a degree of progress is being made, that overall, there is a reduction in exclusions, and that pupil behaviour is improving – statistics can be misleading. (You recall the old adage about ‘Lies, damn lies and statistics’?)
Truly appalling behaviour can be concealed by such procedures as ‘in school exclusion,’ for example; however, more significant is the inconsistent approach often taken because of the political determination to reduce exclusion figures.

It is ridiculous that teachers ‘ability to teach and pupils’ ability to learn can be such a hit and miss affair, depending on what school they end up in and the support offered by that school in dealing with serious misbehaviour. Nor, as we all know, is this a problem solely for disadvantaged areas. Schools within the same catchment area can have vastly different standards as to what behaviour is tolerated, even condoned.

What is needed is a consistent approach to dealing with indiscipline, an acceptance that some behaviour – violence, threats, verbal abuse of teachers – cannot be tolerated and a national consensus for dealing with such behaviour arrived at. As one highly successful and supportive Headteacher once said to me, ‘It’s not rocket science.’

And of course, a new dimension to the seemingly eternal problem of indiscipline has arisen. We are only too aware of problems involving the abuse of social media networks, mobile phones, etc. among pupils, but far too little attention has been given to the cyber bullying of teachers. Make no mistake – there have been truly shocking examples of abuse of teaching staff by pupils – photographs taken without consent and posted on You Tube – false Facebook pages created filled with scurrilous content including explicit sexual imagery – and the use of technology generally, as yet another resource to abuse and undermine teachers.
I am convinced that the cases we hear about are the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ and that cyber bullying of teachers is an issue that the SSTA must confront head on.

To sum up, there is much yet to be done and this is no time for complacency as our politicians of all colours tell us. Teachers face two more years of frozen salaries, diminishing resources, increased workload, enduring issues of indiscipline and constant expectations that teachers will exercise their professionalism in spite of everything and with less and less support.

The fight goes on. We might be ‘all in this together,’ but the bitter conclusion is that some of us seem to be much deeper in it than others…

For further information, please contact

Margaret Smith
President
Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
West End House
14 West End Place
Edinburgh
EH11 2ED

]]>
-and what a two years they have been Following my last Congress address I was described in the editorial of a national newspaper as, ‘selfish and irresponsible,’ ‘living on the moon,’ and an example of ‘why members were deserting trade unions.’ I must have got something right.

Unfortunately, the concerns I raised last year still beset us. Pensions remain under attack. Despite the Association’s gesture of goodwill to the Scottish Government in suspending our work to contract in defence of our pensions, little if any, progress has been made. Alan McKenzie will expand on this in his General Secretary’s report.

During my tenure I have tried to visit as many schools as possible, from Orkney to the Scottish Borders, and members have repeatedly made it clear to me that Curriculum for Excellence, both in terms of what is required to deliver it and the workload implications of delivering it, remain a major cause of concern. Confusion and distress at the workload implications of that confusion are universally voiced, and in many cases, reflect real despair among teachers.

Nor have concerns regarding the ‘independent’ GTCs been resolved and teachers continue to be subject to the judgment either of ‘appointees,’ or by persons, whether or not they have a teaching background, who have simply volunteered their services. It seems that ‘independence’ means being ‘independent’ only of those who continue to fund the entire cost of the GTCs – Scotland’s teachers.

A serious re-evaluation of the SSTA’s relationship with this body is overdue.


Fewer opportunities for career progression owing to cost driven Management Restructuring Policies, lack of meaningful CPD – and of course – ‘Professional Update’ and the confusion, and apprehension which accompany this yet another politically imposed initiative are all still with us…

Yes, the concerns I raised last year have not gone away; however, the main thrust of my speech this year, and the theme of this year’s Congress, is my old hobby horse – pupil indiscipline. For many years now I have spoken out at Congress about indiscipline and its effect on learning and teaching – not to mention teacher welfare and professional confidence.

Although some statistics suggest that a degree of progress is being made, that overall, there is a reduction in exclusions, and that pupil behaviour is improving – statistics can be misleading. (You recall the old adage about ‘Lies, damn lies and statistics’?)
Truly appalling behaviour can be concealed by such procedures as ‘in school exclusion,’ for example; however, more significant is the inconsistent approach often taken because of the political determination to reduce exclusion figures.

It is ridiculous that teachers ‘ability to teach and pupils’ ability to learn can be such a hit and miss affair, depending on what school they end up in and the support offered by that school in dealing with serious misbehaviour. Nor, as we all know, is this a problem solely for disadvantaged areas. Schools within the same catchment area can have vastly different standards as to what behaviour is tolerated, even condoned.

What is needed is a consistent approach to dealing with indiscipline, an acceptance that some behaviour – violence, threats, verbal abuse of teachers – cannot be tolerated and a national consensus for dealing with such behaviour arrived at. As one highly successful and supportive Headteacher once said to me, ‘It’s not rocket science.’

And of course, a new dimension to the seemingly eternal problem of indiscipline has arisen. We are only too aware of problems involving the abuse of social media networks, mobile phones, etc. among pupils, but far too little attention has been given to the cyber bullying of teachers. Make no mistake – there have been truly shocking examples of abuse of teaching staff by pupils – photographs taken without consent and posted on You Tube – false Facebook pages created filled with scurrilous content including explicit sexual imagery – and the use of technology generally, as yet another resource to abuse and undermine teachers.
I am convinced that the cases we hear about are the ‘tip of the iceberg,’ and that cyber bullying of teachers is an issue that the SSTA must confront head on.

To sum up, there is much yet to be done and this is no time for complacency as our politicians of all colours tell us. Teachers face two more years of frozen salaries, diminishing resources, increased workload, enduring issues of indiscipline and constant expectations that teachers will exercise their professionalism in spite of everything and with less and less support.

The fight goes on. We might be ‘all in this together,’ but the bitter conclusion is that some of us seem to be much deeper in it than others…

For further information, please contact

Margaret Smith
President
Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
West End House
14 West End Place
Edinburgh
EH11 2ED

]]> Congress SSTA01 Fri, 10 May 2013 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.357.5 WORKING TIME AGREEMENTS 2013/14 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.356.20
]]>
]]> Information for members SSTA01 Thu, 02 May 2013 17:00:20 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.356.20 Increase in Employee Pension Contributions http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.355.3
Full Time Equivalent
pensionable pay

Contribution
rate
2012/13

Contribution
rate
2013/14
Contribution rate
increase against
2012/13
Up to £14,999
6.4%
6.4%
0%
£15,000 to £25,999
7.0%
7.0%
0%
£26,000 to £31,999
7.3%
7.9%
0.6%
£32,000 to £39,999
7.6%
8.8%
1.2%
£40,000 to £44,999
8.0%
9.2%
1.2%
£45,000 to £74,999
8.0%
10.1%
2.1%
£75,000 to £99,999
8.4%
10.6%
2.2%
£100,000 and above
8.4-8.8%
11.2%
2.4-2.8%
Annual Pay Negotiations

There is still no agreement on annual pay increases for teachers. Negotiations continue.

]]>
Full Time Equivalent
pensionable pay

Contribution
rate
2012/13

Contribution
rate
2013/14
Contribution rate
increase against
2012/13
Up to £14,999
6.4%
6.4%
0%
£15,000 to £25,999
7.0%
7.0%
0%
£26,000 to £31,999
7.3%
7.9%
0.6%
£32,000 to £39,999
7.6%
8.8%
1.2%
£40,000 to £44,999
8.0%
9.2%
1.2%
£45,000 to £74,999
8.0%
10.1%
2.1%
£75,000 to £99,999
8.4%
10.6%
2.2%
£100,000 and above
8.4-8.8%
11.2%
2.4-2.8%
Annual Pay Negotiations

There is still no agreement on annual pay increases for teachers. Negotiations continue.

]]> Pensions SSTA01 Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:43:03 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.355.3 National Qualification’s Survey http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.354.20
Emails are being sent out to approximately 15% of members inviting them to take part in the survey. Those chosen to take part in the survey were randomly selected by our database. If you receive an invitation please take the time to complete survey before it closes at 12pm on Tuesday 30 April.

With best wishes,

Alan McKenzie
Acting General Secretary

]]>
Emails are being sent out to approximately 15% of members inviting them to take part in the survey. Those chosen to take part in the survey were randomly selected by our database. If you receive an invitation please take the time to complete survey before it closes at 12pm on Tuesday 30 April.

With best wishes,

Alan McKenzie
Acting General Secretary

]]> Information for members SSTA01 Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:44:52 +0100 http://www.ssta.org.uk/news.php?item.354.20