The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, representing 8500 Secondary Teachers, is to hold an indicative ballot on the Scottish Government’s proposals for a new curriculum for Scottish schools.
Following a meeting of the Executive Committee today SSTA General Secretary, Ann Ballinger commented “Our members will be balloted on the same issues which have concerned us since the early days of the Curriculum for Excellence proposals, namely:
- Inadequate curriculum guidance for teachers planning the implementation of this initiative.
- A complete lack of information about assessment in the first years of secondary schooling.
- No proposed structure or guidelines for reporting attainment to parents in the crucial first stage of secondary education.
- No clear guidance about the point at which pupils can commence National Qualification courses.
- Profiling and reporting proposals which reintroduce a discredited process, with serious workload implications for both teachers and pupils.
- A proposed national qualification system which fails to provide equality of opportunity for all young people working at the new national levels 4 & 5.”
Mrs Ballinger continued “Executive are not convinced by assurances offered at a recent meeting with the Cabinet Secretary. Teachers are being asked to produce and implement new courses with no clear guidance on new forms of assessment for S1. The ‘end product’ of qualifications is 4 years away but teachers have to provide meaningful assessment for S1 courses beginning in August. Before beginning a journey it is essential to, at the very least, have a map and a first destination in mind.”
The ballot will be conducted over the next 2 weeks with a result expected by Friday 25 June. Members will be asked if they are prepared to be balloted on industrial action short of strike action.
Further Information from:
Ann Ballinger, General Secretary