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Members Update – Christmas Arrangements for Schools

Members Update – Christmas Arrangements for Schools – 11 December 2020 The SSTA met with John Swinney, Deputy First Minister this week and urged him to: reconsider the arrangements for Secondary Schools prior to Christmas anddelay returning to face-face teaching in January in order for everybody to be kept safe over the Christmas period.This followed the SSTA letter to Local Authorities asking that schools move to ‘remote learning’ and fulfil their duty of care to keep everybody safe. Please see…

Members Update - 1 December 2020

Examinations 2021 The SSTA has called for an early announcement as to the arrangements for the Higher and Advanced Higher examinations next summer. The assumption that the examinations should continue as normal ignores the damage that has been inflicted upon all pupils as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers and pupils are under severe pressure, trying to ensure all candidates are prepared fully for the examinations next summer, whilst increasing numbers have contracted the virus or are required to…

COVID-19 / Information for Members - 12/01/2020

FACE COVERINGS – The Official Position

The SSTA has focussed throughout the covid-19 pandemic that safety of staff and pupils must be the first consideration. The SSTA continues to insist that all safety measures (such as face coverings, hand sanitisers/cleaning materials in all classrooms and strict physical distancing) should be in place in all schools.There has been reluctance in some quarters to take all necessary steps to protect all staff and pupils during the course of the pandemic. As a consequence, there is much confusion as…

COVID-19 / Information for Members - 11/16/2020

Lockdown Learning Depended on Teachers’ Resources and Resourcefulness

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, Scotland’s specialist union for secondary teachers, recently carried out a survey of its members to establish the extent to which they felt employers had ensured they had the right ICT tools for the job both during and since lockdown. Over 1900 secondary teachers from all over Scotland responded. The pandemic has brought the use of educational ICT into sharp focus. Teachers have been relying on ICT to maintain contact with colleagues and learners in a…

COVID-19 / Information for Members - 11/11/2020

Safety Measures in Schools are Putting Teachers at Risk

The SSTA conducted a survey of SSTA School Representatives on the measures being used in schools to keep staff safe. The survey highlighted the inconsistent approach to staff safety taken by local authorities across Scotland.Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said“The SSTA has argued for a consistent approach to safety during this crisis but unfortunately some local authorities are interpreting the guidance as optional rather than mandatory”.“Safety in School must be the first priority. SSTA conducted a survey of school representatives…

COVID-19 / Information for Members - 10/29/2020

SSTA Members Briefing

The SSTA has arranged briefing sessions for members on the challenges facing secondary teachers at this time. The General Secretary Seamus Searson will give the latest information regarding Covid-19, national qualifications and the OECD senior phase review. There will also be a presentation on the impact of the Teachers’ Pensions consultation by Stuart McCullough, Independent Financial Advisor from Llife Ltd. The briefings will be conducted remotely and will take place on: Monday 2 November at 5.00pmTuesday 3 November at 6.00pmWednesday 11 November at…

Information for Members - 10/15/2020

Pension Consultation – closes 11 October 2020

The Government are currently consulting with all members of the public sector pension schemes which includes the Scottish Teachers Pension Scheme. This is regarding the unjustified age discrimination in relation to the transitional arrangements to the 2015 pension scheme. Within the consultation they are asking you, the scheme member, to make a choice. It's very important that you understand what this choice is and the implications that it could have. The consultation paper is 74 pages long and can be summarised…

Consultations / Information for Members / Pensions - 10/02/2020

writing on a green chalkboard - back to school

SSTA Safety First - School Return Survey

Employers need to take their duty of care seriously The SSTA conducted a survey of members to gauge their concerns following the return of all pupils to school. The survey highlighted the inconsistent approach to staff safety taken by local authorities across Scotland.Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said“It is particularly worrying that 53% of members in Glasgow were not confident in keeping safe following the return of schools but in East Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde the number fell to 22% of…

COVID-19 / Information for Members / Press Releases - 09/18/2020

Safety First and the Education Recovery Year

Safety First Schools have been attempting to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic but they are far from being complete. Some schools have been more successful than others but there remain many challenges ahead.Some progress has been made in recent weeks but the recent SSTA survey highlighted a number of areas that are not been adequately addressed in all schools. The lack of physical distancing, inadequate cleaning regimes, the lack of face coverings and a lack of consistency of safety measures. The SSTA…

COVID-19 / Information for Members - 09/08/2020

SSTA Position Paper: Rapid Review of National Qualifications experience 2020

On 11 August Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced that an Independent Review, led by Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University, would be commissioned to look at events following the cancellation of this year’s examination diet. Given the urgency, the DFM asked for an initial report with recommendations on how things should go forward this coming year to be made within five weeks. A panel including SSTA members met with Professor Priestley last week. Additionally, the SSTA Education Committee responded to…

Information for Members - 09/08/2020