Teachers Pay - April 2018

• Scottish Government Budget has made provision for a 3% increase for public service workers earning less than £36,500 and 2% for those above

SSTA Position

• First priority Retention and Second priority Recruitment and third priority the Restoration of teachers’ pay
• a common % increase for all teachers at all grades
• Parity for unpromoted teachers with FE lecturers of £40,000+
• A major reduction in teacher workload

The SNCT 2018 Pay Claim was submitted on the 8 February SNCT Pay Claim

Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RICs) for Education (September 2017)

• Six collaborative regions
• Regional Improvement Plan following consultation (January 2018)
• Enhance and improve professional learning
• Identify, promote and share good practice – develop networks of teachers
• Subject-specific and sector-specific support and advice
• The RIC will not replace the LNCT?
• Regional Adviser from Education Scotland (Alistair Brown)
• Second Development Plan – September 2018 to allow for wider consultation
• Collaboration opportunities referred to as ‘Learning Partnerships’

Strategic Board for Teacher Education (SBTE) 21 February 2018

     Career Pathways –issues discussed

• Possible conflict with SNCT and SBTE
• Models for career pathways to be considered
• Curriculum specialists, Additional Support Needs, Leadership Pathways
• Transition from Primary to Secondary
• Attract and retain teachers - teacher needs and employer needs

     1+2 Language Implementation Group

• development of languages by improving language learning for all children by 2021
• an additional language from P1,a second language by P5 and continue until S3
• Training intended for all primary teachers and then into secondary sector
• Language training in primary ITE programmes with a minimum level of competence
• Secondary sector – dealing with primary pupils who have had P1 to P7 experience
• Age profile of secondary MFL and improved workforce planning
• RIC have been tasked to support the 1+2 Language Policy

Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) – Aviemore 16 -18 April 2018

SSTA Motions

Additional Support Needs (Amended by Unison)

“That this Congress notes that data, collected by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association about the numbers of teachers and pupil support assistants working specifically and exclusively within the field of Additional Support Needs in secondary schools, not only reveals a reduction in staff, but is also contradictory and confusing.

“Congress also notes that UNISON’s survey on school support staff showed the immense pressures on those working with children with Additional Support Needs, due to budget cuts and insufficient resources and training.  The Scottish Government has a duty to provide funds to ensure the children’s needs are met”.

“Congress requests that the Scottish Government implements the recommendations of the Education & Skills Committee SP Paper 140 published in May 2017 ‘How is Additional Support for Learning Working in Practice?’, which identifies the need for appropriate funding and resources to fully meet legislative requirements of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004.

“Additionally, Congress calls on the Scottish Government and employers to provide all education professionals including teachers with appropriate training, to ensure that they meet the needs of pupils with Additional Support Needs.”

Education Workforce Council

“Congress recognises the importance of regulatory bodies for maintaining high standards in a number of professions it is alarmed by the Governments intention within the forthcoming Education Bill to dissolve the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS) and Community Learning and Development Standards Council for Scotland (CLDSCS) and create an Education Workforce Council (EWC)”.

“The GTCS is an independent, democratic and teacher led organisation that is almost fully funded by teachers’ subscriptions and maintains a register of highly qualified workers. The Government intends that the EWC is created for all education workers (including those not registered with GTCS and CLDSCS) and appoint council members that will undermine the continuation of highly qualified teachers and other professionals”.

“Congress calls on the Scottish Government to set aside its proposals within the Education Bill and engage with education unions on appropriate mechanisms for regulation for education workers”.    

STUC General Council – 7 March 2018

     2018 ANNUAL CONGRESS

• Preliminary Agenda 111 motions submitted amendments being
• Speakers First Minister and Leader of the Scottish Labour Party with a roundtable session for international guests

2018 STUC Accounts and Membership

• 2017 Accounts show a net surplus £29,051 (deficit of £27,385 for 2016)
• Confirmed membership of 545,723 in 2018 (reduction of 15,594 from 2017)

    The Labour Market - figures cover the Oct 2017 – Dec 2017 period.

·        Unemployment (all aged 16+) increased by 14,000 and now stands at 124,000,

a rise of 4.6%. The unemployment rate (16-64 years) is now 4.1%.

• Employment (all aged 16+) decreased by 20,000 to 2,632,000.  The employment rate (16-64 years) now sits at 74.3%;
• Inactivity (all aged 16+) decreased by 8,000 to 1,656,000. The inactivity rate (16-64 years) in Scotland is 22.1%.

·        UK Economy grew by 0.4%, annual growth in 2017 of 1.7%

·        Scotland annual growth in 2017 of 0.6%

TUC March and Rally and STUC Activity

·        TUC demonstration ‘A new deal for working people’ in London on Saturday 12 May 2018

·        STUC to encourage affiliates to offer support to TUC, but

• STUC to focus on May Day activities (week 5 – 12 March)

        ‘Educate, Agitate, Organise’

First Minister meeting STUC General Council - 5 March 2018

     Trade Union Act 2016

·        Scottish Government and STUC to work jointly to consider developing guidance around Facility Time Reporting and to agree a positive statement to ‎that effect as a matter of urgency given delays in UK Government guidance.

Scottish Budget 2018

• Block grant 50% of Scottish Budget
• Fair and progressive tax system – Those earning less than £26,000 not paying more tax (55%). Need for a public debate on taxation- not just income tax
• 3% pay increase those earning £36,500 (75% of staff), 2% above and £1,600 those earning above £80,000. Scottish Government has lifted the public sector pay cap, but not funded from Westminster. A multi-year deal to address the damage of previous years
• Below inflation pay rise seen by public sector as a ‘pay cut’.

       Teachers expecting a significant pay increase

     Brexit

·        Little clarity at present (following meeting with Prime Minister)

·        No deal – worst outcome. Opposition to Withdrawal Bill

·        Businesses are preparing their plans in 2018 – assess impact for Scotland

Procurement Reform

• improvement in policies following recent bad examples that highlighted the damages to services and workers (e.g. Edinburgh schools and Carillion)

·        Map fair work principles implementation within procurement and the impact on the living wage, blacklisting, insecure work and use of umbrella companies or payroll agencies.

·        Ending PFI/NPD, work with public bodies to minimise costs on existing projects including through buying-out schemes where appropriate;

·        Consider the merits of establishing a publically owned construction company to take forward key public infrastructure and investment projects;

     Fair Work Framework – in all workplaces in Scotland by 2025

·        Government strategic approach to drive Fair Work across government

·        Effective voice of the worker and collective bargaining in all workplaces

·        Government ministers to take responsibility for Fair Work

     Adverse Weather

·        STUC conducted a survey that highlighted unreasonable demands by employers insisting people get to or remain ignoring police advice

·        Workers losing pay for failure to attend and/or asked to use annual leave.

·        Unionised workplaces with Health and Safety reps less problems

·        Government and STUC to develop a ‘code of practice’ for all employers

Scottish Education Council

·        Two meetings so far (24 November 2017 and 10 January 2018)

·        Received paper on teacher recruitment and retention

·        Year 2 PEF funding discussed

Education Leaders Forum - 6 month cycle- recent meeting at Newbattle HS,

·        70 organisations (including public and 3^rd sector)

·        2 workshops on closing the attainment gap and engaging parents 

National Improvement Framework - 7 February 2018

• International Council of Education Advisers (ICEA) - next meeting in Inverness, April 2018 to prepare final report for ministers
• BGE Improvement Tool - For improvement purposes only
• Comparator Tool for Improvement (testing at present) available early in 2018 initially to LAs then schools incrementally
• Not intended for tracking/monitoring but will bench mark performance of schools
• Does not impact on teacher workload (from existing information)
• Scottish National Standardised Assessment - 100,000+ assessments completed
• Norming study 1 complete - Norming study 2 will commence 12 March 2018.
• Will lead to national overview of trends based on anonymised data
• How data will be published still to be decided
• Gaelic Medium Education - Contractor appointed in December (Giglets, Ayrshire) with standardised assessments available in Summer 2018

External Reference Group (HMI) Workshop - 22 February 2018

• Governance Review has led to working with the Care Inspectorate developing a new framework by December 2018 (includes early years and childcare).

• Developing a single Model of inspection for both sectors

• Inspection of Local Authorities (LA) Initial focus on the 9 Attainment Challenge areas (part way through initiative) There is a link with Pupil Equity Funding (PEF).
• Focus on raise attainment and poverty related attainment gap, not looking at the full range of LA responsibilities
• Challenge Schools will be inspected through the existing school inspection process

Forthcoming Events

SSTA Professional Education Courses

**Dementia Awareness and Understanding Disability courses have been well received by members. Additional courses are being planned for summer term**

• STUC Annual Congress, Aviemore, 16 -18 April 2018
• SSTA Congress, Crieff 18 - 19 May 2018
• STUC LGBT+ Workers Conference, Glasgow, 9-10 June 2018
•  STUC Women's Conference, Dundee, 29-30 October 2018

PDF Version - General Secretary Report - February 2018

Teachers Pay - April 2018 

• 1% increase backdated to cover April to end of December 2017, and a further 1% from January until the end of March, across all grades and scale points.
• The SSTA is preparing a submission for the April 2018 pay claim. To be discussed at the SNCT teacher’s side meeting on 5 February 2018.
• Scottish Government Budget has made provision for a 3% increase for public service workers earning less than £36,500 and 2% for those above
• Next full SNCT meeting Thursday 8 February

SSTA Position following the SSTA Salaries Committee meeting on 2 February

• 1^st priority Retention and 2^nd priority Recruitment of teachers
• The restoration of teachers’ pay
• a common % increase for all teachers at all grades
• Parity for unpromoted teachers with FE lecturers of £40,000+
• A major reduction in teacher workload

SSTA Meeting with Deputy First Minister – 19 December 2017

• Workload - The overriding message from the SSTA delegation to the Minister was to stop further changes as teachers do not have the capacity for more changes.
• Teachers’ Pay Survey - (see below)
• Career Structure to address the lack of a teachers’ career structure and the lack of
• recognition and salary of teachers in pupil support and guidance roles
• Additional Support Needs (ASN) - The delegation urged a commitment to invest in ASN as the years of education cuts had seen a decimation of this essential part of the education service.
• Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RIC) - The SSTA saw the potential of subject specific and sector specific groups to promote and share good practice across local.
• Education Workforce Council - opposition to the end of the GTCS.

SSTA Member Survey - December 2017 (1359 responses)

The survey found:

• 77% of teachers are not content with the 2017 Pay increase
• 95% of teachers believe the 2017 pay increase will not attract more people in to teaching
• 89% of teachers believe the 2017 pay increase will not encourage teachers to remain in teaching
• 68% of teachers are considering or have considered a career outside of  teaching
• 50% of teachers are expecting a substantial pay offer in 2018
• 54% of teachers are not expecting changes/reductions in workload in 2018
• 49% of teachers were prepared to take strike action on the 2017 pay increase
• 64% of teachers are prepared to take strike action with a further 32% prepared to take action short of strike action should the 2018 pay increase be below the rate of inflation.

 Education Scotland has stated

“School Improvement Plans should focus on a small number of priorities, aware of WTA and cutting bureaucracy – some schools producing their own bureaucracy in case of Inspections - not needed"

 Industrial Action - Members are being advised to work within the SNCT contracted 35 hour working week and Working Time Agreement. Guidance available at www.ssta.org.uk

Curriculum and Assessment Board - 6 December 2017 (first meeting)

Inspection findings - Secondary

• How different BGE in S1and S2 compared to ten years ago?
• Curriculum to be planned separately at 3 levels (S3, S4 and S5/S6)
• 2 year courses and alternative pathways  and not a repeat year
• RIC – national subject groups, regionally tailored
• Need for an overview of curriculum models
• Fitting the timetable rather than meeting the needs of the pupil

Work Themes

Broad General Education, Senior Phase, Curriculum Areas, Curriculum Improvement

and Assessment (BGE and Senior Phase)

National 4: Way Forward – discussion included:

• Currency of Nat 4
• Potential drop in achievement
• Appetite for further change in the profession?
• Achievement for all (certification for all)
• Entitlement to 160 hours
• 2 year courses
• True progression from Nat 4 to Nat 5 (same course and content)
• End of multi-course teaching (some pupils taking units or not)
• Alignment of content between Nat 4 or Nat 5

Further discussion required

Education Governance - ‘Next Steps (June 2017) includes:

1. 6 “regional improvement collaboratives”
2. Develop a Headteacher Charter
3. Talks on new career pathways (Autumn 2017)
4. Consult on Education Workforce Council – include GTCS and other education professionals (Autumn 2017)
5. Launch fast-track route to Headship (2018)
6. Develop new “executive consultant head” and “cluster leaders” (2018) http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00521038.pdf

COSLA: Regional Improvement Collaboratives (ICs) for Education (September 2017)

A response to the Governments Next Steps Document includes:

• Six collaborative regions with a ‘Regional Improvement Lead’ appointed by the IC and employed by a local authority (October 2017)
• Regional Improvement Plan following consultation (January 2018)
• Enhance and improve professional learning
• Identify, promote and share good practice – develop networks of teachers
• Subject-specific and sector-specific support and advice
• Regional approach to staffing – recruitment and retention, build capacity
• Support wider collaborative working across LA services
• Each IC to develop a ‘workforce plan’ and decide their ‘model of staff deployment’

Education Bill 2018 – consultation closed 30 January 2018

To create a school and teacher-led education system

• Headteachers’ Charter - right and responsibilities, to be the leaders of learning
• Improve parental and community engagement
• Strengthen the voice of children and young people
• Regional Improvement Collaboratives which will provide professional learning and leadership, support in both curriculum and specific sectors, sharing of good practice, and peer to peer collaboration, among other responsibilities.
• Education Workforce Council - registration of other educational professionals, taking the responsibilities of the GTCS and Community Learning and Development Standards Council

https://consult.gov.scot/learning-directorate/education-scotland-bill/

• To see SSTA Senior Managers Panel response please

https://ssta.org.uk/ssta-response-consultation-provisions-education-scotland-bill-2018/

Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC)

   Women’s Committee Work Plan - Major themes:

• Promote Women in Work (STEM, media, education and public life)
• Promote women’s health priorities (mental health, domestic abuse, sexual harassment and menopause)
• Women as Carers
• Women as victims of austerity and privatisation

    Congress 2018 - Motion to Amend the STUC Constitution

‘The STUC shall not trade for profit; shall not make payment of dividends or any return of capital; and will transfer all the assets that would otherwise be available after payment of creditors on its winding up, to a body or bodies with objects similar to those of the STUC.’

     Public Service Campaign - The following is proposed for 2018:

• A series of ‘strike ready’ events, where unions are able to share current practice in building density, adapting to technical requirements of the Trade Union Act and building active participation within the context of public sector pay campaigns;
• Four ‘Fair Work and public services’ events, detailing the specific ways in which affiliates are, or can be using the Framework to promote organising, which will be supported by a discreet section in the new STUC Fair Work website; and
• Work with affiliates to create a set of organising resources to support local public service networks in developing skills in power structure analysis, whole worker organising and developing workplace leaders.

   First Minister’s Advisory Council on Women and Girls

• The Advisory Council on Women and Girls will be chaired by Louise Macdonald OBE, Chief Executive of Young Scot. There are members from the third sector, government and business – including three aged under 20 years old.
• STUC ensured a trade union representative.

 Scottish Government’s Budget 2018/19 - STUC response made the following points:

• The Scottish Government’s tax proposals are progressive, but offer modest savings for low earners and modest reductions in incomes for high earners. They, therefore, also raise modest levels of tax.
• Of the £164m raised, £96m is given away to businesses in tax breaks. Once other tax and social security changes are taken into account, only £28m of additional revenue is left, that could be used to invest in public services.
• Questions the Scottish Government’s commitment to properly resourcing public services.
• Sets out the Scottish Government’s proposals on public sector pay, but notes that only 50% of public sector workers will be covered by them.
• The proposals mean that not a single public sector worker in Scotland will receive an above inflation pay rise when housing costs are taken into account.
• Of the 50% of workers who are covered by the pay promise, only 50% will be offered a pay rise at 3%.

Forthcoming Events

SSTA Professional Education Courses

• Dementia Awareness - Monday 19 February - SSTA Office Edinburgh
• Understanding Disability - Monday 5 March - SSTA Office Edinburgh
• Mental Health Awareness:-
  • Tuesday 13 March - SSTA Office Edinburgh and
  • Tuesday 20 March - STUC Centre, Glasgow

For further information and how to reserve a place follow the link

https://ssta.org.uk/ssta-professional-education-courses/

STUC Women's Weekend School, Glasgow, 17-18 March 2018

STUC Annual Congress, Aviemore, 16 -18 April 2018

SSTA Congress, Crieff 18 - 19 May 2018

STUC LGBT+ Workers Conference, Glasgow 9-10 June 2018

STUC Women's Conference, Dundee 29-30 October 2018

SSTA School Representative Training – to be delivered locally details to be circulated

The SSTA has arranged an initial series of  professional education courses for teachers that have been funded by the Scottish Union Learning Fund. The Scottish Government provides funding to the STUC to facilitate union learning and these courses have been provided for the benefit of union members.

The SSTA is acutely aware of the difficulties members have in being released by schools but the SSTA is keen that members have the opportunity to participate. These one-off courses are three hours long starting at 5.00pm. Tea/Coffee and sandwiches will be provided and the courses are no cost to union members. Please reserve your place by clicking the link on the course you are interested in and completing the online registration form.

Dementia Awareness short course will equip learners with:

• a greater understanding of dementia
• how to recognise the effects of dementia
• an understanding of coping strategies
• where further support can be found

 Monday 19 February - SSTA Office Edinburgh

.........

Understanding Disability short course will equip learners with:

• A greater awareness of the range of disabilities
• How to support people with identified disabilities
• Understand why some people with disabilities may not self-identify with their additional support needs
• How having a disability affects people and their ability to be valued at work

Monday 5 March - SSTA Office Edinburgh

.........

Mental Health Awareness short course will equip learners with a greater understanding of Mental Health issues.

Learners will be given an understanding of:

• What are Mental health issues
• Perceptions of mental health
• Experiencing mental health problems
• Different Types of mental health problems:
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Suicide and self-harm
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Schizophrenia
  • Personality disorders
  • Eating disorders

• Legal considerations
• What can individuals do
• Medication and treatment
• Useful organisations and signposting

Tuesday 13 March - SSTA Office Edinburgh

and

Tuesday 20 March - STUC Centre, Glasgow

It is our intention to provide these courses in other parts of Scotland in the future. Members are encouraged to contact the SSTA office to request a course in their area

SSTA meets Deputy First Minister

The SSTA met with John Swinney, Deputy First Minister (DFM) on 19 December and discussed a number of the Association’s motions from our Annual Congress in May. The SSTA delegation was led by Kevin Campbell (President), Elaine Henderson (General Treasurer), John Guidi (Vice-President), and Seamus Searson (General Secretary). The following issues were discussed:

• Workload
• Benchmarks
• National 5
• Local Authority Inspections on Teacher Workload
• Teachers’ Pay Survey
• Career Structure
• Additional Support Needs (ASN)
• Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RIC)
• Education Workforce Council and the General Teaching Council Scotland (GTCS)
• SSTA Congress

Further information on what was discussed at the meeting can be found in the Members' Bulletin - SSTA Meets with Deputy First Minister.

The SSTA December 2017 Newsletter now available for members to download.

The Newsletter includes articles on

• Initial Findings of the SSTA Pay Survey
• 2018 Subscriptions Fees
• 2018 Pre-retirement Seminars
• What is your New Year’s Resolution going to be?