Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association

Category: Information for Members

  • 35 Hour Week – The Teacher Contract

    Printable Version

    The working hours and duties of teachers are negotiated nationally and form part of the agreed conditions of service for teachers (SNCT-Part 2 Appendix 2.7)

    The individual and collective work of teachers should be capable of being undertaken within the 35 hour working week.

    Working Year and Working Week (SNCT-Part 2 Section 3)

    • The working year for teachers shall consist of 195 days of which 190 days will coincide with the school year for pupils with the remaining five days being worked by the individual teachers on duties as planned by the council.
    • Teachers shall have a 35 hour working week. The working week shall apply on a pro rata basis to teachers on part-time contracts.
      Within the 35-hour week, a maximum of 22.5 hours will be devoted to class contact.
    • An allowance of no less than one third of the teacher’s actual class contact commitment is provided for preparation and correction. The use of remaining time will be subject to agreement at school level within LNCT guidelines,
    • All tasks which do not require the teacher to be on the school premises can be carried out at a time and place of the teacher’s choosing: teachers will notify the appropriate manager of their intention in this respect.
    • Teachers have a contractual requirement to complete a maximum of 35 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) per annum. Teachers on part-time contracts will complete CPD per annum on a pro rata basis

    In the School

    Each educational establishment will prepare a school plan in accordance with the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000. The plan will reflect establishment, local and national priorities. Plans will take account of staffing and other resources required.

    Each educational establishment will prepare an annual programme of activities, which require the involvement of teachers. The use of the remaining time (that is, time beyond the combined class contact and preparation/correction allowance- approximately 190 hours) will be subject to agreement at school level and will be planned to include a range of activities, such as:

    • additional time for preparation and correction;
    • parents meetings;
    • staff meetings;
    • preparation of reports, records etc;
    • forward planning;
    • formal assessment;
    • professional review and development;
    • curriculum development;
    • additional supervised pupil activity; and
    • Career-Long Professional Learning.

    Individual teachers will use their professional judgement in relation to the prioritisation of tasks. In exercising their professional judgement, teachers will require to take account of objectives determined at school, local authority and national levels.

    For most teachers, preparation and correction will be the most time-consuming activities outside class contact time. This needs to be reflected in the way that a teacher’s working time is deployed. In terms of the remaining time, teachers will be available for meetings and other collective activities during the course of the 35 hour working week. If a teacher is not required to be on the school premises for certain duties, for example preparation and correction, these may be undertaken at a time and place of the teacher’s own choosing. Teachers will be expected to notify the appropriate line manager of their intentions in this respect.

    The SSTA recommends that all members ‘use their professional judgment in relation to the prioritisation of tasks’ and work within the contracted 35 hour week.

    Printable Version

  • Press Release – Named Person

    The SSTA fully supports the principles of ‘Getting it Right for Every Child’ and the role of the ‘Named Person’.

    Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said “We know that mothers, fathers and carers are with a few exceptions, the best people to raise their children. This proposed legislation supports families, providing improved access to services while maintaining parental rights and responsibilities”.

    “A Named Person helps children and families get the right support at the right time from the right people. It does not replace or change the role of parents and carers, or undermine families. The ‘Named Person’ approach is not new. It is already operating across Scotland. However, the legislation is embedding best practice into law so that children and young people are receiving the best support and not left to the vagaries of different parts of Scotland”.

    “Teachers are used to handling sensitive, confidential information about children such as school records for pupils – and already have robust procedures to protect data. These new duties will not change this”.

    “Effective communication, including sharing relevant information where appropriate, is essential to ensure children, young people and families get the right help at the right time from the right services. In most circumstances, the child or young person and parents will know what information is being shared, with whom and for what purpose and their views will be taken into account. However this may not happen in exceptional cases, such as where there is a concern for a child’s protection/safety.

    “Teachers always want the best for the children and young people in their care and the SSTA believes that the ‘Named Person’ legislation is the best way forward and everybody should put all their efforts into making it work”

    Further information from:

    Seamus Searson
    General Secretary

    0131 313 7300

    7 March 2016
    Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association
    West End House
    14 West End Place
    Edinburgh
    EH11 2ED

  • Members’ Bulletin

    Printable Version

    National Qualifications and Reducing Teacher Workload

    SSTA members have consistently highlighted the need for a reduction in teacher workload in the senior phase of secondary education. The SSTA conducted a survey of members in December 2015 to identify the sources of workload in the delivery of the ‘new’ qualification regime. The survey clearly found that the SQA requirements and processes had added considerably, and in many cases unnecessarily, to teacher’s workload.

    The SSTA Council in December resolved to conduct an indicative ballot of members on cutting bureaucracy in the National Qualification in early 2016. However, the Government’s decision to establish the ‘Assessment and National Qualification working group’ on 6 January has shown a willingness to address workload. This working group was tasked to produce a report, by the end of March, that would reduce teacher workload in the 2016-17 session. This group, if successful, will have the potential to reduce teacher workload. However, SSTA Council will be considering the developments within the working group and will be developing its strategy in the SSTA campaign to cut teachers’ workload.

    The SSTA has listened and continues to listen to members on the measures that can be taken to reduce teachers’ workload and is making the case within the working group. The SSTA is pushing hard for the recognition of the importance of the teachers’ professional judgement and creating a ‘breathing space’ in the next session allowing time for long-term changes to the National Qualifications process.

    Tackling Bureaucracy Reports

    At a meeting with Angela Constance, the Cabinet Secretary, the SSTA shared the results of the recent SSTA members survey that indicated that only 6% of members said that the reports had brought about a reduction in workload with 88% saying that the reports had had ‘no impact’.

    We urged the Cabinet Secretary to seek evidence that had shown any reduction in workload following the reports and identify areas that ‘should not be done’ to assist the next round of ‘Working Time Agreement’ negotiations.

    SSTA also asked that the Government identify its priority (possibly from the National Improvement Framework) to be included in the School Improvement Plan so that time could be allocated in the Working Time Agreements.

    SSTA wants a reduction in teacher workload to allow teachers to focus on teaching and learning. Major steps need to be taken to reduce the pressure on teachers and retain teachers in the profession for the future.

  • SSTA concern over Exam Burden and Impact on Pupil Well-Being

    Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said “the SSTA is acutely aware of the workload pressures associated with the National Qualifications but is extremely concerned as to the potential damage on our young people as the pressure intensifies at this time of year”.

    “Self-harm is a deliberate injury to oneself, typically as a manifestation of mental health and welfare issues. Often, the first thing that springs to mind is a forearm or a wrist covered in lacerations. Obviously, it can take the form of any physical injury anywhere on the body. This leaves a trace, physical evidence of self-harm. Unfortunately, it is not the only evidence. There is evidence that a rising numbers of pupils are being identified as self-harming”.

    The BBC published an article on the 17th February 2015 with the headline:

    ‘Self-harm Among Children in Scotland on the Rise’. This reports an increase in hospital admissions for self-harm across the last 5 years. It states that last year, 563 under-18s were admitted for self-harm in Scotland. In 2014, more than a third of the 76 admissions to NHS Highlands’ hospitals involved 15 year olds.

    ChildLine Scotland reported, in February 2015, that counselling sessions with 12 to 15 year olds on self-harm had increased by 20% in the last year.

    A 2014 report by the Edinburgh based mental health charity, Penumbra, revealed that – since 2009 – there has been an increase of 166% in the number of referrals it has received. Nigel Henderson, chief executive of Penumbra, called these figures just the tip of the iceberg. He said “Problems at school, parental pressure to succeed or feelings of low self-esteem, alongside changes in local authorities’ services, welfare reform and local youth unemployment may all have had an impact on the figures”.

    Seamus Searson added “How much self-harm goes undetected? How much, like the iceberg, remains hidden under the surface? We cannot afford to take the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils for granted simply because there are no outward indicators of self-harm. For me, self-harm is not just the cuts on the forearm. It’s looking in the mirror and chastising yourself for what you see. It’s the abuse of alcohol and drugs as a means to escape. It’s the emotional suffering exacerbated by stress and a feeling that you can’t cope. Self-harm is all these things and more”.

    “The causes of self-harm are wide and varied. But equally, we have to accept that school, the curriculum, the at times unrelenting internal assessment of our 15 and 16 year olds between January and April is a contributing factor to pupil stress and can damage pupil welfare”.

    “How do we, as a teacher profession, respond to it? Teachers can question the pointless and often invalid assessment burdens. Teachers question the frequency and intensity of assessment faced by our 15 and 16 year olds sitting N4 and N5.

    A typical example of the ‘average’ pupil in S4 (the teacher would have to work hard not to miss in amongst the 29 other bodies in the room). She is sitting 6 subjects in S4 and in some schools she could be sitting 7 or more.

    Our ‘typical’ S4 pupil could be taking 3 subjects at National 4. This could be Modern Studies, Biology and Maths that includes 3 unit assessments and an Added Value assignment for each subject.

    In addition, she could be taking 3 subjects at National 5. This could be History (3 unit assessments and an Added Value assignment), Music (3 units encompassing between 4 and 6 assessments altogether with the performance element taken into account) and English (2 units, comprising 4 assessed elements and a N4 Added Value assignment thrown in as a fall back.

    In short, at best, she faced 24 assessments or assignments – the majority of which were crowbarred in-between January and April.

    An SSTA English teacher said “Every time I introduce a unit assessment, an AV unit, a folio piece, a prelim, a exam, I can see the anxiety writ large across our pupils faces. There are relevant assessments, the ones that hone the skills necessary for exams, for progression within the subject, for entering the workplace. Unfortunately, others, whether in full or in part, are NOT necessary for the exam, NOT valuable for progression, NOT developing skills for work and these are the pointless assessments”.

    Euan Duncan, SSTA President concluded “Teachers have been, by and large, left to develop courses and assessments as they teach them. This overbearing stress that experienced professionals, as adults, are struggling with and that stress is unintentionally, yet undeniably, being transferred and transmitted on to our pupils. The Government and the SQA need to review its current assessment requirements and accept the gathering of naturally occurring pupil’s classwork and the use of teacher’s professional judgement are sufficient and reduce the pressure on our pupils and the threat of self-harm.”

    Further information from:

    Seamus Searson
    General Secretary

    0131 313 7300

    15 February 2016

     

  • Letter to the Cabinet Minister

    Letter to the Cabinet Minister

     

    Letter sent to the Cabinet Minister from the SSTA General Secretary, Seamus Searson

     

     

  • Behaviour in Schools Research

    Please find information below regarding the Government ‘Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2016’ survey. It is crucial that we ensure the survey achieves a good response rate again and your efforts to promote the survey will be central to this.

    The timings are tight, as the main survey fieldwork is due to begin on the 8th February. The SSTA has been asked to disseminate this amongst its members. The SSTA is anxious that members cooperate as it could be useful in addressing behaviour issues in school.

    Behaviour in Scottish Schools

    Ipsos MORI Scotland has been commissioned by the Scottish Government to conduct the latest wave of Behaviour in Schools Research. The research is crucial as it will allow the Scottish Government and Education Scotland to review current policy and inform future support in the area of relationships and behaviour, which is fundamental to the school experiences of both pupils and staff. The last wave of the research in 2012 led directly to the publication of new policy guidance in the leaflet ‘Better Relationships, Better Learning, Better Behaviour’. The survey fieldwork will run February-March 2016.

    Building positive relationships and behaviour in the classroom is essential to the successful delivery of Curriculum for Excellence and the implementation of Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and will help improve outcomes for children and young people. In addition, relationships and behaviour within the school have a significant impact on the working lives of teachers and support staff. This research will be your chance to tell the Scottish Government about the reality of pupil behaviour in school, whether different approaches used to promote positive relationships and manage behaviour are working and whether you receive enough support in this area.

    This important research is supported by the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS) which includes the Scottish Government, COSLA, Education Scotland and all of the teaching unions. The challenges of working in education have been borne in mind in the design of the survey and every step has been taken to try and limit the burden on staff.

    The head teacher and teacher surveys should take around 20-30 minutes to complete, and the support staff survey should take around 10-20 minutes. The results will be completely anonymous. No individual will be identifiable to the Scottish Government or in any published outputs.

    A representative sample of teachers and support staff from schools across Scotland will be invited to take part in the survey which will cover their experiences of behaviour and relationship in their schools, the impact of different types of behaviour and how staff promote positive and manage negative behaviour. If you are invited to participate the SSTA would urge you to complete the survey to ensure the quality of the data and to allow you to give your opinion on such an important subject.

  • Show Racism the Red Card – Creative Competition

    Competition flyer

    Show Racism the Red Card are now promoting their annual creative competition in Scotland which is open to all schools and colleges across the country.  Attached is a promotional flyer and all the details can be found on their website: http://www.theredcard.org/educational/competitions/scotland

     

     

  • Low Teacher Confidence with New Qualifications

    Low Teacher Confidence with New Qualifications

    The SSTA has completed a survey of its members as to the level of confidence in implementing the new Higher Qualifications. The response from members has indicated a low level of confidence in teachers’ ability to deliver and assess their pupils in the New Qualifications.

    Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said, “The situation that teachers face in schools today in trying to do the best for their young people is extremely worrying. Teachers are lacking confidence in a major part of their work and there appears to be a lack of understanding or realisation of those bodies that are there to help deliver the new qualifications.

    “Teachers are again trying to make the system work despite the lack of support whilst bureaucracy is continuing to increase. Teachers cannot be expected to continue to work under these conditions”.

    The survey shows that 40% of teachers lack confidence in their abilities to deliver appropriate course materials for the New Higher and 75% in Advanced Higher. In relation to teachers ability to assess their pupils 59% lack confidence in New Higher and 85% in Advance Higher.

    • New Higher Qualifications: confidence in the ability to deliver appropriate course materials – 33% not confident and 7% not confident at all
    • New Higher Qualifications: confidence in the ability to assess your pupils – 12% not confident and 47% not confident at all
    • New Advanced Higher Qualifications: confidence in the ability to deliver appropriate course materials – 39% not confident and 36% not confident at all
    • New Advanced Higher Qualifications: confidence in the ability to assess your pupils – 44% not confident and 41% not confident at all

    When it came to the satisfaction of teachers with the various bodies that are there to support teachers in implementing the New Qualifications the survey highlighted the apparent ineffectiveness of these agencies.

    Satisfaction with sources of support in implementing the New Qualifications:

    Education Scotland – not satisfied 54%
    SQA – not satisfied 63%
    Local Authority – not satisfied 58%
    School – not satisfied 34%

    Comments made by SSTA members

    “At no point in the working week do I feel absolutely confident that changes have not been made to the arrangement documents. I dread glancing at my email during the day, only to find that some change or other has been made because I have not time nor opportunity to find out what I should now know and do.”

    “There is a lack of time to develop new material or, indeed, to get my head around the differences between the old Higher and the new Higher Modern Studies course. Moreover, there is a lack of resources and we are constantly reminded of our budgetary constraints and the need, therefore, to cut down on photocopying and printing.”

    “It’s us on the ground that are creating these courses based on very vague information from the SQA, no support from anyone else. All work created that is supposed to help always comes a year too late (understanding standards events for example). No consistency in anything, all depends on who you speak to and what council they work for.”

    “I am confident because I have a principal teacher who is a workaholic and spends a great deal of his time preparing material. However, this should not be how it has to be. Many teachers have a family and are sacrificing work life balance for the kids they teach!”

    “The amount of re-assessment is around three times than it was under the previous system and re-assessment materials are not easily available. Instead teachers are having to spend vast amounts of time generating re-assessment questions.”

    “More than ever I am relying on the informal network of contacts I have established throughout my career. This is particularly important in subjects with single teacher departments housed in larger faculties where development work rests with one person.”

    “I have been teaching for over 30 years and have never felt so ill prepared and low in confidence in my ability to deliver courses.”

    Euan Duncan, SSTA President said

    “The high level of response to this survey highlights the inconsistencies that exist between departments, schools and local authorities. It is a matter of serious concern that teachers are not feeling confident and ready to assess the exam work of young people. With workload at an all-time high it is hardly surprising that teachers are continuing to report damagingly high levels of work-related stress. While this has been recognised by government and employers, there is an urgent need for employers, SQA and Education Scotland to move beyond statements of support into real, tangible, recognisable action.”
    Further information from
    Seamus Searson
    General Secretary
    0131 313 7300

    18 January 2016

     

    Please note that the survey was taken over a two week period with 1244 responses

  • December Newsletter

    The December 2015 Newsletter is now available for members to download.

    Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open the newsletter. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader it can be downloaded from http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/.

     

  • Asbestos in Schools

    Printable Version

    There should be records of any asbestos in your school kept within your school. These should be accessible on request. If not, ask why not?

    What is asbestos?

    Asbestos was a building material used extensively in the U.K. from the 1950s through to the 1990s.

    Why is asbestos dangerous?

    Serious, often fatal diseases can be caused when asbestos fibres are released from materials, becoming airborne and inhaled. On average, there is a 30–40 year latency period between exposure to asbestos fibres and the onset of disease.

    Where is asbestos found in schools?

    Many schools, built before 2000, will contain some form of asbestos. Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) include:

    • asbestos lagging used as thermal insulation on pipes and boilers
    • sprayed asbestos used for thermal insulation, fire protection, partitioning and ducts
    • asbestos-insulating board (AIB) used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts
    • some ceiling tiles
    • floor tiles
    • cement roofing and guttering
    • textured coatings

    Schools built after 2000 may have items that have been brought in from outside that may contain asbestos, i.e. items such as ovens which may have been donated.

    Who’s at risk from asbestos in schools?

    The most likely way ACMs will create a risk in schools is when they are disturbed or damaged through maintenance, repair or construction activities.
    School caretakers and external contractors could be at risk due to the nature of their work. If asbestos is disturbed during such work, there is a risk that fibres will be released and create risk to others in the school.

    Asbestos that is in good condition and unlikely to be damaged or disturbed is not a significant risk to health as long as it is properly managed.

    This means that teachers and pupils are unlikely to be at risk in the course of their normal activities. However, they should not undertake activities that damage ACMs, such as pinning or tacking work to insulation board or ceiling tiles.

    Who’s responsible for managing asbestos in schools?

    Responsibility for the maintenance and/or repair of non-domestic premises, including schools, is a ‘duty holder’ as defined in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
    In the majority of schools, the duty holder will be the employer which varies with the type of school.
    In situations where budgets for building management are delegated to schools by the local authority, the duty to manage asbestos will be shared between schools and the local authority. Both parties will therefore have ‘duty holder’ responsibilities for the repair and maintenance of the premises.

    What is the ‘duty to manage’ asbestos?

    Duty holders should know whether their premises contain asbestos, where it is and what condition it is in. Then they should ensure that they manage it properly.
    They must assess and manage the risks from asbestos to employees and others. They must also ensure that anyone who is likely to work on, or disturb, asbestos is provided with information about its location and condition.

    What does the duty holder have to do in practice in a school?

    The duty holder’s responsibilities include:

    • keeping an up-to-date record of the location and condition of ACMs in the school
    • assessing the risks from any ACMs in the school
    • making plans to manage the risks from ACMs in the school
    • putting those plans into action

    The school’s plan needs to contain provisions to ensure that information about the location and condition of ACMs is given to anyone who might disturb these materials.

    The duty holder should also ensure that staff who are likely to disturb asbestos are suitably trained.

    What is the role of school staff?

    Most staff will not be directly involved but still need to be made aware of the potential hazards. All staff should be instructed not to disturb or damage ACMs, for example by pinning work to walls. They should also report damage to school fixtures or fittings that could lead to the release of asbestos fibres, eg damage to ceiling or floor tiles, or to column seals in system-built schools.

    Does a school have to close if it thinks it has an asbestos problem?

    HSE expects schools to manage the risks from asbestos containing materials (ACMs) on an on-going basis. Temporary closure of a building may be needed where building work has created unforeseen problems – or perhaps led to structural damage.
    What is important is that the focus is on preventing exposure in the first place.
    Anyone with responsibility for maintenance and repair in schools, or any other work premises, has a legal duty to manage the risks arising from asbestos.
    This means taking steps to identify whether asbestos is present in buildings, assessing its condition and managing the risks to ensure that people are not exposed to asbestos fibres.
    The school should have sensible plans that are kept up to date and acted upon.

    What about pupils – can they damage asbestos?

    The likelihood of pupils disturbing asbestos containing materials (ACMs) during unsupervised or unruly activities does need to be considered as part of the schools management arrangements.
    Any vulnerable or exposed panels should be identified and protected or removed.
    These are the types of issues that should be included in the schools asbestos management plan as they are part of the essential precautions that ensure that normal school activities do not disturb or damage ACMs.

    The most likely way that ACMs in schools will be disturbed or damaged is through maintenance, repair or construction activities.

    Written by John Bennett, Health & Safety Panel