Category: Information for Members

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1. General Principles

This advice document has been prepared by the SSTA Senior Managers’ Advisory Panel to assist our Senior Manager members in addressing both their own Professional Update and the Professional Update of their school colleagues, many of whom will also be fellow SSTA members. Bearing this in mind, an empathetic and sensitive manager can ensure that the ‘Duty of Care’ towards staff is properly implemented and existing or potential problems are mitigated or avoided altogether.

Professional Update has been welcomed in principle throughout Scottish Education. The view of the SSTA is that participation by our members in Professional Update should lead to increased levels of professional satisfaction as teachers gain new skills and further develop existing skills in a supportive, encouraging and enabling professional learning environment. It is the creative potential generated by this positive ethos and increased satisfaction that will bring lasting benefits in the consistent, high quality teaching and learning that our pupils deserve.

At all times the focus should be on improving learning and teaching in the school through the on-going Professional Development & Review process and the satisfaction of teaching staff at all levels with their professional and career development. The objective is to avoid anxiety and additional work as the 5-year Professional Update sign-off approaches, making it a step along the way rather than a hurdle to be overcome.

These outcomes for teachers can only be achieved by consistent and sensitive application of high quality policies and procedures at National, Council and School levels. The SSTA strongly encourages its Senior Manager members to take every opportunity to become fully involved in the development and review of policy and practice for Professional Update and to enable staff at all levels to make their own contribution to this review process.

2. Corporate and Personal Responsibilities

It is essential that all Senior Managers are fully aware of their employer’s policy and act according to their employer’s guidelines.
Senior Managers should make clear to their employer that they require ongoing, high quality training in order to carry out these policies. SSTA Senior Managers should also be quick to seek advice, including advice from the SSTA.

It is important for you as a Senior Manager to derive the same benefit as other staff from the on-going Professional Review & Development process within the Professional Update process. In maintaining regular contact with your own Reviewer and updating your own Professional Learning Record you will be setting the tone for the colleagues for whom you in turn are the Reviewer.

3. Record Keeping – Confidentiality and Transparency

Records must be properly kept and monitored, whether your employer requires you to use the framework in MyGTCS or a different system. It is a requirement of GTCS membership to keep your own personal details up to date electronically through MyGTCS.

Strict confidentiality according to Authority guidelines must be observed. Details of verbal, written and electronic records and communications should only be revealed to other staff with good reason and with the employee’s consent. In particular Senior Managers must make clear to clerical staff that confidentiality is paramount.

All information relating to the PRD process should be stored in accordance with Council Policy. Employees have right of access to all information recorded in personal files. Employees also have the right to be informed that such files exist. No comments, other than verifiable facts, should be recorded.

4. Range and Availability of Development Opportunities

It is important to ensure that a full range of development opportunities is available to teaching staff and that those activities taken up are closely matched to the identified needs and career aspirations of each individual reviewee. These activities should include formal courses (both online and extraction from school), membership/leadership of committees and working groups and opportunities to develop new skills in leadership and management.

While Senior Managers clearly have a responsibility to build professional relationships that facilitate the availability of opportunities and the development of relevant skills for their colleagues, it is equally important to ensure that Senior Managers receive the same service from their own reviewers.

5. Personal Support and Motivation

Good leadership by school senior managers and a collegiate approach to implementing Professional Update will ensure the best possible outcomes for all teaching staff and hence for the school. Managers must be allowed to manage and teachers require clear procedures, timelines and lines of communication.

Workload issues are best dealt with by planning in advance through the school’s Working Time Agreement (WTA). SSTA senior managers are advised to ensure that formal dates and meetings are built in to the WTA and are adhered to (both as reviewer and as reviewee) so that any difficulty or concern experienced by a colleague can be resolved quickly before it becomes perceived as an obstacle.

The development needs of reviewees are best identified though a process of self-reflection and planned observation, particularly classroom observation. The Working Time Agreement and Classroom Observation have been described as a litmus test for collegiality in a school.
Developing a continuous professional relationship with each reviewee should ensure that issues such as failure to maintain a Professional Learning Record or requesting a delay or deferral in the 5-year Professional Update sign-off process will not come as a surprise but will have been resolved informally before it is necessary to consider formal procedures.

6. Temporary and Supply Staff

Senior Managers should ensure that temporary and supply staff are aware of their obligations regarding CPD and Professional Update. Where appropriate these groups should be included in school and authority based CPD opportunities.

7. Conclusion

We hope that you find this leaflet helpful in building a collegiate approach to the Professional Update process and that the focus on improving learning & teaching, on-going professional review & development and building professional relationships is helpful in in your own school and your own practice.

SSTA officials are always available to provide confidential advice, particularly if you are required to implement a scheme that does not follow the standards set out in this leaflet.

Printable Version

All members should be familiar with their employer’s management of absence policy

Irrespective of a Council’s Policy in relation to the Management of Absence the employer has a duty of care to implement that policy in CARING and REASONABLE manner which is SUPPORTIVE and NON-THREATENING.

The SSTA, however, accepts that an employer:

1. bears an additional cost as a result of staff absence
2. is entitled to attempt to minimize absence
3. is entitled to set absence triggers

Return to Work Meetings

These are normally informal “chats” with the direct line manager (PT). For example
“How are you?” “Glad to see you back.” Is there anything I can do to help?”
Triggers (e.g. 3 absences within a 6 months period)

If a member is ill and takes 2 days sick leave and then returns to school early (usually because a NAB needs to be done or Reports have to be written) for 2 days and then needs to be absent again this will count as 2 absences despite it being the same illness.

If a member is ill and unfit for work they should remain absent from work until are fit to return irrespective of the needs of the service.

Members should not continue at work while clearly unfit simply out of fear of “hitting” and absence trigger. A member’s health must always be the first priority.

Occupational Health – Employer’s Medical Advisers

A referral to Occupational Health should be seen as a positive and supportive act by an employer. Members are encouraged to engage openly and honestly with such referrals.

If your employers seeks access to personal medical records they are shared with the Occupational Health Adviser only and not with your employer directly.

Members with underlying medical conditions may be covered by the Equalities Act 2010. In such cases employers may need to consider making reasonable adjustments in order to support a member’s continued attendance at work.

Members are encouraged to contact the SSTA PRIOR to attendance at such a referral to seek reassurance, support and advice.

Attendance Review Meetings

Members should seek representation from the union at any such meeting.

Members need to aware that school managers (normally DHT or above) may be instructed to follow a prescribed script during Absence Review Meetings. Comments such as:

a. You are paid to be at your work
b. There is an increased burden placed on your colleagues when you are absent
c. Pupils’ education is negatively affected by absence

These comments are not personal and members must try not take them to heart. The Council’s Policy is a corporate one and is for all council workers. It was not negotiated nor agreed by the SSTA but imposed on all unions. The same script will be given to all staff whose absence(s) meet the triggers.

The SSTA wishes to gauge teachers’ opinions on the implementation of Children’s and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. In particular of how the role of the Named Person is being implemented in secondary schools and specialist education provisions.

We would ask you to completing the following brief SurveyMonkey questionnaire by Thursday 19th March 2015.

The information we collect will be helpful in our forthcoming discussions with the Scottish Government consultation process and in supporting members.

Named Person Fact Sheet

 GS Report March 2015

SSTA meeting Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary – 26 February 2015

1. a) New Higher Qualifications Minister rejected an extension of the existing qualifications
2. b) Highlighted the importance of Supply Teachers to the education system and the need to restore pay levels and potential national register for supply teachers
3. c) Measures to be developed to address underachievement in Secondary Schools
4. d) The return of the SSTA to the CfE Management Board

New Higher Qualifications

1. a) The SSTA survey was the basis of the discussion with Education Minister and highlighted the real workload demands on members. The lack of confidence in materials, assessment arrangements and time available to teachers to deliver the new arrangements was highlighted (see press releases on ssta.org.uk)
2. b) The survey also showed teachers removing themselves from the external qualification process. Further findings to be considered by the Education Committee
3. c) SSTA gave evidence to the Education and Culture Committee on 3 February

Supply Teachers

SNCT is working on improving the current arrangements including a national register and restoration of pay rates.

Flexible Working

Any request must be agreed prior to beginning of the school year and the request can be declined (reps bulletin www.ssta.org.uk)

Absence Management

1. a) SSTA guidance being prepared for members on the process
2. b) District Secretaries will be contacted for information to prepare more detailed advice

 Teachers’ Pension 2015

7. a) Contribution rates for teachers will remain at 7.2% at the start of the range, but will increase up to 12.4% (previously 11.9%) for those at the top of the range. Actual pay rather than whole time equivalent pay to be used to determine contribution rate

(see reps bulletin www.ssta.org.uk)

14. b) Contribution rate for employers to increase from 14.9% to 17.2% in September 2015
15. c) ‘Winding Down’ scheme is not included in the 2015 Regulations but will continue for those with NPA60 tapered protection

 ‘Named Person’ consultation

1. a) Additional Support Needs advisory panel has produced a questionnaire for identified members to assist in the response to the consultation. School reps will be asked to assist in the process.
2. b) SSTA will issue a bulletin to advise members of the potential changes

Scottish Teachers for Enhancing Practice

(incorporating the Association of Chartered Teachers Development)

9. a) Saturday 21st March, Stirling Court Hotel 9.00am – 3.00pm
10. b) SSTA sponsoring and have a stand at the event

More information at www.STeachersEP.org.uk

Professional Update

Guidance for Senior Managers has been prepared by the Senior Mangers Advisory Panel and will issued shortly

Scottish College of Educational Leadership (SCEL)

1. a) Headteacher Fellowships has been piloted and the next cohort is being selected
2. b) SSTA raised concerns over the announcement of a Masters qualification for Headship and for it to be mandatory from 2018
3. c) SSTA stressed the necessity of opportunities for all teachers

General Teacher’s Council Scotland

1. a) The GTCS has been asked to make provisions for Further Education Lecturers
2. b) Increasing concern of use of Social Media and referrals to GTCS
3. c) Potential complaints to the GTCS of teachers’ involvement in the period up to the General Election 2015 and Scottish Parliament Election 2016.
4. d) GTCS has offered an engagement with SSTA on the process/stages of the complaints procedure

 Scottish Parent Teachers Council AGM

The SPTC 1^st Lecture took place in Glasgow with Professor Joyce Epstein, Baltimore USA on the ‘School, Parent and Community Partnerships’ that focus on raising student achievement. A wealth of evidence, information, and practical guidance can be found at www.partnershipschools.org

Scottish Trades Union Congress

118^th Annual Congress Mon 20 – Wed 22 April, Ayr Racecourse

1. a) SSTA motions i) To abolish fees at Employment Tribunals ii) Government support for Young Carers and iii) Devolution of Tax-Raising Powers (113 motions in prelim agenda)
2. b) Education Unions’ reception Mon 20 Western House Hotel from 6-8pm
3. c) SSTA to take half page space in Congress 2015 Programme

 British Irish Group of Teacher Unions (BIGTU)

1. a) Collection of evidence on experiences of IT/E-Learning in advance of June meeting that may lead to a formal research project
2. b) Possible research project on Teacher Workload

 Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) NI Congress 26/27 February

1. a) Education Budget Cuts ballot being conducted for strike action on 13 March
2. b) To promote the 2012 Workload Agreement to tackle increasing teacher workload
3. c) Opposition to the ‘Conscience Clause Bill’ to allow the discrimination of LGBT members
4. d) One Education Library Board (ELB) to replace the current Five ELB’s from April 2015
5. e) Pensions – teacher contribution 7.4% to 11.7% and employer contribution 17.7%

Teacher Union of Ireland ‘Curriculum Development’ Conference

Alan Mackenzie was invited as keynote speaker at the Conference. The theme was the Scottish Experience an account of Curriculum for Excellence. “Much of our experiences resonated with our colleagues in Ireland in particular with internal assessment and the Junior Certificate. There was a lively debate with contributions from the 200 delegates being incisive and informative. The feedback was positive and an Irish Senator who showed interest in making contact with the SSTA for further information”.

Forthcoming events:

1. a) Health and Safety Reps training Fri 22 May, Stirling
2. b) School Reps training late May/early June date to be confirmed
3. c) Senior Managers seminar to be re-arranged for autumn term

STEP has developed from the Association of Chartered Teachers Scotland (ACTS) and is now open to all registered teachers in Scotland. This is important news which, especially now that professional update is up and running, will be of interest to all teachers keen to develop their professional learning.

STEP (as ACTS did previously) exists to provide a community for teachers which helps them practise pedagogy more effectively and explore exciting new developments in educational practice.

In previous years, ACTS have organised successful and well attended conferences. This year, we have arranged our first conference as STEP and believe that it offers an exciting professional learning opportunity for teachers.

The National Education Conference is on 21st March at Stirling Management Centre. Details of the Conference can be found via the links below

• Delegate form
• Programme
• Workshop choices 

Keynote speakers are Ross McGill (teacher toolkit) and Gillian Hamilton (SCEL) and we have a packed programme of workshops delivered by a range of highly regarded people from the world of education.

Teachers can join STEP, via their website, for the price of £25. This includes free entry to the conference, a two course lunch and tea and coffee throughout the day.