Category: Information for Members

The Association pre-retirement courses will be held as usual in 2012. The first course is in Glasgow on 19 May 2012 and the second in Stirling on 9 June 2012. (more…)

The Senior Managers Advisory Panel is holding a Senior Mangers Seminar in March 2012. The Seminar is an all day event, which will take place on Friday 16 March at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld, and is free to SSTA members.

The theme of the seminar will be the Management of Change to Conditions of Service.

Should members wish to attend the seminar they can register for a place by completing a form online here no later than Friday 2 March 2012. Alternatively you can contact the office for an application form.

The Scottish Baccalaureates in Science and Languages have been available for delivery since August 2009 and, based on their success, SQA, directed by the Scottish Government, intends to offer all pupils studying at Advanced Higher level the opportunity to choose a Baccalaureate in a suitable subject area. It is, therefore, the intention to expand Baccalaureate provision by broadening the existing two awards and by developing two new awards in Social Sciences and Expressive Arts, all to be available for delivery from August 2012. (more…)

SQA New Qualifications – November Update – 28 November 2011

Course Assessment Specifications

More detail about how each new National 5 Course will be assessed is now available. (more…)

Given the expected size of the Marches in Edinburgh and Glasgow it is suggested that members assemble as a group rather than attempt to meet under the SSTA banner at the official assembly areas. (more…)

Have Your Say – Latest Documents

The latest draft documents for the new qualifications have now been published. Course Specifications for Access 2 and Access 3 are now available on the website and feedback can be given by 31 December 2011 on our Have Your Say page. A summary of all the feedback we’ve received to date is available here. The subject drop-down menu can be used to view the latest information for each subject. (more…)

Working as a supply teacher and receiving the disgraceful remuneration agreed by another union in the sell out agreement (SOA), you will be very aware of the system now used to pay supply staff in differing authorities.

We are now able to begin the process of collecting evidence of unfair treatment to enable us to legally challenge this disgrace. Many of you will have worked for at least a few days on supply contracts. Please email us with information about the days you worked and the nature of the contract provided (i.e. supply or fixed term) . In particular we are interested in:

• Cover which has been artificially broken to avoid paying the correct rate.
• Part time permanent staff who are asked to cover at the sell out rate on a regular basis
• Cover which should be ‘fixed term’ but is not. An example of this is a regular call to cover for a teacher who is working elsewhere on a Monday.
• Other examples of detriment caused to supply teachers by the SOA

Please contact us at supply@ssta.org.uk

This afternoon, Michael Russell, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, made an announcement outlining the Scottish Government’s key objectives for ICT in education and his plans for the next generation of Glow. This included stopping the current Glow Futures procurement and utilising readily available tools, through a single sign-on, to make the next generation of Glow more relevant and dynamic.

The key ICT in education objectives are:

• Changing the culture of use of ICT in education;
• Improving confidence of all in the use of ICT in an education environment;
• Promoting new behaviours for teaching;
• Deepening parental engagement;
• Strengthening the position on the use of hardware and associated infrastructure in schools.

The announcement has been broadcast on the Engage for Education website (http://www.engageforeducation.org).

Dear Colleague

Hopefully you start the new session in a stress-free and positive mood after a relaxing holiday.

I apologise if anything in this update reduces the positive effect of the holidays, and assure you that is not my intention.

Regrettably teachers are returning to a changed working environment with the imposed changes to conditions of service now a reality. It’s interesting that, despite holiday s and other commitments, time was found to produce the wording for these new conditions of service in record time.

Before discussing the effects of the imposed changes let me remind you of your contract. You are contracted to work 35 hours a week and any additional time is voluntary. We all know that teachers work additional hours to benefit their pupils, but no teacher can be forced to undertake tasks in addition to the 35 hr working week. If you are given a task which exceeds the time allocation in your WTA, or which is not included in your WTA, please contact us for advice.

We are committed to challenging the changes to conditions of service with all means at our disposal. Our success depends on our having accurate information as quickly as possible. Please contact us by email if any of the following situations occur:

• Any attempt is made to suggest that ‘school closure days’ can be varied at short notice, or that the school will not close (e.g. to allow revision to take place). Please mark this urgent.

• You begin Maternity Leave after 1 Sept and suffer detriment due to the reduction in holidays and introduction of school closure days

• An artificial break is created in your supply contract (or in a supply contract in your department) with either internal cover or another supply teacher being used.

• Any attempt is made to pay the first 5 days of a fixed term contract at a reduced ‘supply’ rate.

We have also been informed that some local authorities have erroneously stated that supply cover will be paid at 5/7ths of scale point 0. This is a breach of the SNCT conditions. The imposed changes to payment of supply staff are enough of a detriment without any action to worsen the situation.

If you have any questions or comments please don’t hesitate to contact the Association at info@ssta.org.uk

With best wishes

Ann Ballinger

General Secretary

Margaret Smith

President

These courses are offered exclusively by the SSTA every year. The Courses are designed for members who are approaching retirement. This course covers; investment, state benefits, superannuation, the need for planning, taxation in retirement.

The courses are normally held between April and June in various locations across Scotland. Details of the events will be posted on-line and in the Bulletin when details are finalised.