TALKING MAY HELP RESOLVE PUPIL INDISCIPLINE “Talking may actually help reduce the problems of classroom indiscipline,” was the rather unusual statement from the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association today. “The indications which we are receiving from members in schools are that talking helps – when talking is amongst the teachers. Many schools have been working on a strategy of dealing with matters relating to pupil discipline through a committee involving senior managers and classroom teachers,” said David Eaglesham, SSTA General Secretary.…

MCCRONE - THE FINAL TEST Some five years ago after it was approved, the McCrone Agreement on pay and conditions for teachers faces its final test as 2006 approaches. The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association today warned its members that a crucial final stage of the implementation needs to be dealt with in coming weeks. "For many teachers, the McCrone Agreement may seem as if it is from a previous era, and in terms of pay that is largely true. We…

UNION WARNS OF PENSIONS FIGHT In his New Year message to SSTA members, General Secretary, David Eaglesham, warned of the threat to pensions which will be faced in 2004. “Members will already be aware of the Government's proposals to increase the pension age for teachers from 60 to 65 from 2006 for new entrants and from 2013 for existing teachers.This will have a major impact on many serving teachers, especially those aged 49 and under at present. It will also…

CURB ON UNRULY PARENTS The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association today outlined a proposal to deal with unacceptable behaviour by a small number of parents attending Parents' Meetings in secondary schools in Scotland. The Association has noticed a significant rise in reports of incidents at Parents' Meetings in which individual parents have become abusive and occasionally unruly whilst meeting with staff. “It is most regrettable that such incidents appear to be on the rise” said David Eaglesham, General Secretary. “Although there…

CONCERN FOR PUPIL HEALTH The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association today announced a campaign to highlight its concerns about the lack of legislative protection for children and young people with regard to health and safety whilst they are in schools. As the law stands at present, workers benefit from extensive heath and safety provisions in law and in regulations. Thus, in a school, all employees, both teaching and non-teaching, have rights and responsibilities with regard to health and safety because they…

SSTA WARNS OF IMPACT OF FALLING TEACHER NUMBERS The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association today warned of the short term impact of the increasing age profile of the teaching profession. “It is well documented that the age profile of teachers is hugely skewed to the top end and that the “bulge” is moving close to the point when significant drops in teacher numbers will occur. Whilst there has been some coverage of the need to replace those retiring teachers and the…

The attached press release was issued on 26 March 2003 regarding the possibility of the Association balloting members in Argyll and Bute on industrial action over the authority's proposal for Secondary Schools

The SSTA will today hand to Peter Peacock, Minister of Education, a petition from secondary teachers in Scotland who are outraged at the downgrading of over 2/3rds of promoted posts in secondary schools in Scotland. The handing over of the petition, collected under the banner of “Mail the Minister” will take place at Victoria Quay at 1pm on Wednesday 9 July 2003. The petition comes as a consequence of the “Job Sizing” process imposed on schools under the McCrone Agreement.…

KIDS -V- CASHA RESPONSE TO RE-STRUCTURING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS What is the biggest challenge facing Scottish education today? Raising pupil attainment? Improving the quality of teaching? Introducing new, more appropriate courses and qualifications? Monitoring and improving pupil behaviour? Perhaps all of these? Given the much publicised “21st Century Agreement” between teachers, local authorities and the Scottish Executive, the general public might be forgiven for assuming that Scotland is well placed to take on these challenges. Unfortunately this is not the…