Given the recent adverse weather conditions the SSTA calls on Scottish Government, local authority employers and independent school management to make careful scrutiny of their policies on adverse weather.  Such scrutiny should involve answering the key question of what circumstances merit the closure of schools on the basis of “better safe than sorry”. Alan McKenzie, Acting General Secretary said today “Many people will have viewed with some horror the widely distributed news picture of the overturned tanker in West Lothian…

Scotland’s two largest teaching unions, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) and the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association (SSTA) have noted today’s publication of PISA testing data but urged caution in how this data is viewed.  Both unions believe that, while the PISA data offers some interesting areas for debate, its worth in measuring the value of any country’s education system is limited. The EIS and the SSTA urge the Scottish Government and Opposition Parties to glance briefly at this data…

Today the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association condemned the continuing complacency of Scottish Government towards the problem of indiscipline in Scottish schools. The Association called for a re-calibration of the extent of the problem and the resumption of the co-ordinated and government directed action that followed the publication of Better Behaviour Better Learning in 2001.

The Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association today expressed alarm at the reported crisis in providing supply cover in many local authorities. The Association has taken note of the reports in some quarters indicating that classes have been split up, doubled up and only supervised in significant numbers in Assembly areas thus being deprived of appropriate opportunity for learning and teaching. It has even been reported that network staff whose purpose is to support the most vulnerable of our young people are…

Today the SSTA joined colleagues in other Trades Unions to condemn the launch of a consultation on proposed increases to contribution rates for Scottish teachers' pension scheme.

The SSTA today announced that it is conducting a survey of local authority and independent schools acceptance of liability for injury sustained by employees in untreated car parking areas in schools. The Association is concerned that there are an alarming number of cases of injury being reported and the number of cases being pursued by the Association reflects this.

Today the SSTA expressed concern about the proposal to include as mandatory a list of Scottish text in the English Curriculum in Scottish Schools. Alan McKenzie Acting General Secretary said “a significant number of our members have contacted us questioning from whom this policy emanated and seeking clarification on its purpose. It seems surprising that such exhortation is necessary since English Curriculum in most schools include a significant number of Scottish texts. It would be interesting to identify just what…