Colleagues,
You may be aware of a report circulating about a document produced by Cosla. This document is their submission to the McCormac review into Teachers’ pay and conditions and clearly indicates their preferences for the future of our profession. The document makes very interesting reading and I have highlighted only a few of the points it makes:
- the primary role of a teacher should not be to teach children!!!!
- extension of the teacher year but not the pupil year
- 5 days in service as a block during school closure dates (what value now on the guarantee of 195 working days for teachers?)
- annex B to be removed and replaced with the Standard for Full Registration
- fixed term PT posts to cover specific duties
- end of time and place with teachers forced to remain in school no matter what the circumstances and with no regard for best practice
- 25 hr class contact time in primaries to match pupil day and reduce teacher numbers (what value now on the guarantee of extra posts?)
- 140 hour blocks of contractual time instead of the current 35 hour block
- role for non-teachers in the classroom to be enhanced
- failure to produce record of appropriate CPD referred to GTCS during reaccreditation
The campaign against this attack on teacher professionalism and conditions of service begins now. Further information and advice will be posted on the website. In the meantime please use every opportunity to discuss this with your local politicians and make your views clear.
At present this document is no more than Cosla’s wish list to the McCormac review. The review reports in the summer, when we will know the full extent of the problems we face.
If you wish to read the full document please use this link to a PDF version of the document.
Ann Ballinger
General Secretary
23 May 2011