ATL

ATL Conference 2011

Tuesday 19 April - afternoon session

This session also included the presentation of the ATL Rep of the Year awards (outstanding workplace rep Paul Coyne pictured).

Fifth session of Conference - 3.30pm-6.00pm

Resolutions

37 Mentoring - carried in all parts
37A1 Mentoring - AMENDMENT 1 - carried
37A2 Mentoring - AMENDMENT 2 - carried
38 Private consultants - carried
39 Headteacher training - carried
40 Management qualifications in the FE sector - carried
41 Institute for Learning - carried
42 Continuing professional development - carried
UM2 Urgency motion 2 - carried
44 Equalities impact of the White Paper - carried
45 Radicalisation - carried
46 Detrimental changes to contractual conditions within the independent sector - carried
47 Class size limit - carried

37 Mentoring - carried in all parts

INDIVIDUAL

THAT conference recognises the hard work already begun in providing research and clarity on the issue of mentoring for ITT and NQTs. However, the government's proposals to increase school-based provision both for ITT and CPD increases the need for mentors, dedicated time for mentors to do their jobs and the need for consistent practice to support newly qualified and student teachers.
Conference calls upon the Executive Committee to continue the campaign for:
(i) consistent and high quality mentoring support for students and new professionals;
(ii) allocated time away from teaching for mentors in order to be effective in their role and support to develop their mentoring practice;
(iii) the production of a publication or website resource to advise and support students, newly professionals and mentors in the light of changes to ITT and CPD provision.  

Proposer: Victoria Josiah, Welling School, Bexley
Seconder: Angelina Bell, Northern Ireland

37A1 Mentoring - AMENDMENT 1 - carried

INDIVIDUAL

To add at end of motion: "Conference further calls for the Exec Committee to investigate the potential requirement of additional teaching staff in specialist teaching schools should the proposed gov changes be imposed."

Proposer: Victoria Josiah, Welling School, Bexley
Seconder: Angelina Bell, Northern Ireland

37A2 Mentoring - AMENDMENT 2 - carried

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

Conference calls on the Executive Committee to consider the Scottish model of induction; taking suitable aspects of it to bring as proposals to the English government, Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies and Manx parliament for their consideration.

Proposer: Cathy Tattersfield, Peak School, Derbyshire
Seconder: John Wensley, Scotland

38 Private consultants - carried

BRENT BRANCH

THAT conference deplores the exorbitant fees paid to a small number of private consultants who give advice that is sometimes useless or worse. This results in the expenditure of staff time and money to no useful end. While personal CPD for most staff declines, some senior managers attend junkets in expensive hotels, money which would be better spent on pupils' education in schools.
Conference calls upon members nationally and locally, school governors, LAs and government to oppose and seek to stop this misuse of taxpayers' money.  

Proposer: Hank Roberts, Copland Community School, Brent
Seconder: Azra Haque, The Village School, Brent

39 Headteacher training - carried

HERTFORDSHIRE BRANCH

THAT conference, whilst recognising that improvements have taken place in headteachers' training, believes that insufficient attention is paid to their understanding of statutory terms and conditions of employment and urges the Executive Committee to press the appropriate bodies to provide suitable training.

Proposer: Jackie Harvey, Reed First School, Royston
Seconder: Lesley Gilfrin, Unattached member, Hertfordshire

40 Management qualifications in the FE sector - carried

CAMBRIDGESHIRE AND PETERBOROUGH BRANCH

THAT conference calls on the Executive Committee to influence the appropriate bodies to implement the requirement for a series of suitable management qualifications for all managers in the FE Sector.  

Proposer: Wally Valentine, Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge
Seconder: Niamh Sweeney, Cambridge Regional College, Cambridge

41 Institute for Learning - carried

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT conference welcomes both the ambition of the IFL and also ATL members' work with the IFL to promote CPD in colleges and adult training establishments.
Conference notes that the IFL will be self-financing from April 2011 and urges the Executive
Committee to oppose the introduction of exorbitant fees for teaching staff solely in the FE sector
of £68 per year.
Further, conference calls upon the Executive Committee to urge the IFL to:
(i) develop sustainable resources and opportunities for CPD and prevent the passing on of costs to college staff of IFL administration, legal fees and IT infrastructure;
(ii) recognise that it has an obligation to represent the interests of FE college and adult training and education staff above all others in matters relating to CPD;
(iii) focus on college HR services, providing systematic support for IFLCPD;
(iv) distinguish IFL CPD from college CPD performance monitoring.  

Proposer: Stephen Sidgwick, Executive Committee
Seconder: Stella Jales, Executive Committee

42 Continuing professional development - carried

SOUTH GLAMORGAN BRANCH

THAT conference deplores the reductions in funding for CPD in all areas of the UK, believing that it will have an adverse effect on career development and on the education of students.
Conference calls for curriculum changes to be fully supported by adequate funding for CPD.

Proposer: Richard Baker, Unattached member, South Glamorgan
Seconder: Martin Rawle, UWIC, Cardiff

UM2 Urgency motion 2 - carried

Individual members' motion

That conference is deeply concerned with the fundamental contradictions in the government's Green Paper, SEN and Disability. Despite the rhetoric of increased parental choice it is, in reality, the market that will choose. With its caveat that efficiency will determine choice and in the context of the severely decreased role of Local Authorities, massive funding cuts and the erosion of parents' access to legal support, this Green Paper fails miserably to live up to its promise of a fair deal for every child.

Conference instructs Executive to:

i. share with parents, other stakeholders and government our interpretation of the Green Paper;
ii. include the SEND perspective in future work on the disappearance of state education.

Proposer: Mark Baker, Redwood Secondary School, Rochdale
Seconder: Simon Hipps, Supply Teacher, Oldham

44 Equalities impact of the White Paper - carried

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT conference deplores the government's equalities impact assessment of its White Paper, The Importance of Teaching. Conference notes policy contradictions and a lack of understanding of the social and economic circumstances which create barriers to learning for disadvantaged groups. Conference regrets the misleading presentation of the pupil premium policy as a contribution to reducing inequalities. Conference asks the Executive Committee to continue to lobby for policies which:
(i) reflect the necessity for funded targeted interventions with underachieving groups if the achievement gap is to be reduced;
(ii) produce curriculum, assessment and qualifications fit for all;
(iii) introduce economic and fiscal measures to reduce inequality in society, which would lead to substantial reductions in educational inequalities.

Proposer: Veronica Rodriguez, Executive Committee
Seconder: Brenda Walters, Executive Committee

45 Radicalisation - carried

CORNWALL BRANCH

THAT conference is concerned that teachers of religious education may be asked by their school to assess whether any of their students are becoming or have become radicalised. This follows guidance from the DfE as part of the UK's anti-terrorism strategy. Conference calls on the Executive Committee to investigate the implications of this and to take whatever steps it deems necessary to help ensure teachers are not put in a diffiult position by their school.

Proposer: David Guiterman, Cornwall College, Cornwall
Seconder: Fizzy Jennings, Launceston College, Cornwall

46 Detrimental changes to contractual conditions within the independent sector - carried

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT conference, being aware of the measures, including redundancy, that some independent schools have employed to address increasing financial constraints due to the economic downturn in recent years, asks the Executive Committee to:
(i) examine the extent to which some employers within this sector are applying new, often detrimental, contractual conditions;
(ii) produce guidance to support members who are subject to such detrimental changes.

Proposer: Peter Walker, Executive Committee
Seconder: Malcolm St John-Smith, Executive Committee

47 Class size limit - carried

BERKSHIRE BRANCH

THAT conference believes that the lack of a limit on class size in secondary schools in England
has been shown to be detrimental to truly effective teaching and learning. As class sizes are in danger of increasing further still conference calls upon the Executive Committee to lobby the government to set a statutory limit of 30 pupils in secondary classes.

Proposer: Martyne Ellard, Park House School, Newbury
Seconder: Carly Prout, Park House School, Newbury