ATL

ATL Conference 2007

Monday 2 April - session one

First session of the Conference

During the first session of this years' Conference, Dr Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, addressed delegates.

1. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

2. APPOINTMENT OF TELLERS

3. REPORT OF ELECTIONS TO NATIONAL OFFICE

4. APPOINTMENT OF APPEALS COMMITTEE

THAT the following be appointed to the Appeals Committee: Fiona Barclay, North Yorkshire and York, Joanna Jarman, Oxfordshire, Richard Martin, Leeds, John Nicholas, Gloucestershire, Val Ross, Cambridgeshire, Pam Smith, Hillingdon, Roger Wakeford, Surrey.

Proposer: Chris Wilson, Honorary Secretary; seconder: Shelagh Hirst, Honorary Secretary.

5. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Presented by Jane Bennett, Immediate Past President.

6. ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS

Presented by Martin Lawes, Honorary Treasurer.

7. ANY BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE CHAIR

Resolution from the Conference Standing Orders Committee

THAT Conference, as a result of the exceptional circumstances pertaining this year, do vary Standing Order 6(xii) so that business not taken under SO 6(xi) shall be taken at such time as the President, with the advice of the Standing Orders Committee, shall decide.

Proposer: Chris Wilson, Executive Committee; Seconder: Shelagh Hirst, Executive Committee

8. DATE AND LOCATION OF THE NEXT ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE

Monday 17 March - Thursday 20 March 2008, Torquay

9. RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions numbered 13 to amend the Constitution and Rules of the Association and the Standing Orders of Conference are required to be debated before any other resolution can be taken.

Taking Conference resolutions in parts - CARRIED

1. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference amends the Standing Orders as follows: Insert a new Standing Order 17(iii): Where a resolution has words before the first numbered part in addition to the words `THAT Conference' those words shall be read in conjunction with each numbered part and shall be deemed to fall if each numbered part is lost. All other parts of this Standing Order shall then be renumbered accordingly.

Proposer: Julia Neal, Executive Committee; seconder: John Puckrin, Executive Committee

Amendments to the Constitution and Rules - CARRIED

2. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference amends the Constitution and Rules as follows:

Rule 56 is amended so that it reads: Notice of any meeting shall be posted to members or sent by email not less than seven days before the meeting but that the non-receipt of such notice by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of such meeting.

Rule 61 is amended so that it reads: A notice, stating the objects of such meeting, shall be posted or sent by email to all members of the Executive Committee not less than seven days before the proposed date of the meeting, but the non-receipt of such notice by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings of such meeting.

Rule 75 an additional sentence is inserted so that it reads: A notice convening a meeting of the Executive Committee or a Committee of the Executive Committee may be served as provided in Rule 56 or 61.

Rule 76 an additional sentence is inserted so that it reads: Any notice served by email shall be deemed to have been served on the day on which the email is transmitted.

Proposer: Julia Neal, Executive Committee; seconder: John Puckrin, Executive Committee

School and college representatives - CARRIED

3. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference amends the Constitution and Rules so that:

A new section entitled School and College Representatives is inserted after Rule 8.

A new Rule 9 is inserted to read: The members at each institution as defined by the Executive Committee shall be entitled to appoint one or more of those members as the ATL representative at that Institution.

A new Rule 9.1 is inserted to read: The process of appointment shall be set out in the By Laws.

A new Rule 9.2 is inserted to read: The Executive Committee shall approve all appointments, which shall run from the date of approval.

A new Rule 9.3 is inserted to read: The Executive Committee may provide formal accreditation to any such representatives that meet standards of training or experience that it deems appropriate.

The other parts of the Constitution and Rules be renumbered accordingly.

Proposer: Julia Neal, Executive Committee; seconder: John Puckrin, Executive Committee

Admission impossible - CARRIED

4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference, noting the particular impact of increasing tuition fees upon student teachers, welcomes the Executive Committee's active support to date for the National Union of Students' Admission Impossible campaign, which has also been featured in Report Magazine, and calls upon the Executive Committee to continue its support and to publicise this important campaign.

Proposer: Helen Brook, Executive Committee; seconder: Jovan Trkulja, Executive Committee

Executive Committee seats for young and/or newly qualified members - LOST

5. CAMBRIDGE AND PETERBOROUGH BRANCH

THAT Conference calls upon the Executive Committee to bring proposals to Conference 2008 for such rule changes required to facilitate the direct election of two Executive Committee members representing young and/or newly qualified members.

Proposer: Helen Brook, The Vine Inter-Church Primary School, Cambridgeshire; seconder: Barry Williams, Abbey College, Cambridgeshire

FE forum and recruitment - CARRIED

6. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Hampshire and Isle of Wight and Avon branches.

THAT Conference, noting the welcome increase in FE membership, requests that the Executive Committee builds on this success by:

(i) investigating ways to raise the profile of FE through the setting up of an FE Committee or FE forum similar to those created for the independent sector and for young members;

(ii) becoming more vigorous in its recruitment of members in this area.

Proposer: Ian Edney, Hampshire and Isle of Wight; seconder: Stella Jales, Wiltshire College, Devizes

Part-time means part-time - CARRIED

7. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference urges the Executive Committee to support the right of teachers to work part-time and not to face constant pressures to work above their contractual requirements, and in particular to:

(i) set up an STG on part-time employment;

(ii) adopt a policy statement that addresses all the concerns of unfavourable treatment of part-time employees, including variable hours clauses in the independent sector;

(iii) lobby the national employers and leading independent school employers with the intention of addressing those concerns;

(iv) promote the right of part-time employees to have the same rights and responsibilities as full-time employees on a pro rata basis;

(v) campaign to achieve equal treatment for part-time members.

Proposer: Peter Walker, Executive Committee; seconder: John Paul, Executive Committee

TLR payments to part-time teachers - CARRIED

8. STAFFORDSHIRE BRANCH

THAT Conference, deploring the current situation whereby part-time teachers with a TLR payment receive an equivalent part of the remuneration but are required to assume full-time responsibility, requests that the Executive Committee presses the STRB to award all staff who assume a TLR a full TLR payment.

Proposer: Martin Lawes, Paget High School, Staffordshire; seconder: Stella Thompson, Anglesey Primary School, Staffordshire

Decrease in uptake of science

9. BRENT BRANCH

THAT Conference expresses its concern at:

(i) the decrease in the number of students taking science at `A' level and degree level;

(ii) the number and qualifications required by science teachers and lecturers;

(iii) the closure of science-based departments in universities.

Conference requests that the Executive Committee seeks an urgent review of this situation and advises on appropriate actions to reverse this situation in consultation with the relevant professional associations.

Proposer: Azra Haque, Unattached member, Brent; seconder: Hank Roberts, Copland Specialist Science Community College, Brent