ATL

ATL Conference 2007

Wednesday 4 April - sessions three and four

Fourth session of conference

During this session there was an address by Alan Johnson MP, Minister of State for Education.

Identity politics - CARRIED

32. BRENT BRANCH

THAT Conference, rejecting 'identity politics' calls upon the Executive Committee not to fund delegates to attend identity-based conferences such as those called solely for specific `identity based' groups where attendance is limited only to members of such groups. Conference further reaffirms support for ATL's involvement at appropriate inclusive events which oppose any and all forms of discrimination and where collective action is discussed.

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

Professional development for teachers - CARRIED

33. AVON BRANCH

THAT Conference, noting that ATL has been effective in the development of a career structure for classroom teachers, now asks the Executive Committee to be proactive in the development of professional qualifications that meet the needs of the TLR structure and progression within middle management.

Proposer: Jennifer Caola, Speedwell Technical College, Avon; Seconder: Carolyn Dutton, Kingsfield School, Avon

Facilities and supervision of pupils changing for games and PE in primary schools - CARRIED

34. WAKEFIELD BRANCH

THAT Conference requests that the Executive Committee addresses the issue of lack of changing facilities for games and PE in primary schools. It further requests the Executive Committee that ATL provides clear guidance to members in primary schools on the issues around the supervision by one member of staff of pupils changing for games and PE.

Proposer: Julia Owen Smith, Kirkhamgate Junior and Infant School, Wakefield; Seconder: Malcolm St John Smith, Ackworth School, Wakefield

Effect of government policy on families - CARRIED

35. LEEDS BRANCH

THAT Conference:

(i) views with concern the reports that, compared with their peers in other European countries, children and young people in the UK spend less time with their parents and families and more time with their peers;

(ii) fears that moves towards the Extended Schools agenda will further reduce rather than enhance links between children and their families;

(iii) regrets that the drive towards full employment in an expanding economy will result in a greater institutionalisation of children;

(iv) questions the impact of the increasing availability and uptake of state sponsored extra - familial activities on children, parents, families and educational professionals; and therefore calls upon the Executive Committee to commission research designed to analyse the effects of these developments.

Proposer: Cecily Hanlon, Childcare and Early Development Service, Leeds; Seconder: Richard Martin, branch secretary, Leeds

Support staff pay and conditions - CARRIED

36. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Berkshire and Birmingham branches

THAT Conference acknowledges the invaluable contribution provided by teaching assistants. Conference further recognises the lack of national and professional structures for training, accreditation, career progression and pay and welcomes the very helpful recommendations of the WAMG sub - group for a national pay framework for school support staff. Conference therefore requests that the Executive Committee:

(i) uses all possible means to expedite the implementation of the WAMG recommendations;

(ii) lobbies the government to guarantee sufficient funds to enable schools to ensure that pay rises for teaching assistants do not result in redundancies for either teaching or classroom support staff;

(iii) urges the appropriate bodies to remedy the lack of professional structure.

Proposer: Martyne Ellard, Berkshire branch; Seconder: David Ambler, The College High School, Birmingham

Higher level teaching assistants - CARRIED

37. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference deplores the practice of schools actively ignoring advice from WAMG by:

(i) asking support staff to work with whole classes but not employing them as HLTAs or cover supervisors or increasing their salaries;

(ii) paying HLTAs and cover supervisors at an enhanced rate only for the time they work with whole classes when they should be paid the enhanced rate for their entire role;

(iii) appointing support staff to cover supervisor posts but asking them to carry out an HLTA role. These practices show a marked lack of respect for extremely competent and capable support staff and are carried out in breach of the Workload Agreement with the objective of saving money. Conference therefore instructs the Executive Committee to raise these issues at every opportunity, and through ATL's position in WAMG, and to continue supporting members who find themselves subject to such bad practice in raising grievances. Conference also urges ATL branches to ask their LAs, via their local WAMGs, to audit each and every school to ensure that support staff are employed correctly.

Proposer: Lesley Ward, Executive Committee; Seconder: Jovan Trkulja, Executive Committee

Employment practice in the independent sector - CARRIED

38. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THAT Conference, welcoming ATL's new publication A Guide to Working in the Independent Sector, calls upon the Executive Committee to use the guide to promote the right of members working for independent employers to have minimum employment standards, and in particular to campaign on the right of every member to enjoy, amongst other things:

(i) a pay policy, including a pay scale and a guaranteed annual cost of living increase;

(ii) a written contract of employment;

(iii) fair, objective and timely policies and procedures such as on discipline, capability and grievance;

(iv) family - friendly policies including the right to work flexibly where possible;

(v) a redundancy policy to include redundancy pay, paid at a rate based on actual salary as a minimum;

(vi) protection from discrimination on the basis of age as provided by the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006.

Proposer: Peter Linnecar, Executive Committee; Seconder: Peter Walker, Executive Committee

Emergency resolution 1 - CARRIED

THAT Conference:

(i) Regards the evidence of the success of academies as not valid or reliable;

(ii) Expresses dismay at the new target of 400 academies;

(iii) Is appalled by the waste of public money revealed by the National Audit Office Report into the academy programme;

(iv) Opposes the increased fragmentation and marketisation of the maintained sector which the academy programme brings;

(v) Congratulates the Anti - Academy Alliance for its work in coordinating and supporting the local campaigns against unwanted academies;

(vi) Congratulates those ATL branches who are engaged in campaigns protecting community schools from takeovers by non - local authority agencies;

(vii) Expresses grave concern that tax exiles may become sponsors of academies.

Proposer: Phil Baker, Unattached member, Swindon. Seconder: Hank Roberts, Copland Specialist Community College Brent

Green schools and colleges - CARRIED

39. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and Wiltshire branches.

THAT Conference, recognising the need to encourage awareness of, and responsibility for, energy conservation and climate change issues, and noting the government's energy saving initiatives, urges the Executive Committee to press the government to provide a national scheme of support and financial incentives so that each school and college can develop, if it wishes, its own environmental and energy savings plan, which should be jointly written and approved by pupils/students, staff and the leadership team.

Proposer: Phil Walley, Hardenhuish School, Wiltshire; Seconder: Frances Platten, Chesteron Community College, Cambridgeshire

'Edu - babble' - NOT TAKEN

40. ESSEX, SOUTHEND AND THURROCK BRANCH

THAT Conference:

(i) acknowledges the unrelenting increase in 'edu - babble', which has developed to the point where words are blended to total vacuity;

(ii) observes that the use of these pointless, artificial and incomprehensible expressions is becoming a badge of status within the profession;

(iii) urges school leaders, policy - makers and other senior professionals to seek therapeutic remedies for this affliction; and

(iv) requests that the Executive Committee publicises the worst examples as part of a campaign to restore clarity and dignity to professional dialogue.

Proposer: Robin Bevan, King Edward VI Grammar School, Essex; Seconder: Jeff Fair, Brentwood County High School, Essex

Pupil behaviour - CARRIED

41. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Coventry and Wiltshire branches.

THAT Conference acknowledges that poor pupil behaviour is a major cause of stress and ill - health in the profession and a significant reason why many staff leave their careers early. Conference therefore calls upon the Executive Committee to challenge the complacency of those in government who merely 'tinker with the system' rather than implementing policies that would make schools safe from verbal and physical abuse for both pupils and staff, and provide schools with the tools and authority to discipline students.

Proposer: Elizabeth Greed, Lavington School, Wiltshire; Seconder: David Kinnen, President Kennedy School and Community College, Coventry

Workload (priority resolution debated Tuesday) - CARRIED IN BOTH PARTS

42. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Hertfordshire branches. THAT Conference, whilst recognising the National Agreement to Raise Standards and Tackle Workload as a force for good, which has resulted in some improvements in schools, notes that a satisfactory work - life balance has still not been achieved. Conference therefore, requests that the Executive Committee continues to monitor the situation and works within the Social Partnership to press the STRB to reduce teacher workload. Conference further requests that the Executive Committee, as part of this work, investigates proposing:

(i) a contractual formula that sets a sensible limit to the total number and composition of students for whom the teacher has an accountable responsibility;

(ii) that morning, break - time and after - school `duties' are inappropriate activities for teachers to be expected to undertake.

Proposer: Robert Martyn, Oxfordshire branch; Seconder: Russell Bowen, Balcarras School, Gloucestershire

Environmental impact of government school provision policy - LOST

43. SWINDON BRANCH

THAT Conference, in recognising that the increasing distances that pupils are called upon to travel to school is incompatible with developing a national policy on climate change, calls upon the Executive Committee to lobby government to ensure that pupils attend the school to which their travel causes the least damage to the environment.

Proposer: Phil Baker, Unattached member, Swindon; Seconder: Rob Kiver, Lethbridge Primary School, Swindon

Fifth session of conference

Professional development - CARRIED

44. NORTH WALES BRANCH

THAT Conference, affirming that CPD is an integral part of the performance management arrangements, fears that inadequate funding will jeopardise its success. Conference therefore requests that the Executive Committee lobbies all the relevant governments with a view to ensuring that the entitlement of education professionals is both recognised and properly resourced.

Proposer: Gareth Lewis, Ysol Clywedog, Wrexham; Seconder: Marjorie Barnes, Flint High School, North Wales

Performance management - LOST

45. WARWICKSHIRE BRANCH

THAT Conference requests the Executive Committee to oppose the new performance management arrangements where it would mean that salary progression could be determined by the head of department.

Proposer: Harry Mayou, Key Stage 3 Numeracy Centre, Warwickshire; Seconder: John Collins, George Eliot Community School, Warwickshire

Emergency resolution 3

Industrial Action at Newcastle - under - Lyme School - CARRIED

THAT Conference notes with regret the dispute at Newcastle - under - Lyme School following the unwarranted dismissal of ATL member Peter Cash. Conference congratulates the ATL members at the school for standing together in support of their colleague and for their bravery in taking strike action when this became necessary.

Conference regrets that some employers in the education sector do not abide by employment legislation or seek to resolve disputes by negotiation. Conference supports ATL members who are compelled to take industrial action as a last resort in such cases.

Proposer: Malcolm St John - Smith, Wakefield. Seconder: Meg Smedley, Northamptonshire

TLR payments - CARRIED

46. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Coventry and Kent branches.

THAT Conference, regretting that some headteachers seem to have found a lack of clarity in the provisions of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document, including those on work - life balance, urges that the Executive Committee seeks and promotes clearer guidance to reaffirm that a teacher:

(i) with no TLR payment cannot be accountable for any aspect of school management, and that the published management structure of a school cannot include teachers with no TLR or leadership payment;

(ii) who is required to manage several subject areas or groups of teachers and teaching assistants must have adequate management time on their timetable;

(iii) achieves progression on the upper pay spine dependent on the performance management review and not on the teacher accepting new duties or responsibilities.

Proposer: Terry Kenny, Unattached member, Coventry; Seconder: Meryl Harries, Kent branch

Assessment and data collection - CARRIED

47. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Bradford and Hertfordshire branches.

THAT Conference, whilst understanding the need to collect information on pupils' academic achievement for the purposes of planning and further development of the curriculum in schools, notes the stressful workload caused by excessive assessment of pupils and data collection. Conference therefore urges that the Executive Committee investigates these demands on members and raises these issues with the Government and other stakeholders with a view to preventing excessive assessment.

Proposer: Lesley Gilfrin, Kings Langley Primary School, Hertfordshire; Seconder: Alison Sherratt, Riddlesden St Mary's CE Primary School, Keighley

Well-being of children - CARRIED

48. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE BRANCH

THAT Conference requests that the Executive Committee supports opportunities to highlight the impact upon children and young people of:

(i) the diminishing availability of global resources;

(ii) their choices in consumption and leisure;

(iii) their over stimulation through the media; that may impair their development, awareness and well-being and compromise efforts to address behavioural issues, substance abuse and mental health problems.

Proposer: Ralph Surman, Cantrell Primary School, Nottinghamshire; Seconder: Philip Brooks, Unattached member, Nottinghamshire

All through academies - CARRIED

49. INNER LONDON BRANCH

THAT Conference, expressing its concern at the development of 'all through' academies (primary and secondary combined) and believing that they will distort primary admission arrangements and introduce unwelcome selection at age four, requests that the Executive Committee opposes any such selection.

Proposer: John Puckrin, Unattached member, London; Seconder: Stuart Fletcher, The Academy at Peckham, London

School year/day - CARRIED

50. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Bradford and Hertfordshire branches.

THAT Conference urges the Executive Committee to work with all appropriate bodies to review the current school year models and working day arrangements with a view to consulting more widely on a model appropriate to the 21st century, and subsequently to press Government for a final decision on the adoption of a national school year for all LAs.

Proposer: Jackie Harvey, Mill Mead Primary School, Hertfordshire; Seconder: Philip Shackleton, Greenhead High School, Bradford

Allegations against members - CARRIED

51. COMPOSITE from resolutions submitted by Brent and Inner London branches.

THAT Conference requests that the Executive Committee campaigns for the right of all members who are subject to allegations made against them by pupils to:

(i) be informed promptly of the exact nature of the allegation;

(ii) have the matter dealt with as expeditiously as possible.

Proposer: Kim Knappett, Forest Hill School, Lewisham; Seconder: Azra Haque, Unattached member, Brent

Admissions - CARRIED

52. INNER LONDON BRANCH

THAT Conference, welcoming the strength and clarity of the new Admissions Code of Practice and emphasising its belief that it should apply to all existing Academies and CTCs, requests that the Executive Committee should lobby government to ensure that the code is applied on these terms.

Proposer: John Puckrin, Unattached member, London; Seconder: Jean Roberts, Old Oak Primary School, London

Independent adjudicator at hearings - CARRIED

53. COVENTRY BRANCH

THAT Conference, noting the more formalised provider/client relationship between schools and LAs, urges that the Executive Committee defends the rights of members in schools by:

(i) seeking to ensure all employees have clearly identifiable access to advice and support from the relevant HR supplier;

(ii) supporting the principle of an independent arbiter officiating at formal hearings in schools that could have a serious bearing on the future career of the employee.

Proposer: Stephen Holmes, Coundon Court School and Community College, Coventry; Seconder: Terry Kenny, Unattached member, Coventry

Cover supervisors - NOT TAKEN

54. WILTSHIRE BRANCH

THAT Conference, calls on the Executive Committee to investigate the current realities and practice of cover supervision in schools with a view to issuing new policy guidance.

Proposer: Elizabeth Greed, Lavington School, Wiltshire; Seconder: Phil Whalley, Hardenhuish School, Wiltshire

'Stealth change' - NOT TAKEN

55. WIRRAL BRANCH

THAT Conference, believing that the government is resorting to 'stealth changes' in education while subscribing publicly to an anti - bureaucracy agenda, asks the Executive Committee to use its influence within the Social Partnership to prevent the continuation of this practice.

Proposer: John Williamson, Wirral Education Centre, Wirral; Seconder: Anthony Collins, Wirral Hospital School, Wirral