Tag: teachers

Improving relationships and behaviour in schools

Guidance published to support pupils and teachers

New guidance to empower schools to take action on mobile phone use and next steps in ongoing work to improve relationships and behaviour in schools has been published.

The ‘Behaviour and Relationships in Schools’ action plan, and targeted guidance for teachers to manage mobile phone use in schools, set out steps to be deployed at the national, local and school level over the next three years in response to concerns about relationships and behaviour in schools, including:

  • supporting the effective recording and monitoring of inappropriate behaviour
  • encouraging schools to reinforce a positive ethos and culture
  • providing guidance and support to ensure schools can embed relationships and behaviour policies which set clear expectations of relationships and behaviour

The new guidance on mobile phone use makes clear that while it is for individual schools to determine what action to take, head teachers are empowered to take the steps they see fit, including a full ban on mobile phone use in school if that is their judgement.

Aside from impacting behaviour, a growing body of evidence shows mobile phone use also impacts on learning. The Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 data showed that almost a third of 15-year-olds in Scotland and across all Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries reported being distracted using digital devices in most or every maths class – and around a quarter reported being distracted by others using digital devices.

During a visit to Stonelaw High School in Rutherglen, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Since the last action plan on relationships and behaviour in Scotland’s schools was published in 2017, our children and young people have experienced periods of significant challenge, including a global pandemic and a cost-of-living crisis which is causing real difficulty for families across the country. There is no doubt this has had a major impact on their schooling and how they learn.

“Improving relationships, behaviour and attendance in schools is one of my top priorities as Education Secretary. We have been working jointly on this with key partners such as COSLA and SAGRABIS since I was appointed and this new action plan contains a series of steps to be taken which will ensure that both pupils and staff are safe and supported.

“It takes an evidence-based approach to responding to the relationships and behaviour challenges faced in our schools and has been informed by the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research (BISSR), which heard from nearly 4,000 teachers and support staff, as well as discussions with a wide range of stakeholders including teaching unions at the three behaviour summits.

“While it is clear that the vast majority of pupils in our schools continue to behave well, there are undoubtedly growing behavioural issues associated with mobile phones.

“This new guidance empowers head teachers to take the steps they see fit for their school to limit the use of mobile phones, including a full ban on the school estate if they feel that is required and I would encourage teachers to take all the steps they feel necessary to combat these issues.”

COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Tony Buchanan said: “Ensuring children and young people feel supported, safe and ready to learn is of vital importance to Local Government, and we need to make sure schools are safe and welcoming places for all.

“We have worked closely with the Scottish Government and our partners across education system to develop the action plan and guidance published today.

“We will continue to work in partnership to enable the provision of the best possible support, in and out of school, so that children and young people to get the most out of their learning.”

Acting Stonelaw High School Headteacher Vicki Rice said: “We were delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to our school. The Cabinet Secretary took part in discussion groups with our staff and pupils who were given a valuable opportunity to talk with her about these important issues as part of their work and study on personal and social education.

“We discussed our work earlier this year with our parents and pupils about excessive phone use and the impact that this can have on learning. This work helped inform our plans for this session to protect the learning environment by limiting phone use in certain areas of the school.

“We will continue to work with our pupils and their families to ensure that this remains supported.

“This fits with our wider efforts to create positive relationships and behaviour right across our school. We know that getting this right for our learners means that they feel safer, more included, respected and supported.

“This in turn helps create strong relationships between our learners and staff and helps improve everyone’s wellbeing.”

Commenting on the publication of the National Action Plan on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools and mobile phone guidance by the Scottish Government, Mike Corbett, National Official Scotland for NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union, said: “While NASUWT is frustrated with the length of time taken to produce this National Action Plan, we have nevertheless engaged in good faith with the Scottish Government, shared our members’ current experiences on managing pupil behaviour and advocated strongly around how they might be addressed.

“We are encouraged by the recognition that a range of approaches and consequences are required given that restorative approaches to poor behaviour do not work for all pupils and cannot be the only tool available to schools when responding to incidents of abuse and violence.

“We need to see better recording and monitoring of behaviour incidents in schools as an essential part of ensuring consistency and measuring progress and improvements over time.

“We very much welcome that the principle of serious consequences for serious misbehaviour, up to and including exclusion, where necessary, has been accepted.

“The Scottish Government must make it clear that serious misbehaviour will carry serious consequences if any plan is to secure a safe and orderly environment for teachers and students.

“Given the recent riots in other parts of the UK, the acknowledgement that more work is needed to support schools in addressing racism and racist incidents, along with other forms of discrimination such as misogyny, is welcome.

“We know that mobile phones can be used as a tool to bully and harass fellow pupils and teachers, as well as distracting pupils from their learning. We therefore welcome the guidance from the Scottish Government that school leaders can take steps to limit or ban the use of phones in their schools if they see fit. However, to be effective, addressing the use of mobile phones should form part of joined up whole-school strategies on managing pupil behaviour.

“While we are pleased to see that the Action Plan intends that schools will be offered support to adopt the recommendations within it, including suggested approaches and exemplars, it is disappointing that the Scottish Government has not as yet committed any additional funding, time or resources to schools to support this work.

“Teachers and school leaders are already dealing with excessive workloads and constrained budgets. Implementing the recommendations of this action plan is too important a task to be simply added to schools’ already lengthy to do lists. Ring-fenced time and funding is needed.” 

Relationships and Behaviour in schools action plan

Education Minister writes to Scotland’s teachers

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has written to teachers, education leaders and staff across Scotland setting out her priorities for the sector.

These include reforming education for the benefit of all learners, and continuing to close the poverty-related attainment gap.

The letter reads:

To Scotland’s teachers and school leaders,

It is a great honour to have been appointed to the role of Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. As you may know, I spent a decade working in education before entering politics. I recognise first-hand how dedicated and committed our teachers and support staff are to giving our children and young people the best opportunities to succeed in life.

The Covid-19 pandemic was a sharp reminder of just how important education is to our communities. I know how challenging it was for our young people – just as I know how challenging it was for our teachers and staff in school. I want to thank you all for your hard work and professionalism throughout that time. You stepped up when Scotland’s young people needed you most. Thank you.

We need to now focus on rebuilding, together, for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people – and I firmly believe that post-pandemic we have a unique opportunity to do so.

There are many strengths in our education system which we must use as our foundation; equally I know of the challenges that the Covid legacy has created in our classrooms and school communities. I want to work with you on how we can address those challenges and opportunities together.

Undeniably, we are at a crucial point in setting out the future through a comprehensive programme of education reform. The National Discussion on Education and the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment (Hayward Review) will conclude soon. This work includes the reform of our national bodies as we work to establish the new agencies.

These new organisations will need to work better to meet the needs of our young people – but they also need to work better to support you, our educators.

The educational landscape which existed when the Scottish Attainment Challenge launched in February 2015 is markedly different. The cost of living crisis has deepened inequity; but it further necessitates our relentless focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.

High quality learning and teaching is crucial to help disrupt the impact of poverty in our education system. Our schools have a key role to play in driving ambition and attainment; through promoting a culture of high expectations and excellence for all. Excellent teachers are fundamental to that endeavour – I want to make sure you have the necessary support and opportunity to fulfil that expectation.

Furthermore, I am committed to delivering excellence and equity in school education through empowering and supporting our teaching profession and putting learners’ needs at the centre. We will ensure that teachers and practitioners across the education system can access the high-quality support and professional learning they need. Our new national education bodies will be central to this, with clear roles and responsibilities to support this work collaboratively across the sector.

Scottish education is at an important juncture. The future for Scotland’s next generation depends on those of you who work in our education system. From our school janitors to our secretaries in school offices; from our catering staff to our Headteachers; from our classroom support assistants to our teachers – all of you make up the myriad of support provided to Scotland’s children and young people in our schools. All of you are valued.

As the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, I am committed to working with you to make sure the next steps on reform deliver real improvements, with partnership with our teaching profession as my guiding principle.

I look forward to working with you all, for the benefit of Scotland’s children and young people.

Scotland’s teachers set to strike on Thursday 24th November

TEACHING union the EIS is to call its members in Scotland’s schools out on strike action on Thursday 24 November.

This will be the first day of strike action following the result of an EIS statutory ballot, announced yesterday, in which 96% voted in favour of strike action on a turnout of 71%.

The national day of strike action over pay will be the first such action in Scotland’s schools for four decades – a clear indication of the current level of anger and frustration amongst teachers.

Following the announcement of the ballot result at lunchtime yesterday, the EIS Executive Committee held a special meeting and agreed an initial day of national strike action two weeks from today. Further industrial action dates will be agreed at a normal meeting of EIS Executive tomorrow.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “The EIS will be calling its members in all of Scotland’s schools out on strike action on Thursday 24 November, in the first day of national strike action on pay for almost forty years.

“We hoped not to get to this point and have given local authorities and the Scottish Government ample time to come up with a fair pay offer. But, with a pay-rise for teachers now more than seven months late, and with the last pay offer having been rejected by teachers almost three months ago, the blame for this move to strike action sits squarely with COSLA and the Scottish Government.

“They have sat on their hands for far too long, dithering and delaying while the soaring cost of living continues to erode the value of their pitiful offers to Scotland’s teachers.”

Ms Bradley added, “Teachers do not take strike action lightly, but have voted to do so in light of the continuing steep real-terms decline in their pay. Politicians who have lauded the invaluable work of teachers throughout the pandemic and during the ongoing period of recovery are now offering teachers a deep real-terms pay cut.

“This will never be acceptable to Scotland’s teachers or to the EIS, and that is why Scotland’s teachers will be taking strike action two weeks from today.”

Information on further strike action dates will be issued in due course.

Scotland set for a Summer of Strikes?

Public sector workers seem set on a collision course with local and national government over inadequate wage rises …

The General Secretary Designate of teachers union the EIS yesterday urged all of Scotland’s teachers to get active in the campaign to secure a 10% pay rise.

Ms Bradley addressed delegates on the final day of the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Dundee Caird Hall, and just ahead of a rally in support of the EIS ‘Pay Attention’ Campaign in the Civic Square outside the conference venue.

Addressing the AGM, Ms Bradley said, “The obvious and pressing priority is our Pay Attention campaign. We’ve staked our claim, nailed our colours to the mast … now we need to win.

“Listening to our speakers on the issue of pay over the last few days, I know we’ve got what it takes to win this. To win it because it’s simply unacceptable that teachers and other public sector workers would be expected to bear the burden of yet another crisis that’s been created by the economic vandalism of the Tory government and a Cabinet of millionaires …utterly morally bankrupt and more intent on callous racketeering and profiteering than they are on caring about people and supporting recovery.”

“We can’t allow COSLA to peddle the myth of the One Workforce agenda. Or the Scottish Government to quietly sit there on the side-lines being let off the hook by a raft of egalitarian-sounding rhetoric that’s in truth about pay suppression for teachers and by dint of that the rest of the public sector. We know One Workforce is utter fallacy and I have a sense that the other public sector unions know it as well.”

“If we’re to win a pay rise that protects teachers’ incomes from the worst of the cost of living increases, from every corner of the union, we need to keep building what will be a formidable display of our union strength.  We’ve started building this – the press statements, the campaign materials, the branch meetings, the petition, the social media activity, and the demo outside this building later this morning.”

“With full-blown organising, comms and political campaigning… synchronicity of actions with local associations, we’ll be ballot ready, strike ready by October and with a strong industrial action strategy mapped out so that we’re strike ready and strike able.

“From the speeches and applause that we’ve heard this AGM about pay and the other inter-related injustices it sounds like you’re well up for taking this on …and so am I!”

COSLA STATEMENT ON PAY NEGOTIATIONS

COSLA is deeply disappointed that the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance have refused the request of all Council Leaders to engage in discussions regarding the current settlement for Local Government and its significant impact on our ongoing pay negotiations.  

The implications of the Scottish Government’s spending plans for the rest of the parliament are deeply concerning for communities across Scotland and have further increased the already strong likelihood of industrial action in the coming months.  

Scottish Government continues to fail to respect the fundamental role Local Government and its workforce has in addressing their own priorities of tackling child poverty, climate change and a stronger economy.

The ‘Resource Spending Review’, published on 31 May, shows that Local Government’s core funding for the next 3 years will remain static at time when inflation and energy costs are soaring.

This “flat-cash” scenario gives no scope to recognising the essential work of our staff, whose expectations, quite rightly, are being influenced by Scottish Government’s decisions in relation to other parts of the public sector. A suggestion that increases in welfare payments will mitigate the cost of living crisis do not recognise that our staff should not have to depend on such payments to make ends meet.

As things stand, the only option available to Councils is yet fewer jobs and cuts to services that are essential to communities everywhere.

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Gail Macgregor said:  “COSLA, every year, argues for fair funding for Local Government to maintain the essential services our communities rely on.  

“No increase in our core funding damages these services and limits the options we have in successfully concluding pay negotiations. Refusal to engage in discussion will only see this continue and our communities will see and feel the difference.”

The Fraser of Allander Institute has recognised the impact on councils:  “The local government budget will decline by 7% in real terms between 2022/23 and 2026/27 … the real terms erosion of the funding allocations of local authorities represents the continuation of a longer trend.”

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, will be balloting its members in a dispute over pay. The union is planning targeted strike action – this means select groups of workers will be balloted.

UNISON is campaigning for a pay rise for ALL local government workers.

The groups that will be balloted for strike action are members employed working in schools, who provide services to the running and operation of the school, and all members working in early years and in waste and recycling services. The union is recommending that vote ‘YES’ in favour of strike action.

The ballot will run from 10 June and will close on 26 July. It is vital that all ballots are posted back in good time to ensure we receive them by closing date.

Why are we balloting?

Having consistently worked above and beyond to keep our key services going over the past two years of the pandemic, and with the cost of living spiralling, COSLA’s offer of a 2 per cent pay increase for local government workers is nothing short of an insult.

While politicians have raced to praise your efforts their warm words have not been matched by action.

Earlier this year we ran an online consultation to see what you and other local government members thought of the employers’ 2022 pay offer. It was no surprise that the overwhelming majority of you voted to reject the offer and indicated your willingness to take action to achieve a better deal.

Nothing has changed since then and we now need you to vote YES to take strike action to remind your employers exactly how you feel.

This offer is derisory. It is less than the Scottish Public Sector Pay policy, falls far short of our pay claim and is significantly below current levels of inflation. It will exacerbate the gap between those on the lowest and those on the highest rates of pay.

And it is in sharp contrast to the 5.2% increase that councillors themselves have just received from 1st April 2022.

GMB Scotland has attacked “failure at all levels of government” as an industrial action ballot across local government gets underway this morning (Monday 6 June) against the threats of a 2 per cent pay offer and swingeing cuts to local jobs and services.

Nearly 10,000 GMB members in waste and cleansing and schools and early years services will be asked if they back strikes in the face of a pay offer from employer body COSLA amounting to less than £10 a week for staff earning under £25,000 a year.

Joint trade unions in local government wrote to the First Minister and the Finance Secretary last week seeking urgent talks and warned about the consequences for council workers of significantly below inflation pay with the cost of living at a forty-year high.

The ballot, which runs throughout the summer until Tuesday 26 July, also takes place amid dire forecasts for local government budgets following the Scottish Government’s spending review plans.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway warned: “Council workers and the vital services they deliver are firmly in the sights of Kate Forbes’s cuts agenda, and if left unchallenged the lowest paid will pay the highest price in the biggest cost-of-living crisis for 40 years.

“This is what years of failure at all levels of government looks like – a decade of failed austerity, the passing on of cuts to communities, and a meek acceptance of the consequences locally. It’s a far cry from the doorstep applause of virtue-signalling political leaders just two years ago.

“It shows everyone there are no political superheroes and if you want wages that confront soaring inflation then you need to organise and fight for it.

“That’s exactly what our members are doing and unless an improved pay offer is tabled then industrial action looks inevitable.”

RMT launch 3 days of national strike action across the railway network

Over 50,000 railway workers will walkout as part of 3 days of national strike action later this month, in the biggest dispute on the network since 1989.

The union will shut down the country’s railway network on 21st, 23rd and 25th June, due to the inability of the rail employers to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT.

Network Rail and the train operating companies have subjected their staff to multiyear pay freezes and plan to cut thousands of jobs which will make the railways unsafe.

Despite intense talks with the rail bosses, RMT has not been able to secure a pay proposal nor a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.

In a separate dispute over pensions and job losses, London Underground RMT members will take strike action on June 21st.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.

“We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1pc and rising.

“Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.

“Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This unfairness is fuelling our members anger and their determination to win a fair settlement.

“RMT is open to meaningful negotiations with rail bosses and ministers, but they will need to come up with new proposals to prevent months of disruption on our railways.”

A snap poll from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Opinium showed the cost of living was the top issue for 75% of the Scottish electorate when casting their ballot in May.

This was followed by 60% citing the NHS as their primary concern, with public services (21%), housing (15%), Brexit (20%) and the environment (19%) all taking voter preference over the constitution (14%).

The news was cited as a ‘wake-up call’ from the Scottish Trades Union Congress leader Roz Foyer, who will host a specific cost of living crisis summit on June 17th with the Poverty Alliance.

Ms Foyer said: “These elections should be a wake-up call to all levels of government – local, Scottish and UK – that workers throughout the country need urgent and sustained help in the face of this brutal attack on their living standards.

“By far and away, with 75% of the electorate in Scotland citing the cost of living crisis as their top concern, with health, housing and the environment their taking preference over the constitution, all incoming councillors must make this their most urgent priority.

“Our local government manifesto made clear we need sustained investment from the Scottish Government to local authorities throughout the country, helping to deliver a real terms pay increase for our public sector workers. This is in addition to delivering on rent freezes, settling equal pay disputes and introducing universal free school meals throughout the country.

“This is the type of real terms action we need from councillors and government throughout Scotland. Our movement, with affiliates currently balloting for industrial action across the country, are not standing idle whilst workers face this material threat to their living conditions.”

Cost of living crisis – it’s time to take action, says teachers’ union

Rocketing fuel and energy bills, forecasts of double-digit inflation, and rising interest rates mean misery for many families. And unless there is urgent action from Government, the situation is only going to get worse (writes NASUWT’s Dr. PATRICK ROACH).

Teachers and schools leaders do not need to be reminded of the stark effects of this crisis on their pupils and in their own lives. 

They see it every day in their schools and in their classrooms. 

Children whose parents find themselves in insecure jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. Many relying on food banks and struggling to pay their bills. Hungry pupils can’t concentrate on their learning and the knock-on effects on behaviour are making a challenging job even more stressful. 

Schools are struggling as they find themselves taking on more to try and support children, work which was often supported by local authorities but is no longer provided due to austerity. 

Teaching has become even more challenging because of deep cuts to school budgets, the loss of vital support for children and families and a crisis of teacher and headteacher recruitment and retention. 

Despite ministers’ promises to protect education, in the last decade education spending has fallen by 10%. And the salaries of teachers has fallen too – across the board, teachers’ pay has been slashed by at least 19% since 2010. 

Many teachers are relying on credit cards, overdrafts and some are even using the same foodbanks their pupils’ families rely on as well. Around one in ten teachers work second jobs and many more are worried about their financial situation. 

And in addition to the cost of living crisis, there is a wellbeing crisis caused by extreme workload pressures. 

However, at the Department for Education, ministers are presiding over a system where teachers and headteachers are at breaking point. Unless action is taken now, a desperate situation is set to become even worse. 

Already, one in three student teachers choose not to enter the profession after they’ve qualified because of the stress of the job and 40% of new teachers leave within five years. 

The latest data from our own ‘Big Question’ survey found that two-thirds of teachers are seriously considering quitting the profession – citing workload, wellbeing and pay as key reasons. 

More headteachers are leaving and fewer and fewer teachers are wanting to take their place. 

Perhaps not surprisingly, nine in ten teachers we surveyed report that their job has adversely impacted their mental health in the last year and a disturbing 3% have self-harmed and are experiencing a severe mental health crisis because of the job. 

And on top of that we have the growing problem of Long Covid which is a ticking time-bomb in our schools. 

That’s why the NASUWT is calling for A Better Deal For Teachers on workload, wellbeing and pay. 

As part of our campaign, we’re calling on the Government to recognise that a world-class education system needs highly motivated teachers working in world-class schools and colleges. 

To that end, we want to see: 

  • a substantial real-terms pay rise for every teacher,  
  • an enforceable contractual working time limit for teachers,  
  • the right to switch off and disconnect from work at the end of the day and at weekends,  
  • the ending of fire and rehire practices, 
  • banning zero-hours contracts,  
  • equal rights for supply teachers  
  • scrapping the link between performance and teachers’ pay,  
  • and safer workplaces underpinned by safe and respectful working practices. 

We will be highlighting these demands at the national demonstration that takes place in London on 18th June, where teachers and workers from across the public and private sectors will be demanding action on the cost of living crisis, a decent pay rise for workers and a better deal for all working people. 

It’s time for the Government to understand that the situation needs to change. Teachers are demanding change and so are parents and the general public.  

Spread the word: be there on June 18th – join us, join in, and help win a better deal for teachers. 

More information about the national demonstration can be found here. 

Citroën welcomes NHS, Teachers & Emergency Services staff by extending ‘Citroën and You’ programme

  • ‘Citroën and You’ friends and family programme extended further to include NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel.
  • Programme enables eligible customers to save up to an additional £1,200* on a brand-new Citroën car.
  • ‘Citroën and You‘ programme is available exclusively online through the Citroën Store.

Citroën UK is showing its appreciation for the incredible work of the NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services across the UK in recent years by extending its ‘Citroën and You’ programme.

The programme, previously reserved for friends and family of Citroën employees, welcomes NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel into the Citroën family and allows users to save up to an additional £1,200* on a brand-new Citroën car.

‘Citroën and You’ is available to NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel as a fully online experience via the Citroën store. Eligible users wishing to take advantage of the ‘Citroën and You’ programme can review current offers online, configure and personalise their car, place it in their shopping basket prior to checkout and access a discount with a personalised promotional code before completing the order.

The initiative launches this week with dedicated pages already live on the Citroën UK website. The offers extend across the Citroën passenger car range†, including C4 and ë-C4 Electric, New C5 Aircross and C3 Aircross SUV.

NHS Employees: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-nhs.html
Teachers: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-teachers.html
Emergency Services: https://citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-emergency-services.html

Last month, Citroën UK celebrated Sign Language Week (14 to 22 March) by extending the ‘Citroën and You’ programme to welcome British Sign Language (BSL) users. Citroën has pledged to become more accessible to the UK’s more than 150,000 strong deaf community. Last year, Citroën partnered with SignLive to become the first car manufacturer to introduce its online video interpreting service for deaf and hard of hearing customers across its entire UK retailer network.

British Sign Language users: https://www.citroen.co.uk/citroen-and-you-for-bsl.html

Eurig Druce, Citroën’s UK Managing Director, said: “Over the past two years we have seen the remarkable work the NHS, Teachers and Emergency Services have provided across the UK in the face of a global pandemic.

“To show our appreciation for the work they have done and continue to do for us all, I am proud to extend ‘Citroën and You’ to all NHS employees, Teachers and Emergency Services personnel so they can save on a great new Citroën vehicle.”

‘Citroën and You’ friends and family programme is exclusively available via the online Citroën Store, which allows customers to configure their vehicle, select the finance package that best suits their needs and order their new vehicle from the comfort of their own home.

*Current offer available at time of announcement. Subject to change in the future.

†Exclusions apply. Visit https://store.citroen.co.uk/ to see all available models.

EIS Manifesto Calls for Education Investment

Union demands Fair Deal for Teachers

The EIS will launch its Education Manifesto ahead of May’s Scottish local authority elections at today’s meeting of the national EIS Council.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The EIS Manifesto calls for increased investment and enhanced support for schools, teachers and students to support the vital process of education recovery following the Covid pandemic.

“The EIS is challenging all political parties and all election candidates to make clear commitments to providing improved support for Scottish education.”

“The Manifesto also calls for increased investment in the teacher workforce, including the recruitment of additional teachers, to support education recovery.

Mr Flanagan said, “There is a very clear and urgent need to address shortages within the teacher workforce to support education recovery. This must include the employment of additional teachers, on permanent and secure contracts.

“Currently, around 10% of Scotland’s teachers are employed on short-term and temporary contracts – this is a scandal that local authorities must commit to tackling as a matter of urgency. Early delivery of existing commitments to reduce teachers’ class contact time must also be a priority, and steps to reduce class sizes to support education recovery must be taken by councils.

“We are also calling for urgent improvements in support for teacher wellbeing, including mental health, in the wake of the Covid pandemic which has heaped huge additional pressures on staff.”

A commitment to fair pay for Scotland’s teachers is also central to the EIS Manifesto, following long delays in pay negotiations in recent years. Scotland’s teachers are still awaiting a pay settlement for 2021, as a result of prolonged procrastination and delay by the council body COSLA.

EIS Council will decide today whether to ballot members over the latest revised pay offer. The EIS is calling on all parties to re-commit to the principles of collective bargaining via the agreed forum, the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).

Other priorities in the Manifesto include: enhancing support for schools; a commitment to high-quality pre-5 education led by teachers; proper resourcing to support young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN); funding to support initiatives aimed at tackling the equality impact of poverty on young people’s education.

EIS-ManifestoDownload

Roll out of digital devices for city pupils is underway

The roll out of personal digital devices for every school pupil from P6 to S6 in the Capital, part of the city council’s ‘ambitious and inclusive’ education strategy Edinburgh Learns for Life, is underway.

The programme, being carried out in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council’s strategic technology partner, CGI, will see 27,500 new iPads being issued to pupils/teachers, refreshed iPads for up to 12,000 pupils/teachers and expanding connectivity by providing additional wireless access points in schools.

As well as the personal distribution to pupils, additional iPads will be handed out to P1 to P5 year groups so they can be shared for learning. Staff in early years will be getting 250 new iPads and having 900 iPads migrated.

The roll out for the Empowered Learning programme, which has been funded thanks to a £17.6m investment from the Council’s budget, is due to be completed by the end of this year and also includes a comprehensive programme of professional learning for teachers.

Benefits of the project include: providing equal access to education, personalising learning, improving teacher feedback, preparing students for future working, collaborative on and off-line working and, critically, supporting efforts to raise attainment.

This week, from Monday 24 January, pupils at St Augustine’s RC and Gracemount High Schools will be receiving their devices.

Leith Academy is one of the schools where digital devices have already been distributed. Council leader Cllr Adam McVey and deputy Lord Provost Joan Griffiths visited the school last week.

Head teacher Mike Irving said: “The roll out of digital devices to all P6-S6 young people and staff across Edinburgh’s schools is a significant, positive and exciting development for learning.

“Young people will discover new and innovative ways to engage by using many of the features available through the applications and technology available at their fingertips.

“Digital devices are not there to replace teaching and learning, but to enhance it further so youngsters can engage in learning that is relevant, fun and most importantly impactful.

“Young people know when they are being invested in, and this step from the Council is a significant and sustained investment in the future learning, outcomes and achievements of Edinburgh’s children and young people.”

Shlok Godiyal, S3 pupil at Leith Academy, said: “I think having the iPad will give me greater flexibility in how and when I can work on tasks, topics and assignments. There will be times when I need to log onto Teams sessions or complete work at home, the iPad helps me with this ability to work anytime, anywhere.

“I also think the iPad will open opportunities in learning by using features such as video recording, use of 3D imaging and it will help me with my independent learning and study as I progress into S4, S5 and S6. As young people today we are used to technology in our lives, so this is a good addition to our learning.”

Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “It’s great to see the roll out getting underway as the Empowered Learning programme is about both investing in our children and young people and our teachers to maximise the exciting learning opportunities in Scotland’s Capital city.

“We’ve committed £17.5m from our budget so pupils from P6 to S6 can have their own devices and have equal access to learning. This programme opens up the opportunity for pupils to learn in new and exciting ways, brings with it a raft of wider benefits including extra support and professional development opportunities for teachers and is expanding wifi to provide fast and reliable internet access in every school.”

Councillor Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The roll out meets a key element of our Council business plan which is increasing attainment for everyone and reducing the poverty-related attainment gap.

“Ensuring pupils have their own device means they have personal access to digital learning whether with their teacher in school or at home. “

We want every young person to achieve their fullest potential and the Empowered Learning programme is another tool in the educational toolbox to equip our pupils with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a future that is becoming increasingly digital.”

Tara McGeehan, President, CGI in the UK and Australia said: “CGI is delighted to be working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council to deliver Empowered Learning to pupils and teachers in the capital.

“Empowered Learning provides a learning environment that’s engaging and inspirational. It directly tackles the attainment gap and recognises the key role of educators in delivering a digital classroom.

“Through Empowered Learning, educators can create and tailor lessons to personalise learning, and access new ways of bringing learning to life. Above all, Empowered Learning delivers learning that is rich and rewarding for both pupils and for their parents, as well as providing the highest level of security and safety standards.

“The roll out meets a key element of one of the 15 outcomes and actions from the Council’s three year business plan ‘Our Future Council, Our Future City’: ‘increasing attainment for all and reducing the poverty-related attainment gap’.”

The 1:1 programme reinforces our commitment to becoming one of the world’s ‘smartest cities’ – in 2020 Edinburgh approved a new digital strategy to push forward its ambitions for becoming a sustainable Smart City.

Scotland’s teachers report soaring workload in new EIS survey

Scotland’s teachers have faced soaring levels of workload throughout the pandemic, and at a time when they are being offered a significant real-terms cut in their level of pay by COSLA and the Scottish Government.

The EIS conducted an online survey in November, and more than 16,000 teachers across Scotland took part. Amongst the key workload-related findings in the EIS survey are:

  • 88% of teachers indicated that their workload burden has increased during the pandemic.
  • 61% of teachers report that workload levels have increased “significantly” during this period.
  • 80% of Secondary teachers reported significantly increased workload related to SQA qualifications.
  • The vast majority of teachers (93%) work above their contracted hours each week.
  • 45% of full-time teachers work more than 8 extra hours every week – equivalent to over one extra full day of work each week, over and above contractual commitments.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Teachers have continued to face a rising tide of workload throughout the pandemic, for a wide range of reasons. Clearly, changes brought about in response to the pandemic have had an impact on teacher workload with additional tasks requiring to be undertaken on a daily basis to help keep classrooms safe.

“The increased emphasis on digital learning – be that in the classroom or remotely from home – has created challenges for teachers, often associated with a lack of suitable equipment and resources. Teachers are also reporting a significant amount of time dealing with pupil behaviour as many young people continue the struggle to overcome the negative impact of the pandemic on their lives.”

Mr Flanagan continued: “The survey also identifies a substantial increase in the workload associated with supporting pupils with Additional Support Needs. 61% of all teachers identified meeting the Additional Support Needs, including the mental health support needs, of pupils as a significant driver of workload increases over the past year – with the figure even higher (66%) within the primary sector.

“This is a vital area of work, but the level of demand is increasing and this is clearly placing additional strain on already hard-worked teachers.”

Mr Flanagan added, “In addition to the challenges of keeping up to date with government Covid safety protocols, which affect all teachers, teachers in Secondary schools face additional difficulties with SQA-related workload.

“The challenges brought about by short-notice changes to the qualifications system have been a major driver in additional workload over the past two years for Secondary teachers. Meaningful reform of the examinations system is now required to ease the workload burden of teachers and students alike.”

Have you got seven days to take seven actions on litter?

Environmental charity calls for young people to engage with mini-Litter Less campaign

Scotland is facing a looming litter emergency and environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful is calling for teachers and youth leaders to get involved in a new international 10-day campaign to tackle litter.

The Mini Litter Less campaign will run from 18 – 28 October 2021 and those that sign up to participate will be supported with a seven-point action plan. 

The plan includes activities to learn about the biodiversity and nature around you, to understand plastic pollution, to find out more about invisible pollutants, to consider consumption habits, to think about the partnership approach to tackling the issue, and to organise a litter pick and celebration picnic.

The campaign will also feature a Zero Waste Day where young people will be encouraged to live a whole day without producing any waste at all.

Participants will be asked to post their thoughts, photos and videos on social media using the #LitterLessCampaign, and the best three will be selected by us and entered into an international competition – with the best 10 global entries winning a prize of $100.

Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Education and Learning Manager Daniel Barrie, said: “Litter Less is an annual campaign we run on behalf of the Foundation of Environmental Education (FEE).  Across the world 15 other countries participate and it supports over 1.3million children and over 20,000 educators to improve and enhance the places they love in their own villages, towns and cities by campaigning to stop litter.

“This Mini Litter Less campaign provides an easy to follow seven-point action plan to help drive a change in the behaviour that causes litter.  The actions are easy to fulfil and are designed to be tackled one a day over a period of time. 

“Tackling litter and waste is crucial if we are to reverse declining standards of cleanliness across our country and the planet so we would encourage everyone to get involved.”

KSB have run the wider Litter Less campaign for nine years, and in that time £56,000 of support has been provided to 244 Scottish schools, helping them to become more ‘litter-ate’ and to purchase litter picking equipment and bins.  

In addition, more than, 4,000 educators and 50,000 children and young people have been involved across Scotland.

If you are interested in getting involved contact:

litterless@keepscotlandbeautiful.org or visit our Litterless web pages.