STA Amendments to Conference motions

MOTION 8 • ACADEMIES
Add new point 9 to Conference notes
9. Increasing evidence that academy Trusts are failing to meet the needs of SEND students and that
draconian disciplinary policies are creating more exclusions.

Add new section ‘conference believes:

1. That at the heart of academisation there is a crisis of legitimacy due to a fundamental flaw in the
structure and accountability of academy trusts. Whether it is chains, MATs or single academy
trusts, there are no mechanisms for democratic accountability. Trustees are accountable only to
themselves. This increasingly denies the trust any legitimacy to speak or act on behalf of a
school community. This undermining of the stakeholder model of governance is at the root of
many of the problems in academies.

2. That certain school functions can only be delivered by area wide local authorities such as pupil
place planning, fair admissions, support for looked after children and other SEND students.
3. All schools - whatever their status- must adhere to national pay and conditions to ensure quality
and equality in the schools workforce.

Conference instructs...
Insert new point 1 and 2 and renumber other points
1. Agrees to support an investigation into the structures and composition of MATs, chains and single
academy trusts
2. Agrees to support a conference in the autumn to debate the future of academisation, Local
Authorities and the middle tier in conjunction with other education campaigns in including the AAA.

Point iii & iv delete the word

failing.

MOTION 26 • ROLE OF RETIRED TEACHERS IN THE NEU

Delete paragraphs 2,3,4,5 and 6 and substitute:
"Conference notes that the Rules of the new union indicate that Retired members will have no vote in
the election of the GS, National Officers and Executive members, and consequently their role in the
Union and in branches will become marginalised.

Conference endorses the principle that the major focus of the NEU must be to support and represent
working members, but nevertheless firmly believes that retired members frequently play vital roles in the
union at a local level, are valued members of the Union and should be encouraged to retain their
membership.

Conference supports the proposal that working teachers take the leading union positions, but recognises
that some branches will not be able to function without the support of retired members. Conference also
recognises that all members including retired members should be encouraging younger and working
teachers to take on key positions in the union. Conference further recognises that there are matters on
which it is not appropriate for retired members to vote - such as matters relating to industrial action.

Conference notes that historically the NUT has fought on issues relating to education, on questions of
equality especially in relation to anti racism and to fighting against the historic discrimination against
women. Increasingly the union has been redefining its focus onto areas which impact on the lives and
living conditions of teachers like Housing, the NHS, and the question of the State retirement pension.
These issues are extremely important and affect retired members as well as in-service members. Many
retired members are actively engaged in campaigns around Education and on the wider areas with
which the Union is concerned at national, regional and local level.

Conference therefore agrees that Retired members have to be able to participate fully in formulating
union policy on all issues, through their respective local branches.

Additionally Conference believes that all retired members should have equal rights to vote for local and
national representatives such as National Officers, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary
positions and Executive members.”
MOTION 44 • SEXISM AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT

After “Conference believes that”:

Add new points (v) and (vi) and renumber:
v) Teachers have a responsibility not only to address issues of sexism, but to empower students to
challenge sexist and unjust attitudes and treatment themselves, with our support.
vi. We need to challenge sexist behaviour and ensure staff are trained to do this in a positive way
which will make long term commitment to change more likely.

Add new paragraph before, “Conference calls on the Executive to:”

Conference welcomes the Challenging Sexism in Schools and Colleges held on March 17 th, which was
organised by local associations and attracted widespread support.

Add new points to Conference calls upon the Executive:

h. Encourage Associations and Divisions to organise local events and training to publicise and
debate the report ‘It’s Just Everywhere”, and to develop strategies and confidence to address
issues of sexism and sexual harassment in schools.

i) approach ITT providers to discuss how beginner teachers can be made more aware of this issue
and given the skills and strategies to address it – and explore what role the NEU can play in this.

MOTION 56 • WORKLOAD
Insert new 3rd paragraph:

Conference believes that parents by and large trust in their children’s teachers and that the levels of
accountability experienced in schools are not sought or desired by parents.

Add new action point:

6. Make sure that any future submissions on teacher pay to the STRB specifically call on the body
to review the impact that workload has on teacher recruitment and retention and therefore on
teacher pay.

MOTION 56 • WORKLOAD
Add new paragraph 7.
Conference believes that the introduction of clause 19 in the STPCD, on performance related pay, is
also a major contribution to teachers workload and detrimental to recruitment and retention. There is no
consistency of this ambiguous clause in schools and local authorities and is often interpreted to meet
their own aims.

After, “Conference instructs the Executive to”:

Add new Point 6.
Lobby the DfE and MPs to abolish clause 19 in the STPCD. This will not only ease the reduction of
unnecessary reporting and bureaucracy, but also reduce mental health issues in teachers and pupils,
encouraging teachers to return to the profession.

MOTION 60 • STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH

After, “Conference instructs the Executive and the JEC of the NEU to.”
Insert new points:
v. Provide training and support in implementing the mental health charter in all regions and
authorities;

vi. Train up at least one person in each region to deliver ongoing training to members to become
Mental Health First Aiders, not only to signpost teachers to helpful organisations, but also to
recognise when teachers and pupils develop symptoms of mental ill health and to know how to
approach them to offer help.
MOTION 69 • CRISIS IN YOUNG PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH
Rewrite first sentence to read
"Conference notes the government's pledge to have a "mental health first aider" in every school which it
claims will address the increasing crisis in young people's mental health."
ADD new sixth paragraph:
"Conference further notes and rejects schools minister Nick Gibb's recent claim that the solution to exam
stress among students is to sit even more exams at a younger age"

ADD new point 6 to Conference instructs:

6. To work with others to develop a campaign to reduce the number of exams students sit."

MOTION 71 • A CHILD-CENTRED CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY

Under conference believes,
Delete point xi and replace with

xi) Pisa and the OECD have involved the private sector in education. For-profit organisations now
gain financially from selling their versions of fixes for perceived deficits in a countries education
system. This is leading to an increase in the use of scripted ‘vendor’ made lessons, less teacher
autonomy and a narrowing of the curriculum. We are against the marketization of education and
the imposition of neo-liberal policies in our society and in education in particular.

Add new points xii and xiii and renumber accordingly;

xii) that the3 points raised by Robin Alexander in his open letter to the OECD in 2014 are correct.
PISA has lead to many negative consequences including an escalation in standardised testing,
a focus on “quick fixes” rather than well thought through policy making and a narrowing of what
is taught in schools to the measureable and quantifiable.

xiii) That the OECD is biased in favour of the economic aspects of schooling. We do not believe that
preparation for employment should be seen and the most important aspect of schooling. Rather
confidence, moral and spiritual growth, personal wellbeing, democratic involvement and the
development of a life- long love of learning should be placed at the centre of education.

MOTION 80 • BASELINE TESTING

After paragraph 9 add new paragraphs;
Conference notes the publication of the Ofsted report Bold Beginnings which seeks to identify the best in
Early Years Practice. We believe the findings that call for increased formality in the Early Years are
flawed and educationally damaging. There is not one mention of play in the report yet there are worrying
phrases about children being taught how to “sit properly at tables”.

We note that Bold Beginnings base its findings on examining the practices in a very small number of
schools judged to be outstanding (0.25%) and ignored the huge number of ofsted outstanding schools
where a broad and balanced, play based curriculum is providing excellent outcomes for children.
We note that there is wide-spread opposition to the findings of Bold Beginnings from teachers and early
years experts and support the open letter from Keeping Early Years Unique that calls on all involved in
education to oppose the findings of Bold Beginnings.

Under Conference calls upon the joint executive of the NEU… add new action point
1. vigorously oppose any moves to introduce more formality in to the Early Years curriculum and
teaching.