Since December 2011, teachers have been Standing up for Standards by taking pupil, parent and public-friendly action to defend their pay and conditions of service which enable them to focus on teaching and learning, but the Secretary of State for Education has refused to enter into meaningful discussions, so on 27 June teachers in the Northwest are taking strike action to persuade the Coalition Government to engage in genuine dialogue.

Teachers’ pay and conditions are part of the entitlement of all children and young people to high standards of education

Teachers’ jobs are being lost due to the cuts - This has a direct impact on pupils who are no longer
receiving the support they deserve.

Teachers’ jobs are being lost because of the employment of unqualified staff
As a result of Coalition Government changes, schools are now free to employ unqualified people, instead of qualified teachers, to teach pupils.

Teachers’ jobs are being lost because of changes to the curriculum
Changes to the curriculum have led to thousands of art, music, drama, RE and ICT teachers losing their jobs, reducing the opportunities for pupils to study these subjects.

Bureaucracy is increasing workload, which is getting in the way of teaching and learning
Unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy means that teachers have less
time to spend on the teaching and learning of pupils. 10

Good teachers are being driven out of teaching
Half of teachers are seriously considering quitting the teaching profession due to changes to pay, pensions, working conditions and jobs.

Teachers are Standing up for Standards
Teachers are passionate about doing the best for all their pupils and about delivering high standards for all. Teachers believe that the changes to their working conditions will mean that they are not able to focus sufficiently upon the needs of their pupils.

Specialist teaching jobs are being cut
Access to specialist support for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities is being cut, making it harder for teachers to meet pupils’ educational needs.

Class sizes are increasing
Coalition Government cuts have meant that, as teachers have lost their jobs, class sizes are once again increasing within schools, denying pupils the individual support and attention they need.

Strike action by teachers is action of the last resort – the Coalition Government needs to listen
Since 1 December 2011, NASUWT members have been engaged in action short of strike action. The NASUWT has been seeking meetings to resolve the dispute but the Secretary of State is refusing to engage in genuine dialogue. Teachers have no choice but to take strike action as a last resort.

TEACHERS ARE STANDING UP FOR STANDARDS FOR CHILDREN

NO TEACHER WANTS TO STRIKE

If you can't be arsed to click links coz you are in the 'nothing to do with me' brigade-SHAME ON YOU. Grrrrrrrrrr

I am a secondary school teacher who entered the profession relatively late eg.30 yrs old. I cannot however see why teachers would want to strike. I have a great life...13 weeks hols, trips to USA, Kenya, Europe etc, finish at 3pm etc.

Sure there is extra marking etc, losing time to be away from family occasionally. Pay is good if you progress as there are few jobs who offer such pay progression if you perform.

I have classes ranging from 6 to 32 and it is the job of the teacher to differentiate and prepare lessons for such a wide range of kids. If you can't do this or moan about it then perhaps teaching is not for you....eg old school teachers who can't adapt to change.

I really enjoy the challenges of teaching a variety of abilities across the 11-18 age range and despise the whole union concept as this is what brought the north west down in the 80's.

Socialist teachers really need to get a grip and appreciate what they have.

Richard

typical Tory. duh

How many teachers do you know Rude and how many of them are discontent with their job? Nothing to do with Tory or socialist. You are either happy with your job or you are not, for whatever reason. In teaching, I believe the job itself must hold the rewards and the dedication is something that most teachers aspire to. They get excellent pay, long holidays and a good pension. Yes they have to work after school hours for preparation of lessons, homework marking etc. which is not much different to any other job these days. Most professionals work after hours, when travelling etc. Hard work it is, but I believe made even harder due to the fact that many children these days seem to have an attitude within the classroom which is beyond teachers control and they would be playng more of a roll of crowd control in many classrooms. That might be difficult but not anything that deserves strike action as it probably doesn't come into the criteria for striking.

And your problem is what exactly my dear boy?

Don't forget the Tory's regenerated Liverpool/Merseyside with Thatcher (BFF) putting Michael Heseltine in charge of regeneration after the lazy sods mullered the area.

If you cannot make your own life and progress then yes the labour party must be your crutch on which to rely.....as many still obviously do instead of seeking work or heaven forbid making the effort to.

This is why i am not a union member and never will be and i will be in school on 27th june.

three..

@*"="*} duh

such an intelligent reposte.

perhaps you should aim slightly higher that having robbie williams as your icon.

Teachers being paid on the achievments of 6 year olds? Little kids who come from shitty backgrounds, going to school with no breakfast inside them?
Kids with no education equipment or encourgment. Kids displaced mid term due to bedroom tax etc dtc

I'll be there on the picket line with the teachers. why should they be punished?

haha. Whatever...:D

So who do you suggest should be my 'icon'?

who is being punished i ask?

if you're looking for an icon may i suggest Arthur Scargill... as like you he wanted to bring the UK to a halt.

If those are the reasons, it's not the teachers resposibility to give them breakfast and make sure they know how to behave,that is down to the parents and absolutley no reason why it should encourage strike action.
How about the 13,14 and 15 yr olds. What excuse do you give them for bad behaviour?

so, you have no idea why the Teachers are striking then obviously.?

Parents unfortunately have no control over their own kids tody. Also certain "social groups" prefer to spend their cash on booze/drugs and fags and neglect their kids.

I provide fruit and breakfast bars for some of my kids as their ... parents don't provide.

Teachers are more that babysitters whilst parents work or spend the day in the pub/bookies.

I cannot answer that- I do not know.
I was shocked at hearing how teachers will be paid by 'performence' of pupils.

""Teachers’ pay and conditions are part of the entitlement of all children and young people to high standards of education "


So it's pay, pensions and conditions,

Duck - thats what I was saying in my first comment. Why should teachers be penalised for their pupils not being fit to learn? but Hey! you carry on having a pop....... *Team N.U.T * See ya on the picket line? ha

Too young to remember Arthur Scargill, please elaborate Sausage

The pupils would have a higher standard of education if the teachers were able to teach more readily, instead of spending half the lesson waiting battling for them to behave in a sensible manner.. My daughter is a teacher and the stories she brings home would make your hair curl. You have no idea what they have to deal with and overall it's has to be down to complete lack of respect for those in authority. That comes from the home and backround they are brought up in. If the kid's werem't so disruptive within the classroom, many more would get far better results. So if anyone feels sorry for the teachers, have a word with the parents instead.

Must say, there are many who are happy to work hard and strive to get on anidst the disruption.

Well done Sherlock Granny Geggin

Go to bed!

er, No Miss!

.......and very well paid.

Say no more.

Well paid? No. You will not get rich in teaching. Pay starts around 19k. If you are lucky over your career, you could get up to 25k.

Holidays - Yes, it sounds great, but I know teachers who work until midnight every night. Their planning and preparation time is being taken from them. They are working through the holidays to prepare as goalposts, targets and assessment criteria keep changing. Let's be realistic, when we take this into account, a teacher is lucky to have the equivalent of 4 weeks holiday.

Pensions - A teacher might get a pension of £500 after tax a month if they are lucky. They deserve that. Now they are being asked to work to 68 (wouldn't fancy my children being taught by a 68 year old) and their pensions contributuions have gone up by 50%

Strike - Only option as Gove is out of touch and doesn't listen. His experience of school? He once went to one.

You need to talk to your boss.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7372058.stm

NB dated 2008

And just to back that up....

http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/salary/teaching-salary-scales.aspx?sc_lang=en-GB

Those who are between 19k and 25k are unqualified teachers.

A Trade Union has members, those members are allowed to vote anyway they choose. If its done within the laws of this land, there isn't a problem. If they form a union with the Labour party, that's between them and the party, people of this country have a right to vote for them or not.
Its no different to the Tory party and its billionaire backers whose money dictates policy, people don't vote for them, if they don't like it.
I get the impression that some members of this forum would prefer no trade unions, no Labour party and a one party dictatorship on similar lines to the Nazi's.

That's probably because they spend their money on exotic holidays! Its always amusing to be in the staff room on the last day of term to hear where teachers are going for their hols.

I've worked in several schools for over ten years, I've done a wide range of jobs from IT technician to management to teaching and there are false stereotypes and accurate ones. I was also married to a teacher.

There are good, nay, great teachers who put in hours of work and effort, and there are others who do the bare minimum. We keep hearing this phrase that teachers are "ready to quit the profession" but this is an empty threat. They never do, and quite often when they retire, they come back and do supply work! Its a bit of an insult when you contribute some cash to their retirement present only to see them after the holidays!

However, one thing you cannot escape is the way teachers hate Ofsted or any kind of inspection or monitoring. These are professional people who have to maintain professional standards and they can and do dissipate over time.

I've worked in three schools which have been OFSTEDed and the days before has been sheer panic where staff have rushed round marking books, falsifying their planners to include the things that they're supposed to do, and the usual fresh coat of paint. Ofsted inspectors must think kids smell of paint!

If teachers don't have the time to mark and do complete lesson plans and paperwork then they need to stop covering up the fact and fight Ofsted to say it cannot be done.

Can you imagine going to a mechanic or dentist and knowing they'll only do a proper good job if they're being inspected?

For some reason many teachers can't accept criticism, maybe its because they spend so long telling kids what to do they don't like it done to them? When I taught, I appreciated being given pointers and advice to do my job better and in many cases, easier.