Joint General Secretaries’ report

The Executive received the updated strategy document and Mary began the report:

• Government announced that primary schools would open on 4 January with limited secondary/post-16 open;
• Preparatory work for Special Executive and member/activist communications.
• Huge thanks to staff involved
• Executive endorsed the strategy to rely on Section 44 acknowledging that any challenges would be, and were, dealt with promptly by Regional/Wales secretaries;
• Astonishing engagement by members; 7k primary schools received letters; 29% primary members submitted S44 letters;
• 400 new reps recruited since start of term
• Rep role has been transformed; immediate 45min induction for all where they’re encouraged to hold a meeting with members; hold a meeting with their head; get in touch with their branch and sign up for the reps’ training;
• On Sunday, 3 January a member was joining every 10 seconds
• Key engagement with special and early years’ members via mass-zoom calls in previous week;
• Qualitative difference in tone of members’ responses in zoom ‘chats’ – feel empowered to challenge decisions re key worker parents/rota arrangements etc

Kevin continued the report:

• After the PM’s announcement on lockdown in England (following Scotland and Wales’s previous decisions), the strategy necessarily moved on;
• Any local disputes to be resolved collectively –branch and region involvement;
• DfE stats released on 11 January indicated significantly higher pupils in school than in lockdown#1; 20% primary; 4% secondary; 29% special; 24% alternative provision; granulating for EHC plans: 46% primary; 25% secondary; 36% alt provison;
• Helpful messaging from SAGE members including John Edmonds on R4 Today programme (4 Jan) – ‘most likely source of infection into homes is schools’;

Many issues remained to be addressed:

• Support staff being asked to take classes
• The proposed testing regime
• Vaccinations for school staff
• Matt Hancock’s responses that schools should open when they are safe to do so – will flesh out these criteria – Government tests not just unions’!
• The outcome of the Government’s consultation on BTEC/GCSE/A level assessments
• The Government must own their tardy and inadequate response to the effect of the pandemic on pupil assessment.

The JGSs announced an exciting new microsite to support/promote and share good practice on remote learning:

• Pedagogical excellence
• Promoting health and safety in delivering remote learning
• Resource hub – linking and sharing resources
• Link to parental hub

Finally, the Executive welcomed an initiative to consider a funding of a sum up to £1m to provide resources to alleviate pupils in poverty; details to be brought to an emergency meeting of GPC during w/c18 January.

The Executive agreed:

• draft Final Accounts (31.8.19-31.8.20) and authorised the National Treasurer and Chair of GPC to sign off final version for submission of the AR21 by the end of the month;
• the revised protocol for Districts not submitting annual returns 
• the introduction of another subscriptions holiday for members receiving no or reduced income during this period. The duration of the holiday would be linked to the full re-opening of schools and colleges and restricted to the current membership year ending 31 August 2021 
• additional expenditure of £120,000 on WAN upgrades to offices 
•  that rule 3.10 is interpreted such that Conference 2021 is considered the third annual conference and therefore retired members will not be allowed to carry the votes of members of the local district. 
• detailed professional advice received on the proposed extension of Eastern Regional Office with further work to ensure costs of the project do not exceed the estimate of £500,000 plus VAT 
• That LDS for Northamptonshire be revised to reflect the two unitary authorities WEF from 1 April subject to information and consultation as per rules
• Timetable for the biennial Executive elections agreed
• timetable for the by-elections in District 8 and District 11 (elections to vacancies on the NDC and NAC to be run on the same timetable) 
• Donations to Hazards Centre for £3000  and Hope not Hate for £24,000 to be met from the political fund 
• agreed the following timetable for the DGS election  (for notification on 22 January):
• Notification of timetable: 22 January 2021 
• Nominations open: Tuesday, 4 May 2021 
• Nominations close: Monday, 13 September (midday) 
• Deadline for withdrawals/election material: Monday, 20 September (midday) 
• Elections open: Monday, 4 October  
• Elections close: Friday, 29 October (midday) 
• updated regulations in relation to honoraria payments for promulgation to local districts in advance of their AGMs;
• motions to TUC Young Workers’ Conference ‘Addressing the Climate Emergency’ and ‘Fair Treatment for Agency and Zero Hour Workers’ and the nomination of Samantha Nicholson-Hickling (Oldham) for the TUC Young Workers Forum 2021-22
• steps to campaign against the pay freeze
• the framework submission to the STRB (seeking a joint response with other unions and to persuade ASCL and NAHT to jointly advise pay progression)  
• secure an appropriate pay increase for 2021 in FE & 6FC negotiations in which it is directly involved and   offer its support to NJC unions in negotiating an appropriate increase for school support staff.  
• A strategy for implementing the Annual Conference resolution on ‘winning at work’
• Recommend 6FC teacher members to be consulted on pay offer (an increase of 2% from 1 September 2020 rising to 3.25% from 1 May 2021 which would restore pay parity at the scale maximum) with a recommendation to accept. 

The Executive agreed motions on Indian Farmers and Early Years and Nursery Provision.

In reviewing the action points and urgent recommendations from the Emergency group meeting held 31.12.20, the meeting recognised and applauded the brilliant strategy and action of the National Union in using S44 to force a government U-turn and the closure of all schools to all but KWV children. 

Raising Awareness & Public Facing Campaigning 

· Yesterday 1041 people had died of CV-19, the highest daily death toll since last April. 

· The death toll of those who have died within 28 days of a positive test in the past week is 37% higher than the previous 7 days. 

· 62,322 new cases 

· 30,074 CV-19 patients in hospital & Hancock admitting that hospitals & doctors will have to ration who gets treatment. ICU doctors stating that there will soon not be enough beds or enough oxygen. 

Despite the desperate public health situation, the threat of the new strain of the virus, and being in lockdown, the group highlighted serious concerns at the very high numbers of KWV children in schools today and the inevitable high levels of virus transmission as a result. 

The group stressed the urgent need for an appropriate public facing NEU media campaign to help address this issue.  

Section 44 Action Going Forward 

The group heard representations from around the country, including reference to many special schools and some nurseries which have closed to all pupils only after the issuing of Section 44 letters. While recognising a change in the blanket use of S44 letters, the group reiterated that Section 44 remains a vitally important health & safety employment law resource that can and should be used in situations where other attempts to improve safety have been exhausted, and employees risk being placed in an unsafe workplace.  

On the use of section 44 the group recommends the following steps for all settings: 

• New risk assessments to take account of the heightened risks associated with the new variant strain of the virus and be completed by a competent person.  

• Members/ reps to ensure they are fully consulted on the completion of new risk assessments and all ongoing amendments 
• Refusal or failure of schools to consult with reps and/or members should result in an urgent escalation to the local branch and/or Regional Office. 
• Where risk assessments have not been properly completed and control measures not reduced numbers of children/young people sufficiently meaning staff are in serious and imminent danger, Section 44 can and should be invoked.  

URGENT RISK ASSESSMENT & CHECKLIST GUIDANCE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL SETTINGS: 

• Minimum 2m social distancing in classrooms to reduce numbers sufficiently to reduce risk. 
• Specific max numbers of KWV and staff will depend on the size and type of classrooms & workplaces. During the Spring 2020 lockdown a maximum of 10% of normal pupils/staff capacity was recommended. It should be noted though that the new variant is significantly MORE transmissible. 
• Where lateral flow testing centres are set up for asymptomatic testing, positive results must mean instant isolation/ evacuation. Negative results should not change any existing isolation & protection measures since they may be false negatives; people with positive symptoms must obtain conventional PCR tests. 
• CEV and CV members should work from home as well as those living with CEV family members. 
• Pregnant staff should work from home.  

• Recommend the wearing of face coverings (of appropriate quality in line with WHO standards) by all staff in all settings when indoors, including in classrooms. Where staff have a mask exemption, they should use an alternative face covering e.g., visors 
• Children, apart from in nurseries and special schools, should be advised to always wear face coverings indoors.  
• Quality training should be provided for all staff in the donning and doffing of face masks and PPE must be provided. 
• In KWV bubbles, staff should remain in the same area to eat with children, but breaks should be taken in lieu. 
• Rooms must be well ventilated (with outside air) with extra heaters provided if necessary. 

• Cleaning & hygiene protocols must be enhanced. 
• Directed time must include remote teaching time worked at home and not just that spent in the school building.  
• Every staff member should be allowed to deliver remote learning from home and numbers in school should be kept to absolute minimum. 
• All staff work should be workload impact risk assessed and staff workload overall managed appropriately. 
• Members should be advised to change clothes and shower upon arrival home from school. 

• Temperature checks should be considered as an additional safety measure. 

JGS Report – Kevin reported on

• Update on the Union’s position to the non-statutory guidance on PHSE; to be confidential at this stage with a further report to the January meeting
• The OSG had endorsed the policy to defend CEV members following the Government’s announcement that it was safe for them to return to work; Union’s position set out in letters to all employers (LA/MATs/heads) and to members
• Union swiftly responded to Government announcement re INSET day for all schools on 18 December; powerful (and popular) blog from the President
• Worrying evidence of pressure upon individual heads to keep schools open and preclude moving to online where infection rates were high; looking at joint position with the headteacher unions
• As a result of the Union’s pressure on Government, the data on staff and pupil absences in schools/colleges were due to be published on 15 December
• Announcement on mass-testing focussed on South East (Kent, London, Essex) and did not reflect higher rates in areas such as Hull.

Mary reported to the Union’s response and approach to the Government’s announcements on GCSE and A levels in England (more generous grade boundaries/topics announced at end of Jan/aide memoire allowed in exam halls/3-week delay/resits permissible in July)

• Government announcement woefully late; no overall strategy and no ‘plan b’
• Our Assessment Commission due to report in January 2021
• EDSK think-tank with which we work closely (and support financially) due to issue report on assessment and accountability in January 2021
• Member focus groups reveal a variety of views with concern about workload associated with teacher assessment

The Executive agreed the following proposal:

Any public response on exams should lead with the fact that the government has created this mess by not developing an assessment system based on moderated teacher assessment. It is still our position that this would be preferable to going ahead with high-stakes exams in the current context. However, by leaving it so late, even doing the right thing now would put intolerable pressure on our members.

• The union will poll members in early Jan on whether they believe the government should have cancelled exams in Sept and whether they support cancellation now.
• We will pursue a joint statement on university admissions with UCU and NUS

TUC AGREEMENT – in the light of a number of complaints from UNISON arising from some Union messaging, the publicising of the Support Staff Conference motion on social media and perceptions of poaching and breaking the agreement in some localities, there was a full discussion followed by the Executive’s reaffirmation of their commitment to the TUC brokered agreement.

Sixth form colleges and FE colleges pay – the NEC endorsed the rejection of the AOC offer on FE staff pay; and reject the SFCA offer on sixth form college teachers’ pay.

The Executive noted the Finance Report showing variance at 31 October 2020 including a report on the 2019 General election spend (GPC 4/121220) and noted the Membership Report with regional/Wales and rep breakdowns (Executive 6a/121220). The Executive agreed the proposed changes to future pension benefits for all NEU staff earned after 1 July 2021 and the timeline and process for employee consultation January – April 2021. The consultation responses to be considered by Executive in May 2021. The Executive agreed the proposed timetable for the election of Deputy General Secretary. The standing orders for Annual Conference 2021 were agreed.  The Executive agreed to engage Knight Frank agents to market Northumberland Street for sale. The Executive agreed and welcomed staff policies and procedures on Domestic violence and abuse, Drugs, alcohol and gambling related harm, Stress at work. The Executive agreed to retain the current facility time arrangements with the recognised unions.

The Executive agreed a mixed Action Network and Mail Chimp project with Action Network to be used as the national bulk email system of choice for communications other than those concerned with membership subscriptions which will continue to be sent directly using the basic email system that runs direct from the APT membership system. Full details at GPC 10/121220. A geographical Executive member has notified that they’ve been appointed to a post outside their electoral district and it was noted that the Rules were not explicit on this matter.  Agreed that a by-election should be held and that a rule change is considered to clarify the position in future. The Executive agreed additional funding of £50,000 for the National Hardship Fund revised criteria for applicants (the majority of whom are currently supply members) which would be signposted in the next e-Bulletin and posted on the website.  Funding requests the Executive agreed to donate £1000 to Love Music Hate Racism from the general fund donations budget and £55,000 to Hope Not Hate from the Political Fund. 

After discussion, the Executive agreed the changes to the regulations on Honoraria payments which are likely to affect a very small number of districts.  District officers will be provided with the revised regulations early in the New Year.     

The 2021 judging panel for the national Rep and Officer of the Year Awards and the Nikki Simpson Award for learning to be:  Louise Atkinson; Mairead Canavan; Dominic Coughlin; Christopher Denson; Niamh Sweeney; Dawn Taylor; and Adam Van Asch.  The elections to the vacancy on the Annie Higdon Award Panel were agreed with the deadline for nominations being 17 December (to Rachel or Geoff).

The Executive noted the Regional/Wales Council Programme of Activities and Budgets received to date.  The Executive welcomed the new Domestic Abuse Policy of the Union and congratulated all members and staff involved. The Committee confirmed Philipa Harvey, Sheena Wheatley and Wendy Hardy as the Member Defence members of the Subgroup that will consider a new Code of Conduct on Social Media for members with Union Strength.

Wishing you all a peaceful and enjoyable festive season.

Thank you to the more than 500 Educators who signed my open letter in just a few days and the over 10,000 people who signed the petition in just a couple of weeks. https://docs.google.com/document/d/15xDpmZmKI_GK3dILpctnoXxUE-rAUKvDEtPYPMuqVag/edit?fbclid=IwAR0CQOsq95ksV73DLzO3psl8eNezKya02SkpKanyPmVZ3eoiHH6eZiYlnBc

Along with union pressure in meetings and new advice from TAG all these factors created a perfect storm which pushed the Welsh government into taking decisive action.

Press Release

NEU Cymru welcomes ‘distance learning’ week in secondary schools and colleges

Speaking about the plans to move secondary schools and colleges to ‘distance learning’ for the last week of term, David Evans, Wales Secretary of the National Education Union Cymru, said:“NEU Cymru secondary members will be heartened to hear that secondary schools are moving to a distance learning model for schools in the last week of term. With the cases of the virus now very high in Wales, and now that we know that young people can take the virus home to more vulnerable members of their families, this break should act as an opportunity to slow down the spread of the virus before the festive break.“Our members in primary schools will rightly still be concerned about this decision. However, the Minister has agreed to look at any new evidence which suggests that the primary sector should move to distance learning. At the moment, Welsh Government believes the risk in primary schools is lower. We have communicated our members’ concerns about this.“Our members are keen to explore a rota system for secondary schools from January, with alternate weeks in the classroom, as a measure towards helping keep everyone safe. This should help see how that can work.“With two weeks then before Christmas, it means that everyone – both staff and learners in secondary schools – are able to have a couple of weeks without mixing with people outside of their families, ahead of Christmas Day itself.“No one wants to be in a situation where children and young people are missing out on school or college. But the virus hasn’t gone away yet. So, we need to put every measure in place we can to ensure that the health and wellbeing of everyone in education remains a top priority.“We have already communicated with the Minister about our members proposals to make schools and colleges safer.”

ENDS

In December 2020 I spoke on behalf of the NEU about our “No child left behind” campaign in this online meeting organised by People’s assembly Wales

Joint General Secretaries’ Report

The Executive endorsed the JGS decision to call for schools and colleges to be part of the lockdown with rationale to:

• Increase space in schools and colleges.
• Undertake deep cleansing
• Plan to reduce the occupancy rates of school sites through various measures so that social distancing is a reality
• Extra staffing to allow CEV staff and pregnant members (3^rd T) to work from home.

Gavin Williamson wrote to heads on 7 Sept saying: “I want to reassure you again that all your staff and pupils have access to testing if one of them should develop Covid -19 symptoms.” This has not happened.  The spread of the virus and the disruption to pupils’ education is evident – at the start of September, almost 90% of pupils were in school but as the rate of infection increased attendance fell, particularly in secondary schools – by half term, almost 1 in 5 pupils were absent from secondary school because the virus had spread so widely.

Demands:

• Rapid testing, including of asymptomatic staff and pupils.
• Mask wearing to become much more prevalent.
• Investment to bring down class sizes and increase social distancing, to pay for additional cleaning and the cover of sick staff.
• Rotas to be established in sixth form and secondary settings at least.
• The Govt to fulfil its promise to deliver sufficient broad band and laptops to pupils
• The most vulnerable staff to be allowed to make their contribution working from home.
• A pause will create the conditions for schools to be sustainably open for the remainder of this pandemic.

We have produced a new reps’ app which allows reps to access documents and report outbreaks in their school.  We will continue to monitor the data from the app to shape and direct our strategy.  We will support branches and reps in escalation strategies relating to these matters.

The Executive welcomed the Membership Report showing 384,903 in-service members compared to 364,627 in October 2019.  Our rep density has gone up since March – from covering 28% of schools to 41% of schools with 44% of primary members having access to a rep and 78% in secondary.  The JGSs reported on the deployment of the Organising team during the pandemic to help build the rep base including contacting all newly volunteer reps within 12 hours of contact.

Since the last Executive meeting, there had been two meetings of the Officer Steering Group and the following urgent decisions were made:

• Increase of funding for CLASS to £15k
• By-election timetable for D13 vacancy
• ETUCE Conference business (nominations to board)
• Responsibilities for Executive and Officer positions – protocol (to be available for all relevant national election candidates with small amendment)
• OF and NC member role-sharing protocol – to be available on Officer’s Sharepoint and to RWS for R/W Councils
• GS succession document – for referral to December meeting
• TUC Equality motions and delegate arrangements
• Edenred contract termination
• 2021 timetable – additional Special Executive on 4 September
• Staff Pension arrangements

The Executive agreed the following urgent recommendations from the Strategy Committees:

Union Strength – for Rep and Officer of the Year Awards it was agreed

• To reduce the number of questions and criteria for the awards from 9 to 3 for reps and from 10 to 5 for officers.  Thereby creating a more straightforward nomination process; and 
• To produce guidance to explain the different types of rep and officer roles the awards are designed to recognise including the new Covid rep role.  

GPC updated on membership income and employee costs budgets – that the membership income and the employee costs to 31 October 2020 are on track against the 2020/21 budget. GPC noted that there are 63 returns outstanding from local districts and the steps in place to secure these returns. Revisions were agreed to the local structure expense regulations to clarify the position on travel expenses in line with HMRC regulations.  It was agreed to donate £112,000 to the Durham Miners’ Association and to encourage NEU Districts support.  A full and final staff pay offer was agreed.

The Executive noted the recommendations following the initial Review of special conference and agreed the following in relation to Annual conference 2021

•  A virtual conference should be held over three days 7-9 April 2021
• The event should maximise debating time for motions from Districts, sectors and sections.
• We should recognise the demands of extended time on Zoom, and therefore structure the days accordingly.
• Conference committee to be asked to accommodate as many District motions as possible following the prioritisation process.
• A separate event to be held later in summer 2021 (likely to be a virtual event) to consider all formal business (Executive report, annual accounts etc) 

The Executive endorsed the revised Code of Ethical Practice in Leadership and the NEU statement on disability-related language.  The Executive endorsed the decisions of the SC:MD Sub Committee in relation to appeals against decisions to withdraw legal representation.  The Executive elected the following: Simon Murch to Professional Conduct Committee; Chris Denson to the Post-16 NC; Heather McKenzie and Julie Huckstep as legacy staff pension scheme trustees and Daniel Kebede to the CLASS steering group.     

The NEU had its first virtual conference on Saturday, 3 October.  Over 700 delegates engaged in a morning debate on rule changes and in the afternoon, three motions on COVID 19 and safe return; Winning in the Workplace after Covid 19 and Building a Fair Education System After Covid 19.

This is the report from conference https://neu.org.uk/media/12961/view

Joint General Secretaries’ Report

Schools/colleges re-opening

• High media profile and high levels member engagement as we support the safe opening of schools for members and pupils;
• Over 3,000 checklists completed; with more than a third being revised – demonstrating widespread understanding by reps and officers that the checklist works as a ‘living’ document;
• The Union’s longstanding demand for the Government to plan for alternatives to full opening – in the event of a second wave or local lockdowns – was finally realised with the announcement late on 28 August after the JGS zoom call with reps;
• Currently 10 percent of local authorities fall within the three categories (areas of intervention; areas of enhanced support and areas of concern) with the four tiers of action only operating in the highest category and if other measures not effective;
• Union working on ways in which branches be part of the local engagement and how data is best provided to branches in the three category areas – to assist and not to scaremonger;
• All underpinned by our 10-point recovery plan – our ‘plan B’ – reflected in much of ISage’s report;
• Protection of CEV staff clear (collective action); CV/at risk staff more of a challenge with S44 inadequate (and individual);; cite RA; support from GP and school groups.

Other matters:

• OFSTED’s announcement that they would undertake ‘visits’ this term to schools/colleges to ascertain how schools and colleges were helping pupils back into full time education, with a return to full inspections in January 2021– unnecessary, unwise, unwelcome and badly timed;
• Joint union collaboration including the NASUWT working well with the joint call for an urgent enquiry into the exam fiasco, scrapping of performance league tables this year and a robust contingency plan in place for 2021;
• Separate NEU demands to Secretary of State underpinned by the petition – garnering over 30k signatures to date; currently not making longer term demands and strategy to be informed by the work of the Commission if agreed at Special Conference;
• Joint pay spine materials now circulated to reps and discussed at the zoom call on 28 August;
• Union asserting ourselves in the vital debate around the impact of C19 on child poverty.

The Interim Standing Orders were adopted with an undertaking that the voting functions available on ‘zoom’ would be explored for the next meeting.

The Membership Report was noted with headline figure of 86% employed members and that from April 2020 the union introduced a monthly lapse routine which should even out the lapse activity throughout the year henceforth.

Elections – the Executive congratulated Amanda Martin on her election to the Conference Committee and Emma Mort on her election to the Officer Steering Group.

Complaint under rule – the Officers agreed to refer the cases against a local officer and a member to the NDC.    It was also agreed that both members would be suspended (in accordance with the Officers’ powers under paragraph 3.3 Appendix A of the Rules) pending the hearing of the complaint. The members would continue to be entitled to support on employment issues during their suspension.  

It was agreed that the Union would not register to speak against any of the motions on the TUC Final  Agenda (to be debated by the General Council in closed session);  the Officers guidance to the delegation (meeting on 12 September) is that the Union would support all motions at this stage, with the caveat that a number of composites are yet to be finalised. 

GPC Urgent Report – The Executive noted the GPC 050920/2/2a financial report to 30 June 2020 (GPC 050920/2/2a) and the Financial impact of Covid 19 with current estimates showing a net reduction in budgeted expenditure of £1.28m (GPC 050920/2/2b). The Executive also agreed:

• A series of recommendations in relation to the Pensions Project Report (GPC 050920/3).  
• The Standing Orders for Special Conference, including a maximum of two amendments per district (GPC 050920/4). 
• a staff pay award weighted towards Band 4 – 8 of the pay-scale and in line with inflation forecasts.  The Executive agreed that the fixed term GDPR Officer post becomes a permanent substantive post in the IT Department staffing structure
• A Protocol for representation on outside bodies and register of interests (GPC 050920/8) – it was noted that the Protocol was for all representatives, including non-Executive members and it would be disseminated accordingly

The Executive agreed the recommendations from SC: Union Strength on Sector and Equality Section Conference Business that recommendation 2 be agreed. It was also agreed to survey members in the Channel Islands over the proposal to move the district to the South East Region.

The Executive agreed the recommendations from SC: B&N – Pay in schools & academies – teachers paid less than the national advisory scales should move to those points immediately, while those paid more should receive the appropriate national pay increase in those points. The campaign work  agreed with a focus on identifying problem employers and supporting members and on securing NEU policy on progression in LA schools as part of the work to get rid of PRP in all schools. Pensions – Deferred Choice option should be endorsed in the NEU response to the Government consultation. Supply members – For the officers of the Supply OF to undertake a review into how our structures support supply members which would involve surveying/meeting with key stakeholders (including Branch Secretaries, Regional Staff, Supply Officers and Supply OF members) with recommendations brought back to the Executive for consideration.

The Executive endorsed the decisions of the SC: MDSC held on 5 March, 23 April, 21 May and 25 June and paid tribute to the members of the Sub-Committee for their consideration of legal appeals through the lockdown period.

General Motions on Turkey and Palestine Resources were agreed by the Executive.

Joint General Secretaries’ Report

Mary reported on the exam fiasco:

• Biggest contributing factor was Gawain Williamson’s instruction to Ofqual that there should be no grade inflation; leading to the scandal that the majority of pupils received grades that neither reflected ability or CAG;
• At JGSs’ meeting with Ofqual on 22 June, it was not made clear that under the algorithm, the CAG would play no part in determining results of cohorts larger than 15 pupils – artificially depressing large cohorts from state schools and 6FCs and favouring the independent sector with a 4.3% grade inflation;
• The fiasco has laid bare the fault-lines in the current award system introduced by Michael Gove six years ago and exposed the casual acknowledgement (within algorithm) that 40% of pupils will underperform ‘on the exam day’
• The JGSs had written to GW with a number of demands including reduction of content across all exams in 2022; a full review of grade assessment process and a commitment to work with the profession on robust moderation of CAG   petition launched and attracted 8K signatures within first day
• Proposed Executive motion to Special Conference called for secondary assessment commission – the Union to continue to lead the way for the profession.

Kevin reported on schools/colleges re-opening,

• Continue to be proud that the Union has kept pupils and members safe;
• The autumn term would undoubtedly be challenging;
• A suite of documents to be published in the next week , jointly with Unison and GMB; different emphasis; focus on keeping schools/colleges open but calling for robust escalation procedures (plan B) in the event of rising R rates/cases on local basis;
• Demands to Government on safe reopening (continual test/track/trace; demands for data; 10-point recovery plan; action in other parts of the economy in the event of local infection spikes)
• Updated advice for members in vulnerable/at risk categories;
• Monitoring queries to Advice Line to inform all updates to guidance documents;
• Liaising closely with EIS to monitor experience as Scottish schools re-open.

And Pay

• The Union has agreed a model pay spine incorporating the pay rise announced at the end of July – agreed with ASCL and NAHT
• Will be sent to all schools
• Schools to immediately implement pay spine and if rates are above individual spine points, teachers to be awarded percentage increase;
• Planned activities for reps and members to build on last year’s strategy
• Welcome evidence that a number of MATs, including Elliot, dropping PRP.

And Supply members

• Welcome confirmation from HMRC that schools/umbrella companies and agencies could furlough at over minimum wage over the summer
• Still not legally mandatory but helpful and will inform briefing by staff in HQ and regions for supply members.

Interim Standing Orders

The Executive agreed the Interim Standing Orders to operate whilst the Executive met via zoom.  It was agreed that proposed arrangements for dealing with revisions to urgent reports from strategy committees and proposals under the JGS report be brought back to the Executive for consideration.  It was confirmed that Policy Committees would not meet during the autumn term; chairs and secretaries would continue to liaise over any urgent matters with any decisions referred to the OSG and onto the Executive.

Arrangements for the Special Conference

The Executive agreed the arrangements for Special Conference in relation to timetable, delegate and speaker arrangements, motions and amendments. A budget of £32k was agreed for a delegate voting system (which could operate for future online events).   And the Executive agreed the following process for when weighted voting would apply:

The weighting is completed based on everyone logged into the call at a pre-determined time after the start time. This method does mean anyone logging on late will have had their votes redistributed across the others from their delegation.

Draft Executive motions

The Executive agreed that the topic of the three motions to Special Conference would be:

• Building a Fair Education System after Covid-19
• Covid-19 and a Safe Return
• Winning in the Workplace after Covid-19

Any revisions to the draft text were to be emailed to Rachel (rachel.baxter@neu.org.uk) by close of play on Wednesday, 27 August.  The resulting draft motions would then be circulated with the agenda for the Executive meeting on 5 September for final agreement.

The Joint General Secretaries led tributes to Kim Knappett and Kiri Tunks at their last Executive meeting and to Amanda Martin for her skilful chairing of the Executive during a challenging year.

On August 16th I joined policians, students and Shav Taj in defending students and teachers by addressing a rally of about 250 students and parents in Cardiff Bay. We were insisting that both Uk and Wales governments make a U turn and follow the Scottish government in reverting to the teacher assessed grades. We won and they did a U turn a few days later! People power at it’s best! https://www.voice.wales/students-in-wales-to-protest…/

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•