14th November

Sixth Form College Dispute

The NEU is in dispute with the Secretary of State in relation to the pay, working conditions and security of employment of NEU members in the sixth form sector, and in particular the detrimental effets on these of the cuts in college funding since 2010.

The NEU has asked the Secretary of State to address this by increasing the funding rate per student as proposed by the Raise the Rate campaign to which the NEU is a signatory, and by paying the Teachers' Pay Grant to all sixth form colleges in order to support an adequate pay increase. He has declined to take these steps.

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14th November

UK Disability History Month, 22nd November-22nd December 2019

Every school has disabled pupils, staff and family members. UK Disability History Month is an opportunity within your school to develop a culture of respect for difference and a chance to remove the barriers, so that all can achieve their potential.

The DfE reports that up to 80% of disabled learners experience bullying and are 8 times more likely than non-disabled learners to be excluded or suspended. However, the law requires reasonable adjustments to be implemented with no discrimination or harassment.

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15th November

Are you a Teaching Assistant or an SEN Teaching Assistant?

There's a difference, both in terms of what you do on a day-to-day basis, and what you earn.

If you work in a special school, you may well (and should) be paid as an SEN Teaching Assistant. There is a separate job description and pay scale for this, and essentially you earn more as the role is more demanding. In the past, TAs in mainstream schools did less one-to-one work with children with education, health and care plans (EHCPs), so this role didn't exist. However as ever-increasing numbers of children with EHCPs — often needing on-to-one care — attend mainstream schools, so have the roles of TAs changed.

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15th November

Lionheart Trust contracts

City of Leicester NEU would like to make all members aware that we have expessed concerns over contracts to the Lionheart Trust (LAT). Our concerns include clarity of wording in some sections, and a worsening of terms and conditions of employment. Should these contracts be signed, sick pay and leave entitlements wouldn't be commensurate with the Burgundy Book, and therefore worse than those of other employees in city schools. Until these contacts have been fully consulted on with all unions, our advice to members in Lionheart Trust schools (Judgemeadow and Sir Jonathan North) is NOT to sign the contracts. Contact me if you have any queries.

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15th November

Supply teachers! Have you got an AWR claim?

In the last six months, have you worked in the same LA school or academy group without a break of six weeks in term time?

If you have, call Leicester District NEU on 0116 2555311 or Advice Line 0345 8118111.

You only have three months to make a claim.

Agency Workers Regulation facts

Many supply teachers are not receiving AWR entitlement to parity pay. Often supply teachers have worked for 12 weeks in the same role, for the same Hirer in accordance with AWR definition.

[...full article]

More news

• NEU Disabled Members' Conference, 27-29 September 2019
• Leicester Pride March
• EU Represented as DMU's Radical Pedagogies 2019
• Making the most of your appraisal and performance management
• Ballot on High Stakes Testing in Primary Schools
• Sixth Form Colleges: dispute with the Secretary of State
• Your Pay
• Global Climate Strike
• Black History Month, October 2019
• Sixth Form Colleges
• Are you making the most of your membership benefits?
• Support staff: do you know your rights?
• 2019 Black Educators' Conference
• At the start of the school year
• Indicative Ballot to Boycott Primary Assessment
• Anne Blair: Tributes
• Conference 2019: Camille named Officer of the Year
• Conference 2019: Pre-Conference Church Service
• Conference 2019: AGENDA
• Conference 2019: For the Global Good? Putting the Public Back in Education

Meetings and events

Wednesday 20th November 2019
District Meeting

DON'T FORGET that you can claim tax relief on your union subs.

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