More Nottingham teachers ready to strike over five-term year
NOTTINGHAM'S biggest teaching union says 97 per cent of its members are against moving to a five-term school year – with eight out of ten prepared to strike over the issue.
More than 4,500 pupils are due to miss out on another day of school today in the last of three strikes by the National Union of Teachers, which has 493 members in Nottingham.
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Nottingham teachers demonstrate in Old Market Square during a strike last month.
They are protesting over plans to introduce the five-term school year in the city, which they say will inconvenience staff and parents.
And more disruption could be on the way, as NUT is planning two further strikes next Wednesday and Thursday, though union bosses will be meeting with the council ahead of this on Monday.
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Two other teaching unions are also considering strike action.
A formal ballot on a strike by 120 Association of Teachers and Lecturers members is expected to take place in June, while the NASUWT, the biggest teaching union, says a poll of its 1,100 city teachers has revealed 80 per cent would strike over the issue.
Bernie Pardon, executive member at the NASUWT, said teachers needed to see evidence that a five-term year – with shorter summer holidays – would be of benefit.
He said: "It feels like an experiment to us – an experiment with children's education.
"Teachers, parents and governors will usually embrace change if there is demonstrable evidence that it will raise standards in education. But there is no evidence that the five-term year has any educational benefits or merits."
To support its argument, the city council has made reference to 12 different reports, although these full findings are not easily accessible.
Councillor David Mellen, portfolio holder for children's services at the city council, said comprehensive evidence didn't exist for the five-term year, because it had never been tried by a council before.
He added: "But a number of people have looked at it, and there's lots of evidence that shortening the summer holiday would work.
"I think we are in a world where, if people want to find evidence and read it, it's there."
Ralph Surman, Nottingham chief executive of the ATL, said the fight against the five-term year could yet be taken up nationally.
He said: "This has got the makings of an absolute disaster and there won't be any winners. It's only going to need one of our organisations to take it to the TUC and it's going to end up being a national debate."
Comments
by mdb415
Thursday, April 26 2012, 5:49PM
“by Mr_Sensible_Wednesday, April 25 2012, 9:51PM
"There were at least 200 ?
That is very worrying. People teaching our children that can't count/have terrible eyesight or both.
So if there was(sic) a few more than 30, not much(sic) more, but lets(sic) say 50. Where were the other 443 ?"
50? Seriously, you clearly weren't there. I'm going by the estimate on itv news, you're going by a number you've plucked out of the air.”
by starving
Thursday, April 26 2012, 10:21AM
“This Council seems to think it knows best about all things.
1. The WPL, when we are in the midst of recession, seems like a real good idea . . . Take millions of pounds out of the pockets of local families every year to spend on an outdated transport system. Money that could be spent in local shops etc but the bulk of which will probably end up in foreign banks.
The raisin de être being that it will ultimately rid the streets of Nottingham of workers' vehicles. There presence being the very source of funding for the building and running of their fantasy train set! This in the future will bring about the need for another source of revenue to prop up the running of their Tram!
2. Force the professional teachers to accept a regime that most seem unhappy with and a good deal of reason dictates is erroneous. Many parents too will be inconvenienced to a high degree by this dictatorial edict made all the more sinister by its heading up by an ex-teacher!
3. Refuse to publish expenses and spend tax payer's cash on junkets and pro-Council Propangda.
Those are the things we know about!”
by Mr_Sensible_
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 9:51PM
“There were at least 200 ?
That is very worrying. People teaching our children that can't count/have terrible eyesight or both.
So if there was a few more than 30, not much more, but lets say 50. Where were the other 443 ?”
by mdb415
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 9:37PM
“"493 members, but yet again, only about 30 of them demonstrating."
30? You obviously weren't even in town. There were at least 200 who attended the city centre demonstration.”
by Mr_Sensible_
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 9:30PM
“493 members, but yet again, only about 30 of them demonstrating. Says it all really. Just enjoying another day off while the rest of us have to pay out our hard earnt money on unnecessary childcare !”
by mdb415
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 8:13PM
“by omega03Wednesday, April 25 2012, 7:47PM
"...passed 6 schools on the way to and from work today that are closed and striking...no one outside with placards and fire burners today...."
1. Why would the picket a school when it is already closed?
2. They were probably in the square where the march and demonstration took place.”
by omega03
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 7:47PM
“...passed 6 schools on the way to and from work today that are closed and striking...no one outside with placards and fire burners today....”
by kpi99
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 6:26PM
“Well according to torygirl it was all over weeks ago. No support from the public and dwindling support from teachers - the world according to torygirl.
She's never one for facts or reason. Just right wing hyperbole nonsense.”
by nova2012
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 6:07PM
“"also struggle to see what this strike is about – sinse (sic) there is no (sic) even a suggestion that teachers' holidays will be reduced."
This is not an argument about teachers' holidays being reduced, this is an argument about changes the the structure of the school year. The proposal by the council will mean children having to go to school for up to 9 weeks without a break. As a teacher in F2 I can tell you that they are too tired to learn effectively after 6 or 7 weeks since the expectations placed on them leave them needing a break. While Mellen talks about learning loss over the summer holiday, he fails to see that there won't be much learning taking place full stop during the last couple of weeks of each term.
Some people don't seem to realise that teachers are not against the five term year because they want a six week summer holiday, the main reason teachers are against this is because they know it will be to the detriment of the children. The best interests of the children are at the centre of this argument and don't let anybody tell you otherwise.”
by litrw2012
Wednesday, April 25 2012, 5:47PM
“this subject is now getting VERY BORING!!!!!”