UPDATE September 2021

Welcome back after the Summer holiday. We hope you managed to have a break and do the things you wanted to do. Here is an update on campaigns and issues for this term.

1. WORKLOAD AND DIRECTED TIME

This term we will continue to focus on workload for teachers and support staff and would like to hear reports from schools at our District meeting.All schools should have published the Directed Time breakdown and calendar for this academic year and this should have been discussed with staff and unions.

You can find more information here If you have any problems with this please let us know.

2. PAY PROGRESSION

Teachers below U3 on the pay scale are eligible for pay progression and decisions about this should be made before October 31st. In the light of the pandemic we expect this to be automatic this year, unless someone has been subject to capability procedures.

For more on Teachers pay click here.

Please discuss this with your head and make sure your school has the necessary arrangements in place.

3. TEACHERS PAY AWARD

This image shows the ‘updated’ pay scales for this year. Colleagues will notice that the scales are the same as last year – because the government has decided to freeze teachers’ pay for this year.

This is effectively a pay cut, it’s insulting after the work we have done, and it will create more problems in teacher recruitment.

The NEU is preparing a campaign on this and is in discussions with other public sector unions. We will bring more details when we can.

4. EARLY CAREER TEACHERS (ECTs)

Please look out for new staff in your school, particularly ECTS (what used to be NQTs!) and ask them to join the NEU.

Please send me the names of any ECTs in your school and we will write to them and send them an information pack.

5. EQUALITIES

We will continue to develop our important work on equalities this year – we have set up a working party which is coordinated by Kiri Tunks, our equalities officer. We are very keen to develop the curriculum area of our website, sharing resources that have been used in local schools.

If you have any resources to share please email kiri.tunks@neu.org.uk We are particularly interested in resources that can be used in Black History Month in October or for the upcoming Disability History Month in November/December.

6. CLIMATE EMERGENCY AND THE BIG GREEN WEEK

As part of the campaign on the Climate Emergency we are asking members in schools to support the Great Big Green Week between 18th-26th September – this includes a call for staff and pupils to wear green on Friday 25th September and to post pictures. We have circulated information to your headteacher so please do discuss this with them. Amy Fletcher will talk about this at our meeting next week.

7. SUPPORTING REFUGEES

Tower Hamlets Council has published a statement making clear its commitment to supporting Afghan refugees to settle in the UK. The statement outlines what action Tower Hamlets Council is taking in partnership with other agencies, including the Mayor of London, and identifies ways in which we can assist in making these refugees welcome in our community.

• Visit our website to read the statement and download NEU resources to support refugee children in our schools.
• We are also supporting Care 4 Calais, a charity supporting migrants in Calais.

Judy Cox and Sam Baroot will speak about this at our meeting next week and will be recommending that we make a donation.

Please don’t forget to register for our meeting on Monday 20th September at 5:30pm – there is lots to discuss and it would be great to start the year with a strong turnout