11 October 2021
Calling all NEU Reps!
06 October 2021
Autumn Term Learning in the Northern Region
We've been busy planning our ever-popular programme of learning events to engage members across the region. This term we're continuing with our online-only offering, however, we recognise the feedback that we've received asking for in-person events to return - don't fear, we hope to run some in-person events from January.
Here's what we've got planned. Further information was emailed to members yesterday but if you didn't get that or have any questions please get in touch via NorthernOrganising@neu.org.uk
16/10/2021 @ 10am - 3:30
SENDhelp Online - a wide range of SEND workshops and discussion throughout this packed day. Open to all education professionals, SEND parents and specialists.
20/10/2021 @ 4:30 - 6pm
Racial Literacy in the North - Our launch event focuses on using the NEU Anti-Racist Charter in your workplace
23/10/2021 @ 10am - 12:00
Effective Questioning - an interactive workshop exploring some essential building blocks and preconditions for effective questioning.
17/11/2021 @ 4:30 - 6pm
Racial Literacy in the North TeachMeet - this follows our earlier session and is an opportunity for members to come together to share what they've been doing and listen to what others are doing around racial literacy in their schools.
20/11/2021 @ 10am - 12:00
Growth Mindset for All - In this workshop, we examine what the 'growth mindset' really is, how to recognise it (or its absence) in our pupils, and how to develop and encourage it and use to boost pupil successes.
04/12/2021 @ 10am - 12:00
Recognising and Supporting Pupils with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - following member requests, we're running this new session in conjunction with the FASD Network UK.
Our regional learning programme is responsive to member need and brings members together from across the region. If you would like to make suggestions or help with the organisation of learning then please get in touch, we'd be keen to hear from you!
15 February 2021
SRTRC School Competition 2021
In England, Wales and Scotland a competition is held annually and thousands of young people participate. The competitions are free to enter and open to young people of all ages and abilities.
Entrants can produce work in a wide-range of media, including artwork, creative writing, film and music. The entries are consistently inspirational and SRtRC makes sure that many have a resonance beyond the competition by using them in educational resources and magazines, on the campaign’s website, social media channels, YouTube and in a special calendar. All competition winners are invited to a special awards ceremony with prizes presented by special guests, including current and former professional footballers.
To find out more about the competition download the information pack and guidelines here.
12 February 2021
Some Good News for Supply Teachers
For many years now supply teachers have had to rely on work supplied to them by agencies. As we all know there are good agencies and bad agencies, but even the better agencies take a cut of our pay, which is rightfully ours. In 2017 for example, £821 million was spent on supply teachers across the country, but £271 million, nearly £1 in every three, went to the agencies. We all know this isn’t right, but can we do anything about it?
Well, there
is something we can do. The NEU in the
Northern Region is in the process of developing a cooperative for supply teachers, in
conjunction with the office of Jamie Driscoll, the North of Tyne Mayor and local
authorities and conversations are taking place with some of the big multi-academy
trusts. You would be a part owner of
this agency and as a result you would keep 90% of what the school pays for
you. The other 10% would go to the
cooperative to help it to both keep going and expand its work and to help
provide both teachers’ pension funds for you and high quality CPD.
The coop would also give you a sense
of real control over your working life, instead of being at the whims of
dubious market forces and having to haggle over the phone with an agency.
The main features of the coop will be
as follows:
• 1. Service
provision that ensures public funding for education stays within the public/not
for profit sector
• 2. An
agency that is more locally economically generative meaning money would stay in
our region, where it is much needed, instead of leaving it.
• 3. Delivers
reliability of service and quality supply staff & results in lower costs to
schools, so benefitting the education of the children of our region.
• 4. Delivers
fairer remuneration, better terms and conditions and continued professional
development for supply staff
• 5. Multi-stakeholder
approach and a democratic structure equally representative of needs of schools
and supply staff
This is a
great opportunity for you to be part of a really positive new initiative by
your union, which sees teachers working in solidarity to the benefit of
all. And while it will initially only
involve schools north of the River Tyne, the intention is for it to be extended
across the region as soon as possible.
It is also envisaged that we will have a worker from Coops UK to help us
with this exciting development.
In the
second half of the 19th century, when the cooperative movement
really took off in Britain, following the success of the Rochdale Pioneers in
1844, the Northeast became the region in Britain, with the highest number of
cooperative members per head of population. It seems therefore highly
appropriate that such an initiative as this teachers’ coop should begin in our
region. Again, we can lead the way and
in so doing bring you better pay and conditions, a bigger say over your career
and a brighter future.
We are
making progress towards the establishment of the coop, so please join the WhatsApp group to learn more about this and for discussions about other
supply issues.
Peter Sagar February
2020
11 December 2020
NEU year, NEU start - RECT goes virtual
Are you a NQT, RQT or member under 35? If so, the NEU invites you to look at Education in a time of Covid and how you can look after yourself and provide the best for your children. Join us on the 30th January 2021.
With only 8 more gettyups until most of us get that so hugely deserved Christmas break, we thought you might like to hear something you're planning for the New Year!
Our RECT Weekend has long been the highlight of the NEU Northern Region calendar, but for obvious reasons we've had to change a great deal this year!
We still plan a blend of CPD, training and social activities, all aimed at members in the early part of their career.
So far we have confirmed...
REGISTER FOR A PLACE - Click here
11 November 2020
Plan B for Education:
If you are an NEU member in the northern region and want to be part of the solution then register for this Zoom meeting now https://neu-org-uk.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUof-6srj0oHtPwWN354m6Qq_D6yBxuXVcZ
02 November 2020
Agency Worker Regulations - Diane Adam
Since being elected to the Supply and Home Tuition Organising Forum as delegate for the Northern Region, I have been amazed at how few people understand or have even heard of Agency Worker Regulations, or AWR. If you are doing supply work through an agency, you may be owed hundreds of pounds!
The regulations state that agency workers are entitled to parity pay after 12 weeks in the same role, with the same LA or MAT. It does not have to be in the same school and does not need to be full time. The 12 weeks do not need to be consecutive, as long as any break does not exceed 6 weeks during term time. Parity pay means that you are paid the same salary as you would be if you were hired directly by the school.
If you have left your school, you have three months from the last day worked to claim, so it is still worth doing. Remember! This is something you are entitled to by law. Any agency or school not paying it, is breaking the law and can face substantial fines. For further information go to https://neu.org.uk/advice/agency-worker-regulations, or contact your branch secretary.
Diane Adam
NEU Durham District & Supply and Home Tuition Organising Forum
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