11 October 2021

Calling all NEU Reps!

 


Our excellent Rep training programme is an essential tool in ensuring you're ready for whatever the role brings your way. Whether you're a new rep or well established, we're sure there's something in this term's programme that you'll benefit from.

BEING AN EFFECTIVE REP
6x weekly twilight sessions 3rd Nov - 8 Dec
or 3x day sessions 4th Nov - 18 Nov
BUILDING THE UNION: GETTING OTHERS TO JOIN (one session)
13th or 19th October, 4:30 - 6:30
20th or 26th October, 5:30 - 7:30
REPRESENTING MEMBERS IN THE WORKPLACE (two days)
16th & 30th November, 10 - 4:30
DEALING WITH SUPPORT PLANS (one session)
2nd November, 4:30 - 6pm
25th November, 5 - 7pm
SICKNESS ABSENCE REVIEWS
21st October, 5 - 6pm
Find out more about the sessions and for details on how to book, get in touch at northern@neu.org.uk or call 0191 482 7700

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.

Book your place here.

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

Book your place here.

23/10/2021 @ 10am - 12:00

Effective Questioning - an interactive workshop exploring some essential building blocks and preconditions for effective questioning.

Book your place here.

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.

Book your place here.

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. 

Book your place here.

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.

Book your place here.

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

 


The National Education Union are once again very proud to be supporting the Show Racism The Red Card School Competition. We would like to encourage schools to enter by 1st April - it could be an ideal activity for pupils to complete as part of home learning perhaps. Here's a little more information about the competition:

Show Racism the Red Card Competitions encourage young people from schools and other educational settings to produce creative work with an original anti-racism theme.

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



Check our more: rect.org.uk
Join our socials: Twitter & Facebook


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