Testing times Defend disabled members End period poverty Demanding school safety Ensuring protection for Free sanitary products during Covid-19. See page 6. at-risk educators. See page 22. in schools. See page 26.

November/ December 2020

Your magazine from the National Education Union

Our hero Child poverty and Marcus Rashford’s fight for free holiday school meals

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@clpe1 @clpe.org.uk CLPE Educate November/December 2020 Welcome Child food poverty campaigner and footballer Marcus Rashford visits a warehouse in Greater Manchester run by the FareShare charity, which provides food for vulnerable people (see page 9). Photo: FareShare/Mark Waugh www.markwaugh.net

Testing times Defend disabled members End period poverty Demanding school safety Ensuring protection for Free sanitary products THIS issue of Educate comes out in the second half of the most during Covid-19. See page 6. at-risk educators. See page 22. in schools. See page 26. exhausting and stressful term. NEU members faced up to the huge

November/ December 2020 challenge of fully reopening schools and colleges in September, yet were effectively abandoned by the English Government.

Your magazine from the National Education Union From the outset, it failed to provide clear, specific safety guidance and support for schools, and shamefully botched the test, track and trace system. When the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown on 31 October we called for primary, special and secondary schools and colleges to be closed, and for a rota system for secondary schools and sixth form colleges at least when they reopen. Our hero Schools are a major contributor to the spread of the virus – staff, Child poverty and Marcus Rashford’s fight for free parents and students know this. holiday school meals. Far too many members already report their workplaces feel unsafe, TUC best membership communication print journal 2019 with worryingly high numbers of staff absences, isolating or waiting for test results. Office for National Statistics data shows that virus levels NEU president: are an astonishing 50 times higher among secondary pupils than at the Robin Bevan start of term. NEU joint general secretaries: More than 150,000 signed a petition supporting our call in less than Mary Bousted & Kevin Courtney 48 hours. The Government risks a longer lockdown in the future if it continues to ignore us. Editor: Max Watson The NEU is with you, our members. We’ve issued robust guidance, Editorial assistant: checklists and a plethora of advice and online briefings; held a Sarah Thompson groundbreaking special conference online in October; and launched an interactive Covid-19 map, showing localised infection rates to support Journalists: school contingency plans. Sally Gillen & Emily Jenkins Instead of listening to our profession about the need to rethink Newsdesk next year’s assessments, the Government dogmatically dug in its heels: t: 020 7380 4760 exams to go ahead, Ofsted inspections to resume. e: [email protected] And even though more than a million people signed Marcus Rashford’s petition to extend free school meals over the holidays, it put Design & subbing: Amanda Ellis its stubborn head in the sand. In the middle of the pandemic, this Government even saw fit to publish provocative guidance on teaching relationships, sex and health neu.org.uk education – which we discuss on page 20. As UK Disability History Month starts in November, we highlight some of the issues at-risk and clinically vulnerable members currently facebook.com/ face (page 22). nationaleducationunion All your regulars are here: Michael Rosen’s new poem, Mary’s hard-hitting column, Jon Biddle’s twitter.com/NEUnion reading for pleasure ideas, plus puzzles, letters and much more. To advertise contact: Stay safe and thank you for Leanne Rowley, Century One Publishing, everything you are doing at this Alban Row, 27-31 Verulam Road, difficult time. St Albans AL3 4DG t: 01727 739 183 Kevin Courtney e: [email protected] National Education Union Except where the NEU has formally negotiated agreements with Joint general secretary companies as part of its services to members, inclusion of an advertisement in Educate does not imply any form of recommendation. While every effort is made to ensure the reliability of advertisers, the NEU cannot accept any liability for the quality of goods or services offered. Educate is printed by Walstead Bicester Ltd. Inside pages are printed on paper comprised of 100% recycled, post-consumer waste.

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 3 “

Bedrock works because it gives an immediate sense of progress to students

Students at Diss High School in Norfolk have been boosting their literacy with “Bedrock Vocabulary for four years, and the school encourages feeder primary schools to use the programme to ensure smooth transition. We visited to find out how Bedrock works for them.

“It’s not just about passing exams – youngsters use words to communicate what’s going on inside. Bedrock works because it gives an immediate sense of progress to students. It’s empowering them to experience vocabulary they wouldn’t have done before. This has become something that really works in our school; we know it’s working for our students. I’ve never recommended a

tech product before, but we’re happy to recommend Bedrock.” - Dr Jan Hunt, Headteacher

“Bedrock is flexible enough to be used in lots of different ways. We use it in Year 8-10 literacy groups, Years 7 and 8 use it in tutor time, and we also set “ it as homework.

Bedrock exposes students to a range of texts from different genres and topics and helps them recognise how language is used in different contexts. Get 10% off your first “ subscription when you quote At GCSE, the vocabulary in English Literature texts - especially 19th- and EducateNov20 20th-century fiction - is quite demanding and Bedrock definitely helps To start your FREE 30-day students’ understanding of that.” trial and find out more visit - Suzie Johnson, Director of English www.bedrocklearning.org

• A 10-year curriculum for students in KS2-5 102 GCSE English Terms • Statistically proven to improve students’ vocabulary • Teaches the crucial vocabulary students need to analyse • Tailored to individual learners English fiction, non fiction, poetry and drama • Suitable for use in class or as homework • From common nouns to iambic pentameter, 102 • Can form part of blended learning strategy Terms uses interactive activities, literary examples, and • Time-saving and self-marking, giving students modelled analysis to help learners identify and evaluate instant feedback writing techniques. • Teaches aspirational, academic vocabulary through human-narrated fiction and non-fiction texts ranging Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde from The Vikings and Wacky Weather for younger children • A comprehensive, interactive revision tool that covers all to Malala and Kindertransport for older learners assessment objectives for English Literature GCSE • Spaced learning ensures long-term retention • Covers key excerpts, equipping students with the ability • Clear impact data emailed weekly, or available from your to understand tricky vocabulary and respond to the text, dashboard at any time scaffold their analysis of language, form, and structure, • Personalised knowledge organisers show words students and develop their understanding of context, characters, are learning and themes. • Free parent accounts to support home learning. The rest is history December 1984 Contents Staying Power: The History of Black People in Britain, by Peter Fryer, was published on 1 December 1984. This was a pioneering, landmark work – the first comprehensive account of Black British lives since the Roman occupation – and it had a transformative effect on a generation.

Features Regulars 19 Michael Rosen

26 31 Polly Donnison & Warwick Mansell

35 Ask the union

39 Reviews

40 Teacher’s pet & letters

47 Photo op & recipe

48 Crosswords & sudoku News Period 6 Testing times poverty Schools reopened but Government failed to protect affects millions staff or students. of girls and 8 Fair assessments 2021 Lessons have not been learned women. by the Department for Education. p26-29 9 No Child Left Behind 15 From free school meals to 26 Fighting period poverty ending the digital divide. Every month girls lose out on their education due to the cost 13 Black history of sanitary products – meet the NEU launches Black history women and girls changing this teaching pack. injustice (above). 15 Removing the stigma Standing with women suffering domestic violence. 15 Black Manifesto New podcast featuring the 17 Bigger picture voices of Black women from Bus stop gallery hosts Black around the world, inspiring Lives Matter UK artists. creativity, learning and unlearning (above). 38 Reading for pleasure Jon Biddle advocates for 22 UK Disability History Month readers’ rights. Richard Rieser (left) introduces the issues surrounding disabled 50 Final word 22 and at-risk members during Aim for inclusion by celebrating Covid-19. and harnessing differences.

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 5 News

NEU pressure puts ‘Schools moved mountains. The Government has not’ support staff on A GROUNDBREAKING virtual conference was held by the NEU “The Government test priority list in early October. More than 700 SUPPORT staff were belatedly delegates logged on, debated and had six months. included on the priority list for then voted on rule changes and three Covid-19 testing after the NEU motions, setting out the top priorities We said what was pressured the Government for failing for the union during the pandemic. to include them in September. needed and it When the Government released NEU president Robin Bevan, who chaired its testing priority list, the NEU the debate, said: “We remain mindful of the has failed.” welcomed the fact teachers were fifth tragedy that has been the pandemic, including on the list but complained support the premature loss of activists and friends – Paul Mcgarr, rep, staff were not included. lives brought to an end too soon. Tower Hamlets NEU NEU support staff executive member “All of us will be looking to build a better Tracy McGuire told Educate: education service out of this.” “The Government didn’t seem to The first motion, on keeping schools and ‘Test, track and trace is vital’ understand that schools can’t run colleges safe during Covid-19, condemned the NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted without support staff. It felt like a Government for failing to have a functioning said: “Schools moved mountains to get their kick in the teeth because our role is test, track and trace system in place. buildings ready for the full reopening in just as valid. Some of the pupils we September. They played their part. work with need specialist attention – such as help toileting, eating or “Government has not. Test, track and other needs – so there is no social trace was always going to be a vital part in distancing. There is a lot of facilitating the continued safe opening and anxiety over safety.” monitoring of schools and colleges.” A survey by the NEU showed 70 per After the NEU repeatedly pushed the Department for cent of members reported staff shortages in Education, it clarified its position, their school due to self-isolation or inability stating all educational and childcare 70% to access testing. Eleven per cent of leadership workers are to be classed as essential members described “significant” shortages. workers. Peter Morris, NEU national Paul Mcgarr, from Tower Hamlets, official for support staff, said: “The east London, said: “Our families have been union welcomes the Government’s betrayed. The Government had six months – albeit belated recognition that we said what was needed and it has failed. support staff also work in schools of members report It built Nightingale hospitals; why not and colleges.” staff shortages Nightingale schools? We need extra toilets Visit neu.org.uk/support-staff in their school and washing facilities. We need urgent testing for all students and staff.”

Covid map gives postcode-specific info

AN interactive Covid-19 map developed by any local restrictions in place. the NEU that allows users to check numbers Chris Dyson, head teacher at Parklands of cases by postcode has been celebrated as Primary School in Leeds, said: “The tool gives “excellent” by school leaders. the picture of your specific postcode area, Launched in October as part of the which means contingency plans can be put in NEU’s campaign to keep schools and colleges place in the event of a bubble bursting.” safe, the map presents accurate, accessible and Catherine Armistead, head at Skerton St up-to-date information about the Covid-19 Luke’s CE School, in Lancaster, said the map rate in the locality of every school in England. is “excellent” and very useful in understanding The map shows the number of Covid-19 the level of risk in the area: “It allows us to cases in a school’s surrounding area, the explain the measures we are putting in place trend in the previous week, whether or not in line with our risk assessment.” the school is on a watchlist and links to Visit schoolcovidmap.org.uk

6 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) NEU launches app for escalating concerns Members and reps now have an app to help them quickly escalate workplace safety and workload concerns: neu.org.uk/neu-escalation ‘Schools moved mountains. The Government has not’ Union calls for school closures

THE NEU called for schools and colleges to be closed during the four-week lockdown in England due to end on 2 December. Joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said it was clear from the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data that schools were an “engine for the virus”. Figures from the ONS at the beginning of November estimated that one per cent of primary pupils and two per cent of secondary pupils had the virus. The union’s own analysis of the data indicated that virus levels were then nine times higher among primary pupils and 50 times higher among secondary students. “Ignoring the role of schools and colleges in the spread of the virus is likely to lead to (Clockwise from top left) NEU president Robin Bevan, sign language interpreter Sam Riddle, and delegates the need for even longer lockdowns in future,” Alyson Dermody Palmer and Anne Swift at the NEU virtual conference Kevin said. The NEU said schools should remain open Conference called for: Winning in the Workplace to the children of key workers and vulnerable n test results “in minutes not days” children during such a general closure period. n Delegates voted to prioritise Winning in extra teaching resources to cover shortages It is also calling for rotas to be introduced in n the Workplace – from securing pay rises students to have access to laptops for home and ending performance-related pay, secondary schools at the end of lockdown. learning (see page 9) to reducing n detailed contingency plans for possible workload school closures. and stopping Delayed tests have The conference passed two other discrimination. consequences motions, on Winning in the Workplace All NEU reps will get a after Covid-19 (right) and building a Fair NORFOLK teacher Cat Eyles fell ill new issue of Education System (see page 8). during pregnancy on a Sunday in Organise in September and had to wait until the Closing the conference, Robin Bevan November following Friday for a (fortunately said: “This has been a very successful highlighting negative) test result. pioneering conference. We have learnt a lot some and will go from strength to strength in unity. empowering “I found it really stressful. I was We stand together in support of each other.” examples. still feeling unwell and it was really worrying. I started panicking, worrying about the baby,” Cat told Educate. Another teacher had to self-isolate for several days while she and her husband – also a teacher – waited for a test result as their daughter had suspected Covid-19. They estimated their absences would have cost their schools around £1,500. “Two teachers were off school, which impacts hugely on everyone,” she told Educate. “Schools will have to pay for cover but budgets are already stretched.” ILLUSTRATION by Tim Sanders

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 7 Assessment update

More Than A Score petition THE NEU supports the More Than A Score ‘Lessons not learned’ coalition calling for the cancellation of formal primary school testing in 2021. Sign at bit.ly/34jmowV After this year’s results #FairGrade2021 petition THE NEU believes the Government has fiasco we need failed in its duty of care towards our young people in its management of fairness for this year’s A-level and GCSE grading process. More than 61,000 people next year’s signed our petition – see page 11. students A fairer assessment system AT the NEU special conference in

October there was resounding support x for calls to campaign for a complete overhaul of the exam system. Proposing the motion – Building a #FairGrade2021 fair education system after Covid-19 – THE NEU is continuing its call for next She added: “If Government will not NEU executive member Alex Kenny said: summer’s GCSE and A-levels to be reconsider and change its mind quickly, “Gavin Williamson sticking his fingers made more fair after the Department members tell us that exams, even with greater in his ears and saying we will just have for Education (DfE) announced that optionality, are no longer tenable. In which exams at the end of the year won’t fix it.” the exams would still go ahead. case, the only route to fairness would be a Croydon delegate Nalini Amichund complete cancellation of exams and the use of said: “This Government must recognise One of the union’s key campaigns this winter robustly moderated, externally quality-assured the harm these tests are having on the is to keep pressure on the Government to teacher judgements.” health and wellbeing not only of our scrap primary school testing in 2021 and children, but of staff as well.” to plan slimmed down exams for GCSE The opposite of what primaries need She added: “No more undue stress and A-levels. The Government’s rush to restore its pre- at a time when we should be nurturing, At primary level the union is working Covid system of high-stakes assessment caring and building our children up.” with campaign group More Than A Score to and accountability in primary education is demand that assessment for primary children the exact opposite of what schools need, Uni bosses: ‘Cancel A-levels’ is dropped (see left). says the NEU. UNIVERSITY vice-chancellors have called And the NEU’s #FairGrade2021 (see left) Although it agreed to suspend the rollout for A-levels to be cancelled next summer. campaign has seen huge support, with more of Baseline tests for reception children earlier In a letter to The Times, Sir than 60,000 signatories on a petition calling this term, the DfE is pressing ahead with David Eastwood, of the University of on Government to prevent a repeat of this phonics screening checks and SATs for key Birmingham, and Sir Chris Husbands, summer’s GCSE and A-level grading fiasco. stages 1 and 2. from Sheffield Hallam University, wrote: But days after the NEU joined forces The union says the tests are unrealistic “[Students] need all the time for with other education organisations with and damaging after months of upheaval. learning they can possibly get.” proposals on how to make next year’s exams Mary Bousted said: “Even without The letter, supported by other as fair as possible, the DfE said the exams Covid, primary school SATs were an university figures, said teachers could would be delayed by three weeks but would inappropriate and inadequate measure of provide assessment grades enabling still go ahead. children’s progress. They should not be students to keep learning until July. Joint general secretary Mary Bousted taken in 2021 and the time spent on SATs described the decision as “a dereliction of preparation used instead to focus on learning Primary in NI and Wales duty”. She said students had been left in a through a broad and balanced curriculum.” IN Northern Ireland, where there are terrible position after missing five months of John Hayes, a London primary school no league tables, primary assessment in-school teaching, with many now isolating at head teacher, described the phonics check is teacher-based using national home as they wait for Covid test results. as “completely wrong”. He said children benchmarks as assessment criteria. The joint advice given by the NEU and returning in September had been out of The Welsh Government has agreed other education unions included offering school for many months and needed support, to introduce a new curriculum and pupils a greater choice of topics, enabling them care and nurturing. assessments from 2022. It is not yet clear to be tested “on what they have, not what they “This is a pass or fail test; that is the last what part external tests will play. have not, been taught”. thing our children need,” he said.

8 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Six million more meals: “It’s quite overwhelming” Marcus Rashford’s #ENDCHILDFOODPOVERTY campaign led to unprecedented levels of donations to food charity network FairShare. Tackling poverty and the digital divide

THE NEU has prioritised a campaign Included in the five policies is a call for against child poverty in light of free wi-fi access for disadvantaged pupils and “Less than a third Covid-19. a dedicated technology budget for schools. As the economic uncertainty of Covid-19 pushes of those eligible The No Child Left Behind campaign sets out more families below the poverty line, a digital five demands (see below) the Government divide has been exposed – between those have received must urgently deliver to make sure that every children with the resources to continue their child has access to food, clothes and the basic education online, and those without. 4G routers and tools to learn in order to prevent young people Prior to the pandemic, 4.2 million children in poverty falling behind. were living in poverty in the UK. This is set to laptops.” rise to almost five million by the end of the year. Expanded eligibility for free Sarah Kilpatrick is an art teacher in most disadvantaged children to help digital school meals for every child Gateshead. Despite providing online lessons learning. However, less than a third of those 1 on Universal Credit during lockdown, few of her students were eligible actually received the equipment. “The Free school meals able to engage. She told Educate: “I work in lies we were told about laptops is a scandal. We expanded year-round an enormously disadvantaged area. My year 11 haven’t received any,” says Sarah. 2 to end holiday hunger students, for example, are great kids but they’ve In October, joint NEU general secretaries, come back and none had done any of the work. Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, wrote to Affordable They just don’t have the stuff at home. the Prime Minister demanding urgent action. school “They are competing nationally against Support the No Child Left Behind campaign at 3 uniforms kids with their own computer, with their own neu.org.uk/campaigns/child-poverty bedroom with a desk, with parents able to buy Free wi-fi access for disadvantaged pupils them art supplies. The difference between what LEAVE at home my students can submit for their portfolio – NO CHILD 4 which is also now online – and what other BEHIND students with financial security at home can A dedicated technology Join our campaign now budget for schools to submit, is really stark.” 5 combat the digital divide The Government promised a scheme in April to deliver laptops and 4G routers to the

FOOTBALLER Marcus Rashford added his support to the NEU’s child poverty campaign, retweeting the union’s letter to the Education Secretary urging him to “leave no child behind” (see above). The 23-year-old campaigner said he had been overwhelmed by the response of local communities to provide support for vulnerable children during the half-term holiday in England. His petition (sign at petition.parliament. uk/petitions/554276/ ) calling on the Government to extend free schools meals provision in school holidays until next Easter has attracted more than a million signatures. “These children are the future of this country. They are not just another statistic. And for as long as they don’t have a voice, they will have mine,” Rashford said. He invited the Government to meet him and members of the child food poverty task force he launched to work together to combat child hunger. The Welsh Government has agreed to provide Marcus met members of the Evelyn Community Store in south London which offers low-cost, healthy groceries free school meals in holiday time until next to local families PHOTO by FareShare Easter, a decision welcomed by Rashford.

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OCC20-0003 CO_ EDUCATE MAGAZINE FULL PAGE AD.indd 1 15/10/2020 17:12 Opinion Educators ignored as exams fiasco rolls on

NEU joint general secretary Mary Bousted questions why the Government isn’t heeding the careful, informed advice of professionals.

GAVIN Williamson’s announcement that next year’s GCSE and A-level exams will have largely the same content as they did in 2019 despite students missing at least five months of in-school teaching was greeted with puzzled incomprehension and fury by teachers and leaders. Educational professionals know how unfair and unworkable the Government’s proposals are. Ministers talk about ‘levelling up’. The NEU #FairGrade2021 petition, signed by 61,216 people demanding fairness for students But they then require teachers to cram a taking GCSE and A-levels in 2021, was handed in to the DfE on 2 November by joint general full syllabus into hugely reduced in-school secretary Mary Bousted. She was joined by Sheffield teacher Rafia Hussain, who had organised teaching time – putting huge pressure on an a parallel petition on Parliament.uk that was debated in October. PHOTO by Kois Miah already highly stressed profession. GCSE and A-level students who have missed at least five months of in-school rather than what they hadn’t, been taught. So teaching are also highly anxious and do not “This leaves us, exam papers must include all the major topics believe they will be fairly treated. They are on the syllabus. And exams must be scalable – right to be concerned. after standing on able to cater for the whole ability range – GCSE students sit on average 30 exams. so that fewer exams are taken. I am sure we can all envisage what cramming the moral high The joint unions also recommended this number into a shorter period of time will that the requirements to support centre- do to their stress levels and to their mental ground, having to assessed grades were made clear now, to end and physical health. the uncertainty. And coursework should And Gavin Williamson has delayed, for move to a harder be stipulated by the exam boards so that two more months, any indication of what common assignments are more open to will happen if pupils can’t sit exams. He position.” robust moderation. is doing this under the guise of ‘further However, none of this careful, informed, consultation with the profession’. But this is the dark about what, if any, evidence they need professional advice given to Government not the real reason. to provide for centre-assessed grades. was heeded. Which leaves us now, after The real reason is a fear, particularly standing on the moral high ground giving the strong in Number 10 and the Department Joint union statement on exams Government very good advice, with no option for Education (DfE), that the exams they Of course, none of this needed to happen. but to move to a harder position. are so determined will take place will be At the beginning of October, the NEU In our press notice after the less likely to happen if contingencies are put its name to a statement on GCSE and announcement we said that the Government announced. The delay is evidence of a A-levels, along with fellow education unions needed to change course and take our advice conviction that the teaching profession – ASCL, NAHT, NASUWT and the National immediately. If it did not, our members were which works the most unpaid overtime – Governance Association (NGA). telling us that any delay meant that even is workshy and has low standards. The statement made clear proposals to scalable exams with greater optionality would So teachers and teaching assistants will Government. Crucially, it accepted that exams not be possible, and that centre-assessed continue to see their already excessive workload should go ahead if possible – but with some grades, moderated between centres against – which intensified during the Covid-19 major provisos. All unions agreed that pupils national benchmarks, would be the only pandemic – further increase as they are left in needed to be examined on what they had, option left.

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 11 News

Ofsted inspections in no Peacehaven faces new academy threat way helpful at this time OFSTED should stay away from schools and colleges unless safeguarding concerns are raised, the NEU has argued. “It is farcical to think that a day’s inspection is in any way helpful or supportive to schools and colleges in these extraordinary times,” the union said. “If Ofsted wants to be of any use at all it should send its qualified inspectors into schools to teach.”

Wales scraps PRP and accepts pay recommendations WELSH Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, has scrapped performance-related pay (PRP) progression and reintroduced progression based on experience via ANGRY staff and parents at an East Sussex closed, and filled in, the Peacehaven Heights the new five-point pay scale. school have relaunched their campaign to swimming pool (pictured above) over the This comes alongside her prevent it being turned into an academy. summer with no consultation. announcement that the Independent Last summer they celebrated when the In the latest twist, the chair of Peacehaven Welsh Pay Review Board’s seven governing bodies at Peacehaven Heights Heights IEB has resigned and the board has main recommendations for the and Telscombe Cliffs community schools in voted in favour of pursuing academisation. 2020 teachers’ pay award has been Peacehaven agreed that the schools should Phil Clarke, joint secretary for East accepted, including an 8.48 per cent remain under local authority control. Sussex NEU, said: “Having failed to pressure increase of new teachers’ starting salary But the campaign was revived this the previous community-based governing and a 3.75 per cent increase of the September after the governors were removed body into handing the school over, the mask has main pay scale. and an interim executive board (IEB) was put well and truly slipped, as the council confirms NEU Cymru had called for a seven in place by East Sussex County Council to that the whole process of imposing an unelected per cent increase across the board. run the schools. The board appointed a new governing body was about privatising the school.” Visit neu.org.uk/neu-cymru head teacher from a multi-academy trust and Follow @HandsOffPCS Campaigners win millions for supply teachers

GRASSROOTS activists have set up a website where he put information successfully campaigned for “I found myself clarifying the rules and people’s eligibility. payments of millions of pounds in Other people joined in the campaign, furlough funds for supply teachers. in March with supporting each other, as well as contacting MPs to bring up the matter in Parliament and More than 100 agencies and umbrella no income.” seek clarification of the scheme. companies were convinced to continue the “A lot of it was to make sure people had furlough scheme over the summer. Two he and many like him would be left with no information to take to agencies, arming as companies alone were persuaded to pay income once schools were closed. many people as possible with facts,” Tim said. £2-3 million to an estimated 6,000 supply A secondary school supply teacher since “At one point we were campaigning on teachers in August. September 2019, his long-term contract had issues that were affecting a million agency Niall Bradley, chair of the Supply been immediately cancelled. workers, not just teachers. Since April, an Teachers’ Network, said: “We wanted to “I found myself in a situation in March estimated £100 million has been secured for campaign to get as many people as possible with nothing,” Tim told Educate. furloughed supply teachers, with grassroots on to summer furlough. At the very beginning He set to work finding out what funding activism playing a significant role in this [of the pandemic] we knew we would fall was available and who was eligible under achievement.” Tim said he believes the outside any Government help.” the furlough scheme, soon realising the campaign helped furlough 50 per cent of Cue Tim Holden, an NEU member in complexity of the situation. supply teachers until the end of August. East Yorkshire, who realised in March that Tim helped people on Facebook and Visit neu.org.uk/supply

12 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Royal Institution’s online Christmas lecture series Tara Shine, Chris Jackson and Helen Czerski will present Planet Earth: A user’s guide. Visit rigb.org/whats-on NEU joins board of the Hamilton Commission

THE NEU has proudly joined Formula One (F1) driver Lewis Hamilton’s project to help break down barriers for Black people in motorsport.

The six-time F1 world champion and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) established the Hamilton Commission to identify the key barriers to the recruitment and progression of Black people in UK motorsport. Lewis is the only Black F1 driver and has long been outspoken on the sport’s lack of diversity. He explained: “Despite my success in the sport, the institutional barriers that have kept F1 highly exclusive persist. “It is not enough to point to me, or to a single new Black hire, as a meaningful example of progress. Thousands of people are employed across this industry and that group needs to be more representative of society.”

Understanding the challenges for schools The Hamilton Commission will be co-chaired by Lewis and RAE chief executive Dr Hayaatun Sillem, supported by a board of commissioners – experts representing motorsport, engineering and education. The NEU’s lead equality officer Karen Chouhan is one of the 14 commissioners. She told Educate: “I am so proud to be supporting Lewis in this. He reminds us that instead of being bystanders we should be upstanders. “The NEU’s role will be to help the commission understand the challenges for schools in ensuring race equality in access, experience and outcomes, particularly in STEM subjects. Inclusive education must mean so much more than the bland refrain of ‘we embrace diversity’.” Kevin Courtney, NEU joint general secretary, said: “No young person should have their life choices limited as a result of racism. The NEU has a proud history of campaigning for racial equality and we look forward to working with the commission to bring about change that is Lewis Hamilton takes the knee ahead of the Styrian Grand Prix in support of the Black Lives Matter movement PHOTO by Steve Etherington and Mercedes-AMG Petronas urgently needed in society.” The importance of Black history all year round

THE NEU is working to support members in culture and activism, as well as a section on arts and culture. incorporating Black history and national and global stories Visit neu.org.uk/black-history-month of Black culture and achievement into the curriculum – throughout the year, every year and for every age group. Virtual Black educators’ conference The union commissioned a Black History Month This November, the first ever online Black educators’ teaching pack (left) for key stage 3-4 and a series of ten conference, celebrating Black educational staff in Europe, podcasts (page 15) to bring Black voices, activism, history will be held from Thursday to Saturday, 19-21 November and culture into the classroom and beyond. (Thursday and Friday sessions are 5-7.30pm). The teaching pack – which can also be adapted for This is a policy-making conference, deciding the other age groups – provides lesson plans and resources union’s priorities, plus workshops and keynote speakers. designed for focussed learning around Black history, Visit neu.org.uk/BEC2020

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 13 notYou are al ne

National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247

NEU members experiencing domestic abuse can seek advice here: neu.org.uk/advice/domestic-violence-coronavirus

NEU1989 Domestic violence awareness AD for EDUCATE.indd 1 29/09/2020 14:49 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women On 25 November, share and tweet social media placards and pictures in support of victims and survivors. Use #NEURNotAlone and tag us @NEUnion ‘Remove the stigma of domestic abuse’ n ‘YOU are not alone’ is the NEU’s is significant. Heather McKenzie, chair of The NEU has held online webinars for message to women suffering the NEU women’s organising forum and women to discuss the rise in incidents during domestic abuse. executive member, said: “Women fear they the pandemic. n will be judged for having stayed in an abusive We are developing a model policy for Domestic abuse is a workplace issue and a relationship. They feel unsafe all the time. workplaces – talk to your NEU rep about trade union issue. It can have a devastating “Work is the one place they must be implementing it in your workplace. n impact on educators’ careers if employers are made to feel safe and supported. If we talk Use the poster opposite (download more not aware or are not supportive. about this issue, how commonplace it is and copies from neu.org.uk/advice/domestic- It is estimated that 40 per cent of women the impact it has, we open up a space for violence-coronavirus) and display in your have experienced domestic violence and that others to share their story and access help. school or college. n 75 per cent are targeted at work by their “We must remove the stigma.” Find out what support your employer abuser. Women are most likely to experience offers and share good practice – email domestic abuse at the hands of a male partner. What can the NEU do? [email protected] n n The likelihood of NEU members – who Districts have made donations to local Start the conversation in your workplace – are overwhelmingly female – needing support women’s charities struggling during lockdown. remove the stigma. News in brief Virtual eco summit see page 43 and download THE Youth Climate Summit teaching packs from 2020 runs from 9-13 worldafroday.com November. This virtual festival for individuals and ‘FB not appropriate’ schools around the UK TEACHERS at Portsmouth will feature more than 140 College refused to take part in climate emergency themed an open evening for parents discussions and activities. Visit hosted on Facebook, arguing transform-our-world.org/ that it is not a professional youth-climate-summit-2020 platform for the event. Managers decided on Afro hair equality the virtual event after staff THE NEU and four other raised health and safety education unions have concerns about plans to announced they will back organise a traditional face- World Afro Day. to-face open evening. Michelle De Leon, NEU rep and French World Afro Day founder, A-level teacher Simon told Educate: “This is an Cattermole said: “Given all the historic step forward – it’s so guidance we have had from important for the education the Department for Education sector to be on board around safeguarding and the Black Women Speak Out because this will mean that need to use proper platforms, children will have a better using Facebook was the BLACK Manifesto, the 10 Commandments: Black Women Speak experience at school. wrong thing to do.” Out, is a ten-part podcast series hosted by choreographer and “Black and mixed The college agreed to performer nora chipaumire and Pawlet Brookes, founder of arts raced pupils will feel more make it voluntary after pressure organisation Serendipity. accepted and they will have from the NEU and NASUWT. Black Manifesto brings together voices of Black women from n a chance to be their whole NEU post-16 national around the globe to address how to build a new world in which Black selves while learning. This official Norman Crowther women are seen and heard. will result in more confident has heard about a number Each guest will discuss one commandment from nora’s Black children and this must of workplace issues resulting Manifesto, offering their interpretations and insights. The podcast is a equate to better results.” from Covid-19. Visit neu.org. resource for inspiring creativity, learning and unlearning. n Find out more next issue, uk/further-education Released monthly and available for free from Spotify at spoti.fi/3dxQDmt

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 15 News

School Scandals, Government guidelines reveal: Blowing the Whistle on the Corruption of academy orders can be revoked our Education System, by Pat Thomson Policy Press 2020. £12.99

ENGLAND, writes Pat Thomson, has some of the finest teaching and learning anywhere. Yet it is also increasingly known for two other features – outright corruption and ‘corrupt practice’. The first is easy to identify: the contracts awarded by school managers to their relatives, the lavish bonuses available to some heads and CEOs. The second is more elusive. It is to be found in behaviour that works against the common good: the exclusion of ‘worthless’ students; the generous funding of projects which match the preferences of government, however weak their basis Campaigners protest against a disputed Ofsted report which led to an academy order for Moulsecoomb in educational knowledge. Primary School in Brighton last summer. More photos at bit.ly/37jbCsp PHOTO by Dave Jones

ACADEMY orders can be revoked if “A detailed and schools have improved their Ofsted “Imposing rating sufficiently and can show the sophisticated improvements are sustainable in the academy status long term. account of the is not the answer.” This information is tucked away in the latest English system.” Department for Education (DfE) guidelines Moulsecoomb Primary School near on academisation of schools “causing concern” Brighton was made the subject of an and outlines instances where orders can be academisation order in June 2019 following In this book, Pat Thomson is not revoked “in exceptional circumstances”. an Inadequate Ofsted rating, but inspectors out to compile a catalogue of bad Although the Secretary of State (SoS) have since said improvements are evident. apples but to explain the causes of has had the power to revoke orders since the Campaigners fighting the academisation the rot. She finds it in a decades-long 2010 Academies Act, this is the first time say the latest guidelines make it clear they process through which education that any rules have been set out officially in should be able to get the order revoked: has been reorganised as a market legal guidance. “If the school is allowed to concentrate on economy, whose units compete with The guidelines now state that orders can school improvement without the distraction each other for funding and status, and be revoked if a school, where an academisation of academy trusts sniffing around, we are whose output is evaluated primarily order was made because it was judged confident that we stand a good chance of in economic terms. The strength of Inadequate by Ofsted, has been re-inspected having our academy order revoked.” the book lies in its capacity to present and found to be Good or Outstanding. Parent campaigner Natasha Ide added: the scandals which dismay so many The guidance still gives the SoS “We will continue to work together and most educators in this wider perspective. considerable discretion, and a request must definitely have improved in all areas as the last Detailed and sophisticated in its come from the school’s governing body. Ofsted monitoring visit showed.” account of the workings of the English Schools previously judged Good or The NEU said: “This guidance reflects the system, Thomson’s book is also a Outstanding but rated Inadequate on pressure that has been brought to bear by schools passionate demand for an education safeguarding grounds may also have academy resisting academisation. Imposing academy differently motivated and differently orders revoked if the SoS considers the status is not the answer to school improvement. organised. Well worth reading. safeguarding concerns have been addressed We will continue to support schools that are Ken Jones, NEU lead policy specialist and will be sustained. being forced into academy status.”

16 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Bigger picture

A POP-UP art gallery on a bus stop in Acton High Street, west London, focuses on the Black British experience and Black Lives Matter movement. Curators Finlay Bourke (@finlayphotos), John Dinneen (@dinneenho) and Amy Higgins (@ymapeach) said the artists were “really fantastic and enthusiastic about the project”.

Follow the artists on Instagram: Raphael Dada @artbyadrafa Kourtney Paul @therageart Ebuka @ebuka_michael Zaina Mughal @zainabmughalarts Lauren Slevin @lslevinart Lee-Roy Zozo @leeroy.zozo May @yaymaymayillustrates Union people

Ivy Scott is an English as an additional language (EAL) consultant and an equalities officer for Ipswich and South Suffolk.

Healing the trauma caused by racism

What do you love about your job? to me, but equally important is that schools I love seeing my adult learners making provide training for teachers on racism and progress and engaging in their learning. As unconscious bias. an EAL consultant, I have the opportunity to Black History Month should be Black work with a range of teachers. I love sharing History Matters and be taught throughout strategies, inspiring learners and teaching the curriculum and all year. Schools need about Black history and culture. to provide opportunities to raise awareness, beginning with CPD for all staff. What do you love about being in the union? What do you do on your day off? I started the Black East London Educators Help my dad – whom I care for – on his Group with eight teachers, and we are now allotment, take long walks, spend time with well established with over 85 members. I love family and friends. I love reading, knitting planning, organising and chairing meetings. and listening to music. I’m now an equalities officer for Ipswich and South Suffolk. It’s wonderful being Tell us something that we don’t know. part of groups of educators who are actively I run Emotional Emancipation Circles supporting and developing each other. (EECs). These are evidence-informed, The NEU providing an online platform culturally grounded, self-help community for meetings for Black members has been support groups, designed to help heal the crucial to alleviating some of the stress caused trauma caused by racism. We share stories by the pandemic. Panther display for next year’s exhibition; and in a safe space and learn essential emotional meeting with staff at The Hold, a new archive wellness skills. What have you been up to lately? for Suffolk, to ensure its displays are reflective I’m also in the process of putting together I am actively involved in my local community: of the local community. a publication on Black Lives Matter and interviewing people as a Windrush researcher Covid-19, including poems, reflections and for an exhibition next year; supporting the What’s important to you right now? diary entries about the challenges in our lives. Ipswich Museum to decolonise its Black Decolonising the curriculum is important I aim to share our hopes, skills and dreams.

MBE for Covid volunteer Ashraf

NEU school rep Ashraf Uddin (left) September/October, page 17). has been awarded an MBE in the Ashraf told Educate: “It was a huge Queen’s birthday honours list for surprise and great honour. There are so many services to St John Ambulance during volunteers working on the frontline, and so the Covid-19 pandemic. many teachers who have looked after children. Hopefully this represents the work they do too.” Ashraf, a design and technology teacher Ashraf teaches his students first aid, at The Warren School in east London, awarding a badge and certificate for basic volunteered 550 hours during March and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). April, supporting staff in the coronavirus ward “I think it should be part of the national at Brentwood Hospital, Essex, responding to curriculum,” he adds. 999 calls and crewing frontline ambulances. Messages of congratulations have come He continued to work as a teacher in from colleagues, parents and students. One throughout, supporting vulnerable and key read: “I always knew you were awesome, now worker children on a school rota (see Educate the Queen does too.”

18 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Michael Rosen An opportunity Words by Michael Rosen Illustration by Dan Berry

As the Covid pandemic rages across the nation, perhaps now’s a good time to try imagination: we know that politicians have begun conversations on whether it would be right to delay examinations. But let’s imagine this could be a moment of unity: instead of being a problem, it could be an opportunity. A window has opened, it’s a time we could seize: and ask the question, why do we have GCSEs? Five years of education reduced to a few hours’ race to scribble as much as possible at a frightening pace. In fact, quite often it doesn’t matter how fast you go what they seem to be testing is what you don’t know. Now of course this suggestion often causes anxiety but what if we mixed examinations with more variety? School time research, course work that’s invigilated? Marking by teachers that’s rigorously moderated? Getting this to be debated always takes nerve it’s often resisted by lovers of the bell curve, the system that ranks according to a norm, but hey, isn’t now a good time to kick up a storm?

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 19 News NEU secures pensions in private sector

THE union’s fight to protect pensions of employer contributions rose from 16.4 per acknowledges that the coronavirus crisis has independent school teachers has scored cent to 23.6 per cent in September 2019. negatively impacted on independent school another victory, bringing the number of But the NEU, with other unions, finances, it is not a get-out-of-jail-free card to schools that have been persuaded to stay in has successfully challenged employer cut pay, pension and ramp up workload. the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) to 50. proposals to leave the TPS during “Employers need to nurture their best The chair of governors at Durham High consultations carried out at independent asset – their staff.” n School for Girls told staff in September that schools across the country. Recognition agreements have been secured the school will remain in the TPS for the next The financial impact of Covid-19 has by the NEU at six more independent schools two years, when it will review its position. made this fight harder. over the summer: Wellesley House, Ballard Some independent schools are arguing Independent sector national official School, Box Hill, Farnborough Hill, St Bede’s that they cannot afford the scheme after John Richardson said: “While the NEU School and Our Lady of Sion.

PUPILS from Pakefield Primary in Lowestoft celebrate the sixth annual Wear Red Day on 16 October with a school assembly about what racism is and how to stop it. Organised by anti-racism education charity Show Racism the Red Card, and supported by the NEU, Wear Red Day encourages schools to wear red and donate £1 to help fund anti-racism education. Visit theredcard.org

‘Confusing and alarming’ RHSE guidance Brutal killing of “INTENTIONALLY unhelpful” is how the political stances include ... a publicly stated French teacher NEU described controversial elements of new desire to abolish or overthrow democracy, guidance on implementing the relationships, capitalism, opposition to the right or THE NEU condemned the killing outside sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum freedoms of speech ... or organisations that his school of French teacher Samuel Paty on this academic year. promote victim narratives that are harmful 16 October. In a statement the union said: Some of the non-statutory guidance to British society.” “Teachers must have the right to carry out from the Department for Education (DfE) Emphasising that the DfE guidance is their daily work in safety. No one should has proved confusing and alarming to non-statutory (and therefore not mandatory), face threats or violence in the course of their educators and campaign groups. There are the NEU issued a statement of concern: working lives. Members of the NEU in the concerns the guidance could limit anti-racist “We will advise members that ‘promoting UK are deeply shocked by this brutal killing. teaching, negatively affecting educators’ ability divisive or victim narratives’ is an intentionally “Teaching about our human rights and to use material from organisations such as unhelpful way for the DfE to characterise inspiring students to play a positive role in Black Lives Matter, as well as climate change campaigns that advance participation society is part of the vital work that teachers groups such as Extinction Rebellion. and human rights, that highlight existing across the world carry out diligently every day.” Part of the DfE guidance states: discrimination, or that encourage young The joint general secretaries sent letters “Schools should not use resources produced people to discuss the barriers they face in of condolence and solidarity to the NEU’s by organisations that take extreme political their daily lives.” sister union in France, the SNES-FSU, and stances on matters. Examples of extreme Visit neu.org.uk/RSHE-guidance to the French Education Minister.

20 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Pupils at a primary school in Dorset have made a string of eco achievements as they have led their community towards a greener future. Teacher Edd Moore describes some of their many successes.

WHEN I first joined Damers First School in Dorchester eight years ago, there wasn’t a huge level of environmental awareness.

The children did not know about recycling or how to look after their environment, and just thought their food came from the supermarket. I saw great potential to embed the Eco- Schools programme across the school. This is the largest educational programme in the world, engaging some 19.5 million children in 67 countries, with 20,000 schools in England now signed up. Every class has an eco ambassador and makes a termly pledge to help animals, people or the environment, giving every child the opportunity to have a voice and speak about the environmental issues they believe in. Year 3 teacher Edd Moore with pupils learning to grow their own vegetables at Damers First School Pledges have included encouraging the community to feed the birds, making like to see. They are very determined, and Charles, wildlife campaigner Dr Jane Goodall, Dorchester litter-free and asking other schools don’t take no for an answer. The skills they are have twice been interviewed on BBC’s to be involved, and persuading businesses to developing are skills they will need as adults. Newsround, and are now part of Dorset reduce single-use plastic. Council’s climate change panel. The children have been active in getting ‘How we would all like the world to be’ Pupils have learned about growing the local community to recycle – helping the Their initiatives have seen many achievements vegetables and fruit and have taken this environment and raising £1,500 towards a bird by the school, which won the Roots and knowledge home to their parents – or even hide and wildlife area. The school’s recycling Shoots Educational Environmental Institution taken on an allotment themselves. centre has been so successful that volunteers of the Year award and Eco-Schools Primary The children are fantastic ambassadors for come and help sort items to be recycled. School of the Year 2019. Damers also became how we would all like the world to be. I would Damers children are enthusiastic a Plastic Free Schools Champion in 2019 and like sustainability to be compulsory in schools; about the project: some have given up their inspired the neighbourhood to secure Plastic for me, children learning about the environment weekends to lobby local businesses on Free Community status. is as important as literacy and numeracy. n environmental issues, and others have asked The children won four awards at the Edd has been shortlisted in the Environment for litter pickers for Christmas… Young Enterprise Fiver Challenge 2018 with Champion of the Year category of the 2020 Tes The Eco-Schools programme has had their product Waxtastic No Plastic, a waxed School awards. a huge impact on pupils’ learning. They have cotton alternative to plastic gained confidence and believe what they cling film. They sold the Edd’s top eco tips are doing will make a real difference to the product at local events, raising society they live in. They have the passion and £4,500 which financed a Find a staff leader with the enthusiasm, confidence to stand up in front of a room full of school nature area. drive and initiative to take the group forward. people and talk about the changes they would They have met Prince Create a passionate group of eco warriors. Make an audit of the school’s environmental work, celebrate what you do and improve other areas. ‘They don’t Make an action plan to work towards. Sign up for Eco-Schools at eco-schools.org.uk take no for Involve staff, parents and the local community. Embed environmental work into the curriculum. Take part in national campaigns such as an answer’ Keep Britain Tidy’s Great British Spring Clean. InterviewFeature

NOVEMBER is UK Disability History Month (UKDHM), so we’re shining a spotlight on some issues surrounding disabled members and students during the pandemic.

First, UKDHM founder Richard Rieser (pictured left at a UN Stand Up to Racism march) introduces this year’s theme – access – with some historical background. On pages 23 and 24, we talk to NEU executive officers Colleen Johnson, Louise Regan and Nicky Downes about the union’s guidance for disabled members and the current challenges for at-risk members during the coronavirus crisis. While on page 25, special needs teacher and dyslexia specialist Jane Parker suggests a multisensory approach to create dyslexia- friendly learning environments. Our Final word on page 50 is written by Diversity and Ability’s chief executive Atif Choudhury, who outlines a social model approach to understanding educational barriers; and read about the International Day of People with Disabilities on page 37. PHOTO by Kois Miah ‘Accessible to every sin gle disabled person’

“We need to make every single Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008. of mainly higher income countries. More thing accessible to every single There had been national laws, building codes recently, people with learning difficulties have disabled person.” and standards partially acknowledging the fought for access to ordinary education. need for access in the previous 120 years. Members of Direct Action Network These were Stevie Wonder’s words at the All of these were fought for by disabled (DAN) chained themselves to buses in 1995, 2016 Grammy music awards when he joked people, their organisations and some non- which led to more accessible transport in that he was the only person in the hall able to disabled-led charities. People with sensory London – visit bit.ly/3lg1Smq read the name of the Song of the Year winner, impairments were in the vanguard, arguing written in Braille on the golden envelope. for the teaching and use of Braille and sign Breaking down barriers But for the 11th UK Disability History language, gaining concessions in a minority Disabled people were seen as a problem to Month, starting in November, the question of be made normal, a ‘medical model’ approach. access remains a serious issue. Now the barriers faced by disabled people with a multitude of impairments need Participation on an equal level resolving. This is the ‘social model human Disabled people have a fundamental human rights’ approach. right to gain access and participation on Accessibility is at the core and ICT has an equal level with others, regardless of our become much better at incorporating access impairments. However, for many years disabled and principles of universal design. people struggled to adapt to society’s lived In all subjects and at all levels, pupils physical and information environment. can study the struggles, the barriers and the The first International Human Rights solutions. They can map their school Treaty to explicitly include accessibility as Protests by members of the Direct Action Network in or local area and its public transport, to a principle was the UN Convention on the 1995 led to London buses becoming accessible identify barriers. They can work with teachers

22 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Feature Self-ID is first step to asking for appropriate adjustments

WITH the threat of coronavirus initially, but they can start by self-identifying hanging over them, teachers and “We believe to us, their union. Hopefully soon they’ll feel support staff are being urged more confident to identify to their employer to push for every possible measure barriers, attitudes and then ask for the appropriate adjustments to help ensure their health, safety at work.” and wellbeing. and inflexibility Regular online meetings during Covid The NEU believes that, while it is important in society hold During the Covid pandemic Colleen, along to keep schools open wherever possible for the with national executive member Nicky sake of pupils’ education and mental health, us back.” Downes and Louise Regan, ex-president educators must also put their own health at and officer for membership and equality, has the forefront of their priorities. Colleen Johnson been hosting regular online meetings to give The union prefers to use the phrase ‘at members the chance to air their concerns, ask increased risk’ rather than the Government’s questions and seek advice. labels of clinically vulnerable and clinically due to long-term medical health conditions Called national informal drop-in extremely vulnerable (CV and CEV), but self-identify as disabled members so that they meetings for disabled/at-risk members, either way, there are many school staff who fall benefit from being part of a strong, organised she says they are held to reinforce the into these categories. equality group within the union. NEU’s advice in a way that “In the NEU we believe in the social can be used in real-life Self-identity with your union model of disability. This means that barriers, situations. Self-identify Colleen Johnson, national executive seat attitudes and inflexibility in society hold us continued on with the union: holder for disabled members, says it is crucial back,” she adds. “Many people do not feel visit myneu.org. that people who feel they are at increased risk confident enough to inform their employer pages 24 & 25 uk and click on the equality ‘Accessible to every sin gle disabled person’ bar

ask: How far have we come? How far have we got to go? It launches online on the evening of Wednesday, 18 November, running until Friday, 18 December. Activities include developing and sharing a wide range of resources to: n understand the importance of the struggles of disabled people for access n Much modern ICT, such as this Braille computer, has understand the human rights principle of incorporated accessibility into its design access for disabled people n apply universal design to environmental, on lesson objectives and plans to find communication, educational, occupational and what needs to change so all have access organisational issues to minimise barriers to and can benefit. disabled people and maximise Shops, offices, workshops and factories our participation. can be visited online or in person to identify There are many assembly, lesson and barriers and solutions. Pupils can then start project ideas for different age groups as well local campaigns to rectify injustices they find. as background and events information on the UK Disability History Month website Resources for pupils of all age groups Pupils at Lister Community School in Newham, at ukdhm.org east London, chat in sign language. The school is Access is the theme of this year’s UK Richard Rieser, general secretary of the the resourced provider for secondary aged deaf and Disability History Month when organisers Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum partially hearing students in the borough

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 23 Feature

“We should collectivise on the issue of Covid, across the whole school and with other unions.”

Nicky Downes (Above left) Nicky Downes. (Above) Colleen Johnson and Louise Regan PHOTOS by Kois Miah

continued from page 23 Another of the drop-in Zoom meetings topic concerned at-risk educators being Health issues raised in online meetings discussed ‘collectivisation’ and the importance told to wear different coloured lanyards in relation to Covid-19 have included older of being active by regularly attending district from other staff, something they agreed was age and high blood pressure, as well as specific and branch general meetings to raise issues totally inappropriate. health conditions such as brittle asthma, relating to at-risk members. In the first instance, contact your branch rheumatoid arthritis and cystic fibrosis. Nicky Downes, who is also district or district secretary to raise any of the issues The union stresses the importance of secretary for Coventry, told the meeting: “We in this article. members getting individualised risk assessments should collectivise in schools on this issue The union website also has a host of that are regularly updated, something that is [of Covid], across the whole school and with advice for at-risk members, including those particularly important in areas where there is a other unions as well. If you are in a school who are pregnant. high incidence of the disease. group and you feel there are those at risk, we “Basically, what we are striving for is to Louise Regan told a recent meeting: can escalate that.” keep people as safe as possible,” Colleen says. “There are CV members who want to be back “A lot of our at-risk members wanted to at work. We need all these members ‘These are people’s lives; it isn’t a game’ get back to work but it’s a very mixed picture, to have good risk assessments that are Louise added: “Any concerns should be it’s a balancing act.” updated regularly.” escalated through districts and branches, to Referral to their relevant occupational regions and even to us if necessary. We have to health team is also regarded as an important make sure we stay strong as union groups and We’re here to help part of keeping members safe. keep supporting each other. Don’t feel that you n Using the Government’s terminology, the haven’t got backing – that’s why we’re here. neu.org.uk/coronavirus-at-risk union believes that anyone who is CEV should “These are people’s lives, this isn’t a game n neu.org.uk/coronavirus- be working from home, without question, and we have to take it very seriously.” pregnancy-maternity-and-childcare while those who are CV can be in school but She, Nicky and Colleen discuss any n working with ‘mitigating measures’ such as issues raised with them so they can offer myneu.org.uk masks and two-metre social distancing. the best advice to members. One recent

24 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Feature Jane Parker has been a class teacher, SEN co-ordinator and a dyslexia specialist teacher for a number of years. Here she describes how multisensory teaching could help with the challenges that lie ahead.

LOCKDOWN has number of pupils who have mental schools are leading the way on innovative been a frustrating health issues and behavioural difficulties. use of musical instruments, plastic bricks and time for pupils, As pupils start to return to school, it is other sensory resources. parents and more important than ever to get specialist Research shows multisensory teachers, leaving teaching interventions. interventions are extremely valuable as they many on the brink enable pupils to learn through as many senses of an educational What are the markers of dyslexia? as possible, helping to develop neural pathways crisis. Markers of dyslexia, for the purpose of early within the brain. identification and individualised intervention, The value of multisensory approaches Educational experiences during lockdown have include difficulties with phonological has been reinforced through studies over varied in amount, structure and quality. The awareness, problems with memory, low self- many years. Montessori schools have been challenge now will be to support all pupils in esteem and co-occurring difficulties. employing a multisensory strategy for more returning to effective learning, especially those Pupils who have a specific learning than a hundred years. The key is flexibility, who have special educational needs (SEN) and difficulty such as dyslexia often have other while using a child’s preferred learning specific learning needs. co-occurring difficulties. They may have style to build on their strengths so they can In 2019, prior to coronavirus, the difficulty with maintaining attention, motor learn more quickly. Pupils with dyslexia, for British Dyslexia Association noted that there co-ordination or dysgraphia (writing skills). example, may display strengths in problem appeared to be little in the way of specialist They therefore require multisensory ‘hands on’ solving and design, creative, interactive and teaching interventions available in schools due physical activities, sufficient breaks and lots of oral skills. to a lack of resources and tight budgets. praise, especially during writing activities. An obvious long-term answer lies in It also noted that the absence of early This will be challenging for schools training more specialist teachers to provide identification and adequate intervention in because use of physical resources is limited support for learners and carry out diagnostic schools was causing a correlating rise in the under Government guidance. Many special assessments within schools. Join our drop-in online meetings and have your say

LONG Covid, the protection of professionals such as nurses in schools to help pregnant women and the need for “… School nurses diagnose the virus and take the pressure off school nurses were among topics educators who were not medically trained, raised at the 23 September national to help diagnose Harry asked? informal drop-in meeting for Marcela, who is 22 weeks pregnant, was disabled/at-risk members. the virus and take concerned about staff absences, due to illness and self-isolation, causing several cover staff to The online meetings give people the chance to the pressure off be called in. “Where do I stand? I don’t feel like air their concerns, share experiences and seek I’m in a secure safe place any more,” she said. advice from the panel members and others educators.” Kate said she took more than four months taking part. to recover from the virus, suffering from severe There was a general consensus that some Harry fatigue, constant muscle ache and a kind of head teachers were being wrongly advised that ‘brain fog’. “There is a recognised condition of pregnant staff could be in school after 28 weeks, two positive cases of coronavirus in her school, long-haul Covid now. We’re going to have even and that teaching assistants should not be sitting she would like the option to work from home more long-term disabled members,” she said. with sick children who were waiting to go home and asked how she should go about it. while showing possible Covid symptoms. Peter asked if the union was pushing for To join one of the drop-in Several callers described how they would the reinstatement of shielding and stringent meetings, check with your prefer to be working from home because of social distancing as the number of cases health issues but they either did not know continued to rise. “In my school there has school rep, a member of the how to raise it with their heads or they had been a dominant group-think of ‘let’s just get disabled members’ organising been refused permission. on with this’,” he said, with many staff not forum or visit the Disabled Sarah, a 65-year-old asthmatic with an wearing PPE in communal areas. Network Facebook page. older, at-risk husband, said as there had been Could the union suggest having health

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 25 InterviewFeature

PERIOD poverty affects millions increase. And those are the ones we know of girls and women in the UK and about,” says Linda. across the world. One in ten girls in More than four million children in the the UK are unable to afford period UK are currently living in poverty – a figure Dignity, safety products, instead using rags, socks, estimated to rise to five million by the end toilet paper or newspaper, or just of this year. And it’s not just young people: missing school altogether. 5.2 million women are currently living in poverty in the UK (compared with 4.7 In fact, in 2018 a survey by the sanitary million men). Menstruation is a biological and equality products brand, Always, found that 137,000 process that women and girls can’t control, children in the UK missed school that year but period products are expensive and for because they couldn’t afford period products. many families, Linda says, “it’s a choice Linda Allbutt is the founder of between buying food and buying period This January, in a bid to combat period poverty, Period Power, an organisation providing and hygiene products”. free sanitary and other hygiene products the Government finally made sanitary products to schools and charities in Staffordshire: Period dignity “Once a month, girls are excluding The continuing stigma around periods and available for free to all schools in England. themselves from school and their education. female health adds an additional barrier. We’re losing massive potential because they Plan International found that 48 per cent However, according to recent figures, only 40 per can’t afford basic necessities.” of girls are embarrassed by their period. And the situation has only got worse Gigi Ermoyenous is a 16-year-old cent of schools have signed up to the scheme. since March this year. According to campaigner against period poverty. “When Plan International UK, three in ten girls I first started talking about it in school the have struggled to afford or access period boys would freak out, go bright red and products during the lockdown and, with leave the room and a lot of girls are just too Words by a scarcity of toilet roll in shops and most embarrassed,” she says. Emily Jenkins schools and youth centres closed, many do Gigi convinced her school to set up not know where to turn. Dignity Boxes – baskets of period products “We’ve seen a huge increase in in every bathroom so girls could have free demands for help this year, a tenfold access to sanitary provision. “It’s the dignity side of it because it’s not just about being able to get them in school discreetly, it’s also being able to have enough to take home for the weekend.” Gigi’s mum Jenny – who is also a campaigner and joint general secretary of Sandwell NEU – agrees: “The whole way periods are handled is yet another aspect of women being taught to be embarrassed about their bodies. Roughly half of society has periods but if you start mentioning it everyone gets embarrassed. If men had periods, the products would be free.” PHOTO Freedom4Girls PHOTO

Educators often to the rescue “This is yet Jenny also explains that it is usually educators who have borne the cost of another aspect period products in schools. “Many educators I know purchase of women being extra period products to carry around with them, in case their students need them. It’s taught to be just an additional cost on teachers – and some of them are financially struggling embarrassed themselves,” she says. Reusable products, such as menstrual about their cups, can help those who can’t afford to buy disposable tampons and sanitary products bodies.” as they can be used over and over. However,

26 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Feature

as they need to be cleaned to be reused, it (44 per cent) felt unprepared and requires regular access to good sanitation and didn’t know what to expect when their clean water: something that many below the period started. Dignity, safety poverty line struggle to access. “The NEU continues to lead and At the age of 14, Gigi made a speech campaign for all members in schools and in Parliament against the Tampon Tax – colleges to have input, access and training the five per cent VAT that is applied to in menstrual health and other areas of the all tampons, sanitary pads and menstrual RSHE curriculum. and equality cups because they are categorised as ‘non- “We seek clearer advice, based on essential, luxury goods’. best practice, from Government. All “It’s the sexist inequality of it. Plus you students should learn about periods – to can get free condoms, and in hospital men help build understanding and address This January, in a bid to combat period poverty, are given free razors and shaving foam, but stigma,” says Heather. until last year women in hospital weren’t Gigi describes her own experience the Government finally made sanitary products being given free period products,” Gigi says. of sex education in school as less than It was only this March, after 20 years adequate. “The first thing that annoyed me available for free to all schools in England. of campaigning by multiple women’s was the fact that they separated the girls organisations and charities, that it was and boys and showed us different videos However, according to recent figures, only 40 per announced that as of 1 January 2021, the five and different things in different rooms. per cent VAT will be scrapped. Organisations Boys need to know about this as well.” cent of schools have signed up to the scheme. and charities have welcomed the change, but Gigi feels strongly that the way periods there’s still anger that it has taken so long. are discussed fails to prepare young women for what they are about to experience: “You Menstruation and the curriculum see this sanitised version of everything – The Government appears to be belatedly like the adverts on TV not using red liquid recognising some aspects of the but blue. importance of female health. In September continued on page 29 menstruation was finally included on the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum. The guidance sets out that all pupils in primary school will learn about menstrual wellbeing and that menstruation should be covered, as much as possible, before onset. However, the guidance isn’t completely clear, as Sally Thomas, NEU policy specialist for gender equality and child mental health, explains: “The guidance doesn’t give schools advice on when topics should be taught, or at what key stage, only that they should be covered by the end of primary or the end of secondary school.” Heather McKenzie, chair of the NEU women’s organising forum, adds: “The NEU guidance sets the minimum PHOTO Hey Girls Hey PHOTO expectation of what needs to be taught. It clarifies what should be covered in each key stage for all students and recognises that all “In 2021, the 5% girls need to be fully supported in primary schools, as some will start their periods well VAT on sanitary before going to secondary.” products – until A frightening time without education Girls can start their period as young as now categorised eight years old and it can be a frightening thing to go through if you don’t know what as ‘luxury goods’ – is happening. According to a 2017 survey PHOTO Hey Girls by betty education, nearly half of girls will be scrapped.”

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 27 Oxford Cambridge and RSA

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28 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Feature continued from page 27 provided doesn’t seem worth it. “We’re having “And when adults do talk about it, they to provide more to schools to cover the make it seem dainty and just a little bother, and shortfall,” Linda explains. you just need to put in a pad and it goes away; The stigma around periods also means and it’s really annoying because it’s not like that.” that many schools aren’t aware that some of their pupils – and even staff – may be Not being allowed to go to the toilet struggling to afford products. “At first my An additional barrier for girls is school school didn’t really believe me when I said policies that don’t allow pupils to leave the there was a need. But I persuaded them there classroom to go to the toilet. was and now they’re quite embarrassed they Plan International found that almost 70 didn’t realise it was a problem,” says Gigi. per cent of girls in the UK aren’t allowed to use Despite the many issues around the the toilet during lesson time, resulting in almost scheme, campaigners are urging schools two thirds saying they’ve been worried about and colleges to sign up as soon as possible. leaking in class when they have their period. The Government has suggested that the And 16 per cent have decided to miss school scheme is demand-led and spending will be because they were worried teachers wouldn’t reconsidered if there is not enough uptake. allow them to use the toilet. As Sally Thomas explains: “No pupil “A friend of mine asked to go to the should miss out on education because they “I persuaded toilet and the teacher said yes, but then he can’t afford these essential products. We want asked her why she was taking her bag with all schools to take advantage of the scheme my school there her. She had to explain in front of the whole and urge the Government to do more to raise class she was on her period,” says Gigi. awareness in the sector. This scheme is more was a need and important than ever given the economic Sign up to Government scheme consequences of Covid-19 that will have now they’re quite The Government’s decision to catch up with pushed many more families into poverty.” n Scotland and Wales – both already provide free For more information and to register your embarrassed they period products in schools – is a welcome one. school for the Government’s free sanitary However, 60 per cent of schools and colleges products scheme visit bit.ly/33H1ozM didn’t realise it was n are yet to sign up. Covid-19, of course, has To help teachers, parents and students been a factor in the lack of school uptake. But encourage schools to sign up, Free Periods and a problem.” it also seems that many teachers aren’t aware The Red Box Project are providing a toolkit of that the scheme exists. For those who do try to practical resources at freeperiods.org Gigi Ermoyenous (above) access the scheme, the complicated registration process means many schools fail to complete it. “I’ve spoken to a couple of teachers and the application is so onerous that they’re worried whether it’s worth it. It’s so betty education Bloody Good Freedom4Girls Hey Girls infuriating that schools have to fill out yet PSHE accredited Period Free UK charity Eco-friendly more paperwork to receive something so free lessons for period products campaigning Buy One Give important,” says Jenny. ages 8-12, which for those who against period One menstrual According to the Government, the encourage open can’t afford them poverty. freedom4 products, as well allocation is based on 35 per cent of pupils and respectful and menstrual girls.co.uk as education in a school who are likely to need period conversations education for resources including about periods. products; however, for many primary schools, those less likely to Period Poverty information on the eventual amount of period products bettyeducation. access it. bloody Fighting UK talking about com goodperiod.com period poverty periods for boys NEU and providing and fathers. The NEU The Hygiene Period Power period products to heygirls.co.uk resources endorses Agenda Bank Hygiene Staffordshire shelters, refugees, and personal care charity supplying as an online unemployed, Plan International tool to support products for those period products to The NEU has and women in Global children’s guidance on young people’s who need them. vulnerable women low-income charity. the new RSHE mental health thehygienebank. and girls. period employment. curriculum at and wellbeing plan-uk.org com power.co.uk periodpoverty.uk neu.org.uk/ and help develop relationships- needs-led RSHE and-sex- neu.org.uk/ education agenda 29 PHOTO Freedom4Girls PHOTO

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 29 For the education professional Tes magazine delivers the latest education thinking, reflects current teaching discussions and provides a space for the sharing of best practice. With a subscription to Tes magazine, you gain access to online articles, our audio editions and back issues with a catalogue of CPD content. Enjoy whenever you want, wherever you are. Go to: tes.com/educate

EDUCATE_AD_20/21v2.indd 1 07/08/2020 14:15 Opinion

Cartoon by Polly Donnison Whatever Nick Gibb wants, Nick Gibb gets…

Warwick Mansell through which two groups of academy trusts – without the debate that follows, for example, is a freelance will be funded to provide training to other when the national curriculum is changed. education journalist school leaders, on what it calls an Exemplary In this arena, claims can be made without and founder/writer of Leadership Programme. transparency. A presentation to potential educationuncovered. In return for up to £250,000 a year, bidders for this “exemplary leadership” cash, for co.uk the trusts will deliver training which will be example, once again stated that programmes “grounded in a knowledge-rich curriculum, must include a “knowledge-rich curriculum”, high expectations for all pupils, direct “direct instruction” and “strong behaviour instruction and strong behaviour management”. management”. This is simply because, the “TEACHERS… are the professionals best While few would quibble with “high presentation stated, “schools with high placed to decide how and what is taught in expectations”, all three other aspects quoted behavioural and academic standards, supported schools.” So wrote Nick Gibb – the relentlessly above are subject to intense professional debate by strong systems and a culture of support and traditionalist-minded schools minister who – and promoted enthusiastically by Gibb. challenge, are best for teachers and pupils”. No has been at the helm of our education system In that 2015 blog, for example, Gibb supporting evidence is provided. throughout most of the past ten years – in a wrote that “for decades”, English education This just seems a case of “this is what the blog post in 2015. had been characterised by “student control over minister wants” – no official scrutiny, challenge Yet there has been a constant tension learning” – the opposite of “direct instruction” or oversight. between what ministers say is their preference by the teacher – and this “had been disastrously The word “exemplary” has also annoyed for promoting autonomy within teaching and partnered with a curriculum seemingly devoid quite a few teachers, especially given that one of the reality. Politicians – seemingly led by Gibb, of all knowledge and content”. Gibb also backs the chains favoured for this cash operates, my who has been a key ideological presence at “no excuses” behaviour policies. analysis of DfE data suggests, a school which in the Department for Education (DfE) since Sceptics might ask what the problem is 2018-19 permanently excluded more children Michael Gove was sacked in 2014 – appear with ministers using public money to promote in a single year (eight) than any other on record. happy to let professionals get on with it… so their own ideas, which may indeed be backed As ever with the DfE, the political long as they follow ministerial preferences. by parts of the profession, and which research preferences of those in charge are not exactly The latest case of the DfE using its power may support. The counter-argument is that this difficult to discern. If not quite a case of “direct to try to manoeuvre the profession in its influence over the detail of what happens in instruction” to schools from Mr Gibb, this favoured direction was the award of a contract schools is being conducted away from scrutiny seems not far from it.

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 31 inspiring imaginations VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS for schools Find out more about our virtual workshops and book online at liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/schools #museumeducation

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32 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) A class act Writing from the heart

Tobias Hayden (pictured at conference) little sister to stop disturbing one child’s sleep is a year 4 teacher and writing coach “If I never wrote, stand out. It also had a noticeable impact on at a primary school in Barking and the children’s understanding that writing for Dagenham, east London. Max Watson life would be a bit a real audience, and from the heart, can make finds out what makes him a class act. a contribution to the world around them – no boring. Having matter how small.” TOBIAS is passionate about what he He also introduced personal project describes as a “transformational approach” loads of thoughts books. “I’ve discovered more about the to engage pupils in writing for pleasure. children in my class through their writing “Year after year I was becoming but never being in just a few weeks than I had learned about increasingly weary of the approaches being some in an entire year. As the year develops, promoted in primary schools, which did not able to show them.” the children begin to embrace a writerly speak to my desire to develop children as Year 4 pupil existence, and these books inhabit their homes writers, or find a way to give them a voice,” just as much as their school desks.” he tells Educate. That changed a couple of years ago when and their Writing for Pleasure manifesto Unleashed from a straitjacket approach he discovered the work of Young and Ferguson (writing4pleasure.com). He also took part Pupils respond well, showing “a significant in the University of Sussex’s research project, increase in motivation, ownership, What is it ‘Writing for Pleasure’ teachers do independence, confidence, writer-identity, that makes the difference? (Young 2019). enjoyment and satisfaction”. “I had struggled in class with all the Tobias explains: “Unleashed from a hitherto existing writing pedagogies, but straitjacketed approach, the children are able it quickly became clear this was a truly to take an idea that they truly care about transformational approach.” and see it through to publication. It’s this combination of emotional connection and Phenomenal variety of ideas wanting their writing to do well that results Tobias introduced the approach into his in children producing texts that are both teaching through persuasive letter writing. compositionally and transcriptionally of the “The variety of ideas was phenomenal,” he highest standard.” says. “A plea to the council to abandon a Don’t just take his word for it. One year new parking scheme and an appeal to a 4 child said: “We don’t have to write what the teacher says. It’s actually better if you choose, because you know what you’re going Do you know a to write about.” class act? Another agrees: “If I never wrote, life If you know someone would be a bit boring. Having loads of who is a class act, thoughts but never being able to show them...” send their details During lockdown, Tobias encouraged his to educate@ class to continue writing. neu.org.uk “One girl wrote a breathtaking eulogy to her father, which would never have happened had she not been given the agency to choose her own writing topic. It had the added benefit of promoting talk and shared composition among her family. Writing for Pleasure is a community approach in every sense.” Tobias is a fervent advocate for the wider adoption of a Writing for Pleasure pedagogy. “It would contribute greatly to the restoration of the primacy of human relationships to the teaching process, repelling the feelings of alienation engendered by ‘off the shelf ’ writing schemes.” @TobiasHayden

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 33 News

Wellbeing Hut for parents and OSIME Brown pupils to learn together (pictured left) THE community at St John the Baptist is a profoundly Primary School in Stockton-on-Tees had autistic, 22-year-old a particularly good reason to celebrate Black man facing World Mental Health Day in October with deportation to the opening of a new Wellbeing Hut. Jamaica, a country Thanks to a £4,500 grant from the he hasn’t seen since Healthy Pupils Capital Fund, the school in he was aged four. County Durham was able to buy the hut, The threat of put it up in the school garden and deck deportation follows it out as a bright and welcoming space. his imprisonment The school already runs a lot of for robbery, which family classes and family-led learning, he denies and with parents and carers invited to learn his lawyers are alongside their children. challenging because Vicki Dixon, special educational it was based on needs co-ordinator (SENCo), said: “A lot the use of the of the children struggle emotionally; we controversial joint are in an area of high deprivation and enterprise law. we have above the national average of More than 300,000 children with additional needs. people have signed “The hut gives us more space and his petition and it is less intimidating than walking into 45 MPs signed an a classroom.” early day motion. n World Mental Health Day – dubbed freeosimebrown.com Hello Yellow Day – was on 9 October. #FreeOsimeBrown School Streets get a thumbs up during Covid

LACK of space for social distancing outside school gates during drop-off and pick-up has led to a surge in support for Sustrans’ School Streets during the pandemic. Walking and cycling charity Sustrans works with local authorities to support the creation of temporary restrictions on motorised traffic during these busy times outside schools. Emergency funding from the Department for Transport made available in the summer for local authorities to enable social distancing in roads prompted plans for hundreds of School Streets. The scheme was initially conceived to help school communities tackle air pollution, poor health and road danger. Research by Edinburgh Napier University found that closing school streets at peak times led to more children walking and cycling, lower pollution and reduced local traffic. They found no evidence to suggest that moving cars out of the roads near schools led to road safety problems elsewhere. Sustrans also organises Bike to School Week in September. Visit schoolstreets.org.uk A School Street near St Paul’s Way Trust School in east London PHOTO by Kois Miah

34 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Ask the union

Addressing the imbalance Race equality AS an English teacher I am expected to teach think tank a narrow curriculum of ‘dead white male’ Runnymede Trust’s writers. What resources are available to help Our Migration Story address the imbalance? website hosts free teaching resources Have a discussion in your school or college telling the stories about how the curriculum across all subjects of generations could embed more global perspectives. The of migrants who NEU’s anti-racist framework (neu.org.uk/ shaped the British anti-racism-charter) encourages a whole Isles. school/college approach and includes good (Left) Front cover sources of learning for self-educating about of Black Dimension race and racism. magazine, February You will also find references and resources 1969, courtesy for anti-racist work, including lesson plans and of The George materials, at neu.org.uk/black-history-month Padmore Institute. We also recommend Our Migration Story Visit ourmigration (ourmigrationstory.org.uk – see right). story.org.uk Email [email protected] Sick pay, contracts and cancer I WORK in an academy. Initially I was employed through an agency, then signed a three-month contract. I have recently been diagnosed with cancer and need treatment. Please email I’m unsure how long I will be off school and your Ask the am concerned about my income. I’ve been union questions offered a ‘break’ by the school and the chance to educate@neu. to return when I am able. org.uk

We are sorry to hear this news and we wish you a speedy recovery. You have automatic protection This relates to the ‘abatement rule’ in the Back pain and seating from disability discrimination as cancer is Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS), which I SUFFER chronic back pain having spent deemed a disability under the Equality Act. means that your post-retirement earnings my entire working life stooped over tables Your other rights will depend on the conditions plus pension can’t exceed your pre-retirement and chairs. Is there any legislative protection of your fixed-term contract and the reasons for earnings. If this happens, the pension is frozen in place for teachers? I hate to think of future it being fixed-term rather than permanent. or ‘abated’ for the tax year. generations suffering in the same way. If your contract would have continued Abatement only applies if you take up were it not for your condition, your employer employment that is pensionable in the TPS. Employers have a general duty under section should keep your job open and keep paying Teachers employed by agencies aren’t eligible 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 you. Your entitlement to contractual sick pay for the TPS, so abatement isn’t a factor. to do all that is reasonably practical to protect will depend on your length of service with your Abatement only applies to teachers who workers’ health and safety. This should include current employer and your contractual sick pay have retired on or after their normal scheme avoiding prolonged standing where alternative scheme. If your head is able to keep your job pension age, known as ‘age retirement’, or means of doing the job are possible. open, this suggests that the job still exists and have taken ‘premature retirement’ where they Regulation 11 (paragraph 3) of The that you should remain employed. retired early and receive an unreduced pension. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) The NEU AdviceLine will be able to put Abatement does not apply to people who Regulations 1992 says: “A suitable seat shall you in touch with an adviser and we recommend take actuarially reduced early retirement or a be provided for each person at work in the you contact the disabled members’ organising phased retirement. workplace whose work includes operations of a forum and Macmillan Cancer Support. The NEU disagrees with abatement. kind that the work (or a substantial part of it) The concept is inconsistent with Government can or must be done sitting.” Earnings limit on pension policy which seeks to promote the retention Guidance can be found at neu.org.uk/ HOW much can I earn as a supply teacher of staff in employment for as long as possible, advice/classroom-ergonomics and neu.org.uk/ before my pension, taken in 2013, is frozen? A keeping valuable skills and experience in advice/computer-safety. In partnership with recent letter from Teachers’ Pensions warned the workforce. the Early Years Alliance, we have also produced me that my pension may be temporarily The NEU also believes all teachers should guidance to help prevent musculoskeletal suspended if I exceed my earnings limit. have access to the TPS. disorders (MSDs) at bit.ly/3bN6zAF

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 35 LEAVE NO CHILD BEHIND

Join our campaign now International What is our job as your union?

ON 23-24 September, around 100 the conference will be the extent to which education trade unionists from across they can be used to transform our unions, to “… the trade union Europe gathered to discuss organising give all our members a stronger voice within education workers in rapidly the union, and to change education and the can achieve for changing times – engaging young and workplace for the better. precarious education workers, and As the report says: “Union renewal is not members through renewing education unions in terms of about the survival of the trade union for its own their strength and diversity. sake, but for what the union can achieve for their collective members through their collective endeavours.” The conference was called by the European Gawain Little, NEU international committee chair endeavours.” Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) to launch a new practical research report into trade union renewal, Your Turn. Many unions have focused on workplace organising as the key to rebuilding and renewing their strength, noted lead author Professor Howard Stevenson, and yet the evidence suggests that organising alone, while necessary, is not sufficient to rebuild union engagement. Successful unions have focused on organising for a purpose – to build union power to improve workers’ lives – and combined this with strengthening collective bargaining (where they negotiate directly with employers), and building alliances in political and civil society. The conference was themed around six key areas: organising around ideas, in the workplace, around professional issues, for equalities, with community and in a crisis. In each area, key strategies were identified and positive examples shared. These ranged from the work done by the Turkish Education and Science Workers’ Union (Egitim- Sen) to oppose authoritarian legislation on professional autonomy, to the NEU’s campaign to keep schools and communities safe throughout Covid-19. Illustrations by Tonu Of course, the key test of the ideas contained within the report and discussed at

Disabled children’s right to quality education

ON 3 December the NEU will join the annual on Disability, more than one billion people faced by disabled children and teachers. celebrations of the International Day of People globally are living with a disability. However, This year, the NEU will be joining the with Disabilities. the Global Education Monitoring Report international community on 3 December to This year’s theme – Not All Disabilities 2020 revealed that disabled children are 2.5 celebrate the rights of disabled people and Are Visible – focuses on spreading awareness times more likely to have never been in school to reaffirm its commitment to fighting for that not all disabilities are immediately compared to their non-disabled peers in the disabled children’s right to a quality education, apparent and on the importance of removing world’s poorest countries. both in the UK and around the world. barriers for all people living with a disability. The Covid-19 pandemic has further Visit idpwd.org According to the WHO World Report exposed and deepened the wider inequalities Tom McEwan, NEU international policy officer

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 37 Reviews

Jon Biddle, English lead and NEU rep at Moorlands Primary in Norfolk, is passionate about fostering a love of reading for pleasure. Here he shares ideas and tips for schools to try. Read more ideas from All rights and no wrongs Jon next issue I’M writing this article from the sofa in my their own reading choices without lounge, two weeks into the autumn term. “I’ve never had worrying about what friends think. My youngest daughter has a cough and we’re The right to read at any speed was waiting for a Covid-19 test. time to read. But explained beautifully: “Sometimes I want to My class and my wife’s class are both slow down and think or talk about a book. missing out on their regular teacher, and my no one ever kept Just because people read more words than me daughters are missing out on their education. doesn’t make them better readers.” It’s a hugely frustrating position to be in. me from finishing One that didn’t make the final list was Anyway, back to reading. For the first the right to read books written for younger week of term at Moorlands, each class based a novel I loved.” children. There is too much unnecessary its curriculum around Here We Are: Notes for Author Daniel Pennac pressure on children to be reading the ‘correct’ Living on Planet Earth, a powerful book by books for their age. It doesn’t matter – get author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers. The Centre them passionate about reading and they’ll soon for Literacy in Primary Education provided find their own path. free planning for schools to use. One girl said she felt she had to read the same After sharing our finished work (below Some of the suggested work was about books as her friends, even though she didn’t left) on social media, we were delighted to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. particularly like them. Although it can be receive a message from poet Paul Jenkins We started talking about children’s rights lovely to have ‘reading in common’, it’s equally who’d written a fantastic poem based upon in school and someone suggested that we as important for children to be able to make what we had created (pauljenkinspoet.co.uk/ all have ‘the right to read’. This made me post/constantly-evolving- think of Daniel Pennac’s stunning book, The words). This caused much Rights of the Reader, in which he argues very excitement in class when persuasively that a love of reading needs to be the pupils realised that other nurtured in children and goes on to create the people were interested in Reader’s Bill of Rights. their thoughts and opinions. His points were summed up in a poster Giving children time illustrated by Quentin Blake, which I believe to share what’s important should be displayed in every classroom. I to them about reading is a shared copies of the poster with my class valuable activity and one I’d and we split into groups to discuss what we strongly recommend. thought our rights as readers should be. Have the best The suggestions put forward gave me new term possible under the insight into my pupils as readers. Some were circumstances, and stay safe. what you’d probably expect – the right to read @jonnybid any book you want, the right to stop reading a book – but some were totally unexpected. The right to feel emotional when reading created the most conversation. We talked about how it’s OK to laugh and cry during a book and that being emotionally involved in a story is nothing to feel embarrassed about. I told them how, despite reading it aloud several times, I still get teary whenever I read The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (right) to a class. Being able to have your own opinion about an author also came up a few times.

38 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Know any good educational websites and apps? Let us know if you’d like to review them – email us at [email protected]

365 Days of Play Put on Your Owl Eyes THIS insightful book shares AN inspirational book with practical ideas for observing theory and nature and tracking animals and birds within your local practice environment. around the The anecdotes, written by expert staff at Flying Deer notion of Nature Center in New York state, are both entertaining and play within informative. With remarkable photos and blank pages to draw early years and write down observations, this is an educational book that and school allows children to reflect and discover the world around them. settings. This is an American book, so some spellings differ. The book However, the content can be adapted to a UK setting that is divided into months of the year, will spark ideas for those who provide opportunities for and each month shares a new process outdoor learning. in development along with the thoughts Cindy Shanks of many practitioners throughout Put on Your Owl Eyes, by Devin Franklin. Storey Publishing. £12.99. the ages. There are soundbites from children on their experiences, as well as key tips and points to note for those in The Forgotten Third the classroom. THE Forgotten Third: Do a third have to fail for two thirds This book would be ideal for student to pass? is a timely collection of essays from education leaders teachers, those new to early years, and influencers. or teachers wanting to find out more Part manifesto for change, part call for reflection and about how children learn. planning, the contributors explore a version of education where 365 Days of Play can be read from futures are not locked in by algorithms and pre-determined bell cover to cover, or pick a month based curves that regulate success and failure. on interest. Empowerment and independent learning are promoted along Sian Sparrow with careers and pathway planning. A new system of GCSEs 365 Days of Play, by Alistair Bryce-Clegg. is called for along with relevant resources to provide vocational Corwin Ltd. £19.99. education, improvement in communication skills and an emphasis on the importance of teacher assessment. Tiger Troubles As we slowly emerge from Covid-19 it is suggested that this could be an ideal time for IN the jungle significant change in how society views success in young people. it’s nap time Len Parkyn but Sloth The Forgotten Third: Do a third have to fail for two thirds to pass? Edited by Roy Blatchford. Bear wants to John Catt Educational Ltd. £14. play. Trouble soon arises, however, Teach Like You Imagined It when a hungry tiger KEVIN Lister helps knowledge, marking and wakes up. teachers re-ignite their the effectiveness of lessons. With passion for the profession Although secondary wonderful and reflect on the teacher focussed, it can also be illustrations they imagined they would applied to a primary by Hannah Marks, Tiger Troubles is part be. Having worked as school setting. of Bloomsbury’s new series created to a mechanical engineer An innovative book encourage young children to read before switching roles and that doesn’t promise with confidence. becoming a teacher, he uses a magic solution but Cover notes are filled with tips for his knowledge in both fields will help you prioritise grown-ups and fun activities which will to provide practical ideas for your work. get any child’s creative juices flowing teachers to improve their Cindy Shanks after reading. work-life balance. Teach Like You Imagined It, Aliss Langridge The book covers by Kevin Lister. Crown House Tiger Troubles, by Chitra Soundar, illustrations by themes such as subject Publishing Ltd. £16.99. Hannah Marks. Bloomsbury. £4.99.

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 39 Letters

More cartoons please! through because we are Black; are talking to potential voters. are in competition with newly tired of overt and covert racism. These visits seem to be increasing qualified or cheaper teachers. Black Lives Matter opens in number. And can you also please the eyes of the world to what Have other NEU members highlight the problem of supply is really happening. Black and any thoughts about how we should agencies not contributing to the white, old and young have deal with them? Teachers’ Pension Scheme. This united in challenging racism, David Jones, Spalding is a particular problem for older, declaring ‘enough is enough’, and more experienced teachers. demanding change. We’ve missed Michael! We were promised rewards But words are not enough; HOW wonderful to have Michael for outstanding classroom positive, peaceful, constructive Rosen back in action (Educate, teaching and experience, but this action is also needed. The statues September/October, page 21). has turned out to be detrimental GREAT to see a hard-hitting linked to the horrific past of I wish him well and further to finding jobs. cartoon in the mag – more please enslavement must come down, recovery. He is such an acute Mrs P Wagner, Brentwood (Educate, September/October, institutional racism must be observer of, and commentator page 6 – and pictured, above). exposed, the issue of reparations on, human life. We need his wit Not everyone can Brian Mulligan, Croydon must be addressed, universities, and wisdom. afford charity days schools and colleges need to Ann Busfield, Skipton THE invitation for children to The editor writes: Glad you decolonise their curriculum, and wear a silly jumper and donate like it. See pages 7 and 31 for the truth must be told. On a slippery slope… a pound for Save the Children more cartoons. Beverley Hillman, THE Government aims to on 11 December (Educate, Wandsworth ban ‘anti-capitalist’ books from September/October, page 44) The truth must be told schools. Is this different in made my heart sink. AS Black people, systemic Unwelcome visitors principle to burning books with Not every child owns a silly racism is not alien to us. It affects WHEN I see the Prime Minister which they disagree? Can we jumper or has one from last year our daily lives, and we wear a and other politicians visiting expect to see Animal Farm, Hard which still fits. Although a pound ‘metaphorical’ mask to disguise schools, I resent the disruption Times and Grapes of Wrath may not seem much for some, how we really feel. to the children’s and teachers’ day thrown on a bonfire? many children live in homes Paul Laurence Dunbar, an and wonder if there isn’t perhaps Derek McMillan, Worthing where every penny counts. Those African American poet, wrote something more important that visiting food banks or shopping We Wear the Mask in 1896. He politicians could be doing. Experience works in charity stores can ill afford to makes reference to the hidden What are they trying to against job hunters spend money on a silly jumper. feelings of those struggling with achieve by their visits? It’s bad Can you please highlight the And for those who are awash racism and segregation. But I am enough when they stop production problems of older teachers having with money, is this really the best tired of wearing the mask; tired in a factory to make speeches to to accept lower paid positions in use of their potential donation? of the hoops we have to jump the workforce, but at least they order to secure work because we Sue Ashmore, Hepscott Teacher’s pet Cookie Cookie is the “very naughty tortie” of Leonie Stafford-Williams, a maths teacher from London. “Cookie is part of my homework monitoring system,” she explains. “As I complete the homework register, a stock photo image of a disapproving cat is displayed. “Once the register is complete, Cookie is revealed as a treat for (most) children having completed their homework.”

If you have a treasured pet you’d like to show off, email a high-resolution photo with 50 words about what makes them so special to [email protected]

40 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Please write The editor welcomes your letters but reserves the right to edit them. Email your letters to: [email protected] Please note we cannot print letters sent in without a name and postal address (or NEU membership number), although we can withhold details from publication if you wish.

The poppy of peace Star letter I NOTICED with trepidation So proud of this principled man an advert for white poppies HOW fantastic to see the issue of for Remembrance Day in the conscientious objectors covered (Educate, excellent September/October issue September/October, page 22). of Educate. My great uncle Ernest F Everett As a sixth former in 1974, featured in your article – I wonder how I wore a white poppy for the many other NEU members and staff had first time. One cold November family connections? evening as I walked through St It is a huge source of pride to me and my Peter’s Square in Manchester, my family that we are related to such a man of progress was halted by a small, principle. He taught at a small primary in St beret-wearing man who poked Helens, barely ten miles from my home now. my chest and asked: “What on Inevitably we ask ourselves if we could earth is that thing?” pointing at have done the same: whether we could have the white poppy. I smiled and told endured the abuse, the terrible conditions, him it was a symbol of peace and being sentenced to hard labour, being moved disarmament. At this, he rose in from camps to barracks and prison, including stature and spat directly in my face. one spell in Paddington Barracks here in Please proudly wear a white Warrington. Then, in Ernest’s case, at the end poppy in 2020 as I will, but be of his career, very poor health and an early aware of the abuse you may receive death in 1924 in unfortunate circumstances. and the threat of random violence. Thanks for a super article. Pete Fisher, Heywood Ernest F Everett (far right) with family Shaun Everett, Warrington

Doing the right thing YOUR article, ‘The teachers who to think of the bigger picture. He Inaccurate figures The inflation of the number said no’ (Educate, September/ wondered what would happen if I READ with interest ‘The of deaths is a perennial issue in October, page 22), while every British soldier refused to teachers who said no’ (Educate, the general reporting of the Great interesting was a little galling fight and came to the conclusion September/October, page 22). War, so I felt that I should report to those whose parents or that Britain would lose the war. The author states “…by the first this inaccuracy. grandparents fought in the war. His action unfortunately Christmas in 1914, over 177,000 Richard Earl, Buckingham My grandfather was no placed him in one-to-one combat British soldiers had been killed – warmonger, but joined up at the with a German soldier. My more than a thousand every day”. The editor writes: This figure age of 14, after lying about his age, grandfather got his bayonet there The Statistics of the Military was taken from the Peace Pledge to try and find his older brother first. But he never slept the sleep Effort of the British Empire in the Union’s book on conscription in who was missing in action. He of a clear conscience after that. He Great War gives a figure of 18,174 the First World War: The men never found him, but soon realised threw all his medals away, but he fatalities, including by disease, who said no. We understand that fighting went against his still believed fighting was the right in France to 31 December 1914. that the book mistakenly used conscience, especially the thought thing to do, even though it meant The Commonwealth War Graves figures for December 2015, not of killing another man. him suffering the rest of his life. Commission provides a slightly December 2014. Thank you for But he also believed he had Sally Hackney, Greenford larger figure of 27,857 fatalities. highlighting this error. Update your membership details – visit my.neu.org.uk

KEEPING your membership information Thousands of members are up to date is vital to ensure you get the already using myNEU, the online portal most from your NEU membership. that enables you to manage your You may be eligible for reduced NEU membership. subscriptions – for example, if you work To register and activate your login, part-time, are about to take maternity visit my.neu.org.uk leave or retire. monitoring questions? Information you For more information about the Have you moved? Tell us your new give will be strictly confidential and help additional benefits that come with home or workplace address. us to target relevant information on your NEU membership, visit neu.org.uk/ Have you answered the equality campaigns and events. neu-rewards

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 41 HOLIDAYS ABROAD

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OMG122590 Nov Press Educate_NUT_full page 297mmx230mm.indd 1 22/10/2020 18:02 Noticeboard

Safe space to share online CONNECTED Creatives is a free online platform where young people can safely share their creative writing with their teachers, family members, peer groups and the wider Connected Creatives online community. Aimed to support literacy and encourage creative writing, the platform is free to use and both teachers and pupils can browse published stories and provide interactive feedback in a safe environment. Teachers register their school for free and are provided with their own dashboard and log-in space for pupils. Students can then draft and publish pieces of creative writing – stories, poems, journals or graphic Students taking part in last year’s competition PHOTO by Design Museum and Richard Heald novels. It could be a class exercise, an extracurricular activity or a competition entry. Teachers are able to review stories Pupils with designs for life and moderate comments. Visit connectedcreatives.co.uk THE Design Museum is challenging Ten teams will be invited to pitch their school students in years 9-11 to create ideas to a panel of judges. One winning team Teachers tell all on podcast a product to be made and sold in the will be selected to develop their designs with Design Museum shop. a professional agency before their product is manufactured and sold in the Design Museum The competition, Design Ventura 2020, invites shop. The money raised from the sales of the teams of students to design a product that winning product will go to a charity of the improves everyday life by addressing a social, students’ choosing. To date, Design Ventura educational or environmental issue and retails has raised more than £13,000 for charity. for around £10. The deadline for entries is 24 February Students are also invited to consider 2021. Design Ventura will also be offering sustainability, to think about the life cycle of a series of free school workshops between their product, the material and manufacturing November 2020 and February 2021, in school processes, and the impact of this on the and at the Design Museum. environment. ventura.designmuseum.org

THE Royal National Institute of Blind People THE BBC has launched a new podcast (RNIB), in partnership with the Booker Prize looking at the secret life of teachers. Foundation, is offering blind and partially Presented by ex-teacher Mehreen sighted book lovers free accessible versions Baig, she is joined each week by three of the 2020 Booker Prize shortlist. teachers in her virtual staffroom where All six books in contention for the prize they tell her what it’s really like to be an are available in Braille, giant print and Talking educator in these challenging times. Books from the RNIB’s recently launched With topics including teaching in a online library platform. pandemic, Ofsted inspections and The library of Talking Books, the UK’s student mental health, her guests give largest, offers people with sight loss instant their uncensored views of what it’s really access to more than 30,000 titles for free. like behind the school gates. To sign up to the online library visit A new episode is released every readingservices.rnib.org.uk or call the Wednesday and the whole catalogue RNIB helpline on 0303 123 9999 to find of episodes is available on BBC Sounds out more. at bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08prvt5

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 45 Turning tears into smiles Support our Feeding, Educating, Empowering and Developing projects Sponsor a Child for just 83p a day - as a class or school Give to our Face Mask project Request a talk smileinternational.org 01689 870 932 A charitable company limited by guarantee. Charity registration No. 1163423 Company registration No. 09626673

46 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) Photo opportunity

WIN! A signed copy THIS atmospheric photo was taken by Grant Matthews, a PE teacher, from Worcester. of Keith Baugh’s Grant says: “Having particularly enjoyed a visit to the Anthony Gormley statues on Crosby Beach in New York Merseyside, I was struck by the statuesque quality of the student in the Subway Art foreground in this photo – looking into his future! “Gormley entitled his work Another Place – I didn’t expect my PE lesson to echo this sentiment so accurately.”

n Next issue, the winner will be selected by photographer Keith Baugh (see Educate, Sept/Oct, p26-29) and will receive a signed copy of his book New York Subway Art 1973-1975. Email your large, high-resolution picture, accompanied by 50 words about its subject, to [email protected] and don’t forget to include your address in the email. What’s in your lunchbox? Teresa Green, a KS1 supply teacher, says this was one of her go-to recipes during lockdown as it is so simple and doesn’t require kneading or proving. She loves to adapt the basic recipe, adding Soda dried fruit and nuts, or whatever else she has in her cupboard. bread

Ingredients 4. Turn the 450g self-raising flour dough out on to a 1 tsp salt lightly floured surface and shape 1/2 tsp baking soda into a ball. Flatten slightly, then make a 1/2 tsp cream of tartar cross-shaped incision on the top with a 285ml buttermilk sharp knife.

5. Bake in the oven for approximately Method 30 minutes, until the top is golden and 1. Preheat the oven to 215oC/fan the base sounds hollow when tapped. 200oC/gas mark 7. 6. Leave to cool slightly, then eat warm 2. Sieve the flour, salt, baking soda and with butter or cheese. It also makes cream of tartar into a bowl. excellent toast.

3. Using a metal spoon, mix in the Email your recipe to [email protected]. buttermilk until you have a soft, but not uk with LUNCHBOX in the strap line. sticky, dough. Don’t forget to attach a picture!

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 47 Answers at bottom Quick crossword of page 49

Across Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 ___ Daly: Strictly Come 1 Earliest period of the Dancing presenter (4) Mesozoic era (8) 8 3 Card game (8) 2 Root vegetable (5) 9 ___ Peninsula: Spain 4 Epic poem by Virgil (6) 9 10 and Portugal (7) 5 Actor who starred in 10 Capital of Ghana (5) Two and a Half Men (7,5) 11 Species of 6 ___ Leigh Cook: actress Dianthus (5,7) in She’s All That (7) 11 13 River in Hampshire (6) 7 Small dabbling duck (4) 15 Sarah Michelle ___ : 8 Ludwig ___: 12 US actress (6) philosopher (12) 17 English indie rock 12 Competitive 13 14 15 band whose songs equestrian sport (8) 16 include Ruby (6,6) 14 The skull of a 20 Star ___ : small vertebrate (7) 17 18 fruit (5) 16 Graham ___ : author Greek tragedy by of Brighton Rock (6) 21 19 Sophocles (7) 18 ___ John: Candle in 22 ___ Kant: German the Wind singer (5) 20 21 philosopher (8) 19 Bamako’s country (4) 23 ___ Hathaway: actress in Brokeback Mountain (4) 22 23

Across Down 1 - ___ Daly: Strictly Come Dancing presenter (4) 1 - Earliest period of the Mesozoic era (8) Sudoku 3 - Card game (8) Sudoku2 solutions- Root vegetable will (5) feature 9 - ___ Peninsula: Spain and Portugal (7) on4 - thisEpic poem page by next Virgil issue.(6) 10 - Capital of Ghana (5) 5 - Actor who starred in Two and a Half Men (7,5) 9 8 3 2 11 - 6Species of Dianthus (5,7)2 1 63 - ___6 Leigh Cook: actress in She's All That (7) 13 - River in Hampshire (6) 7 - Small dabbling duck (4) 3 5 1 6 15 - Sarah1 Michelle ___ : US4 actress (6) 2 8 - Ludwig ___ : philosopher6 (12) 8 4 9 7 17 - 9English indie rock band whose6 songs include8 Ruby 9 124 - Competitive equestrian3 sport (8) (6,6) 14 - The skull of a vertebrate (7) 8 9 2 7 3 8 20 - Star ___7 : small fruit9 (5) 5 8 16 - Graham ___ : author of Brighton Rock (6) 21 - Greek tragedy by Sophocles (7) 5 2 6 3 3 6 18 - ___1 John:9 Candle in the Wind singer (5) 22 - ___ Kant: German philosopher (8) 1 4 5 9 7 2 5 4 1 7 19 - Bamako's country (4) 23 - ___ Hathaway: actress in Brokeback Mountain (4) 8 4 3 9 4 1 8 6 7 2 4 7 3 4 2 6 7 4 5 3 9 2 3 8 4 2 7 Easy Medium Difficult

2 4 9 8 3 7 1 6 5 5 1 4 2 3 6 7 8 9 7 5 2 4 3 6 9 8 1 Last issue’s (Sept/Oct 2020) 7 5 8 6 1 4 3 2 9 6 3 8 9 7 5 4 2 1 6 8 1 9 7 5 2 4 3 sudoku solution 3 1 6 5 2 9 4 8 7 2 9 7 4 8 1 6 3 5 3 9 4 8 2 1 7 5 6 5 9 3 4 8 2 7 1 6 9 5 3 7 1 2 8 6 4 9 3 8 5 4 2 6 1 7 (from left: Easy, Medium 6 2 1 3 7 5 9 4 8 4 2 6 3 9 8 1 5 7 2 6 5 3 1 7 8 9 4 and Difficult) 8 7 4 9 6 1 5 3 2 7 8 1 6 5 4 2 9 3 1 4 7 6 8 9 5 3 2 9 3 2 7 4 6 8 5 1 3 4 9 8 2 7 5 1 6 5 1 9 7 6 4 3 2 8 1 8 7 2 5 3 6 9 4 8 6 5 1 4 3 9 7 2 8 2 6 1 9 3 4 7 5 4 6 5 1 9 8 2 7 3 1 7 2 5 6 9 3 4 8 4 7 3 2 5 8 1 6 9

48 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU)

Prize crossword

Across 1234561117 1 Where to study after dark, maybe WIN! revealing ghost in loch? (5,6) 1111 1181 A £50 Marks 9 Poor naive lads inflict wanton 9 1 10 & Spencer damage (9) 10 New master missing first 1111 111 voucher of appraisals for parts of the 11 1 12 school year (5) 11 Extremely cool and always 111 1 1 1 111 1 very intelligent (6) 12 Sermon I’m composing with inaccurate title (8) 13 14 1 15 16 13 Some verbatim musings brought up at high- 11111711111 level meeting (6) 15 I enter new PT codes, acting like a tyrant (8) 18 1 19 20 18 Huge musical performance – it can be arranged (8) 19 Series of lessons sounds rough (6) 1 111 1 11 111 21 Crazy Prof breaks a leg badly in playground game (8) 21 22 1 23 24 23 In soil it must turn red if acid (6) 26 Weight at one time included uranium (5)) 1111 25111 27 Somehow I can get into Bramley with this device (9) 28 Credit arranged with Hugh, perhaps, for this 26 1 27 former kind of fee-paying school (6-5) 1111 111

Down 11128 1 New learners with no bad habits? (7) 2 Magical spirit extracts nitrogen from broken-down engine (5) The winner and solution of this prize crossword 3 One who excels playing Lear, producing a great din, will feature on this page next issue. possibly (9) 4 Swindle I get involved in for 10p? (4) of future success (9) 5 Single ocean-going ship? That’s a joke! (3-5) 17 Our Dan is confused, obsolete, like someone from an 6 Language taught in school at intervals (5) earlier age (8) 7 Awfully tragic about Head of Science – something to 18 Legal centre permits gibbet! (7) do with the stomach (7) 20 See, it’s a conversion, not the most difficult! (7) 8 Boxing organiser has poor term, unfortunately (8) 22 Sphere of study for an agricultural student? (5) 14 Dreadful rage I’m in, producing headache (8) 24 Society for those with high IQs and unusual names (5) 16 After school dance I perform a song, showing signs 25 Blockbuster film starts every programme in cinema (4)

Email a photograph of your completed crossword with your contact details, plus ‘Nov/Dec prize crossword’ in the subject line, to [email protected]. Closing date: 30 November. PLEASE DO NOT POST YOUR COMPLETED CROSSWORD

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14255 NEU Crossword Page Image v2 01-19.indd 1 30/01/2019 14:48 Last issue’s (September/October 2020) prize crossword solution Across 1 GRAMMAR 5 SCHOOL 9 INFORMS 10 AMMONIA 11 IMP 12 THEME 13 LETTERS 14 USE 15 RECLINE 17 RARE 21 TOWN 24 LEISURE 27 ONE 28 ARTISAN 29 DECOR 30 SIR 31 MINARET 32 NAUGHTY 33 ASLEEP 34 RASHEST Down 1 GLITTERS 2 ALFRESCO 3 MORSE 4 RESIDUE 5 STAPLER 6 HAMSTER 7 OUNCES 8 DAISY 16 NEW 18 ALE 19 DUTCH HOE 20 PEER GYNT 22 OBSERVE 23 NON-STOP 24 LEARNER 25 WARMS 26 STINKS 29 DRUMS

Congratulations to last issue’s winner – Janet Johnson from Hastings

19 18 16 14 12 8 MALI ELTON GREENE CRANIUM DRESSAGE WITTGENSTEIN

This issue’s quick crossword solution (p48) 7 6 5 4 2 1 Down 23 22 21 TEAL RACHAEL SHEEN CHARLIE AENEID SWEDE TRIASSIC ANNE IMMANUEL ELECTRA

20 17 15 13 11 10 9 3 1 Across ANISE CHIEFS KAISER GELLAR ITCHEN WILLIAM SWEET ACCRA IBERIAN BACCARAT TESS

educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) 49 Final word ‘Given crutches at the end of a marathon’

THE UK has one of the most progressive systems in the barriers imposed by inaccessible systems, services and world to support disabled students in higher education environments can dramatically alter a person’s ability to and is something we can be proud of. participate fully in society. Hidden disabilities, particularly The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) facilitates learning differences and mental health conditions, often wraparound, individualised support – designed to level fly under the radar. the playing field and ensure disabled students can fully An intersectional approach to inclusion, which participate in university life. considers different social, cultural and economic backgrounds, as well as the emotional barriers that must Comprehensive support needed much earlier be overcome, needs to be centre-stage. But is this too little, too late? Speaking from my own lived Proactively anticipating the different needs of students experience of dyslexia and childhood learning isolation, for is something educational professionals work tirelessly to do. many disabled students like me who struggled throughout But specialist, tailored, strategy-led support for individual primary and secondary education, this can feel like being students can also be of huge benefit. We may be missing given a pair of crutches at the end of a marathon. enormous potential and hidden strengths by not proactively Many disabled and neurodiverse students won’t offering this kind of support to students of all ages. Fact file get the chance to realise their true potential and attend Atif Choudhury university without the right support beforehand. Celebrating and harnessing differences is chief executive What if comprehensive support was made available Children deserve to feel welcomed and valued by a society of Diversity and to disabled students earlier in their education? Would that understands the assets they can bring, something that Ability, a multi- we see higher attainment and aspirations, and increased they are all too often denied. award-winning participation of students, particularly from Black and At Diversity and Ability we see difference as disabled-led ethnic minority communities? Anticipatory support, something to be celebrated and harnessed. We signpost a social enterprise which ensures each student understands the way they plethora of free resources, and provide study skills support which supports learn, plays to their strengths and can thrive, is essential. and assistive technology training to AS/A-level students. students, Disability is one thing, disablement is another. The We strongly advocate the use of assistive technology in the organisations latter is heavily bound up in socio-economics, where classroom, believing that digital literacy is critical in our and social justice a person’s class or culture, for example, may influence digital-by-default world. projects to access to a diagnosis and follow-up support. We may be And it doesn’t have to be expensive; there are create inclusive reinforcing a deficit model by underestimating the impact thousands of apps, open source software, and resources cultures. Visit that shame and cultural exclusion has in preventing available to enhance a student’s learning. As long as these diversityand students from coming forward. tools are carefully chosen and embedded into the student’s ability.com The social model of disability highlights how the workflow, the possibilities are endless.

50 educate Your magazine from the National Education Union (NEU) SAVING WITH TEACHERS HELPS TEACHERS BUY HOMES

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NOTICE ISA Press ad 297 x 230 2020 branding (home) V16.indd 1 21/10/2020 09:41 SAVING WITH TEACHERS HELPS TEACHERS BUY HOMES

“Topping the notice ISA chart this week was Teachers Building Society paying 1.00% gross yearly on its Education ISA (Issue 1). This ISA is only available to teachers and other education professionals. It requires a £100 minimum deposit to open. Unlimited further additions are allowed. Withdrawals can be made subject to 90 days’ notice. External transfers in are accepted. This ISA can be both opened and managed online and by post.”

Source: The best ISA rates this week 15.10.20. Moneyfacts.co.uk

For more information visit: Or call us on www.teachersbs.co.uk/savings 0800 378669

Rate correct at 22.10.2020. Product may be withdrawn at short notice. Teachers Building Society, Allenview House, Hanham Road, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 1AG. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Reg No. 156580)

NOTICE ISA Press ad 297 x 230 2020 branding (bulb) V16.indd 1 21/10/2020 09:42