Local Newsletters

Pay and Conditions

Do you know the man responsible for holding your pay rises down to 2% for the next three years whilst inflation runs at 5% plus? His name – Ed Balls. Our hard won pay and conditions are in jeopardy. Contact him now on http://www.edballs.com/index.jsp?c=/p/feedback/ and tell him what you think about pay, Academies, Trust Schools, exams, GNVQs, etc.

All members need to take action and contact City Councillors, County Councillors, Members of Parliament and Ed Balls himself. They need to be told that we, as teachers, have had enough of being told how to do their jobs. Let them know that 10 years of below inflation pay rises is enough. DO IT TODAY. Google will help you find your MP's address, try www.theyworkforyou.com, that will also give you an MP's contact details.

Young Teachers

just to watch out for young teachers meeting coming soon after half term.... For more information contact: Tom Paxton at Thames Primary School, Tel: 341466

Conference

thinking about conference any young teachers want to go.....???

Well done to Collegiate High School Sports College

Collegiate reach the top of the Fylde coast league table for CVA.

Collegiate High School are suitably proud of their school, staff, pupils and students, who have worked hard for this considerable achievement.

CVA (contextual value added ) is based on the effect that a school has on its pupils between KS2 and KS4, in terms of their achievement, compared with what they were expected to achieve.

Collegiate's CVA for KS2-4 is 1025.1 ( within the top 6% in the country ) and the CVA for KS3-KS4 is 1027.9 ( within the top 5% in the country ).

These figures put them at the top of the league table, for this particular aspect of data analysis, for the whole of the Fylde coast.

Contact Numbers Problems or issues at school? Don’t hesitate to call: Rosalind 01253 298308 Or Sam 01253 341831 They’re there to help in any way they can.

NUT meetings at he Raikes Pub, Liverpool Rd, Blackpool.car parking available on the third Wednesday of the mouth. Check out the website www.blackpoolnut.co.uk for details of dates and map of venue.

NUT Meetings

There is likely to be a change of venue for the meetings, starting in September. Our first meeting will be held on Wednesday, 9th September. Please keep a look out for conformation of this on ‘fliers’ and on the website.

Beacon Hill Wins funding for greater involvement with business and enterprise

Beacon Hill High School Business & Enterprise College partnered with North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce attended an event at Aston Villa FC on Thursday 24 May, having been selected as one of only 51 schools in the country to take part in phase one of a major new national initiative - Young Chamber - that gives young people aged 11 - 19 a greater understanding of, and involvement with, the world of business and enterprise. Young Chamber has been developed and piloted with accredited British Chambers of Commerce in a number of locations including Rotherham, Surrey, Milton Keynes and the Isle of Wight.

Young Chamber aims to help students to fulfill their academic and vocational potential; acquire the skills, attitudes and behaviours of the workplace; apply their learning in a work context; to be enterprising and to support enterprise in others; develop other skills for a well rounded adult life; and contribute to the country’s economic well being.

Check out your local NUT website for more information – under ‘Current Events’ (www.blackpoolnut.co.uk)

Young Teachers Group

It is hoped to set up a meeting of the Young Teachers Group early in the new Academic year. If you would like to receive information directly about this please contact Sam Daniels at 07779412051 or Tom Paxton at Thames Primary School, Tel: 341466

Education Review

The Education review is essential reading for Union members wishing to keep up with new educational developments and to read accessible articles by leading educationalists. The latest edition is entitled ‘New Directions Home? The Challenges and Opportunities of Modern Childhood’.

It focuses on the challenges and opportunities of modern childhood and emphasises the importance of giving young people a chance to speak for themselves. Subscription details can be found on the union website (www.teachers.org.uk) starting at £16 for two editions; it is published twice a year. Alternatively a copy can be borrowed from Penny Baillie (please e-mail pennybaillie@gmail.com)

Do you know any retired teachers?

Please pass on the news that the Retired Teachers Group is meeting for a coffee morning on 25th July at 11.00am. this is to be held at the Sheaton Lodge Hotel, 2 Shaftesbury Avenue, Blackpool.

Summer Term Events in Blackpool Schools

Holy Family Catholic Primary School
www.holy-family.blackpool.sch.uk
Junior (5th July coupled with Summer Fare) and Infant Sports day (11th July) Local Officer in to talk about Road Safety with Y3 children Y6 children on a week long trip to Activity Park. Last week of term sees ‘Concert Time’, with each class performing some form of musical rendition in front of a (usually packed) audience one evening.

Roseacre

Year 6 will be performing their version of ‘The Pied Piper’, calling it the Pied Piper of Blackpool, towards the end of the Summer Term.

Heath and Safety News

WANTED ... a Health and Safety Rep in every school. Full training given. You will have 19 rights and no responsibility. Looks good on your CV. Raises your profile among your colleagues. Very much valued by the Health & Safety Executive. It can be stand-alone or combined with NUT School Rep status.

Some facility time is available to cover you for attending courses if you feel up to the post. Contact Ian Sanders to ‘offer yourself up’, he would be delighted to hear from you: 01253 353561 (home phone), 07803 168519 (mobile), Saundersiang@aol.com (home e-mail), ian.saunders@collegiate.blackpool.sch.uk (work e-mail)

Training to be held at Rigby Road:

• Accident Investigation, 11th July, 09.30 - 4.00pm
• DSE Assessor, 10th July, 9.30 – 12.30pm
• Fire Awareness, 4th July, 9.30 – 12.00noon
• Fire Awareness, 4th July, 1.00 – 3.30pm
• Fire Warden Training, 6th July, 9.30 – 3.30pm
• Manual Handling, 10th July, 1.00 – 2.15pm
• Manual Handling, 10th July, 2.30 – 3.45pm
• Risk Assessment, 12th July 9.30 – 12.30pm
• Risk Assessment, 13th July 1.00 – 4.00pm

Training Held at the Sports Centre:

• IOSH working Safety, 27th July, 9.00 – 4.30
• IOSH working Safety, 25th October, 9.00 – 4.30

Do you have any financial concerns?

Damian Horton is the new Financial Consultant for the Blackpool and Preston Area for Teachers Provident and he can help you.

‘Teachers’ was set up by the NUT back in 1877 and today it still continues to offer strong support to the union and its members. ‘Teachers’ are the only specialists in the Teachers Pension Scheme and with the recent changes to the scheme he can help with forecasts and advice on the changes. Part of his service is to help those retiring make decisions on the financial matters that will set them up for their retirement.

Damian can also help on any area of financial needs that may concern you. All this is on a fee free basis. Do you think he can help? Contact Damian on (01253) 726713 or e-mail him at dhorton@teachers-group.co.uk

Greener Workplaces

The union is keen to promote the use of Fair Trade products, recycling and energy efficiency. The union is now using Fair Trade (www.fairtrade.gov.uk) products in catering and water coolers in Hamilton House which are supplied by Acquaid (www.acquaid.org). The TUC has produced documents which give ideas as to how to make workplaces greener; ‘A guide to Greening the Workplace’ and ‘First Steps to a Greener Workplace’ , these are available from www.tuc.org.uk

Young Teachers Group

Are you a newly qualified teacher? One of the 'Young Ones' looking forward to an interesting career? Join our newly developing Young Teachers Group providing help, support and lots of fun.

Contact Sam Daniels at 07779412051.or Tom Paxton at Thames Primary School, Tel: 341466

Annual Representative Training

Coming shortly will be an afternoon of instruction for School Union Representatives. Please come along and meet others who help us help you, help others!!! More details to follow.

New to Teaching?

You should have received, directly to your home address, copies of the booklet, ‘How to Survive your First Year in Teaching’, together with the option to purchase ‘Getting the Buggers to Behave’ at a special price of £8.99. Anyone who has not received a copy should contact head office: 020 7388 6191

Need a Weekend break? Don’t forget the weekend seminar for NQTs on 16th-17th March at Stock Rochford Hall - free accommodation and travel. The seminar will focus on success in classroom management, celebrating achievements in the classroom, sharing good ideas and practice and to build new approaches for improving behaviour and learning. You can apply on line www.teachers.org.uk/cpd-nqte-mail nutcpd@nut.org.ukor call 0207 380 4719

Meeting Dates

Please come along especially if you have any problems/issues to bring up

Dates of next Union Meetings: February 21st (Annual General Meeting), March 21st, April 18th, June 20th and July 11th. Meetings are held the 3rd Wednesday in each month at St Thomas's Church Hall (corner of Devonshire Road and Caunce Street). The car park is at the rear of the building. The Meetings start 4.30pm, refreshments served from 4.00pm.

A small reminder about up and coming courses. You should have received your personal (more detailed) copy of the these and other courses. If you have not received one (as an NUT member of course!) please let me know: pennybaillie@gmail.com or via internal post at Holy Family School.

Health and Safety Representatives 19-23rd March, 25-29th June

School-based Learning Representatives 19-23rd March, 25-29th JuneM/p>

School Representatives 21-23 March, 4-6th July

International Development Union Education 9-11th March

Student Members 9-11 March

Contact Numbers Problems or issues at school? Don’t hesitate to call: Rosalind 01253 298308 Or Sam 01253 341831 They’re there to help in any way they can.