Conference on mental health in education.

15 February 2019

Conference on mental health in education.

On Wednesday, February 13th, 2019 Dilwyn Roberts-Young, General Secretary of UCAC, attended a conference on mental health in education.

The conference was extremely successful with a number of specialists in their field considering the way schools deal with mental health. There were presentations from a number of speakers including academics and practitioners.

There was an emphasise in the conference on ensuring a balance between giving consideration to the health and well-being of pupils but also to the health and well-being of the teacher.

It is crucial that schools adopt a whole school approach to mental health which considers the pupil, teacher, support staff and indeed the whole community.

In considering the support for teachers, research showed how crucial the role of teachers is to pupils. However, we cannot expect teachers to ensure that support for pupils without training and access to support for themselves.

In an age which is target and result driven it’s easy to lose sight of the need to create a safe environment which places value on the individual and the importance of ensuring the individual’s place in a supportive, nurturing society

The challenge now is to learn from the experiences of the conference to work towards an education community in Wales which takes mental health seriously in the field of education and beyond.

 

Welsh language immersion can continue: union welcomes clarification

4 February 2019

Welsh language immersion can continue: union welcomes clarification

UCAC education union has welcomed the clarification published by Welsh Government today that Welsh-language nursery groups (‘cylchoedd meithrin’) and primary schools will be able to continue to use Welsh only as part of their ‘immersion’ teaching model.

The statement confirms that they will not be obliged to “teach English as a compulsory element of the new curriculum for Wales” as had been stated in the White Paper published last week.

Rebecca Williams, UCAC’s Deputy General Secretary said, “We are pleased that Welsh Government has responded to our calls, alongside many others, to make a categorical statement about their intentions in relation to the immersion teaching model.

“We welcome the recognition that the wording of the White Paper was not an accurate reflection of the Government’s intentions.

“The unanimity and ferocity of the response from parents and organisations proves the value of immersion as an approach that creates bilingual citizens. It also emphasises the need for constant vigilance, and the importance of scrutiny and protest within a democratic system.

“We look forward now to responding to the detail of the proposals which should see our curriculum moving forward to a new and pioneering era.”

ENDS

Notes

For further information please contact:

Rebecca Williams: 07787 572180 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Serious concern about compulsory English

25 January 2019

Serious concern about compulsory English

UCAC education union has expressed serious concerns about one of the proposals in the Welsh Government’s White Paper on the new curriculum ‘Our National Mission: A Transformational Curriculum’.

Rebecca Williams, UCAC’s Deputy General Secretary said, “We note with considerable concern the proposal in the White Paper to make English a compulsory subject for all learners aged 3-16, particularly in the context of the Foundation Phase.”

In Welsh-medium schools and pre-school settings, ‘immersion’ in the Welsh language has proved extremely effective at giving children from all linguistic backgrounds the skills to become fluent. English is introduced incrementally from age 7 onwards, and children become almost effortlessly bilingual.

She added “In a situation such as in Wales, where we have a minority language living alongside one of the world’s most powerful languages, this has proven to be the most effective model. It gives learners a strong foothold in Welsh that they would probably not acquire otherwise, whilst also fully developing their English language skills.

“This proposal threatens current effective practice and directly conflicts with existing Welsh Government policy to boost the number of Welsh speakers. It is also important to point out that it is not included in Professor Graham Donaldson’s ‘Successful Futures’ report – the blueprint for the current reforms.

“We call on Welsh Government to clarify the situation as soon as possible.”

ENDS

Notes

For further information please contact:

Rebecca Williams: 07787 572180 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Teachers Working Longer Review meeting

10 January 2019

Teachers Working Longer Review meeting

Since 2014 UCAC has regularly attended meetings with the Westminster Government to discuss the implications of the changes to Teachers' Pensions as teachers work longer and until they are older.

The General Secretary, Dilwyn Roberts-Young, was present in meetings on Wednesday, January 9th, when discussions focussed on the recommendations of the Working Longer Review for supporting teachers during their careers.

The Union has reported on the review and the challenge ahead is to change the culture in schools, authorities, at regional and national level to support teachers.

It's UCAC's intention to call for a meeting with Welsh Government, who are also present in the meetings, to consider the recommendations in the context of developments in Wales.

In the afternoon there was a further meeting to discuss the governance of Teachers' Pensions with government, employer representatives and union representatives. Only UCAC ensured a voice for teachers in Wales at the meeting.

For further information contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 01970 639950

 

 

New approach to languages welcomed

25 January 2019

New approach to languages welcomed

UCAC education union has responded positively to Welsh Government’s announcement about the role of languages in the new curriculum.

Rebecca Williams, UCAC’s Deputy General Secretary said, “Placing English and Welsh in the same domain as International Languages, opens the door to a new approach to teaching languages. It could also put a fresh emphasis on the appreciation of cultural and linguistic diversity more generally.

“It has been evident for some time that we need to start teaching languages to children at an earlier age, so we welcome this proposal on the condition that sufficient training is provided for staff.

“Likewise, reports such as Professor Sioned Davies’s have made it plain that there’s an pressing need to improve techniques for teaching Welsh, particularly in schools where the medium of instruction is predominantly English. This too will necessitate a range of training options, on a large scale, with considerable urgency.

“The new curriculum will place an emphasis on the ability to communicate and will provide opportunities across the curriculum to develop those skills – beyond specific language lessons, and beyond the classroom. It will acknowledge that everybody is on a ‘continuum’ in terms of their linguistic skills – whether in English, Welsh or another international language.

“As a union, we will be pressing Welsh Government over the coming months for detailed information about the assessment arrangements, and especially about the opportunities for training.”

ENDS

Notes

  • UCAC is Wales’s own education union. It represents teachers, headteachers and lecturers in all education sectors across Wales.

For further information please contact:

Rebecca Williams: 07787 572180 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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