15 June 2018

Scrapping free transport to Welsh-medium schools “totally unacceptable” says UCAC

In response to information that has come to light that Flintshire County Council is considering scrapping free transport for pupils attending Welsh-medium schools, Dilwyn Roberts-Young, UCAC teaching union’s Deputy General Secretary said:

“We are fully aware of the budgetary pressures that Local Authorities are facing. However, scrapping free transport to Welsh-medium schools would be a huge own goal. It is totally unacceptable that this matter is even under consideration.

“The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 places a responsibility on every Local Authority to “to promote access to education and training through the medium of Welsh.” Getting rid of this free transport would fly in the face of this statutory requirement and would actively raise barriers between pupils and Welsh-medium schools.

“The obvious result is that pupils will be compelled to attend an English-medium school closer to home, thereby depriving them of access to education in their mother-tongue, or in the case of non-native speakers, depriving them of the right to become natural, confident bilingual citizens of Wales.

“That would be a direct hit against the Welsh Government’s policy of creating a million Welsh-speakers by 2050.

“The proposal to discuss this matter suggests that Flintshire County Council are in a desperate financial situation. In which case, it is time for us to have a national debate about the funding levels and methodology for our education system.”

UCAC notes that Flintshire County Council’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (2017-2020) is entirely clear on the matter:

"Flintshire County Council meets the requirements of Section 10 of the Learner Travel Measure (Wales) 2008. The local authority’s School Transport Policy includes provision for pupils of compulsory school age to be provided with free transport to Welsh Medium Schools... Accessibility to education through the medium of Welsh is facilitated by the provision of a network of suitable transport routes and travel times are not excessive.”

In relation to post-16 education, the Plan states:

“Free transport is provided to learners who wish to access post 16 courses at the local authority’s Welsh medium Secondary School… whilst there are currently no plans to amend the policy, removal of this discretionary provision in the future could present a challenge in terms of learners’ ability to access Welsh medium post 16 education.”

ENDS

Notes

• UCAC is Wales’s own education union. It represents teachers, headteachers and lecturers in all education sectors across Wales.
• Flintshire County Council's Welsh in Education Strategic Plan: http://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/PDFFiles/Lifelong-Learning/Schools/Welsh-in-Education/Flintshire-Welsh-in-Education-Strategic-Plan-2017-2020.pdf

For further information please contact:

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

6 June 2018
Embargo: 7 June, 00:01

UCAC welcomes new vision for school inspection

UCAC education union has welcomed the vision presented in a report by Professor Graham Donaldson, published today, on the role and methods of the Welsh schools’ inspectorate, Estyn.

Rebecca Williams, UCAC’s Policy Officer said: “UCAC welcomes this report and the vision it outlines for the future inspection of schools in Wales.

“Far-reaching changes to the Welsh education system are on the way, and re-examining Estyn’s role is an important step in ensuring that all parts of the system are pulling in the same direction.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly, Professor Donaldson’s recommendations are perfectly in tune with the direction and ethos of the wider reform programme.  They strike a balance between continuing to provide assurance to the public about educational standards, and giving schools more responsibility for their own self-improvement.

“The emphasis on trust, joint-working, support and professional learning – as opposed to shock and awe, and public shaming – is particularly welcome. UCAC is confident that this approach will encourage a far more open, honest and mature system that will be more likely to lead to improvement for pupils.

“We urge Welsh Government and Estyn to look favourably on the recommendations in this report.”

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.

24 April 2018

Skills Challenge Certificate – union welcomes recommendations

In response to the publication today of a report commissioned by Qualifications Wales in the Skills Challenge Certificate element of the Welsh Baccalaureate, Rebecca Williams, UCAC’s Policy Officer said:

"UCAC welcomes Qualifications Wales's report, which acknowledges the conflict between the value of the Skills Challenge Certificate on the one hand, and the confusion and misunderstandings surrounding it on the other.

"The report's recommendations resonate with what UCAC members have been reporting for some time, which is that elements of the design and assessment are unwieldy and unmanageable - both for learners and teachers. The emphasis on clearer communication and on better training opportunities for teachers - including in initial teacher training courses - is very much to be welcomed.

"UCAC urges all relevant partners to take action on the report's recommendations in order to ensure that the Skills Challenge Certificate element of the Welsh Baccalaureate is made as appealing and beneficial to as many learners across Wales as possible."

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.

9 March 2018

One step closer to devolving Teachers’ Pay and Conditions

On the day that Welsh Government launched its consultation on how it intends to determine teachers’ pay and conditions, Elaine Edwards, UCAC General Secretary said “UCAC is pleased to see Welsh Government’s proposals for how it intends to determine teachers’ pay and conditions once the powers have been devolved.

“After decades of campaigning and persuasion by UCAC – which until recently was an extremely lonely voice in the desert on this matter – the opportunity to set pay and conditions that go hand-in-hand with our ambitions and our cultural approach to the Welsh education system is within reach.

“We welcome the proposal that pay and conditions should be statutory and consistent across Wales. This is crucial to in order to secure equity. The commitment to ensuring that there will be parity of pay with teachers in equivalent schools over the border is also to be welcomed.

“We look forward to moving swiftly now to a system that meets Wales’ needs, and which is in tune with our values and our vision.”

ENDS

Notes

• UCAC is Wales’s own education union. It represents teachers, headteachers and lecturers in all education sectors across Wales.
• UCAC has campaigned since 1940 for an independent education system for Wales, including the right to determine teachers’ pay and conditions.

For further information please contact:

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

2 February 2018

UCAC opposes imposition of car parking charges in Swansea

In response to proposals from Swansea Council to impose charges on school staff to park on school grounds, Elaine Edwards, UCAC General Secretary said:

"UCAC is astounded at this proposal from Swansea Council which smacks of desperation. We firmly oppose the proposal.

"It's totally unacceptable that the Council would wish to impose parking charges on a public sector workforce that has seen salaries frozen or capped for the last seven years.

"Teachers carry huge loads of books every day which makes travelling by public transport impracticable.

"And we're concerned that the imposition of charges will increase the bureaucratic burden on headteachers who might be expected to collect fees and distribute licences.

"To think that the charges could be introduced from April, the proposals remain totally nebulous, and we are yet to see any level of consultation.

"We call on Swansea Council to withdraw these unreasonable and ill-thought-out proposals immediately, in order to avoid causing catastrophic damage to their relationship with the education workforce."

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.