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.

24 January 2018

UCAC calls for increased training for the education workforce

In response to the publication of Estyn’s Annual Report today, UCAC teaching union has called for an increase in the number of training days for teachers, headteachers and teaching assistants.

Elaine Edwards, UCAC’s General Secretary said “One of the key themes throughout Estyn’s annual report is the need for thorough, high quality training for the whole workforce.

“The Chief Inspector has made it absolutely clear in his report that lack of training and appropriate support are largely responsible for inconsistencies across the system, including in the Foundation Phase, and in relation to literacy, numeracy and ICT.

“If we are to achieve a consistently high standard of education across Wales, and since we are the in process of introducing fundamental changes to the curriculum, we must ensure that we train our teachers, teaching assistants and school leaders to ensure the requisite levels of expertise and confidence.

“UCAC is calling on the Welsh Government to increase the number of annual INSET days from the current 5, during the period leading up to the introduction of the new curriculum and assessment arrangements. This is the only way to ensure the levels of professional development required for successful implementation of the Government’s ambitious vision.”

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.