5 December 2018

Threat to Welsh language ‘immersion’ service in Gwynedd

UCAC education union has expressed its opposition to proposals made by Gwynedd Council to make cuts to the service that allows new-arrivals to the area to be ‘immersed’ in the language so that they can join their peers in mainstream bilingual education.

Gwynedd Council is currently consulting with staff of the Language Centres that provide the service about restructuring.

Ioan Rhys Jones, UCAC’s North Wales Field Officer said “The Council hasn’t provided an option to protect this service which is often regarded as a jewel in Gwynedd’s educational crown.

“All of the options would have a negative impact on the quality of the instruction provided and/or the numbers of pupils who could benefit from this valuable service.

“Due to the intensity of the course, and the high expectations on teachers and pupils alike, experts are of the opinion that a ratio of 1 teacher to 6 pupils is essential. That is the model currently in place – however, none of the proposals allow for that to continue. In fact, most of the proposals would mean a doubling of the number of pupils per teacher.

“We fear that the proposals would make it far harder to reach the same standards within the same timescales. That in turn could mean that pupils faced difficulties integrating into mainstream bilingual education – and into the wider bilingual community.

“UCAC is shocked that Gwynedd Council doesn’t appear to be willing to ensure the continuity of the service at its current level, and that it has not been able to identify funds to ensure its sustainability.

“What hope is there of reaching the Welsh Government’s target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050 when we can’t even ensure that we integrate new arrivals to the area into mainstream bilingual education in the very strongholds of the language in Gwynedd?”

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.

5 December 2018

On Thursday, November 29th, UCAC General Secretary Dilwyn Roberts-Young, attended a meeting with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) in their Cardiff offices.

It was an opportunity, with representatives of other unions, to gain an overview of the challenges facing all areas of Wales. It was agreed that the representatives of the employers and representatives of employees need to establish a pattern of meetings along with clear communications between unions and the WLGA.

Such a relationship will provide an opportunity for consistent messages to be sent to Welsh Government on the priorities in terms of funding in order to ensure that any monies reach the areas which are of concern for our members.

Teachers and school leaders are the most important resources in education and it is crucial that the emphasis is on job security and ensuring that pay and conditions of service are not undermined. Pressure needs to be put on Welsh Government to release sufficient funding to ensure the success of a number of developments over the coming years.

UCAC welcomes the intention to ensure a more structured relationship between the WLGA and the unions – in accordance with our requests over an extended period. We also wish Steve Thomas, Chief Executive of the WLGA, well on his retirement at the end of the year.

For further information contact:

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

12 November 2018

A Meeting with Flint County Council Officials

On Monday, November 19th, Dilwyn Roberts-Young, UCAC General Secretary met with the Chief Executive,Colin Everett and the Director of Life Long Learning, Claire Homard at Flintshire County Council offices. 

The meeting was an opportunity to share concerns about education funding and the implications for salaries, conditions of service and job security for teachers working in Flintshire. The meeting was the latest in a series which have taken place with a number of authorities and which will continue to take place at a challenging time for the profession and the education system as a whole.

The meeting was timely as the authority launched a campaign the following day in which it called for fair funding for local government and for Flintshire County Council. Details of the campaign can be found at: www.flintshire.gov.uk/OurFlintshire19-20

Flintshire County Council is asking Welsh Government ‘to #BacktheAsk for £5.6m more funding for Flintshire’. According to the statement by the Chief Executive the authority needs a positive response from Welsh Government in order to ‘protect local services and keep Council Tax rises down.’

For further information contact:

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15 November 2018

The Supply Teacher Working Group

UCAC has attended a series of meetings which has given consideration to the pay and conditions of supply teachers.

In those meetings we have been working to ensure fairness for supply teachers by highlighting low salaries, the undermining of conditions of service and the lack of professional development opportunities.

UCAC’s General Secretary Dilwyn Roberts-Young attended the latest meeting on Thursday, 15^th of November where a number of issues were raised.

The devolution of pay and conditions will eventually provide a golden opportunity for supply teachers to access professional development. 

The National Approach to Professional Learning (NAPL) is an investment in response to the changes facing the education system over the coming years. We will need to look at the impact the additional monies will have on schools employing supply teachers.

Over the coming days UCAC will be highlighting the circumstances of supply teachers in the Fair Work Commission consultation and raising concerns we have when supply teachers face allegations whilst working for agencies.

UCAC is committed to campaigning to ensure that supply teachers are treated with equity and respect as valued members of the education workforce.

For further information contact:

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

15 November 2018

Teachers Working Longer Review: Final Report

In the Autumn of 2014 a report was commissioned ‘into the possible health and deployment implications for teachers working longer as a result of the increase in normal pension age’.

Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru (UCAC) has fully engaged in the discussion which has led to the publication of the report. This report can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teachers-working-longer-review-final-report

The final report, published on the 5th of November, includes a number of recommendations which deserve careful consideration. They include

• the need for  greater recognition and celebration of older teachers as an important part of the teaching workforce;
• consistent and effective support for teachers’ physical, mental and emotional health and well-being throughout their career;
• more support in managing an age diverse workforce and getting the best out of older teachers;
• promotion and implementation of flexible working across all schools to support a more inclusive age-diverse culture.

The report also recommends that the group continues to meet acknowledging that changing the culture within the education system is the challenge facing government, employers, employees and trade unions. At a time when financial constraints are undermining the profession and having an adverse impact on health and well being, there needs to be considerable investment in order to allow schools to support diversity.

This is the challenge for the years ahead and the report is a useful foundation for the discussions needed.

For further information contact:

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