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Facilities For NUT School Reps

Document

Arrangements For Teacher Cover – Preparing For September 2009

Document

Teacher's Working hours and Duties

Document

Where to find information on conditions of service

Document

Notice Board Heading

Link

Membership Details Update Form

Link

Changes to the OFSTED Inspection Framework

Link

Congratulations if you have recently been elected as an NUT school representative.  You and your colleagues are the backbone of the union and can be proud to represent the NUT knowing we are the largest teacher’s union in Europe.  Our network of local lay officers and professional regional officers and lawyers are second to none in supporting members.

Five essentials for school representatives

There are many useful documents on this web-site and on this page which will help you in your role.  Please take the time to look around and see what is here and let us know if you have any ideas for what could be added to help you further.
There are 5 things all reps should do on becoming a school rep:

• Tell the school office that you are the NUT representative and that all mail, e-mails, faxes and ‘phone calls should be directed to you.  Mail should come to you unopened.  Also tell the Divisional Secretary on jpemberthy@glosnut.co.uk
• Tell all the members (including any on sick leave, maternity leave, etc:) and representatives of other unions that you are now the NUT representative.  A list of your current members can be obtained from your Divisional Secretary on jpemberthy@glosnut.co.uk
• Ask the Headteacher if you can have termly calendared meetings to discuss employment issues including how new initiatives might have an impact on workload and to ensure due consultation with the workforce
• Ensure there is a notice board for NUT information (a notice board heading is available from the links on the left).  You have a legal right to this and we can give you advice if there is any problem.  This notice board should enable you to put up posters (e.g. NUT news) separate from other teachers’ organisations and be in a place where all teachers are likely to see it (e.g. the staffroom)
• Approach all new teachers when they first visit the school and ascertain if they are members of the NUT.  If they are then ensure they or you tell us of their change of school and any other changes to their records such as home address.  If they are not members then try and persuade them to join by filling in a membership form or ringing the hotline 0845 300 1669 or visiting the national website on www.teachers.org.uk

Other teachers may also question you because they are thinking of joining the NUT. It is always worth taking a couple of minutes just to put across an NUT viewpoint.

What should I do as NUT representative?

Basically, the role of the NUT representative can be broken down in to three themes:

• (A) Communication and liaison (link)
• (B) Representation and negotiation (link)
• (C) Recruitment and retention (link)

Remember, we know you are busy so just do what you can!  Don't worry if you can't do all of this. If you only do only one thing from the list, NUT members will benefit. If in doubt, try to find the answer on the help and advice pages of this site (there are also some helpful documents in the margin on the left).

(A) Communication and liaison

• Open the mail.
• Put material on the NUT noticeboard.
• Read and distribute information from HQ.
• Attend local association meetings.
• Read and distribute information from the local association.
• Listen to members.
• Convene school-based meetings - not just when there are problems.
• Tell members about Union training:
• national courses
• regional or local training
• professional development courses
• any local ICT courses.
• Liaise regularly with the NUT H&S representative.
• Work with representatives from other unions in the school.
• National website: communication and liaison

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(B) Representation and negotiation

• Handle the initial informal stages of casework.
• Consult among NUT members on relevant issues.
• Contact the Head over issues of concern.
• Negotiate within the school on the implementation of local agreements.
• Ensure that school-based procedures are operating.
• National website: representation and negotiation

From time to time, members in your school, college, or service may find themselves in difficulties. As NUT representative, you may be the first person to whom they turn.
Members need to know that they can turn to the NUT for advice and guidance in confidence.

When a member brings a problem to you, you are responding on behalf of the NUT. It is important that members perceive that you have taken their concerns seriously and that they know what will happen next.

You are not expected to know all the answers. Colleagues will understand when you indicate that you need to make enquiries and seek advice.

If in doubt, try to find the answer on the help and advice pages of this site or the national web-site www.teachers.org.uk or contact the divisional secretary, jpemberthy@glosnut.co.uk.  Alternatively you can contact the regional office for advice over the telephone.

What you can do

If a member comes to you with an enquiry or a problem, you can:

• listen to the member and take her or him seriously.
• encourage the member to write things down in case the situation develops.
• establish and note the essential facts.
• decide whether the case requires immediate action and refer it to your divisional secretary.
• check to see whether other members of the NUT are involved.
• keep the member informed of any action that you propose to take on her/his behalf.
• keep clear written notes of all conversations concerned with the case and copies of all correspondence.

What not to do

• Don't tackle stages which are beyond the initial stages or where somebody’s job may be at stake without talking to the divisional secretary.
• Don't get involved in formal procedures without seeking advice.
• Don't take on matters which are not Union matters.
• Don't worry about telling the member that you don't know the answer.
• Don't panic!

Don't know the answer? Who to contact

NUT representatives cannot possibly know everything about every issue. Nor should NUT representatives tackle issues which should be dealt with at local, regional or Wales levels.

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(C) Recruitment and retention

• Have available application forms and recruitment literature.
• Have to hand the joining hotline numbers (0845 300 1669).
• Look out for new staff at the beginning of terms…… and at other times.
• Talk to staff about the Union.
• National website: recruitment and retention

OFSTED SCHOOL INSPECTION FRAMEWORK

NUT Briefing for DIVISIONS
                 OCTOBER 2009

The documents in this folder provide information and advice about the changes to the OFSTED inspection framework for schools (Section 5 inspections). The main briefing document is based on the OFSTED publications “The Framework for the Inspection of Maintained Schools in England from September 2009”, “OFSTED’s Evaluation Schedule of Judgements for Schools Inspected Under Section Five of the Education Act, from September 2009” and “Conducting the Inspection: Guidance for Inspectors of Schools from September 2009” which may be downloaded from the OFSTED website www.ofsted.gov.uk.

The folder includes a range of materials about the revised inspection arrangements that have been produced to support members.

• A leaflet for members outlining the main changes to inspection arrangements: Link

• “The New OFSTED Inspection Framework: Frequently Asked Questions”: Link

• “OFSTED School Inspections 2009: Guidance for Head teachers”: Link