‘UNITE FOR QUALITY EDUCATION’
NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE
5-6 JULY 2014
STOKE ROCHFORD HALL – GRANTHAM
CONTENTS
The National Education Conference 2014, which took place at Stoke Rochford Hall on 56 July, was attended by over 100 Union members, speakers, workshop leaders and NUT
staff. They met together in whole-conference plenary sessions and workshops.
The Conference report, which follows, consists of summaries of the plenary and
workshop sessions and includes links to presentations.
The conference programme, speaker and workshop leader biographies and participants’
comments are included at the end of the report.
CONFERENCE OPENING
Page Number
Christine Blower, NUT General Secretary:
4
Welcome and Introduction to the NEC
PLENARY SESSIONS
Dr Carmel Gallagher, CEO General Teaching Council for
Northern Ireland:
4
Enhancing Teacher Professionalism –Towards a Framework
Of Career-Long Professional Development
Dave Peck, CEO Curriculum Foundation:
5
Developing a Quality Curriculum
Professor Tony Booth author ‘Index for Inclusion’ & Judith
Carter, Senior Adviser SEN-D, Norfolk County Council:
6
A Values-Led Approach to School Improvement
– Adding ‘Clarity and Focus’ to Ofsted
Anne Swift, Robin Head and Amanda Martin:
7
A discussion on the NUT/Compass Education Inquiry
Beth Davies, Professor Kathryn Riley and Sarah Murphy:
7
Panel Debate: The Courage to Teach – Professionalism in
Testing Times
Chris Waterman, Chair of the Supply and Teacher
Training Advisory Group (SATTAG):
Who Needs Teachers?
WORKSHOPS
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8
Jo Sadler, Associate Lecturer, Centre for Post-14
Research & Innovation, Institute of Education:
10
Professional Development for Vocational Teachers
- a Research-Based Approach
Elly Barnes, LGBT Schools Advisor for Birmingham
City Council and Founder of ‘Educate and Celebrate’:
10
‘Educate and Celebrate’ - How to Make Your School
Equality & Diversity Friendly
Dr Julian Grenier, Headteacher, Sheringham Nursery
School and Children's Centre:
11
Quality and Professionalism: The Role of the Teacher in an
Increasingly Fragmented Early Years Sector
Campbell Russell, NUT Health and Safety Trainer:
12
Stress: Reflections on a Misunderstood Phenomenon
Professor Kathryn Riley, Institute of Education and
Poet Tio Molina:
12
School: A Place Where I Belong?
CLOSE OF CONFERENCE
Max Hyde, President:
13
Conference Overview and Closing Address
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
15
PARTICIPANTS’ COMMENTS
18
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PLENARY SESSION: ‘WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION TO THE NEC’
CHRISTINE BLOWER, NUT GENERAL SECRETARY
Chair: Anne Swift, NUT Vice President
Anne Swift welcomed delegates to the NEC and introduced NUT General Secretary,
Christine Blower.
NUT General Secretary Christine Blower said that the theme of the conference for
2104, Unite for Quality Education was drawn from Education International (EI)’s
Campaign for Quality Education. The NUT supported the campaign as part of a global
movement for education. Worldwide, more school places had become available but
there was now a need to focus on equality, to persuade governments to continue to
make development aid for education available, and to support education with high
quality teachers, buildings and resources, especially in the global south.
The General Secretary referred to the analysis of Pasi Sahlberg, a former head of the
now disbanded Finnish schools’ inspection service, on the Global Education Reform
Movement, or GERM. Governments worldwide, including in the UK, were closely
associated with this movement, which favoured policies such as privatisation of
education, standardised testing, centralised education policies and a deskilling of
teachers. She said that teachers needed trust-based responsibility, not test based
accountability.
In response to such trends in education policy in the UK and globally, the NUT had
launched its Stand Up For Education campaign, which had led to a huge mobilisation of
the NUT membership in engagement, pressure, and action where necessary. The
campaign was effective and was winning allies for the NUT, she said. This included a
day of joint strike action with other public sector unions on 10 July 2014 around both
individual grievances and common causes such as pay and pensions.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: ‘ENHANCING TEACHER PROFESSIONALISM - TOWARDS A
FRAMEWORK OF CAREER-LONG PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT’
DR CARMEL GALLAGHER, CEO GENERAL TEACHING COUNCIL FOR NORTHERN
IRELAND
Chair: Anne Swift, NUT Vice President
Dr Carmel Gallagher said that she believed that Northern Ireland provided a better
atmosphere for teachers than did England. Northern Ireland had introduced a ‘radical’
National Curriculum, having realised from the mid-1990s onwards that it needed a
separate solution to England. English education had become focused on a curriculum
promoting ‘British values’ whereas in Northern Ireland British and Irish values could often
be in conflict, as demonstrated by segregated school structures. The fact that the
‘marching season’ would soon be taking place was evidence that such conflicts still
existed.
She said Northern Ireland had always sought to draw on the best of the British education
system while seeking to avoid or ameliorate its worst features.
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Carmel Gallagher said there was a need to embed a professional development
framework structurally and professionally, based on research and development, to unite
teachers as autonomous, self-regulating professionals. She noted that England was
now alone within Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in not having
a teaching council. The GTC for Northern Ireland had five core functions:





professional registration
professional regulation
professional research and advice
professional development
professional voice
In doing so it worked with the Education Minister in Northern Ireland, and with teachers’
unions. This enabled the voice of the profession to be heard on important matters, such
as assessment, inspection, education research, school leadership, and teacher
professionalism. The aim was to embed a framework of continuing professional
development to produce a career ladder aligning professional competences with career
progression.
Dr Carmel Gallagher’s PowerPoint presentation is available at the following
address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
PLENARY SESSION: ‘DEVELOPING A QUALITY CURRICULUM’
DAVE PECK, CEO CURRICULUM FOUNDATION
Chair: Amanda Martin, Vice-Chair, Education and Equalities Committee
Dave Peck outlined how teachers could effectively and creatively implement the new
national curriculum in ways that engaged students in their learning. He expressed the
belief that a quality curriculum is at the heart of quality education and acknowledged the
apprehension and doubt felt by many teachers towards the curriculum changes and the
impact of these on schools. Dave Peck stated that the purpose of the session was to
reassure teachers and give them the confidence to explore different methods of tailoring
the curriculum to their school’s needs.
Dave Peck’s presentation covered three main areas: the context of the new National
Curriculum, the meaning of a quality curriculum, and ways to develop one. He began by
discussing the changes to the curriculum and the forces driving these changes. He then
moved on to the importance of asking the right questions about teaching. He suggested
that teachers should reflect on the current effectiveness of learning at their schools and
how much they need to change to improve it.
The presentation then focused on the impact of positive/negative learning experiences at
school. Dave Peck asked delegates to reflect on their own experiences at school and
think about what impressions they were left with as a result of both effective and
ineffective teaching.
He then posed the question: What do we want learners to leave with, what skills and
attributes do we want to instil in them? He encouraged delegates to have an agreed
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statement of quality learning at their schools and focus on shaping the curriculum to
support these aims and values.
Finally, Dave Peck gave examples of different ways the curriculum could be adapted
and he encouraged delegates to be brave and innovative when implementing the
curriculum in their classrooms.
A copy of Dave Peck’s PowerPoint presentation is available at the following
address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
PLENARY SESSION: ‘A VALUES-LED APPROACH TO SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT’
PROFESSOR TONY BOOTH, AUTHOR ‘INDEX FOR INCLUSION’ AND JUDITH
CARTER, SENIOR ADVISER SEN-D, NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL
Chair: Robin Head, Vice Chair, Education and Equalities Committee
Professor Tony Booth began this session by exploring the limitations of the current
approach to school improvement, in particular the Ofsted regime. School improvement
should be “values-explicit”, he said and the ‘Index for Inclusion’ set out one way of
putting values into action.
Tony Booth outlined some inconsistencies in recent Ofsted reports and asked the
question: “What would constitute a satisfactory Ofsted report?” He suggested that such a
report would at least be free of contradiction, would be numerate, literate, rational,
inquisitive, tentative, supportive and dialogic. Unfortunately, Ofsted reports rarely had
any of these characteristics. Most importantly, they were rarely either supportive or
dialogic, meaning that they did not seek to open up a discussion with school leaders and
teachers about how to improve.
Mainstream approaches to school improvement were largely focussed on a set of ideas
brought from management consultancy. These approaches, including the use of the
SMART acronym, did not make sense in an educational context and, significantly, rarely
mentioned children.
Tony Booth argued that a values-led approach was more inclusive and child-centred;
thinking about values meant thinking about the deep-seated sense of direction that
informs one’s ideas. A series of slides was used to illustrate the similar ways in which
different school communities thought about their school and the values that they wished
to see embodied within it.
The ‘Index for inclusion’ used a system of questions which head teachers, teachers and
governors could use to think about practices within the school.
Judith Carter outlined how the Index was being used in practice in a network of Norfolk
schools. Examples of questions that had been employed usefully in schools included;
“Are governors’ meetings enjoyable”?; “Do staff consider under what circumstances
homework contributes to, or detracts from, learning?; and “Are teaching assistants
attached to a classroom or curriculum area rather than to particular children?”
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Judith Carter outlined the inclusive principles for teaching and learning which
underpinned the Index. Within the index, these principles gave rise to a series of
inclusion indicators, grouped into three dimensions: “Dimension A: Creating inclusive
cultures”; Dimension B: Producing inclusive policies”; and “Dimension C: Evolving
inclusive practices”.
A copy of Professor Tony Booth and Judith Carter’s presentation is available at
the following address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
‘A DISCUSSION ON THE NUT/COMPASS EDUCATION INQUIRY’
LED BY ANNE SWIFT, ROBIN HEAD AND AMANDA MARTIN
Chair: Rosamund McNeil, Head of Education and Equalities Department
Anne Swift set out the background to the NUT/Compass Education Inquiry and gave an
overview of its work to date. She stated that it would aim to influence education policy to
produce a more equitable education system. The Inquiry report would be available for
use by all interest groups, including politicians, parents and teachers. A summary of the
outline Inquiry report Education for the 21st Century: A vision of a democratic system in
England, was circulated for information and is available at the following link
www.teachers.org.uk/nec
Amanda Martin invited delegates to contribute to the Inquiry by responding to the
following questions:
 What issues are the most frequent cause of problems and pressures in schools?
 How do accountability pressures impact on the education experience of pupils?
 What sort of solutions should the Union pursue with the Government and political
parties to help teachers and children?
The responses were collected on post-it notes and would be used to identify the
implications of schools’ internal accountability measures on teachers’ workload and on
education.
Robin Head closed the session by thanking delegates for their contributions. He stated
that the coming year would be timely in terms of engaging political parties in advance of
the General Election taking place on 7 May 2015. The Inquiry report would hopefully
show how the education system could be improved and would contribute to the
development of a better system.
PANEL DISCUSSION: ‘THE COURAGE TO TEACH – PROFESSIONALISM IN
TESTING TIMES’
PANELLISTS:

BETH DAVIES, EX-PRESIDENT, ‘LESSONS FROM FINLAND – TRUSTING
TEACHERS’
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
PROFESSOR KATHRYN RILEY, LONDON CENTRE FOR LEADERSHIP IN
LEARNING, INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, ‘EVERYONE IS A LEADER –
LETTING TEACHERS TEACH’

SARAH MURPHY, SECONDARY SCIENCE TEACHER, ‘VIEW FROM THE
CHALK FACE’
Chair: Philipa Harvey, NUT Senior Vice President
Beth Davies spoke about the NUT Executive’s delegation to Finland in March 2014.
The delegation’s report on its findings on the Finnish education system and its
recommendations for how Britain could learn from these findings was available on the
NUT website. She said that in Finland, education was collaborative rather than
competitive and was based on professional autonomy rather than bureaucratic
accountability. Teaching was seen as a team activity. The country also enjoyed
excellent maternity and childcare provision.
Prof Kathryn Riley said that schools could deeply influence a child’s sense of belonging
or exclusion, and whether they felt valued or not. She said that children faced an
uncertain and fluid future, but also a world of possibilities. Teachers needed the courage
to teach in an environment which looked to the possibilities of the future.
Sarah Murphy said that teachers could be courageous, but were also prone to
nervousness, uncertainty and anxiety. The job could be extremely rewarding, but also
stressful. She feared for a future of performance pay, worsened pension provision, and
a de-professionalised, privatised teacher workforce. She noted that the highestperforming education systems internationally have well-paid teachers with high social
status. She called for a Secretary of State who could inspire, value and motivate
teachers.
In the discussion that followed the following points were made:

Societies were judged by how they treated their most vulnerable, for example
pupils with SEN. The aspiration should be for an education service which was
inclusive.

There was an unhelpful tendency in Britain to discuss education using a
‘language of deficit’, which perceived problems rather than opportunities. An
example was concerns about the number of children with English as an additional
language in London schools, rather than celebrating the diversity of language in
London and the opportunities that could present.

There was a need to move away from standardised testing to assessment for
teaching and learning. It was noted that this was the case within the successful
Finnish education model.

Where children weren’t succeeding in schools, this needed to be addressed, for
example by exploring whether a child felt excluded or was unhappy, why that
was, and how to work with the child to address those issues.

If teachers did not feel valued, it was difficult to ensure a teaching workforce that
valued children.
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
Policy makers had to be prepared to meet, listen to, and discuss policy with the
profession.

There was a need to articulate concerns about the education service to parents,
and to gain their support for progressive reforms, rather than being guided by
political rhetoric.

It may be helpful to consider a ‘guarantee’ of opportunities for all children and
young people, around issues such as class size, outdoor play, out of school
learning and travel, and opportunities within the classroom.
PLENARY SESSION: ‘WHO NEEDS “TEACHERS”?’
CHRIS WATERMAN, EDUCATION POLICY COMMENTATOR AND CHAIR OF THE
SUPPLY AND TEACHER TRAINING ADVISORY GROUP (SATTAG)
Chair: Annette Pryce, NUT Executive LGBT Constituency Seat Holder
Chris Waterman began this session by explaining the purpose of the Supply and
Teacher Training Advisory Group. It aimed to provide a forum to discuss and advise on
supply teacher issues. He elaborated on who was involved, the frequency of group
meetings, and the activities they engaged in.
He described the focus areas of SATTAG and the work it undertook, such as mapping
out the shape of the workforce and analysing key trends over time, examining routes into
teaching, and identifying curriculum demands. The group also looked at the reasons
behind joining the teaching profession and the geography of the teaching force.
Chris Waterman looked at the needs of students and the expectations placed upon
teachers. He outlined the different types of ‘markets’ to manage the supply and demand
for teachers.
Delegates were asked to consider a series of questions on why teacher supply should
be managed, who should manage it, whether or not all teachers should be trained, and
how to ensure the most challenging schools received a fair share of the best teachers.
The presentation concluded with recommendations from Professor John Howson, which
proposed that only candidates with the highest qualifications and personal attributes
should be allowed to train; QTS should be subject specific in secondary; CPD finance
should be ring-fenced and allocated by an independent body; and an independent
College of Teachers should be established with initial funding provided. Chris Waterman
then invited NEC delegates to ask questions and share their thoughts on teacher supply.
A copy of Chris Waterman’s PowerPoint presentation is available at the following
address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
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WORKSHOP SESSION: ‘PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR VOCATIONAL
TEACHERS: A RESEARCH-BASED APPROACH’
JO SADLER, ASSOCIATE LECTURER, INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION
Chair: Robin Head, Vice Chair, Education and Equalities Committee
Jo Sadler stated that this workshop was based on experiences of supporting teachers
and leaders in schools, colleges and training providers to improve the quality and
experience of vocational teaching and learning through independent research. She
outlined how the ‘FE@IOE’ Masters-level programme offered colleagues the opportunity
to reflect on and interrogate current issues in vocational policy and pedagogy via
institutional research, peer review and publication.
In discussion, it was emphasised how 14-19 education was a politically charged area
currently and that the depletion of 14-19 partnerships at local level had not aided
college/school collaboration. It was important that good quality vocational learning
provided a range of pathways into higher education, training and apprenticeships.
Jo Sadler emphasised the need for professional development to be offered to post-14
vocational teachers and managers. The role of employers was also important in
promoting training for young people in the workplace.
Further information on enhancing the education and training of vocational professionals
can be found at: www.ioe.ac.uk/post14
A copy of Jo Sadler’s PowerPoint presentation is available at the following
address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
WORKSHOP SESSION: ‘EDUCATE AND CELEBRATE’ HOW TO MAKE YOUR
SCHOOL EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY FRIENDLY
ELLY BARNES, LGBT SCHOOLS ADVISOR FOR BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL
AND FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF ‘EDUCATION AND CELEBRATE’
Chair: Amanda Martin, Vice Chair, Education and Equalities Committee
Elly Barnes began the workshop with a practical example of discrimination. She split the
delegates into two groups based on the colour of their eyes. This led in to a discussion
about discrimination and an overview of the current legislation protecting against it. The
current Ofsted criteria was also considered, in particular that schools must tackle all
harassment relating to protected characteristics of the 2010 Equality Act.
In the discussion which followed delegates shared ideas about best practice in schools.
These included: posters illustrating varying types of families; use of appropriate
language e.g. ‘usualising’ instead or ‘normalising’; audit of books; broadening religious
education to include ethics; and an effective equality committee.
Elly Barnes engaged delegates in two illustrative games. One game involved all
delegates holding identical cards with the exception of one which had a cross on it. The
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holder had to pretend to have the same card as everyone else while delegates asked
questions to try to identify the person with the different card.
Elly Barnes went on the share the books used in the initiative led by Andrew Moffat
‘Challenging Homophobia in Primary Schools’. Everyone enjoyed joining in with the song
‘Red Rockets and Rainbow Jelly’.
In conclusion Elly Barnes recommended the resources available for education providers
on the Equality and Human Rights Commission web site:
www.equalityhumanrights.com/private-and-public-sector-guidance/education-providers
A copy of Elly Barnes PowerPoint presentation is available at the following
address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
WORKSHOP SESSION: ‘QUALITY AND PROFESSIONALISM: THE ROLE OF THE
TEACHER IN AN INCREASINGLY FRAGMENTED EARLY YEARS SECTOR’
DR JULIAN GRENIER, HEAD TEACHER, SHERINGHAM NURSERY SCHOOL AND
CHILDREN'S CENTRE
Chair: Anne Swift, Junior Vice-President
Dr Julian Grenier began the workshop with a short quiz on early years education,
nursery schools and nursery teachers. The quiz contained questions on general
educational issues, key advancements, prominent figures in early education, historical
dates, landmark decisions and notable quotes. Delegates completed the quiz in groups
and Julian Grenier shared the answers along with a brief explanation of each one.
The presentation that followed posed questions relating to the purpose of early years
education and who it benefits, as well as whether early years provision should be viewed
as childcare or education. It touched on the history of early education, the founding of
the first nursery school, emerging theories on attachment, the importance of play,
changing attitudes to early education over the decades, and present-day challenges.
The discussion then moved on to the subject of quantity versus quality. Julian Grenier
discussed the importance of investing in projects which demonstrated effectiveness. He
remarked that despite major government expenditure on several programmes, the
outcomes had been disappointing and the provision for the children most in need had
not improved.
Julian Grenier concluded the workshop with suggestions on possible directions for the
NUT, which included focusing on the quality of early education, defending the role of
qualified teachers, and protecting maintained nursery schools. He cautioned against an
inter-professional war between qualified teachers and early years teachers and said that
unity was the key in advancing the quality of early years education.
A copy of Dr Julian Grenier’s PowerPoint presentation and the quiz containing
both the questions and answers is available at the following address:
www.teachers.org.uk/nec
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WORKSHOP SESSION: ‘STRESS – REFLECTIONS ON A MISUNDERSTOOD
PHENOMENON’
CAMPBELL RUSSELL, NUT HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINER
Chair: Mandy Hudson, NUT Executive Disabled Member Constituency Seat Holder
Campbell Russell explored within this interactive workshop session how people
perceive stress, the origins of stress and how to address stress at work. He also
considered the outcomes of an action research project on stress conducted in Cheshire,
Cheshire West and Chester.
Campbell Russell said that stress was a major casework issue, but it was often unclear
why people were experiencing stress. This resulted in caseworkers focusing on generic
issues, with many people failing to understand the causes of their stress that could be
managed. In some circumstances, individuals could reach the point where they were
unable to let go of their problems, avoided situations, and became dysfunctional.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had a set of standards related to six key areas
of work which covered the primary sources of stress at work, and which employers were
expected to manage.
Campbell Russell outlined the findings of an action research project on stress conducted
across 37 schools over an 18 month period. The staff had been asked to identify
stressors, in order to find common themes. The main causes could be summarised as
communication, relationships, and technology or administrative failures.
Campbell Russell concluded by saying that stress was a trade union issue, and that
those experiencing stress needed direct help and support. He said that there were only
two things that could change to ameliorate stress: the situation which was causing
stress, and the individual’s ability to handle the situation.
A copy of Campbell Russell’s PowerPoint presentation is available at the
following address: www.teachers.org.uk/nec
WORKSHOP SESSION: ‘SCHOOL – A PLACE WHERE I BELONG?’
PROFESSOR KATHRYN RILEY, LONDON CENTRE FOR LEADERSHIP IN
LEARNING, INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, TIOMOLINA, POET AND PERFORMER
Chair: Max Hyde, NUT President
Professor Kathryn Riley introduced the theme of the workshop. She said that schools
are one of the few social institutions that can create a sense of belonging or exclusion.
She went on to say that the workshop would be structured around three key questions:
1. Why do a sense of place and belonging matter?
2. What does it feel like to belong?
3. What can teachers do to help create a sense of belonging?
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Participants engaged in a discussion about ‘place’ with their direct neighbours. The
group was then asked to think about their own experiences of school as children and to
decide whether they felt like ‘insiders’, ‘in betweeners’, or ‘outsiders’. A discussion
followed about what had been important in creating a sense of belonging for participants
at school. This enabled a wider group discussion on how to engage with children on
these questions and make schools good places for children to be.
The workshop was interspersed by spoken word poetry and performance by the Poet
TioMolina on the themes of place and belonging. Katherine Riley explained that these
formed an important part of the sessions that they had run in a number of schools in
different international settings as part of her academic research on ‘place’.
She also presented a series of drawings produced by children in various schools in
these locations. These included schools in London (Newham); The Eastern Cape in
South Africa; Chile; and Kingston, Jamaica. Kathryn Riley encouraged participants to
explore the possibility of using drawing and image making to gain a better understanding
both of children’s home lives and their experiences of school.
A copy of Katherine Riley’s presentation is available at the following address:
www.teachers.org.uk/nec
PLENARY SESSION: ‘CONFERENCE OVERVIEW AND CLOSING ADDRESS’
MAX HYDE, NUT PRESIDENT
NUT President Max Hyde began by saying that the conference had been an important
opportunity for delegates, as professionals, to focus on issues which matter most to
them. The deliberate and sustained attack on the profession by the Government was
wrong. Teachers deserved the utmost respect and while teachers make a difference it
was becoming increasingly difficult to do so. Quoting Nelson Mandela she stated that
education had the power to change the world.
The President went on to state that the NUT was proud to stand up for education and to
stand with other trade unions for fairness. The lessons from the report of the NUT
executive delegation to Finland showed how much scope there was for improvement in
our education system. The focus of the conference on the curriculum was important at
the current time. The curriculum in Finland was reviewed every ten years, based on
research and evidence. Pupils deserved the best curriculum, one which recognised
individuality and experience outside the classroom. In Finland, assessment was ‘for
learning’ not ‘of learning’. Children were seen as individual puzzles to solve.
The President expressed concern that the changes to the curriculum being introduced in
September 2014 were being hastily brought about and could lead to solutions being
‘bought off the shelf’. She stated that £76 million had been spent by the Government
since the last election, paid to 14 private companies providing education services. The
current drive towards ‘delivery’ of education, rather than teaching, had to be challenged.
Early Years ‘provision’ should instead be Early Years education. We had to resist this
mechanistic approach.
The President stated that the authentic voice of teachers was vital to redress the
shocking ignorance of politicians. We had to work together in solidarity to stand up for
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education. Working with others, such as Wendy Ellyatt’s ‘Save Childhood Movement’,
was important to strengthening the Union’s work. School should be an experience not
an exam.
The President underlined that Union successes, such as the Government’s U-turn on the
introduction of EBacc exams, showed that we can win. NUT members were the
guardians of education standards in our classrooms. The NEC had provided delegates
with inspiration to continue to be the absolute professionals that they were.
The President urged delegates to fight for a curriculum that would meet the needs of all
learners in the 21st century. Furthermore, as Professor Colin Richards had highlighted,
there was a need for an intelligent and equitable alternative to the high stakes
accountability regime of Ofsted and the forced academy agenda that it was now
delivering for the Secretary of State. The Union would also continue to argue that
schools had the support and resources they needed to deliver inclusive education,
despite the momentum to go in the opposite direction.
The President asked delegates to voice their concerns about the curriculum proposals
using the form available in their NEC packs, as well as sharing their thoughts on the new
Curriculum Concern website at: www.curriculumconcern.org.uk
Finally, the President thanked the speakers and workshop leaders, NUT delegates, NUT
staff, staff at Stoke Rochford Hall and the Ramada hotel, and all conference participants
for the successful event. She reminded participants that NEC 2014 would be moved to
the weekend of 5-6 July 2014, so as to avoid clashing with the Durham Miners' Gala
weekend.
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NATIONAL EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2014
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
“Unite for Quality Education”
Twitter: #NUTNEC
FRIDAY, 4 JULY
Arrival and check-in at Stoke Rochford Hall or The Olde Barn Hotel
7.00 – 9.30 pm
Dinner (Reflections Restaurant)
9.00 – 10.00 pm
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION (Newton Room)
SATURDAY 5 JULY
7.30 – 8.30 am
Breakfast (Reflections Restaurant or at Olde Barn Hotel)
8.30 – 9.15 am
CONFERENCE REGISTRATION (Conference Centre foyer)
9.15 – 9.30 am
Welcome and Introduction to NEC (Conference Hall 1)
Christine Blower, General Secretary, NUT
9.30 – 10.30am
Keynote Address:
‘Enhancing Teacher Professionalism - Towards a Framework
of Career-Long Professional Development’ (Conference Hall 1)
Dr Carmel Gallagher, CEO General Teaching Council for Northern
Ireland
Chair: Anne Swift, Junior Vice-President
10.30 – 11.00 am
Tea/Coffee Break (Conference Hall 2)
11.00 – 12.00 am
‘Developing A Quality Curriculum’ (Conference Hall 1)
Dave Peck, CEO Curriculum Foundation
Chair: Amanda Martin, Vice-Chair, Education and Equalities
Committee
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12.00– 1.15 pm
Lunch Break (Reflections Restaurant)
1.15 – 2.30 pm
Workshops:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional Development for Vocational Teachers - a
Research-Based Approach - Jo Sadler, Associate Lecturer,
Centre for Post-14 Research & Innovation, Institute of Education
“Educate and Celebrate” how to make your school equality
& diversity friendly - Elly Barnes, LGBT Schools Advisor for
Birmingham City Council and Founder and Director of ‘Educate
and Celebrate’
Quality and Professionalism: The Role of the Teacher in an
Increasingly Fragmented Early Years Sector - Dr Julian
Grenier, Headteacher Sheringham Nursery School and
Children's Centre
Stress – Reflections on a Misunderstood Phenomenon Campbell Russell, NUT Health and Safety Trainer
School: A Place Where I Belong? - Professor Kathryn Riley,
London Centre for Leadership in Learning, Institute of Education
& Poet TioMolina
2.30 –2.50 pm
Tea/Coffee Break (Conference Hall 2)
2.50pm-4.15 pm
‘A Values-Led Approach to School Improvement – Adding
“Clarity and Focus” To Ofsted’ (Conference Hall 1)
Professor Tony Booth author ‘Index for Inclusion’ and Judith Carter,
Senior Adviser SEN-D, Norfolk County Council
Chair: Robin
Committee
4.15pm-5.00 pm
Head,
Vice-Chair,
Education
and
Equalities
‘A Discussion on the NUT Compass Education Inquiry’
(Conference Hall 1)
Led by Anne Swift, Robin Head and Amanda Martin
Chair: Rosamund
Department
McNeil,
Head,
7.00 – 9.30 pm
Dinner (Reflections Restaurant)
9.30-10:00 pm
Performance:
Education
and
Equalities
Percussion, dance and poetry performance by poet TioMolina (Oak
Bar)
10.00 – 12.30 am
Disco (The Grand Hall)
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SUNDAY 6 JULY
7.30 – 9.30am
Breakfast (Reflections Restaurant or Olde Barn Hotel)
9.30 – 10.45am
Panel Discussion:
‘The Courage to Teach – Professionalism in Testing Times’
(Conference Hall 1)
Panellists:
1. Beth Davies, Ex-President, ‘Lessons from Finland – Trusting
Teachers’.
2. Professor Kathryn Riley, London Centre for Leadership in
Learning, Institute of Education, ‘Everyone is a Leader –
Letting Teachers Teach’.
3. Sarah Murphy, secondary science teacher, ‘View from the
Chalk Face’.
Chair: Philipa Harvey, Senior Vice President
10.45 -11.10 am
Tea/Coffee Break (Conference Hall 2)
11.10 -12.00 pm
‘Who Needs “Teachers”?’ (Conference Hall 1)
Chris Waterman, education policy commentator and Chair of the
Supply and Teacher Training Advisory Group (SATTAG)
Chair: Annette Pryce, NUT Executive LGBT Constituency Seat
Holder
12.00 – 12.30 pm
Conference Overview and Closing Address (Conference Hall 1)
Max Hyde, President
12.30 – 1.30 pm
Lunch (buffet lunch in Reflections Restaurant or take-away packed
lunch)
Coaches to Grantham Station leave at 12.40pm and 2.00pm sharp
NEC – ‘Unite for Quality Education’ (5-6 July 2014)
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SOME PARTICIPANTS’ VIEWS ON THE 2014 NATIONAL EDUCATION
CONFERENCE
“I'm proud to be part of such a professional and caring union which makes us feel like
VIPs.”
My expectations were fully met as there was lots of information gained to be shared in
school.
Excellent CPD. Knowledge, self-refreshment all in one weekend.
“Excellent speakers & workshops. More teaching ideas would be great.”
“Varied, interesting & informative. Not all relevant for me in my expectations but this did
not distract me from what I thought the conference would cover.”
“Leaving the Conference motivated and ready to tackle issues in school armed with lots
of ideas.”
“It is always interesting and informative to attend NEC. It has given me more ideas to
defend education and speak on behalf of other teachers.”
“Very relevant to the day to day pedagogy. Creative NUT, well done!!”
“A simple reminder of why we do the job taking it all back to the child. Thank you.”
“Gorgeous location, very much a welcomed break and a treat to use the grounds.”
“Fabulous room and staff couldn't have been more helpful.”
“Brilliant could not have been better.”
“Worthwhile, informative, reminds you only when you teach that your job/skills and input
are valued.”
“Fascinating. Different to all other NUT events.”
“Inspirational. A must for the 'therapy'”
“Political views and current issues in education. Along with a chance to network and
relax with like-minded people.”
Keep an eye on The Teacher and the NUT website for details of NUT NEC 2015.
NEC – ‘Unite for Quality Education’ (5-6 July 2014)
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