Education

Anti-strike proposals an attack on devolution says NAHT Cymru

Published

12 months ago

January 30, 2024

THE GOVERNMENT’S proposed minimum service levels for schools are ‘draconian, unnecessary, and an attack on devolution’, school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru says.

In its response to the government consultation, which closes today, NAHT Cymru says the legislation cuts across devolved powers by the Welsh Government and would effectively remove the right to strike from most school staff – and especially head teachers given that most schools only have one such role.

The new laws would make it legal to sack striking education workers who have been issued with ‘work notices’ and will allow hefty fines to be imposed on unions.

NAHT Cymru says the proposals fail to recognise legislation in Wales, such as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015; the Trade Union (Wales) Act 2017 and Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 – all of which look to strengthen workers and employers’ rights and promote working together to resolve disputes where possible.

Far from ensuring a ‘minimum’ service, the union says requiring all vulnerable, critical worker and exam groups to be in school would mean a majority of pupils attending and all schools being required to open on strike days.

NAHT Cymru National Secretary Laura Doel has condemned the legislation, saying: “The proposals by the UK government aim to undermine the principles of social partnership and are a direct attack on the devolution settlement.

“The Department for Education (DfE) has no idea of the systems in place that manage and maintain Welsh schools and the UK Government has no right to involve itself in matters that do not concern it.

“School leaders across Wales face significant challenges, particularly when it comes to pay, workload and funding and we are currently working with the Welsh Government to address those issues.

“Having said that, we will not hesitate to take further industrial action if it is the will of our members and we will do everything in our power to protect those rights.”

NAHT Cymru says there was no clear evidence of detriment to pupils during last year’s industrial action by education unions, which included a strike by teachers – but that cuts to education and chronic underfunding have far-reaching implications for the delivery of education.

Referring to last year’s action in Wales, during which NAHT Cymru took action short of strike, the response continues: ‘Teachers, school leaders and support staff have taken part in industrial action to defend their pay and working conditions, to prevent a worsening of the staffing shortage and to restore the quality of our education services. The introduction of minimum levels of service will not resolve these issues, but they will impact workers ability to do something about them.’

In its response, NAHT Cymru also highlights the principle that union members need the freedom to withdraw their labour if their workplace is for any reason considered unsafe.

It points out that the proposals do not allow workplace notices requiring staff to work to be appealed or for any independent oversight of disputes that arise. There is no provision for meaningful consultation with unions and no obligation to consult individuals identified in a work notice as being required to work during a strike and is completely lacking in reference to the devolved governments at all.

NAHT Cymru has welcomed education minister Jeremey Miles’ response to the legislation, after he wrote to the DfE stating the Welsh Government will continue to work with employers and unions under social partnership to resolve disputes.

Paul Whiteman, NAHT’s general secretary, said: “The government’s proposals are a hostile attack on the basic democratic right of workers to withdraw their labour.

“Strike action will always be a last resort for dedicated education professionals. Sadly, however, it is sometimes the only way to engage tin-eared governments and employers in serious talks about issues which may not only affect their working conditions, safety and livelihoods – but also their ability to offer the education all children deserve.

“These proposals will not help to prevent industrial disputes but will make it even harder to resolve them and for dedicated school staff to act when they fear education is being devalued. If that happens, ultimately it is children who will suffer.”

NAHT Cymru is calling for the UK government to retract the proposals and enter meaningful negotiations with education unions after it abandoned talks last year.

It urges ministers to ‘learn from other nations and create a culture of social dialogue and balanced cooperation through the introduction of sector-wide collective bargaining, together with the clear legal recognition of a positive right to strike.’

The union says the proposals are ‘highly likely to fall foul of equality law’, arguing that school leaders who are more likely to be required to work are often older. It points out that a majority of the workforce are female, and that the approach taken was ‘effectively discriminating against’ staff at schools with a higher proportion of pupils with additional learning needs (ALN), vulnerable and critical worker children.

NAHT Cymru adds the legislation would ‘make the UK an outlier among comparable nations’, undermining a host of international human rights and labour law commitments. These include the United Nations’ 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, European Social Charter and commitments through the International Labour Organisation.

Community

County Show calling all Pembrokeshire parents and teachers

Published

19 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SCHOOLCHILDREN from across the county are invited to the next Food Story event, Nutritious, Delicious & Local, which will take place at the Pembrokeshire County Showground on Wednesday, March 5, and Thursday, March 6, 2025.

This exciting event, suitable for pupils from Year 2 to Year 11, will offer a hands-on learning experience focusing on health and well-being, as well as the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in local food production. Topics will include how weather and climate impact farming, the growth of crops, and the daily challenges faced by farmers.

Children will also have the chance to cook and sample local produce, making it a truly interactive and educational experience.

All primary and secondary schools across Pembrokeshire will receive an invitation and booking form to attend. If teachers have not received the email and would like to participate, they are encouraged to contact the Pembrokeshire Showground Office at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Don’t miss this opportunity to inspire the next generation about the importance of nutritious, local food!

Education

Former Haverfordwest High student wins South Hook LNG scholarship

Published

4 days ago

January 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PROMISING local law student, Alisha Akhtar, has been awarded South Hook LNG’s 2024 Scholarship, receiving £5,000 to support her academic journey. Alisha, a former Haverfordwest High pupil, is in her final year of an LLB Law degree at the University of Salford, Manchester, and is preparing to undertake the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) in two years.

The annual South Hook Scholarship is designed to encourage academic excellence and career ambition among Pembrokeshire students. Candidates go through a rigorous selection process that includes a written application and an informal interview, demonstrating South Hook’s commitment to supporting local education.

During a ceremony held at South Hook LNG, Alisha was presented with her award by the South Hook team. Speaking about the scholarship, she said: “My late parents worked tirelessly to provide opportunities they never had. This scholarship brings me closer to my goal of pursuing a career in law and honours my parents’ sacrifices. I am deeply grateful to South Hook LNG for believing in my potential.”

Hamad Al Samra, General Manager of South Hook LNG, praised Alisha’s determination, saying: “We are continually inspired by Pembrokeshire students. Alisha’s focus and commitment stood out, and we are pleased to support her in achieving her aspirations.”

South Hook LNG encourages local students pursuing higher education in engineering, science, or business-related fields to apply for their scholarship programme. Details for the 2025 award will be available on the company’s website in September.

Photo caption: Alisha Akhtar, South Hook LNG’s Scholarship recipient of 2024, with members of the South Hook team responsible for assessing the applications. (Pic: Supplied)

Education

New resource to support Welsh medium pupils

Published

1 week ago

January 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EDUCATION researchers have published a special booklet to support pupils in Welsh medium schools from homes where the language is not spoken.

Entitled Partner, Promote and Provide, the booklet was co-created in workshops led by Aberystwyth University which brought together education partners from Ceredigion and Powys, with input from parents and pupils.

It builds on a series of research studies by the School of Education which began during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and which explored the impact of the pandemic on pupils along with the additional challenges facing Welsh-medium schools in extending support to children from non-Welsh-speaking homes.

Dr Siân Lloyd-Williams Director of Research at Aberystwyth University’s School of Education, said:

“Based on the studies we carried out between 2020 and 2024, it was clear we needed to continue the work so that we could evaluate, identify and measure the impact of our recommendations on supporting non-Welsh speaking families.

“We set out to organise a series of workshops, bringing together representatives from the local education authorities, teachers, parents and others to hear their experiences and gather evidence. As a result, we have co-created a special booklet that teachers can use to support pupils from non-Welsh-speaking homes who attend Welsh medium schools.”

Another member of the research team at Aberystwyth School of Education, Dr Rhodri Aled Evans, said:

“This is an example of effective and purposeful collaboration between academics and practitioners on the ground. We hope this booklet, together with the recommendations of our previous studies, will be a valuable resource for the education sector and beneficial for teachers, pupils and families alike.”

The Director of Education for Ceredigion County Council, Elen James, said:

“It has been extremely valuable to collaborate with the University’s researchers to create dedicated resources that offer practical help on how to further improve the experiences of Welsh-medium pupils from non-Welsh speaking homes. This work is important and an excellent starting point for further collaboration. We look forward to developing the project further in the future.”

The Partner, Promote and Provide booklet was launched at a training event for teachers held at the University on 16 January 2025 and can be downloaded from the University’s website as a PDF or hard copies can be sent on request.

Pictured: L to R: Susan Ferguson (Research Impact and Knowledge Officer, Aberystwyth University), Prysor Davies (Interim Head of the School of Education, Aberystwyth University), Dr Rhodri Evans (Lecturer in Education, Aberystwyth University), Rhiannon Salisbury (teacher), Alwyn Ward (Ceredigion County Council)