Assembly Government should acquire
power over teachers' pay and conditions
PRESS RELEASE
From the Institute of Welsh Affairs
For publication after 0010 Tuesday November 28th 2006
Primary legislation to develop a distinctly Welsh approach to teachers’
pay and conditions should be promoted by the Assembly Government following
the May 2007 election, says a study group of education experts in
Time to Deliver, a report on policy options for the National Assembly’s
Third Term to be published today (Monday November 27th) by the Institute
of Welsh Affairs. The legislation would deal with some of the problems
facing small rural primary schools and paying their head teachers
more than others, not less, as at present in the combined England
and Wales arrangements.
The study group add that the much disliked ‘Threshold’
salary scale point (at which rather dubious teaching characteristics
have to be deemed present in order for teachers to move on to a superior
pay scale) should also be tackled, particularly in the areas of classroom
observation and use of benchmarking data. This would also require
new primary legislation to be passed through Westminster under the
auspices of the 2006 Wales Act.
The Group advocate that more attention should be given to the transition
experience from primary to secondary schools, for children aged 11-14.
Wales has historically under performed in this age group compared
with England, for reasons that are unclear. Some have argued that
this reflects the effects upon schools of Wales’ high levels
of deprivation in areas such as the Valleys, where perhaps 30 per
cent of children may be turned off by the secondary schools’
unimaginative curriculum. Piloting ‘middle tier’ schools
for pupils aged 7-14 or 9-14, before separate 14-16 or 14-19 provision,
as a means of reducing disruption is one possibility.
The Assembly Government’s Raising Attainment and Individual
Standards in Education in Wales (RAISE) initiative, which is providing
additional funding for schools in disadvantaged authorities may have
effects through the appointment of learning mentors. Evaluation of
this programme will test whether a more ‘root and branch’
reform of middle school education is needed in Wales. It was noteworthy
that in October 2006 publication of national assessment results for
Welsh children at age 14 in Science, Mathematics, English and Welsh,
showed results were much lower compared with those at age eleven.
The Study Group also recommends further developing the Welsh Baccalaureate
by expanding the central common core to bring it into line with the
International Baccalaureate. which should provide the overall template
for the WelshBac.
The report, the work of eight Policy Groups made up of 103 experts,
will be discussed at a special conference to be held in Cardiff on
Monday November 27th. For further details on how to obtain copies
of Time to Deliver (price £30 plus £2 p&p), please
call 029 2066 6606 or e-mail wales@iwa.org.uk
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