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Stand up for Quality Education Campaign
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Notice of Independent Research on Teacher Workload
The EIS has commissioned independent research on Teacher Workload. The study is being conducted by a research consortium from the University of the West of Scotland and Cardiff Metropolitan University. This research aims to gain an understanding of the extent and nature of the excess workload of teachers.
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Members will soon be asked to participate in this research by completing an online diary which will provide a snapshot of workload activities over a week. The diary tool will be carefully designed to minimise the time taken to complete this at the end of the study week.
Action for Reps: Addressing teacher workload is a key strand of the Stand Up for Quality Education campaign and finding out a clear picture of excess workload is crucial. Please look out for the invitation to take part and encourage members to take up the invitation to complete the online diary to maximise participation.
Violence & Aggression in Schools
The EIS national branch survey on ‘violence and aggression’ was published late last year. The full report has been shared with all members. The EIS report, drawn from around 900 branches, found significant and rising levels of ‘violence and aggression’ in schools and set out recommendations to address it.
The Scottish Government published its "Behaviour in Scottish Schools: Research Report 2023". The independent report findings and recommendations align closely with the EIS report.
Violence and aggression in schools remains a live political issue, and we are seeking to work with political parties, COSLA, Education Scotland, parents’ groups and other trade unions to make progress in this area.
The EIS continues to campaign at a national level to address ‘violence and aggression’ in schools, and Local Associations and Branches are also progressing the campaign locally.
Action for Reps: Please discuss the EIS report’s findings and recommendations with members. Consider the recommendations and collectively decide which of these recommendations need to be realised at the school, prioritise them and work with your LA Secretary and EIS Organiser to begin relevant campaigning.
Please also work with your Local Association in campaigning to address violence and aggression in the wider local authority area.
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Council Nominations 2024/2025
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The EIS Council is the principal executive committee of the EIS. It meets around five times a year, usually in Edinburgh and at the AGM.
Nomination forms for members interested in standing for election to Council for 2024/2025 will be available from the EIS website.
Action for Reps: Please make members aware of upcoming Council nominations.
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Elections to the GTCS Council convening in April 2024 are now open, with the deadline for voting being midday on Friday, 9th February.
The EIS is committed to ensuring a strong teacher voice within GTCS Council and to this end is supporting candidates across the range of vacancies in the Primary, Secondary and FE Categories.
We are urging members to vote for all remaining EIS-supported candidates in the Primary and Secondary categories. Their election statements can be read using this link: https://www.eis.org.uk/in-education/gtcselections.
Online voting information has been sent directly from GTCS.
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members and encourage them to vote.
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We have been clear that the new body replacing the SQA must deliver the long-overdue culture change which places trust in teachers’ professional judgement and which will see the new organisation’s governance arrangements ensure that the body actively listens and responds to the voice of the profession.
We have also reiterated our calls for a fundamental review of the current system of inspections, highlighting its very limited worth in the view of teachers, and outlining the need for reform based on trust in teacher professionalism, empowerment and system-wide collaboration.
Action for Reps: Please familiarise yourself with the response.
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Additional Support for Learning
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The Education, Children and Young People’s Committee of the Scottish Parliament has launched an inquiry into Additional Support for Learning, focusing on the following themes:
- the presumption of mainstreaming;
- the impact of COVID;
- the use of remedies set out in legislation.
The EIS has submitted a full response, highlighting the urgent need for resources to support teachers in meeting the diverse range of additional support needs in their classes, for investment in specialist teachers and support staff as well as allied professionals, if the promise of inclusion made to children, young people and their families nearly twenty years ago, is to be achieved.
With 37% of pupils in Scottish schools with an identified additional support need, the time for action is now.
Action for Reps: Please familiarise yourself with the response.
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New Staff and Probationer Teacher Recruitment
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Recruitment is key for all trade unions including the EIS.
Please approach all new probationers to ask them if they would like to join the EIS. Membership is free until December 2024.
If the probationer joined the EIS as a student teacher, then they have automatically become full EIS members - you should ask them to update their membership details.
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Please approach all new staff, to check if they are an EIS member and recruit any teacher who is not a trade union member. If they are already EIS members, then they will need to update their school details
Action for Reps: Approach all new teaching and probationer staff as soon as possible to check if they are EIS members and ask them to join the EIS online, if they are not already a member, or update their details if they are already members.
Please also put up the EIS posters sent to all schools in late June on school noticeboards.
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If you have new colleagues in your school who are EIS members, they should update their school base or personal contact details on the MyEIS section of the website.
Remind them to log on using their EIS number. It is quick and simple to set up a password.
Alternatively, as a Rep, you should have access to member lists for your school and you can update details on their behalf.
Action for Reps: Visit the EIS website to update member details.
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Your EIS Local Association
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It is important for School Reps to engage with their Local Associations for information and views to be shared with Local Association Secretaries and EIS staff who attend LA meetings, and for information to get from the LA into schools. Please keep in contact with your Local Association Secretary and your Local Association Committee of Management/Executive Committee.
Action for Reps: Contact your LA Secretary to discover what meetings and events they are running over the coming months and get involved.
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Some independent schools choose not to recognise trade unions, despite high levels of EIS membership. The EIS will continue to push for recognition and representation to ensure that our members are treated fairly and are aware of their rights.
Action for Reps: If you and your colleagues wish EIS support or to get your EIS Branch recognised by your independent school then please contact your nearest Organiser.
More information on independent schools may be found on our website.
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We have a team of eight Organisers to support Local Associations, Branches and Reps. If you would like an Organiser to support you or your branch in an (in-person or online) meeting, then please contact them online.
Our Organisers can support local campaigning, advise on school issues, provide training and branch building advice, and brief members on our latest national campaign – Stand Up for Quality Education.
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Training is available for all EIS reps, both new and experienced, and for activists interested in becoming an EIS rep. The EIS has developed training courses with the TUC that are TUC accredited. These courses include EIS Reps' Stage 1 Training, bespoke FELA and ULA Reps’ training and Health and Safety Reps’ training.
A list of upcoming training opportunities for reps is available on the EIS website. If you are a rep or an activist interested in these opportunities, then please contact your Local Association Secretary to be nominated for one of these courses.
Action for Reps: Check the EIS website regularly for new training opportunities available to you.
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Anti-racism Creative Showcase
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The EIS is the sole funder of this year’s Show Racism the Red Card Creative Showcase. Taking part in this showcase is a great way to engage learners in an anti-racist curriculum. The showcase is open to all in Education, from EY to S6 and all entries will feature in our online gallery, with some invited to an in-person event in Glasgow.
The deadline for submissions is 9th February 2024.
Action for Reps: Please highlight the Creative Showcase to members and encourage them to participate.
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Stories of Section 2A – EIS LGBT History Month Event
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Today, Scotland is the first country in the world to commit to a national rollout of LGBT Inclusive Education. But, it was only just over 20 years ago that a piece of public sector legislation prohibited the teaching of LGBT lives and relationships in schools.
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So many of Scotland’s teachers and students lived through the devastating effects of Section 2A (known as Section 28 in England and Wales). What can we learn from their stories of the past, to help us take LGBT Inclusive Education forward in the present?
This LGBT History Month, the EIS sets out to begin gathering the stories of Section 2A, which will form part of a larger project in partnership with the Time for Inclusive Education Campaign (TIE).
Our “Stories of Section 2A – EIS LGBT History Month Event” will take place on Thursday 22nd February, from 6-8pm, on Teams. More information can be found on the EIS website.
Action for Reps: Please encourage members to attend.
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To unsubscribe email membership@eis.org.uk with the subject line unsubscribe from member bulletin.
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