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Glasgow City Council Budget Cuts
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EIS Glasgow are campaigning against cuts proposed that will see 450 teachers’ jobs lost over the next three years, starting with 172 jobs this academic year. Members in Glasgow are currently participating in a statutory ballot and are encouraging Glasgow teachers to vote yes, for both strike action and action short of strike action.
The EIS is clear that these cuts are contrary to the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase teacher numbers and the decision must be reconsidered.
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Action for Reps: Please send messages of support to EIS Glasgow @EISGlasgow on X and EIS_Glasgow on Facebook
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EIS FELA members have accepted a four-year pay deal from employers, Colleges Scotland. This came after a long campaign in which members undertook strike action and action short of strike to improve the previous below-inflation offers from the employers. It has been three years since college lecturers have had an increase in pay, so this is a welcome outcome for members.
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A significant component of the pay deal is that employers who docked the wages of members for participating in action short of strike will have to pay the money back. EIS pressure on the Scottish Government to take a stance against deeming of wages was successful in bringing about this landmark development.
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Education (Scotland) Bill Response
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The Education Committee has responded to the Education, Children and Young PeopleCommittee’s Call for Views on the Education (Scotland) Bill, highlighting concerns that the Bill does not go far enough in seeking to deliver a new qualifications agency and a truly independent Inspectorate, as envisaged by both the OECD in its review of Curriculum for Excellence and the Muir Report.
More information, along with a full copy of the report, can be found on our website.
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members
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SQA Assessment Arrangements FAQs
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In response to secondary members’ concerns around excessive workload associated with gathering evidence for SQA Assessment Arrangements (AAs), the EIS has engaged with the SQA to clarify its expectations around AA evidence. Subsequently, the SQA has published an Assessment Arrangements FAQ.
More information is available on our website.
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members
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SQA examination data for 2024 indicates that, despite official guidance, schools have continued to present a large number of candidates for both National 4 and National 5 in the same subject.
Dual presentation is a significant driver of excess workload for teachers and contributes to the over-assessment of learners.
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In response to concerns raised by the EIS, a joint letter, signed by the Chief Examiner, the Chief HM Inspector and the Cabinet Secretary for Education, was issued to local authorities, and states that:
- Large numbers of candidates should not be dual presented;
- Presentation decisions must be informed by effective tracking and monitoring of learners’ progress through the Broad General Education;
- Dual presentation would only be appropriate be in a “very limited number of exceptional circumstances,” and should involve dialogue with young people and their parents/carers.
Action for Reps: Please bring the joint letter to the attention of members in your branch.
Encourage discussions at departmental and school level on senior phase presentation policy to ensure that it aligns with the national position set out in the joint letter.
If presentation policy is misaligned with the national guidance, raise this with school management in the first instance and seek advice from your local secretary if necessary.
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Access to Marked Exam Papers Trial
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The SQA had previously advised heads of centres that a trial of access to marked exam papers would take place following results day in August 2024. This trial encompasses Geography (N5 and Higher); Graphic Communication (N5, Higher and Advanced Higher;) Media (National 5); Music (National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher); and Statistics (Advanced Higher).
SQA co-ordinators will be able to access the marked papers from SQA Connect.
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Parents, carers and learners have been informed of this trial and, therefore, are able to request papers. EIS advice to members on the trial can be found here. The EIS will conduct a survey of affected members at the conclusion of the trial with a view to establishing its impact on teacher workload.
Action for Reps: Please bring the EIS advice (originally issued in May 2024) to the attention of SQA Co-ordinators and to EIS members in the subject areas concerned, and alert affected members in your school to the forthcoming EIS survey
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Solidarity & Social Justice Conference 2025
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Save the Date: EIS Social Justice and Solidarity Conference 17th and 18th January, Radisson Blu, Glasgow
Still We Rise is a two-day conference where we explore how educators and trade unionists can rise up to create a more fair and equal world for all.
The full programme for the event, with details on how to register is now available on our website.
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members
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Professional Learning Opportunities
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Online and in-person courses are now available to book, with topics including: creative approaches, leadership, digital skills, and more. Courses and resources will be added throughout the year.
Action for Reps: Please highlight to members, and encourage them to regularly visit the PL section of the EIS website.
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We support and train members to become school-based EIS Representatives, this includes Health & Safety and Equality Reps.
The EIS works with college tutors to deliver TUC accredited Reps’ training. Future training course dates will be published shortly. If you want to learn more, or have recently become a new Rep then please explore our courses.
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Action for Reps: If you are a Rep who wishes to attend training, please contact your LA/Branch Secretary to apply for an EIS training course.
If you are a school Rep please engage with your Local Association Secretary and attend LA meetings if you can.
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The Sponsorship of The Arts fund
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The EIS is proud to support arts projects that benefit young people across Scotland, and allocates a percentage of all subscription income to this important area of work.
The Sponsorship of The Arts fund was established by the EIS Council so that the EIS can support arts projects in schools in Scotland.
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Over 50 different projects and organisations have benefited from EIS Sponsorship of the Arts funding in recent years, including: Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Scottish Opera; Edinburgh International Book Festival; Orkney Folk Festival; Celtic Connections; Glasgow Music Festival; The Benedetti Foundation; Children's Classic Concerts; and National Theatre.
Funding for the arts has been an area that has been increasingly squeezed. While the EIS cannot hope to plug the gaps left by under-funding by government, we are committed to providing whatever support that we can to arts projects that benefit schools and young people.
To find out more including the criteria for sponsorship of the arts funding and how to apply, download the documents below.
Sponsorship of The Arts Criteria
Sponsorship of The Arts Application
Please send completed application forms or any queries about the fund to Grace Paton.
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Reach out to New Teachers and Probationer Teachers in your School
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Unions are strongest when we have as many members as possible and that they are engaged. Please reach out to any new teachers in your school and talk to them about EIS membership. Please also promote EIS membership with any probationer teacher; EIS membership is free for probationers.
Action for Reps: Reach out and talk with new staff and probationers.
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To unsubscribe email membership@eis.org.uk with the subject line unsubscribe from reps' bulletin.
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