Latest news with #NAHT
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Isle of Man school leaders asked to vote on industrial action
School leaders on the Isle of Man are being asked if they want to consider taking industrial action due to the alleged "further misuse of disciplinary proceedings" by the education department. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has held an emergency meeting to initiate a formal ballot for its members on the island.A formal dispute with the education department was raised by the union last month, citing a "toxic" culture and alleging an abuse of BBC has asked the education department for a response to the NAHT's concerns. The NAHT has opened an electronic ballot which asks members whether they would support a ballot for industrial union said it was determined to "protect its members from further misuse of disciplinary proceedings by the island's education department".It claimed there had been a "disregard of agreed policies and procedures, and the victimisation of [union] officials". 'Months of inaction' The formal complaint was raised by NAHT assistant general secretary Rob Kelsall, who wrote to the island's interim chief executive Mark Lewin. Mr Kelsall said the ballot was "unavoidable" due to "months of inaction, repeated policy breaches, and a failure to uphold basic employment rights".He added: "The integrity of our profession and the dignity of our members is on the line."We will not stand by and see school leaders being treated with contempt and their union representatives subjected to a witch-hunt and victimised."The NAHT alleged there had been breaches of the Fairness at Work Policy and the Code of Conduct for Public Servants. It claimed the education department had been misusing disciplinary procedures by imposing "punitive sanctions" rather than supporting professional union said concerns went "far beyond the experiences of any one or two individuals" and included "multiple breaches of employment policies and professional standards".It said: "We remain committed to finding a constructive resolution and believe these steps are necessary to rebuild trust and ensure fairness for all."The ballot will close on 18 June. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Ofsted delays setting out final plan for school inspections until September
Ofsted has delayed setting out its final plan for school inspections in England until September – just weeks before new report cards are due to be rolled out. The watchdog had planned to publish its formal response to its consultation on proposed inspection reforms in the summer term, ahead of the changes coming into effect in November. Sir Martyn Oliver, chief inspector of Ofsted, has now said it plans to publish its full response in September due to the scale of the feedback it received. The watchdog has said it will give them more time to analyse responses and carry out further testing of proposals to improve the final approach. However, school leaders' unions have criticised Ofsted's new proposed timetable as they say it will place more pressure on teachers who will only have the first half-term to prepare for the major education inspection reforms. The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has suggested the timeline could do 'real damage' to the health and wellbeing of school staff, adding that Ofsted's decision was 'bordering on reckless'. Meanwhile, the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has called the revised timetable 'nonsensical' and 'ridiculous'. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has called the delay of the publication of inspection materials – and Ofsted's consultation response – 'disappointing'. Under Ofsted's plans, set out in February, schools in England could be graded across eight to 10 areas of a provision using a colour-coded five-point scale. They would receive ratings, from the red 'causing concern' to orange 'attention needed', through the green shades of 'secure', 'strong' and 'exemplary' for each area of practice. Education unions have criticised the proposals for being even worse than the system they would replace. In a letter to the Education Secretary on Wednesday, Sir Martyn said: 'We fully intend to make improvements to the proposed inspection framework, based on what we have heard, but we need a little more time to complete our analysis of the responses we have received. 'I am also convinced that our final approach will be improved by further testing of these refinements before the summer.' Last year, the Government announced that headline Ofsted grades for overall effectiveness for schools in England would be scrapped. Previously, Ofsted awarded one of four single-phrase inspection judgments: outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate. The move came after Ofsted faced criticism after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry. Mrs Perry took her own life in January 2023 after an Ofsted report downgraded her Caversham Primary School in Reading, Berkshire, from the highest to the lowest overall effectiveness rating over safeguarding concerns. On Ofsted's new timetable for the consultation response, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'If these proposals go ahead, school leaders will now have to spend the first half-term of the new school year preparing for an entirely new inspection framework. 'Rather than having a term, it appears they may have just a matter of weeks to do this. The pressure this will place schools under is immense and there is no way this is in the best interests of pupils. 'We recognise that we may never agree on every aspect of inspection policy, but this decision is bordering on reckless and could do real damage to the health and wellbeing of school staff. 'We urge Government to intervene to ensure that Ofsted is not allowed to proceed on this basis.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The introduction of a nonsensical inspection framework is now compounded by a nonsensical timetable. 'The idea that schools and colleges can prepare for a complete change in the inspection system on this scale in two months is, frankly, ridiculous.' He added: 'This decision will pile yet more pressure on the education workforce and shows little care for their wellbeing. 'How this rushed timetable is supposed to benefit children and parents is anyone's guess.' In a letter responding to Sir Martyn about the delay, the Education Secretary said: 'It is important that Ofsted delivers to the expected timescales, to build confidence in the Inspectorate and avoid additional challenges for headteachers and leaders in planning ahead for changes to the system. 'I note your absolute commitment to introduce the revised framework in November as planned and communicated to the sector.' On Wednesday, Ms Phillipson also announced the appointment of Dame Christine Gilbert, a former Ofsted chief inspector, as the new chairwoman of Ofsted. Dame Christine led the independent learning review in response to the coroner's Prevention of Future Deaths report from Mrs Perry's inquest. The review concluded that Ofsted's initial response to the death of Mrs Perry appeared 'defensive and complacent'. Mrs Perry's sister, Professor Julia Waters, said: 'Dame Christine Gilbert pulled no punches in her criticism of Ofsted in her independent review of Ofsted's response to the death of my sister, Ruth Perry. 'Her report showed that Ofsted's institutional culture and processes need root-and-branch reform, and I am pleased to hear that Dame Christine has now been appointed as chair of the Ofsted board.' She added: 'Ofsted must use the extra time to make significant changes to their plans. 'If not, it will have created the worst possible scenario: a bad inspection system, with even less time for schools and families to adapt to it.'
Leader Live
10-06-2025
- Leader Live
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.' She added: 'By harnessing AI's power to cut workloads, we're revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.'
South Wales Guardian
10-06-2025
- South Wales Guardian
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.' She added: 'By harnessing AI's power to cut workloads, we're revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.'
Western Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Western Telegraph
Pupils could gain more face-to-face time with teachers under AI plans
The Department for Education (DfE) has launched guidance for schools and colleges in England on how teachers can use generative AI safely. It suggests AI can cut down administrative tasks – such as generating letters, reports and planning lessons – to give teachers more time to work with pupils. But the guidance also calls on teachers to always check outputs generated by AI for 'accuracy' and it insists that personal data should be protected. School leaders' unions have welcomed the resources but they said further investment is needed to unlock the potential benefits of AI in education. The support materials suggest that generative AI could be used to help teachers with formative assessments – such as generating quizzes and 'offering feedback on errors' – as well as generating 'exam-style questions'. Generative AI tools can also help staff with administrative tasks such as composing emails and letters, policy writing and planning trips, it added. One section of the guidance demonstrates how AI could be used to generate a letter to parents and carers about a head lice outbreak at the school. It said: 'Strategic implementation of AI can cut down administrative tasks for leaders, teachers and support staff, particularly in areas such as data analysis, lesson planning, report generation and correspondence. 'This could allow educators more time to work directly with students and pupils and help to reduce workload if implemented well.' But educators should only use AI tools 'approved' in their setting, it added. AI should also only be used by teachers for formative, low-stakes marking – such as classroom quizzes or homework, the DfE has said. Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'These resources are a welcome source of support for education staff. 'AI has huge potential benefits for schools and children's learning but it is important that these are harnessed in the right way and any pitfalls avoided. 'Government investment in future testing and research is vital as staff need reliable sources of evaluation – supported with evidence – on the benefits, limitations and risks of AI tools and their potential uses.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'The great potential of AI is in easing staff workloads which are driven by system-wide pressures and are a major cause of recruitment and retention challenges. 'If we can get this right it will improve working conditions and help address teacher shortages. 'However, there are some big issues which need to be resolved and paramount is ensuring that all schools and colleges have the technology and training they need. 'Budgets are extremely tight because of the huge financial pressures on the education sector and realising the potential benefits of AI requires investment.' The DfE has said it is investing an extra £1 million in funding to accelerate the development of AI tools to help with marking and generating detailed, tailored feedback for individual students. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'We're putting cutting-edge AI tools into the hands of our brilliant teachers to enhance how our children learn and develop – freeing teachers from paperwork so they can focus on what parents and pupils need most: inspiring teaching and personalised support.' She added: 'By harnessing AI's power to cut workloads, we're revolutionising classrooms and driving high standards everywhere – breaking down barriers to opportunity so every child can achieve and thrive.'
