| NUT speaks out against unqualified teaching at Calder High |
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Friday, July 9, 2004: Wednesday, July 7, 2004 Calder High School is to appoint 3 non-teaching staff as "cover supervisors" to cover for absent teachers. They are also going to give support teachers the "opportunity" to become form tutors. The National Union of Teachers is opposing the use of untrained to teachers to do teachers' work. Sue McMahon, the Calderdale NUT Division Secretary has told the Hebden Bridge Web, "I am surprised that Calder High is employing people to supervise students when they could be employing teachers who could be teaching them; children's education will suffer. This is not workforce reforms but a reduction in the quality of education.The role of a form tutor is a pivotal role in a secondary school; they respond to the needs of individual students, they are the first port of call for a student and maintain an overview of a student's progress in the school. It is therefore unacceptable that support assistants who will be neither trained nor qualified should carry out this role. Support assistants play a valuable role, but it is their job to support and a teacher's job to teach. Parents expect a fully qualified teacher in front of the class. Anything else is unacceptable. Parents should now be asking Calder High School, 'Will my child be taught or merely supervised?' " We understand that the local parents are going to arrange a public meeting in Hebden Bridge or Mytholmroyd - more details as we receive them. More news from the Hebden Bridge Web If you have any comments on this, please use our discussion forum . |