President's Address

March 2000

"The wheel has come full circle" ( Shakespeare) or "What goes around, comes around" (Anon)

I really cannot remember writing a Presidential Address the last time I had the honour to be the President of our Association (1987). Perhaps it was because I was in the process of the safe development and birth of our first-born, and that was successfully seen as an excuse not to put pen to paper! However, in keeping with my theme of 'Educational Campaigns and Experiences Revisited' I have now been afforded a second opportunity, and naturally I am most grateful – grateful not only to have the opportunity to reflect on the past twenty-five years of my teaching career and member of the N.U.T, but to show publicly my fairly recently acquired I.C.T skills.

(Obviously I will be signing the form that will enable me to 'go over the threshold')

On a serious note however, never before has this Association been more in the fore-front of formulating policies and guide-lines for the benefit of all teachers and children within our L.E.A, and who knows, perhaps even Nationally. We have of course undertaken sterling work at a National level in the N.U.T, and on many, many occasions in the last twenty-five years, made a huge impact on National N.U.T policy. I have every confidence that we will continue to do so, but it is now, at our local level that we are exerting much influence and innovative flair on behalf of our members, in tackling the problems that exist within our L.E.A.. Twenty-five years ago, I, like many of our members currently still teaching in Leicester, fell out of the now non-existent Scraptoft College of Education, a bit like an over-fed grub, stuffed to capacity with the food of the theories of education, and straight in to the comfortable and nurturing environment of the schools within the then existing Leicestershire Education Authority.

We barely had to undergo a formal interview which then put us into a 'pool' of newly-qualified teachers. The L.E.A. acted as an agency for the schools. We had huge expectations that our school would look after us well, and naturally, in due course we would gain the relevant experience that would entitle us to promotion. In short, most of us were incredibly lucky. I can certainly remember my first pay-cheque and the over-whelming sense of wonder that I was now being paid for a job that I so totally adored and enjoyed. When I look around now at the expectations and sheer workload put upon all teachers and especially, our newly-qualified members, I shudder to think why anyone would find the job of a teacher an attractive life-style option. It must be that we all want to give the children and young adults in our care the best possible opportunities in life as we had and indeed as we are providing our own children.

This must not be however at the expense of our own right to good working conditions, secure job prospects and acknowledgment of the hard-work and dedication that exists within the teaching profession as a whole.

During my second year of teaching I became the N.U.T Representative. at our school. Then as now, it was not exactly a closely fought contest, and I had severe doubts of my sanity in accepting this dubious responsibility. My insecurities were not helped by the fact that I would have to attend the Association meetings (I have always taken my responsibilities seriously, something which has invariably led me into a great deal of trouble)

This was the infamous Mid-Leicester Association. At that time, populated with look-a-like John Lennon political activists and not people who at first glance you would want to take your dog for a walk, let alone teach young children. However, I was wrong. I quickly found out that these were dedicated, hard-working individuals who were genuinely committed to improving the education of those they taught, and improving the working conditions for those who taught them. As a young and energetic Rep (!) I quickly became involved in a campaign concerning the '10+ Schools'. Actually as it turned out it was me who ended up running it. As a union, we had grave concerns over the educational benefits of taking children from their last year of Primary education and putting them in a Secondary setting. I still have, and twenty-five years on I find myself still involved with this issue, still with the same concerns, and now perhaps from a slightly different perspective. At my next school, a totally different environment, it being a large multi-ethnic school in Highfields, I first came across Section 11, as it was then known. I was also persuaded to leave the Mid-Leicester Association and join the City.

This was a big wrench, since I was leaving a large active Association, to join the 'unknown'. However, this was the eighties, and much active campaigning lay before us, with the City of Leicester Association at the front of all the campaigns, both Local and National.

The issue of the wide misuse of Section 11 funding in schools became one of the important features of that time. Once again, eighteen years on, Section 11, now EMTAG, and the use of Special Educational Needs monies in schools are issues of much concern for the Association. We have had huge successes in 'assisting' the L.E.A in moving forward and achieving an acceptable resolution where none seemed possible. As always protecting our members has been the main priority.

The City of Leicester is also taking a firm lead on the subject of Special Educational Needs and Inclusion.

Throughout the Eighties and Nineties whilst continuing to hold various roles and responsibilities within my teaching career I also held numerous officer's jobs within the Association.

Now that I am a Headteacher, I am in the position of having to view life from a different perspective. Recently I have found myself questioning whether as a Head I should still be a member of the N.U.T., let alone the President of the Local Association. However I came to the conclusion that a good N.U.T. member holds both values and principals which will guide them irrespective of their position, and can expect their Union to offer them as much advice, guidance and help they need in any aspect of school life.

I look forward to my Presidential year 2000, secure in the knowledge that there are many important developments around the corner. I welcome working with other Unions on T.N.C. and T.C.C., and I am sure that our relationship with the L.E.A. and the newly formed Partnership Board will develop in a most interesting fashion. We will continue to be closely involved in developing new policies and leading the educational debates on important issues such as Fair Funding, Inclusion, Performance Related Pay and all Reviews. In all of these issues members' rights and well-being will continue to be of paramount importance and I feel sure we will continue to build on our successes in this area.

Finally I urge all members of the City of Leicester N.U.T. Association to be proactive in their Union whether they are newly qualified, part time, experienced or Headteachers. The strength of the N.U.T. lies in a well-informed and active membership, who are willing to shoulder some of the responsibilities and share the work-load.

There are always vacancies on Committee, resources can be found for training new Reps and there is never a time when anyone will be expected to work on their own. I have always felt that one of the strengths of this Association is its ability to regenerate itself with officers and committee members whose dedication and loyalty to the N.U.T. knows no bounds.

I would also like to thank you all for this party and look forward to my official inauguration, being hosted by the National N.U.T., funded by the new Director of Education (whenever he/she is appointed) at the Millennium Dome, to which of course, you are all invited!

Sally Morrison
(President 2000/2001)
City of Leicester Association