These are the "old updates" from the year 2000-2001. Local newsletters are also available.

HOUSING UPDATE 14TH JUNE 2001

Islington has again made a number of flats available for teachers newly appointed to Islington. For more information or to apply, click here.

UPDATE 14TH JUNE

From September 1st newly appointed teachers who are NQTs and who have a permanent contract will be eligible for a £1500 BONUS. Any NQT who has been offered a fixed term contract should contact their school rep or secretary urgently.

UPDATE 17TH MAY

Unions have been told that the education payroll service will provided by another private company in the interests of cost and efficiency. The company with the successful tender is ................ ITNet.

They will provide a parallel service with the existing payroll during August and take over from September. More news will be posted as we receive it.

AND AGAIN ..........UPDATE 8TH MAY

Effective as of today the NUT and NASUWT have jointly agreed to SUSPEND the "cover to contract" action. Again.

UPDATE 3RD APRIL

The expected negotiations with employers have not taken place. This means that the "Cover to Contract" action has not been suspended and remains in effect. It will not be suspended before the end of this term or conference.

UPDATE 2ND APRIL

CEA@Islington today combined its first "birthday" party with a celebration on the release of the OFSTED report on the borough. Derek Foreman praised staff for their work both before and after the privatisation.

UPDATE 22ND MARCH **********see above 3/4/01 ******and 8/5/01******

Nigel de Gruchy yesterday announced that following government concessions, the "cover to contract" action will be temporarily suspended to allow negotiations to take place. This suspension will be effective when all members can be contacted, until then it remains in force. For more ...

UPDATE 20TH MARCH 2001

Graham Lane of the Local Government Association (LGA) today suggested that schools be allowed to pay teachers to cover lessons. This is in line with policies proposed by NASUWT during the last two years.

UPDATE 13TH MARCH

"Cover to Contract" action begins today in local authority schools. Voluntary aided (VA) schools (ie CFS) will have a date as soon as we have the ballot results for specific schools [Now known - 14th March]. Action is intended to be joint with the NUT. If there are any differences of approach in your school, please contact your local secretary.

UPDATE 27TH FEBRUARY

The Greater London ballot on "cover to contract" was overwhelmingly in favour of action. For more ...

UPDATE 21ST FEBRUARY 2001

Nigel deGruchy warned Estelle Morris that if improvements similar to those in Scotland are not introduced, "then the pressure on the unions to impose a 35hr week themselves would be unstoppable."

UPDATE 15TH FEBRUARY 2001

The Education Committee voted to approve plans to close Angel School in Ritchie Street. It is expected that its estimated £10 million site will be sold. This should secure the futures of three other schools which were also being considered for closure: Copenhagen, Winton and Victoria.

UPDATE 23RD JANUARY 2001

The ballot for industrial action short of strike action over excessive cover demands has been extended to cover all schools within the Greater London Area. Members will receive information at their home addresses. For regular updates, visit the National site.

UPDATE 20TH JANUARY 2001

On Thursday night the London executive unanimously voted to ballot for industrial action over excessive demands to cover for absent colleagues or for unfilled vacancies. For more...

UPDATE 18TH DECEMBER 2000

OFSTED will revisit Islington LEA at the end of February as a follow-up to the 1999 inspection.  They will use the contract with CEA@Islington the way the educational development plan (EDP) would normally be used which will be "not problematic". For more ...

UPDATE 7TH DECEMBER 2000

This Tuesday the education committee will receive a report recommending that CEA @Islington be penalised for failing to meet its targets in five areas. The fines vary from £2,909 to £7,914 and total £23,515.

The education contractor has met 90% of its targets, but was not judged on exam results this year. For more information.

UPDATE 4TH DECEMBER - MAJOR STRESS PAYOUT

A teacher has been awarded £250,000 for stress in a victory for teachers and the NASUWT. Islington NASUWT believes that is a shame that the courts take a view that teachers must break down repeatedly before they can seek redress. For more information.

UPDATE 23RD NOVEMBER

Islington NASUWT has offered no objection to the reduction of pupil numbers at Islington Green Secondary School, nor to Holloway Boys School becoming co-ed. It is being consulted on the reduction of pupil numbers at Montem and Pooles Park primary schools and the closure of one of Angel , Copenhagen, Vittoria and Winton Schools.

Islington NASUWT has submitted its response to the Draft SEN framework for action 2000-2003 (inclusion plans). There will be a further document in the new year. Contact your secretary with any comments.

ANOTHER HOUSING UPDATE 23RD NOVEMBER 2000

Although all the 15 properties for teachers have been allocated there is the possibility of a few more properties this year as the parallel scheme for nurses is undersubscribed. Unfortunately only single properties are available and for newly appointed staff only. If any staff are having to consider leaving Islington and have been refused help by the housing department, please could they contact your local secretary so he can build evidence to influence councillors.

HOUSING UPDATE

This year Islington has made a small number of properties (15) available to newly appointed teachers. This project may expand in the future, but as yet not all the properties have been filled. Contact your local secretary for more information.

UPDATE 30TH SEPTEMBER 2000

A conference was held last Saturday to discuss the recommendations of the Islington Education Commission "100% of  Our Future".  Islington NASUWT gave evidence to this commission and attended, as did APEX and ATL. The 27 recommendations were discussed in five discussion groups. The commission did not recommend that it should continue to meet, but did suggest "project leaders" and further conventions of "stakeholders". Unfortunately, I did not meet another classroom teachers there and believe this omission is likely to continue.

UPDATE: 14TH SEPTEMBER 2000

This evening the BBC will show the first of three documentaries on Islington Arts and Media School (IAMS). Torsten Friedag, who until his recent resignation was Principal of this so-called "Fresh Start School" is expected to feature strongly in this. Islington LEA, CEA @Islington and the school governors have all tried but failed to have the programme stopped. For more information:

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