In accordance with the terms of the local recognition and procedure agreement, which stated that the Chair of the Committee should alternate between the two sides comprising the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff, it was agreed that in the absence of John Welsh that Councillor Henry would chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff.

There was submitted the Minute of meeting held on 15 November 2016.

There was submitted a report by the Head of Schools relative to a proposed amendment to the list of devolved matters in JNC/1.

The report intimated that the local negotiations and agreements procedure were laid out and agreed in JNC/1 and this agreement linked the devolved matters that JNC have a locus in.  SNCT16/57 was published on 9 December 2016 and a copy was appended to the report.  This circular highlighted that periods of notice should be determined at a national level rather than at a local level.  As a result of this, it was proposed that the list of devolved matters in JNC/1 be amended to remove notice periods and it was noted that HR would take the lead on updating the documentation on the SNCT website.

DECIDED:

(a) That the SNCT circular, a copy of which was appended to the report, be noted;

(b) That the amendment to the list of devolved matters in JNC/1 be agreed; and

There was submitted a report by the Head of Schools relative to the work of the JNC subgroup in relation to teacher workload.

The report intimated that JS/16/69 was issued by SNCT on 5 December 2016.  This circular restated the intention that the advice highlighted in the Education Scotland publication “CfE – A Statement for Practitioners” be circulated and also requested that LNCTs take into account the workload review report “Report of Local Authorities Actions to Tackle Bureaucracy and Undue Workload in Schools”.  Following the publication of this report, a JNC sub-group was re-established.  This group had met on two occasions with further meetings scheduled and good progress was being made in coming to understand the areas causing teacher workload. In particular there were concerns regarding the impact of the attainment challenge and the pupil equity fund and the increase in workload associated with this.  It was agreed that Head Teachers would be reminded that workload must be considered and that a progress report on the work of the sub-group would be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of the report and JS/16/69 be noted; and

There was submitted a report by the Head of Schools relative to chartered teachers moving to a teaching post in a different Council area.

The report intimated that SNCT 16/56 was issued on 5 December 2016, a copy of which was appended to the report.  Placement on the CT pay spine was set out in paragraphs 1.27 and 1.28 of the SNCT handbook.  SNCT 16/56 noted that this placement should be protected when a chartered teacher moved from one Council to another.

DECIDED:

(a) That the content of SNCT 16/56 be noted; and

There was submitted a report by the Head of Schools relative to the revised remit for the early years teaching team.

The report intimated that the remit of the early years teaching team had been revised to reflect the review of the teacher role carried out during May and June 2016 and the Scottish Attainment Challenge.  The revised remit of the Early Years teaching team continued to reflect the list of duties contained in Schedule B, Part 1 of SJNC Circular SE/40 and a copy of the revised remit was appended to the report.

The report highlighted that the remit had been revised in agreement with the teaching unions, including union representatives from the early years teaching team and the Renfrewshire EIS Association Secretary.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s Side) relative to the implications of the changes to N5 awards for session 2017/18.

The report intimated that it was becoming clear that there remained a degree of confusion with regard to the implications of the changes to N5 awards for session 2017/18.  The removal of mandatory units from N5 courses from August 2017 had been agreed, however, N4 courses would retain mandatory internal unit assessments (plus added value assessment) and accordingly would be organised and assessed entirely differently from those at N5.  In light of the significant differences and in the interests of ensuring the effective delivery of courses for all students, the EIS believed that schools should be planning for discrete N4 and N5 classes rather than seeking to run bi-level classes where pupils would face different assessment arrangements.

The report also highlighted a further matter to be considered in that the absence of unit assessment at N5 would have the consequence of there being no fall-back award of unit passes for candidates who do not pass the final exam.  Free standing unit assessments would remain available, however, students would require to be entered for either a N5 course award (based on external assessment) or a series of unit awards and could not be entered for both.

The Head of Schools shared the concerns regarding the changes to the national qualifications and also highlighted that the changes would cause significant issues in terms of resources.  

DECIDED:

(a) That it was essential to ensure that candidates were enrolled for courses which best suited their prior learning and attainment at the point at which options were being considered;

(b) That it be agreed that Secondary Head Teachers facilitate dialogue on assessment and timetabling matters with their staff as a matter of urgency, with a view to ensuring the school’s appropriate response to such changes to senior phase course design and assessment; and

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s Side) relative to indiscipline in schools.

The report intimated that at the meeting of the Committee on 15 November 2016, concerns were highlighted in relation to an increasing number of incidents falling within the definition of violent behaviour.  A number of proposals were put forward in relation to the recording process and subsequent risk assessment procedures.

The Head of Early Years and Inclusion provided an update on the actions taken since the previous meeting of the Committee. It was noted that the intention was still to add the risk assessment form to GLOW, however, due to technical difficulties this was still to be implemented.  Once the risk assessment form was added to GLOW a joint statement would be issued promoting the use of the form.  A sub-group was currently being formed to look at the Promoting Positive Behaviour policy and the terms of reference for the group and invites to attend would be issued shortly. A snapshot of the risk assessments submitted in November and December 2016 was being prepared and initial analysis indicated that verbal aggression was the biggest issue.  The first session of the sub-group would look at the November and December 2016 incidents and how the forms were progressed since their submission and a progress report would then be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

DECIDED:

(a) That the update from the Head of Early Years and Inclusion be noted; and

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teacher’s Side) relative to the implementation of new national standardised assessments.

The report intimated that as of August 2017, every child in P1, P4, P7 and S3 would undertake national standardised assessments covering aspects of reading, writing and working with numbers.  Teachers had been reassured by the Education Minister that the assessment of children’s progress throughout Primary School and in Secondary S1-S3 was based on teacher’s professional judgement based on a wide range of assessment information.  The Head of Schools endorsed and agreed that assessment should be based on teacher’s professional judgement and that the national assessments should be used to inform teacher’s judgement.

The EIS Education Committee had recently agreed the key principles of EIS policy on standardised assessment and a copy of the principles were appended to the report.