INTRODUCCIÓN: LA IMAGEN DEL PODER DE UNA ÉLITE RURAL

137. The government department with lead responsibility for the development of teacher policies in England is the Department for Education and Skills. In the devolved countries the relevant department of the executive takes responsibility for policies relating to teachers: the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED), the Department of Education Northern Ireland (DE Northern Ireland), and the Department for Training and Education of the National Assembly for Wales. The government departments work in partnership with other stakeholders and organisations. 138. Parliamentary scrutiny in England comes from the House of Commons Education and Skills Select

Committee, which comprises about 11 back-bench Members of Parliament drawn from all parties (although the government of the day will hold a majority). Their remit is to scrutinise Departmental policy, and to this end they will undertake about ten inquiries a year where they will call on both written and oral evidence from relevant and interested parties. These have, from time to time, concerned the supply and retention of teachers. Inquiries, which take about two months to complete, often start with the Committee calling for written evidence from the Department and invariably conclude with questions (oral evidence) from the appropriate Government Minister. The Scottish Parliament has a similar Parliamentary Committee for Education, Culture and Sport made up of seven Scottish Members of Parliament, who, inter alia, ‘consider and report on matters relating to school and pre-school education and such other matters as fall within the responsibility of the Minister for Education and Young People’. The Northern Ireland Assembly (when it is in operation) has an Education Committee of 11 Assembly members, who advise and assist the Minister of Education in the formulation of policy and undertake a scrutiny, policy development and consultation role. In Wales, the Welsh Assembly has an Education Committee of ten members (which includes the Minister), with a remit based on the Minister’s portfolio and the review of education policy in areas which it has identified as either having no cohesive or national policy or where an existing policy needs to be revisited.

139. The Teacher Training Agency (TTA) is an executive non-departmental public body established by the Education Act 1994. It works mainly in England, but also has some roles in Wales - see below. Its purpose is to raise standards in schools by attracting able and committed people to teaching and by improving the quality of teacher training. Thus it has responsibility for the teacher training curriculum and the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and induction; for allocating numbers and funding to providers of initial teacher training, and for providing information to potential applicants. The TTA works closely with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to support its delivery plans. In Wales the Welsh Assembly Government works alongside the TTA in respect of the promotion of teaching as a career to ensure information and assistance is made available to those wishing to train and teach in Wales, and funds this work, media campaigns and other related matters (including a Teacher Recruitment Adviser for Wales post) within the TTA. The Welsh Assembly Government sets numbers for initial teacher training, and the responsibility for accrediting and funding initial teacher training in higher education institutions and for allocating training places to them rests with the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. In Scotland the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council allocates numbers for teacher training on the advice of the Scottish Executive Education Department. In Northern Ireland the Department of Education sets numbers.

140. The work of teachers has been evaluated as part of the inspection of schools by central and local government since the inception of state education in the 19th century. Her Majesty’s Inspectors of schools (HMI) have had a status independent of the various government departments responsible for education, and were established separately in England, Wales and Scotland. In 1992 the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) was established for England and Wales; the frequency of inspections increased, and more defined schedules of inspection were introduced, which included specific evaluation of the performance of teachers that was observed on inspection visits. These judgements of individuals were, however, not made public and were subsumed in an overall judgement and

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report on the school, which was published. HMI always operated as a separate agency in Scotland, and was reformed as HM Inspectorate (HMIE) as an Executive Agency of the Scottish Executive in 2001. In Northern Ireland the inspection services are carried out by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI), who provide inspection services for the Department of Education, the Department for Employment and Learning, and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. In Wales HMI (Wales) was established in 1992 and became responsible to the National assembly for Wales as Estyn (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales) on devolution.

141. The Universities Council for the Education of Teachers (UCET) acts as a national forum for the discussion of matters relating to the education of teachers and to the study of education in the university sector, and it contributes to the formulation of policy in these fields. Its members are UK universities and colleges of higher education involved in teacher education.

142. Each country has a General Teaching Council. The GTC for Scotland was set up in 1965, and was one of the first such councils in the world. The GTCs for England and for Wales started in 2000, and for Northern Ireland in 2002. The fundamental principles underlying the work the Councils is that of professional self-government. They have common aims to advise the relevant government departments on teaching issues such as recruitment and professional development, and to maintain and enhance professional standards.

143. The National Employers’ Organisation for School Teachers (NEOST) is the representative body for local education authorities in England and Wales on matters related to school teachers’ pay and conditions. NEOST comprises representatives from the Local Government Association, the Catholic Education Service, the Church of England Board of Education and the Foundation and Voluntary Aided Schools Association. In Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) acts in this capacity. Northern Ireland has its own Teachers’ Salaries and Conditions of Service Negotiating Committee. Its membership comprises the Department of Education, the main employing authorities (see Chapter 5) and teacher representatives from the five recognised teacher unions.

144. There are sixteen professional teacher associations or unions in the UK. One of these is specific to Wales, four to Scotland, and three to Northern Ireland (though one of these is based in Eire), and the remaining eight operate across the UK (two of these being for heads of independent schools). Seven associations are specifically for head teachers; two of these are in Scotland (Figure 2.2).

145. The level of union membership is high: teaching, like other public sector occupations, has always had high unionisation. A particular incentive for teachers is the legal protection offered. In Northern Ireland it is estimated that 80% of teachers are union members. The figures for membership of the main teacher unions in England exceed the number of teachers in post; however, these unions also operate outside England and some have members in Further Education colleges or who are students or retired. Thus it is difficult to estimate the proportion of serving teachers who are members.

146. The School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) was established under the School Teachers’ Pay and

Conditions Act 1991. Its remit is to examine, and report to the Secretary of State, matters relating to

statutory conditions of employment of school teachers in England and Wales. Its recommendations cover the duties and working conditions of teachers as well as their remuneration. Unless there are compelling reasons to the contrary, the government has undertaken to implement the recommendations of the Review Body. The STRB works on an annual cycle reporting to the DfES each year in January in respect of the pay settlement due the following April. It may also be directed to report on specific issues such as teacher workload. It is required to take evidence from interested parties, including bodies representing teachers, the LEA employers’ organisation (NEOST, §143), governors of community, foundation and voluntary aided schools and the Secretary of State and others the STRB deems appropriate. The chairman of the STRB is appointed by the Prime Minister, and members of the STRB are appointed by the Secretary of State.

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Figure 2.2: Teacher associations and unions in the UK

Non UK (Eire) Northern Ireland England Wales Scotland

Head Teachers Head Teachers (Private schools) Teachers

National Association of Head Teachers

Secondary Heads Association

Association of Headteachers in Scotland Headteachers’ Association of Scotland

Headmasters and Headmistresses Conference

Society of Headmasters and Headmistress of Independent Schools Secondary Heads Association (NI) Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru Irish National Teachers’ Organisation

(based in Eire) Ulster Teachers’ Association

National Union of Teachers

National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers

Association of Teachers and Lecturers

Professional Association of Teachers

Educational Institute of Scotland Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association

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