NUT: Welsh Governments attack on teacher fail to address concerns about school banding

Friday, 11 November 2011 11:55 AM

NUT Cymru hit back today at Education Minister Leighton Andrews's response to the concerns expressed about the Welsh Government's proposals for the banding of schools.

Wales Secretary David Evans described the statement issued on the Minister's behalf last night as "astonishing", not only for the way it singled out and attacked an NUT teacher, Neil Foden, but also for what he described as "its revelation of the DfES's tenuous grasp on the reality of working in Wales's schools".

Mr Evans stated:

"The comments expressed by Mr Foden accurately reflect the concerns which are being raised with us by NUT members across Wales. We remain convinced that the proposed system is flawed and the Minister's response has strengthened that conviction."

He continued:

"It is also worrying that the Minister's statement contains so many inaccuracies. Mr Foden has not yet attended a technical briefing but will be attending the briefing we have arranged next Monday.

"The fact that the statement confuses quartiles and the five bands is further evidence that the confusion over the system begins with the Welsh Government."

NUT Cymru is deeply concerned at attempts to introduce banding in the primary sector. Mr Evans added:

"The secondary system has serious weaknesses, but if banding begins in the primary sector, where a number of schools have ten pupils or fewer in the year group whose performance will be assessed, and where the achievements of one or two children can significantly skew the school's statistics, it will be a recipe for unfairness.

"The Minister should put banding on hold and engage in meaningful consultation on how schools' performance can be judged fairly and additional resources targeted to where they are needed.”

Notes to Editor:

The original BBC story can be found here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-15642531

Contact Owen Hathway, NUT Cymru, Ty Sinnott, 18 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff CF24 5PJ. Tel: 029 20491818. Mob: 07921146442 e-mail: cymru.wales@nut.org.uk
 

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