No. Regardless of the industrial action, NASUWT believes it is inappropriate for governors to observe teachers teaching.  Under the national action instructions members cannot be observed by governors.

The first issue to be considered is who has generated the request for external support. If this has been done by the Principal, without any reference to you as the child’s teacher, then there are concerns about your professional judgement as the person working on a daily basis with the pupil not having been taken into account.

If outside support and advice has been obtained in a professional manner, then the presence of external advice and support would have been discussed with you and you would have been party to any decision to engage external support and advice and the identification of the need for the person concerned to visit the classroom to see the pupil during lessons. You would be clear on the purpose of the visit, when it would take place, what its focus would be and how any recommendations would be recorded. There should be no suggestion that any report would be written about you and certainly the purpose should not be about observing you or your performance.

If you have been party to agreeing and setting up the arrangements then there should be no problem.

If this visit is being imposed on you, then it would be covered by the national action instructions.

The first issue to be considered is who has generated the request for external support. If this has been done by the Principal, without any reference to you as the child’s teacher, then there are concerns about your professional judgement as the person working on a daily basis with the pupil not having been taken into account.

The NASUWT industrial action is not aimed at disrupting pupils. Therefore where members have volunteered to take extra-curricular activities the action will not prevent members continuing to participate.

If you have been party to agreeing and setting up the arrangements then there should be no problem.

If this visit is being imposed on you, then it would be covered by the national action instructions.

Yes, providing you are in one of the categories of members to whom the action instructions apply.

The NASUWT industrial action is not aimed at disrupting pupils. Therefore where members have volunteered to take extra-curricular activities the action will not prevent members continuing to participate.

If you have been party to agreeing and setting up the arrangements then there should be no problem.

If this visit is being imposed on you, then it would be covered by the national action instructions.

No. Pensions are of course an important issue, but NASUWT has listened to its members, including its newly qualified teacher members, who have told us that their number-one concern is the burden of excessive workload. Members have also told us their deep concerns about attacks on pay and conditions of service and increasing concerns about job security. The NASUWT action covers all of these issues, including pensions.

Teachers did not cause the economic crisis.

Attacking teachers, damaging their morale and motivation and reducing investment in schools is no way to secure economic recovery.

Many of the changes being made which are worsening teachers’ conditions of service and increasing workload are nothing to do with the economic crisis. In many respects the deficit is being used by the government to make a whole series of ideological changes.

In addition, the NASUWT has set out to government that there is an alternative to economic austerity, cuts to public spending and the privatisation of public services.

Research evidence confirms that half of teachers would quit the profession altogether if economic conditions improved. The only way to avert a recruitment and retention crisis in teaching is by investment and action by government to secure good working conditions, decent pensions and stable employment. Education is critically important to the country’s economic recovery.

The NASUWT industrial action strategy is designed to be pupil, parent and public friendly – freeing teachers to do what parents and the public expects of them, focus on teaching and learning.

The NASUWT’s rationale for calling industrial action is that we want to ensure the provision of high-quality education. The proposed action short of strike action will be pupil, parent and public friendly – nothing in the action short of strike action will damage children’s education. The action short of strike action removes the tasks and burdens from teachers which distract them from teaching and learning.

In addition, strike action will be utilised sparingly only where it is necessary and appropriate to do so.

The NASUWT remains committed to working closely with other public sector unions, including other teacher unions, to protect the interests of teachers, principals and other public service workers.

No. Whether or not your employer recognises NASUWT is irrelevant. The dispute is with the Ministers in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The relevant legislation confirms that a dispute with a Minister will be treated as a dispute with the employer where the dispute relates to matters which cannot be settled without the Minster exercising a power conferred on him/her by legislation. Recognition of the Union does not alter this position.

Some employers may take a hostile view of industrial action including threats to deduct salary. There is absolutely no reason why they should consider participation in action to be inappropriate or unprofessional.

There is a legal entitlement for teachers and other workers to be engaged in lawful industrial action. The NASUWT took detailed legal advice to ensure that its ballot and action meet the provisions of the legislation and therefore members are protected by the lawful ballot.

If your employer makes hostile comments or seeks to put pressure on you about your participation in industrial action you should advise your employer that:

• you have a legal and democratic right to ballot and take action;
• the action is national and is nothing personal to them as an employer but is the only vehicle by which the trade dispute with the Minster can be addressed and resolved.
• the action is focusing on supporting teaching and learning.

The NASUWT will strongly defend any members who are threatened in industrial action.