Teacher dismissal plans attacked

OLDHAM NUT is opposing Government plans to force out underperforming teachers, calling them a “bully’s charter.”

The coalition is recommending changes to how teachers are monitored and assessed, including reducing the time it takes to dismiss a teacher deemed not up to standard from a year to a term and observing teachers more frequently than at present.

However, Oldham NUT branch secretary Tony Harrison said: “We accept that steps have to be taken in a minority of cases where a teacher’s performance falls below a reasonable standard.

“Not everybody has the aptitude to be a successful teacher and that is why we have always argued that teaching should be an all-graduate profession.

“The Government’s desire to dismiss teachers within a term is totally unreasonable and unfair, does not allow time for the reasons behind the alleged poor performance to be explored — there may be health or disability issues in many cases — and fails to offer a meaningful timescale for improvement.

“The state spends a great deal of money on training teachers and it makes no sense whatsoever to waste that investment by dismissing teachers without first giving support to those who may be struggling, for whatever reason, to improve.

“Teaching is already one of the most scrutinised, observed and inspected of professions. Can you imagine the outcry if doctors or solicitors were treated as though they were incapable of doing their job?

“What the Government proposes is potentially a bully’s charter. Some good teachers will find themselves dismissed simply because their face doesn’t fit.”