Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation

Call Number
Nef 331.8809944 EDU
Created/Published
Sydney : The Federation, 1919-2021
Issue
Vol. 91 No. 03 (29 Mar 2010)
Images
36
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Contents

EDUCATION Journal of the New South Wales Teachers Federation 1
Principals fear the worst from league tables Survey results reinforce campaign to stop misuse of national test results. 1
In the lead-up to April 12 1
TAFE settlement limits the damage 1
EDUCATION 2
Executive 2
Officers 2
Contents 2
Advertising 2
National curriculum launched on wrong footing Rudd's failure to acknowledge teaching excellence is a poor start. 3
Aboriginal education a 25-year plan Members encouraged to contribute ideas to this draft policy for sustainable achievement for Indigenous peoples. 3
Our Fed Reps 3
Advertising 4
Students turned away from underfunded TAFEs 4
Another McTraining college collapses 4
Member seeks answers on law-breaking 'journalism' But Police Commissioner's office gives complaint about Sydney Morning Herald league table short shrift 5
Canadian teachers sound a warning 5
Advertising 5
Advice on asbestos exposure 6
Ahre you in the right membership category? 6
Special education: funding does not match growth Governments have underestimated resources needed to cope with massive surge in enrolment. 6 , 8
Parliamentary inquiry into BER program 7
Building cost blow-out: what is your school's experience? 7
Proposed OH&S Act lowers standards ACTU rejects harmonisation if it diminishes legal protections for workers. 7
Advertising 7 , 8
Hurlstone inquiry's key finding welcomed 8
Advertising 8
Union Aid Abroad launches Teacher2Teacher 9
Union Aid Abroad supports Cambodian women 9
Women show there's strength in unity 9
Advertising 9
60 Minutes breaches code Broadcasting authority finds Bowraville Central School was unfairly identified in segment on racial segregation. 10
Advertising 10
THA responds to housing issues in north west Proposal of regular visits by Tenancy Service Officers to their respective areas a welcome development. 10
Teachers not liable for stolen laptops 11
Distance education needs your input 11
Advertising 11
Changing perceptions through engagement Michael Sullivan wants to keep making a difference for all "people with diverse abilities". 12
Teachers Credit Union supports a green education Over $55,000 disbursed to NSW public schools from a dedicated fund for environmental projects. 12
Board re-establishes curriculum committees 13
In brief 13
Advertising 13
Time to step up league tables campaign 14
letters TAFE: WHY SETTLE FOR A LOSS? 14
Who abandoned who? 15
IS DG SHORT FOR DISGRACE? 15
Advice for VISE mentors 15
Advertising 15
Carbon copy 16
APARTHEID SMEAR UNFOUNDED 16
SEPARATE THE POLEMICS 16
THE HEALTH QUAGMIRE 16
EXPERIENCE NOT RECOGNISED 16
STRAIGHT TO THE POINT 16
Advertising 16
features 17
Stewart House: urgent upgrade needed Federation's No. 1 charity needs a retro refit in teachers' imagination as its seeks to engage the profession's new generation and underwrite its survival. 17 , 18
Inside 17
Paper Plane 18
Advertising 18
Why you can’t afford $4 a fortnight 18
Retired Teachers Association Vale Pat Weston 19
Social news 19
Next Meetings 19
Advertising 19
Class of ’58... you are requested to commence duty. 19
Where are they now? 19
In brief 20
Advertising 20
Celebrating 30 years of north coast national parks Sanctuaries were fought for with tenacity to ensure their future integrity. 20
Advertising 20
Abbott ups the a nte on parental leave 21
In the library 21
TAFE salaries dispute – a personal perspective Settlement maybe imperfect but Federation can now negotiate remaining concerns from a position of strength. 22
What the TAFE settlement means for teachers The new award can be broken down into five areas detailing hours, payment formula and protocols. 22 , 23
Walking for peace from Brisbane to Canberra Teachers requested to help group of women as they raise awareness of dangers posed by nuclear industry. 23
Advertising 23 , 24
your say 25
In defence of Loftus’s participation in pilot program Decision to delay replacing teacher-librarian needs to be put in context. 25
Inside 25
State Government breaks promise Members urged to petition Premier Keneally to honour commitment to protect precious wetlands. 26
Disadvantaged program delivers right's attack agenda DET claws back gains on class-size reduction made by the Priority Action Schools scheme. 26
Advertising 26
reviews 27
Film 27 , 28
Inside 27
Computer corner 28
Advertising 28
Theatre 29 , 30
Advertising 29 , 30
Corkscrew 30
consultation 31
Aboriginal Education 25 Years Approach: The Way Forward Green Paper: A draft for consultation, discussion, development and recommendations to Annual Conference 2010. 31 , 32
Make a submission 31
administration 33
Elections at May Council 33
Advertising 33 , 34 , 35
DT SMITH 35
Advertising 35
Snapped in and out of class 36

Text

EDUCATION  

Journal of the New South Wales Teachers Federation  

Agreement No. PP255003 00104  

Narelle remembers travelling out from  

Wauchope with the mailman 19  

Plus  

3H&S  

Curriculum committees 13  

March 29, 2010 Vol 91 No  

Principals fear the worst  

from league tables  

Survey results reinforce campaign to stop misuse of national test results.  

Bob Lipscombe  

President  

survey of over 1000 principals  

conducted by the Australian Edu-  

cation Union (AEU) has revealed  

the damaging impact of school  

league tables on students, teach-  

ers and schools. The survey results  

strengthen the call for the Federal  

Government to take action to stop  

the publication ofleague tables.  

Conducted between February  

26 and March 11 this year, over 90  

per cent of respondents were con-  

cerned that no action had been  

taken by the Federal Government  

to stop the creation and publication  

of league tables using the average  

scores from the My School website.  

In schools that were identified in  

league tables published in newspapers  

earlier this year, the responses were  

particularly disturbing, with 51 per  

cent of principals reporting that their  

school's appearance on the list would  

have negative impact on their stu-  

dents. For those schools listed in the  

bottom section of league table, that  

figure increased to 78 per cent. When  

the potential impact on the reputation  

of schools was looked at, 58 per cent of  

principals reported that publication  

would have negative impact, rising  

to 84 per cent of principals in schools  

listed at the bottom of table.  

The survey revealed that many  

schools at the bottom ofleague tables  

were experiencing teacher shortag-  

es. Some 79 per cent of the principals  

in these schools also believed that  

the school did not have the resourc-  

es needed to deliver the educational  

programs needed by their students.  

The survey also reported con-  

cerns about the My School website,  

with 88 per cent of principals of the  

view that it did not present an accu-  

rate picture of school performance.  

In result that is likely to cause  

concern to many parents, as well as  

to teachers, 80 per cent of principals  

believed that the public comparison  

of test scores on the My School web-  

site would lead to more teaching to  

the test to the detriment of other  

areas of the curriculum.  

When announcing the results  

of the survey, Angelo Gavriela-  

tos, President of the AEU, empha-  

sised that the AEU (and the NSW  

Teachers Federation) supported  

the provision of accurate, valid  

and meaningful information to  

parents and the community. How-  

ever, he went on to say: "Unless  

the Federal Government acts to  

stop the misuse of data and pro-  

tect students from league tables,  

teachers cannot cooperate with  

the next round of national test-  

ing in May. We cannot stand by  

and watch students, teachers and  

school communities being dam-  

aged by crude league tables cre-  

ated only for profit."  

Unfortunately, the Federal Gov-  

ernment continues to ignore calls for  

action on league tables, although in  

curious move last month the Aus-  

tralian Curriculum, Assessment and  

Reporting Authority (ACARA) took  

action against private company that  

sold league tables online. The 854-page  

publication, Australia School Ranking,  

was available for download for $97. It  

ranked the more than 8000 schools  

across Australia from "top" to 'bottom"  

and then provided various lists of the  

top 100 and bottom 100 in various cat-  

egories on state-by-state basis.  

Apparently taking the view that  

publication of league tables for profit  

was not acceptable, ACARA forced  

the company to stop selling the pub-  

lication. It did this by threatening  

action under existing copyright and  

trade practices legislation.  

If one sets aside the hypocrisy in-  

volved in not taking similar action  

against newspapers, the move does  

demonstrate that the Federal Gov-  

ernment already has the power to  

stop the publication ofleague tables.  

If it exercised this power, there  

would be no need for teachers to  

deny data for future league tables  

by not cooperating with the national  

testing program in May.  

In the lead-up to April 12  

The Australian Education Union will determine on April 12 what action  

will be undertaken across Australia’s public schools if the Federal Govern-  

ment fails to prevent the publication of league tables.  

Federation Representatives in all schools have been provided with  

campaign kit aimed at ensuring all members are aware of and understand  

the issues of concern. The kit contains material to be used to inform and  

gain support from your school’s P&C and the broader parent community,  

and “Declaration of Teacher Opposition to School League Tables” for all  

members to sign.  

The kit also has 12-minute DVD that addresses many of the reasons  

why Federation is campaigning to stop league tables. It is suitable to be  

used in meetings with both teachers and parent/community groups.  

TAFE settlement  

limits the damage  

Bob Lipscombe and Joan  

Lemaire  

Following membership support for  

proposed settlement of the TAFE  

dispute expressed at over 40 meet-  

ings across the state on March 11,  

Council on March 13 endorsed  

settlement to the TAFE dispute.  

This followed meeting directly  

with the Premier and negotiations  

with her representatives.  

The settlement did not address  

all concerns of TAFE teachers,  

however, significant improvements  

in TAFE working conditions were  

made. These include:  

•Attendance time is 35 hours per  

week, but teachers may complete  

five hours of their weekly related  

duties off-site, including at home.  

These duties must be consistent  

with clause 14 of the award, which  

includes such things as prepara-  

tion and marking. The teacher will  

determine both the nature and  

timing of the duties following con-  

sultation with their manager. From  

time to time, these teachers maybe  

required to attend on-site for an ad-  

ditional five hours. Because of aver-  

aging provisions, where teacher  

is required to attend on-site for an  

additional period of time, then at  

later date they will be able to spend  

an equivalent period of time off-site  

doing related duties.  

•Where members have pro-  

grammed excess hours, they will  

be able to claim payment on fort-  

nightly basis rather than after 720  

hours.  

•Changes that meant if long serv-  

ice leave was taken before and after  

holiday period the whole period  

would be counted as LSL will now  

not be implemented.  

•The additional hour of face-to-face  

teaching each week may be offset  

by approved professional devel-  

opment activities that take place  

during teaching time.  

•The maximum number of teach-  

ing hours will be capped at 30,  

unless the teacher agrees in writing,  

and the unreasonable hours test will  

apply after 20 hours. This replaces  

provision that placed no limitation  

on weekly direct teaching hours.  

These changes to the implementa-  

tion of full bench decision of the  

Industrial Relations Commission  

in 2009 were achieved as result  

of the commitment and action o’f  

TAFE teachers who participated in  

the campaign and are to be congrat-  

ulated for their determination.  

The remaining matters of concern  

will be pursued by Federation in dis-  

cussions with the Minister for Educa-  

tion and Training and in the lead-up  

to the State Election in March and  

award negotiations next year.  

Bob Lipscombe is the President and  

Joan Lemaire is the Senior Vice  

President.  

PAGE 22: What the set-  

tlement means for TAPE  

teachers  

Cite

Citation options:
Work identifier

http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-667288041

APA citation

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. (1919). Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Retrieved June 2, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-667288041

MLA citation

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation and New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation Sydney: The Federation, 1919. Web. 2 June 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-667288041>

Harvard/Australian citation

N.S.W. Teachers' Federation & New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation. 1919, Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation The Federation, Sydney viewed 2 June 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-667288041

Wikipedia citation

{{Citation
  | author1=N.S.W. Teachers' Federation.
  | author2=New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation.
  | title=Education : journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation.
  | year=1919
  | section=volumes.
  | issn=0013-1156
  | issue=Vol. 91 No. 03 (29 Mar 2010)
  | location=Sydney
  | publisher=The Federation
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-667288041
  | id=nla.obj-667288041
  | access-date=2 June 2025
  | via=Trove
}}

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