Author: Nick Linford

School libraries should be inspected by Ofsted, a union has ruled, as a group representing school librarians reported declining membership and books “ending up in skips”. A motion passed at The Association of Teachers and Lecturers conference calls for a campaign to prevent school library closures and urges Ofsted to inspect them. Schools are not […]

Talks about the possible formation of a ‘super union’ between the National Union of Teachers and Association of Teachers and Lecturers will be stepped up after ATL members have backed the plan. A motion calling for discussions about a potential new union passed at the NUT’s conference in Brighton last weekend. ATL’s support for moving […]

An “insane” national curriculum and “test mania” are forcing teachers out of the profession and making children ill, Mary Bousted said, as she issued a rallying call for joint union action against a government “attack”. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers general secretary accused Nicky Morgan and her ministers and advisers of “living in a parallel […]

The Association of Teachers and Lecturers has unanimously voted to consider industrial action in response to the government’s plan to turn all schools into academies. A motion which rejects the government’s proposals and calls on the union’s executive to consider action, which could include strikes by its members, has passed this evening with the support of all delegates. […]

A campaign for universal access to school-based counselling services will be launched by teachers today, as union leaders warn of the stress of a test-focused curriculum. A motion being put to the Association of Teachers and Lecturers’ annual conference in Liverpool, which calls for better promotion of mental health awareness in schools and a campaign […]

Ministers with “pet subjects” meddling in curriculum and creating “impossible” assessment changes would become a thing of the past under a Labour government, the shadow education secretary has claimed. During a speech at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference in Liverpool, Lucy Powell signalled a more hands-off approach to curriculum and testing if […]

Labour will work with back-bench Conservatives to oppose government plans to turn all schools into academies, Lucy Powell has confirmed. The shadow education secretary said she was willing to work with anybody to “win the arguments” against the proposals set out in the government’s white paper, including Conservative MPs with concerns about the academies plan. […]

Teachers should base their approach on evidence and not on the “latest fad” from Ofsted, Nick Gibb has told education professionals as he expressed fears about the approach of some inspectors. The schools minister told the Association of Teachers and Lecturers annual conference the idea that some inspectors look for a preferred method of teaching […]

Schools minister Nick Gibb and shadow education secretary Lucy Powell will address teachers in Liverpool next week as the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) meets to agree its priorities for the next year. Mr Gibb is being sent to the event in place of education secretary Nicky Morgan, who was invited by union leaders but […]