September 2015
NUT ARK ACADEMY TRUST REPRESENTATIVES
NUT DIVISION SECRETARIES WITHARK ACADEMIES
NUT REGIONAL SECRETARIES
NUT ORGANISERS
Dear Colleague
NUT ARKBRIEFING - AUTUMN TERM 2015
This briefing gives information on pay and conditions and other matters in Ark Academies and of the ongoing NUT campaign to Stand Up for Education in opposition to the Government’s attacks on pay, conditions and pensions.
The NUT is also now beginning to send email newsletters to all NUT members in all national Academy chains as part of a more regular programme of communication. Members in your chain will be receiving one shortly.
NO TO AUSTERITY
The NUT is calling on its members to support the ‘No to austerity – yes to workers’ rights’ national march and rally at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester on Sunday 4 October. Please encourage members to attend!
See the TUC website for more details:
The People’s Assembly is organising coaches from around the country - See the People’s Assembly website for more information:
SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS
This year's NUT Conference committed the Union to campaigning for an end to education cuts and for a restoration of funding levels. To do this, we need to show how financial pressures are affecting schools, colleges and education. We’ve recently sent an email survey to school reps - the responses so far have highlighted concerning issues for example areduction in teaching and support staff, larger class sizes, cuts to available subjects, increased reliance on unqualified teachers and cheaper and substandard materials and resources. These examples are very useful for us – especially when are communicating with the press and MPs. If you haven’t already done so, please complete the NUT survey at:
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LOBBYING OPPORTUNITIES
The school funding crisis is just one of the issues members can lobby their MP about this term – either in person or by letter or email. On the national lobby days we want a strong presence in Parliament – with a delegation attending from every MP‘s constituency. Please work together to ensure your area is represented. More information on the organisation of the lobby days is available on the website – it’s also a good idea to talk to regional offices aboutarrangements.
Members can be directed to the following places for information about the issues and how to get involved:
Supply agency lobby – Wednesday 28 October
School funding lobby – Wednesday 18 November
Members can also email their MP about the new Education and Adoption Bill. More information and the link to email MPs is available here:
The NUT is backing the TUC campaign against the Trade Union Bill –more details are available at:
All these issues are being drawn together in a campaign video that can be used in members meetings – once its available online we’ll let you know.
2015 PAY AND PROGRESSION
Ark has agreed to a 1 per cent pay increase for all points within the Ark pay structure including TLR and SEN payments. Ark has, however, stated its intention to replace the existing M6 pay point with two alternative points - M6a and M6b - which are 1 per cent and 2 per cent higher respectively than the M6 point for 2014-15. Ark claim this will keep its pay structure in line with the national position - but the Unions are concerned that these new points are an extension of PRP and will be an additional hurdle to accessing the Upper Pay Range.
The Unions are seeking urgent negotiations with Ark on this matter and will keep NUT Division Secretaries and reps informed. Ark has told us that it has provided the new pay scales and the rationale behind the decision to principals/heads.After this year’s pay progression decisions have been taken, please report to us (see contact details below) any problems experienced with the new arrangements, so that we can raise this with Ark nationally.
Advice for NUT members and representatives on how the pay progression system works; on assessing and challenging school policies on pay progression; and on pursuing appeals against denial of pay progression is available on the NUT website at:
ARK POLICY UPDATE
Since the last Joint Negotiating Committee meeting in May 2015 the Union Side has submitted comments to Ark on the pay, appraisal and classroom observation policies. There are a lot of outstanding issues (mainly on pay progression, the absence of limits on observations and objectives) that we have not yet managed to reach agreement on and these will form the basis of our discussions at the next meeting. Ark will continue to implement the policies howeverso please report to us any issues and problems that arise.
We have made Ark policies (including recently agreed policies) available on the NUT open website, so please make reps and members aware.
NEXT JOINT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE MEETING (JNC)
The NUT and other trade unions will be meeting with Ark on 13 October 2015. The agenda is yet to be set so if there are any issues (aside from those mentioned above) which you would like the NUT to raise with Ark, please let us know in advance of this date (see contact details at the end of this briefing).
ACADEMY LEVEL MEETINGS
At academy level ‘Academy Joint Councils’ can be set up as a forum for local negotiation and consultation with the academy management team – see the Ark recognition agreement for details. If you don’t already have local arrangements, Division Secretaries are encouraged to help academy reps liaise with head teachers and principals to set these up. Regional offices can also provide advice and guidance.
TRADE UNION FACILITIES TIME ARRANGEMENTS
The Ark national recognition agreement provides for Academies to participate in local facilities time arrangements. We are not aware of any problems with Ark academies regarding facilities time since we persuaded Ark to change its approach on the issue, but local secretaries need to ensure that individual Academies comply fully with the agreed policy on facilities time and are advised to liaise with NUT representatives on this issue. Please let Anita Brown at know if any Academies are not participating in local facilities time arrangements or if any LAs are not both seeking and accepting contributions from Academies.
NUT TRAINING FOR ACADEMY REPS
TheNUT’s Reps’ Foundation Courseis a new three-day course for newly elected reps or those who have not previously attended training, developed specifically to reflect the changing context for workplace reps. The course is delivered locally or regionally and is free with travel expenses reimbursed. If you’re a rep and haven’t attended, please apply. If you’re a Division Secretary, us this to encourage members to take on the role of NUT rep. Click here for details -
Training courses for reps who have already attended the foundation course are also held regionally and are free with travel expenses reimbursed -
Academy reps are entitled to time off with pay to attend these training courses under the terms of the recognition agreement with the academy chain.
NUT BENEVOLENT FUND
The NUT has now set up a benevolent fund which will provide financial assistance when members have suffered sickness, accident or injury, unemployment or bereavement. It is financed by donations from members, local associations and income from investments. More information, including on how to donate, is available here:
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT WORKING IN XXXXX ACADEMIES
Further information about pay, conditions and other matters regarding the Ark academy chain is available on the NUT website at:
Details of the national Trade Union Recognition Agreement with Ark are also available here.
INFORMATION SHARING AND CONTACT DETAILS
The NUT Executive Rep for the Ark Trust is Jerry Glazier at
The colleagues at NUT HQ who are responsible for negotiations with Ark are David Powell, Principal Officer at and Anita Brown, Policy Officer at
NUT reps who need to seek assistance with any casework problems affecting individual members should contact the NUT local secretary who can seek support from the NUT’s regional offices as appropriate. Please advise NUT members who require advice and assistance to contact the NUT AdviceLine on 020 3006 6266 in the first instance.
Please tell us about any notable developments in your areas and remember to look at emails from NUT HQ so you don’t miss anything important.
Yours sincerely
ANDREW MORRIS
Advice, Policy and Campaigns Department
Head of Pay, Conditions & Bargaining Section