REPORT of the DISABLED TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE 2014
HAMILTON HOUSE
LONDON
21 & 22 June 2014
Including:
- Report of Conference
- Participants’ Evaluations
- Equalities Monitoring Report
Page 11 of 11
PART ONE - CONFERENCE REPORT
The Disabled Teachers’ Conference 2014 (DTC) took place on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 June at Hamilton House and was attended by 27 delegates from across the regions and Wales, including the President and members of the Executive. For the second consecutive year there was a fall in the number of delegates attending and the reasons for this will need to be fully explored before planning next year’s conference.
This was the Union’s third residential conference for disabled members. Of those who returned their evaluation forms, 75% were attending for the first time and the vast majority of delegates identified themselves as disabled.
Mandy Hudson, holder of the Executive Seat for disabled members, gave opening comments, welcomed delegates to the conference and introduced Christine Blower, General Secretary. Christine addressed members and spoke about the importance of recognising people’s differences in order to ensure equal opportunities. She also gave an overview of some of the Union’s ongoing campaigning work, mentioned the launch of Making Work Fit and expressed solidarity with the People’s Assembly who were marching later that day.
The panellists for the first discussion were Zara Todd - disability campaigner, Nigel Utton – former headteacher, and Lauren Sullivan – a student at Carshalton High School for Girls. Each panellist recounted their personal experiences of inclusion in a school environment, with their anecdotes ranging from shocking and sad to very positive.
A group discussion was held afterwards and delegates were asked to share their views on what inclusion meant to them. The information was added to cards so that they could be displayed after discussion. See Appendix 1 for what the teachers said.
Following a break for lunch, the Steve Sinnott Young Ambassadors took the platform. Maisie le Masurier and Rebecca Unwin gave an engaging talk about their visit to Uganda, where they met disabled children dealing with great hardship. They reminded delegates of the need to think globally when campaigning for the rights of disabled children to an inclusive education.
Two workshops were held this year in order to allow delegates to attend both. Kiran Mohan and Colleen Johnson held a session based around using the Union’s UK Disability History Month materials in the classroom, where they gave practical advice about incorporating activities into a range of lessons. Nigel Utton’s workshop focused on inclusivity and delegates contributed to a participatory forum, sharing their experiences in an informal setting.
Mandy Hudson gave closing comments before delegates were directed to the Pullman Hotel.
On the second day the President, Max Hyde, welcomed delegates back to the conference. Colleen Johnson, Vice Chair of the Disability Equality in Education Committee, chaired as delegates debated the motion and amendments proposed for Annual Conference 2015 (see page 4).
The final session of the weekend was a panel of NUT staff, who gave an overview of the work their departments were undertaking on disability equality and advised delegates of ways in which they could get active in the Union.
Mandy Hudson provided closing remarks and thanked delegates for their participation.
As part of the evaluation of the conference delegates were asked to say how they would describe the NUT Disabled Teachers’ Conference 2014 to disabled teachers who did not attend. Some examples of their responses are quoted throughout this report.
“FAB! Really useful discussions & topics – must make note in my diary for next year’s conference.”
Motion to Annual Conference 2015
Three motions were submitted to conference this year. After a debate and voting process, the following motion will be included on the agenda at NUT Annual Conference 2015.
Organising Against Stress in Schools
Conference notes the increase in stress in schools caused by a punitive Ofsted regime, performance related pay, an imposed new national curriculum which has little real educational value, SEN changes which limit pupils’ life chances, excessive workload and observations. These are having a detrimental effect on pupils and staff alike and need to be challenged at all levels. This toxic level of stress particularly dissuades disabled students wishing to join the profession and disabled teachers who wish to remain or progress at work.
Conference calls on the Executive to:
1. Organise NUT members in school to challenge the causes of stress.
2. Offer guidance and training to local associations as to how to collectivise individual casework.
3. Promote the benefits of a good work/life balance and the importance of good mental health for adults and young people.
4. Campaign in the run up to the general election and beyond for a supportive, fully inclusive education system which will allow pupils and staff to enjoy a stress free environment in school.
Delegates to TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference 2015
Four nominations were received by the deadline from members wishing to represent the Union at the TUC Disabled Workers’ Conference in 2015. As there are four places available there was no need for an election and the following members were therefore nominated from the NUT Disabled Teachers’ Conference:
§ Nial Pickering – Liverpool
§ Richard Rieser – Hackney
§ Deborah Leigh – Manchester
§ Catherine Scarlett – East Riding
In addition, Mandy Hudson will attend as the Executive Constituency Seat holder for disabled members and each region and Wales will nominate one delegate.
Reasonable Adjustments
“Needs fully met. Fantastic, thorough and personal attention in pre-conference planning for which, many thanks. Colleagues and staff were fantastic in their offers of help.”
“Fully accessible and nothing was too much trouble for the support staff. Thank you.”
The conference booking system included an adjustments form which asked delegates to provide access and adjustments information to enable staff to put the appropriate arrangements in place.
Examples of the adjustments that were made were:
§ Hearing loop system
§ Supportive chair
§ Refrigerator for storing medication
§ Seating plan adjustments to cater for visual impairments
§ Additional Facilities and Reception staff support
§ Accommodation and catering for carers
§ Use of accessible bedrooms in the hotel
§ Extra pillows provided in hotel
§ Allocation of hotel room with shower or bath according to need
§ Allocation of hotel room on a lower floor in the hotel
PART TWO - EVALUATION REPORT
“An enabling, informative and supportive environment where experiences can be shared and initiatives explored”
The Disabled Teachers’ Conference 2014 (DTC) was attended by 27 delegates. A total of 15 evaluation forms were received, with the remaining delegates not returning their form.[(]
a) Overall experience
Of the 15 delegates who returned an evaluation form, 12 (80%) said that they had attended an NUT DTC before and three (20%) said they were attending for the first time. Five delegates (33%) said that the conference exceeded their expectations and 10 delegates (67%) said the conference met their expectations.
b) Evaluation of the Programme
Delegates were asked to “comment on the contents of each of the following sessions, in terms of meeting expectations”. The following table shows the number of responses in each category for each session.
Exceeded / Met fully / Not really met / Not met at all / Don’t knowPanel Discussion:
Saturday morning / 7 / 8
Discussion groups:
What does inclusion mean to you? / 5 / 8 / 2
Steve Sinnott Young Ambassadors / 8 / 6
Panel Discussion:
Sunday morning / 5 / 4 / 3 / 1
Debate on Motion to Annual Conference / 8 / 5 / 1
UKDHM Workshop / 4 / 5 / 3
Inclusion Workshop / 5 / 6 / 1
c) Conference Publicity
Delegates were asked to comment on how they heard about the conference this year. Most (40%) had been notified in the first instance by an email from the NUT. Two delegates had found out about the conference through the NUT website and other methods included advisory groups, reps and local offices. Delegates were also asked for suggestions to encourage more disabled teachers to attend the next conference. Comments included:
- Maybe have it in a different area
- Big article in The Teacher
- Promote at Annual Conference
- Reach out through social media/promotional literature to teachers suffering Mental Health difficulties
- Combine with another complementary event
- A well-known (high profile) speaker/entertainer with educational links
- Training for Reps which will make them more aware of DTC
- Promote the social aspect of sharing positive experiences / common challenges with like-minded people.
d) Facilities / Access
“The staff were really lovely and very supportive”
Delegates were asked if they had feedback on the accessibility of the conference. The decision to have all the conference rooms on one floor was appreciated as it meant the lifts were not needed – “good access at Hamilton House – no need to use lifts”. One delegate mentioned the toilet door being a problem for some people – ways of making this more accessible should be investigated before next year’s conference.
The Pullman Hotel had not informed us in advance of their policy of taking a £50 deposit from each person, which caused considerable confusion and delay for delegates at check-in. The matter was eventually resolved by Union staff but we should be aware of this for future bookings and make arrangements ahead of time.
e) Impact and Actions after the Conference
Delegates were asked, “Is there something that you plan to do or will do differently as a result of the conference?” A selection of comments is included below:
· Continue to fight for Disabled Teachers’ Rights and an inclusive education system which truly meets the needs of pupils.
· Try to publicize the need for NUT members to identify as disabled.
· Promote the social model of disability more widely.
· Start working on Organizing Against Stress in Schools, so I have something to contribute to the debate at National Conference.
· I’m hoping to develop more UKDHM involvement with teaching staff.
· Do some work back in school – assembly in class or ‘Send a friend to School’.
· I intend to be more proactive within my Association and encourage any disabled teachers to come forward and be ‘outed’ so they can be supported.
· Push for a stress audit in school.
· Campaign for a Mental Health Awareness Workshop in my division.
· Promote UKDHM.
· To submit a grievance against my school for discrimination.
f) Messages to other Disabled Teachers
“A golden opportunity to become more informed and empowered by knowledge and networking. If you come every year, you meet old friends and make new ones.”
Delegates were asked how they would describe the NUT Disabled Teachers’ Conference 2014 to disabled teachers who did not attend. Responses included:
· A good opportunity to discuss current issues.
· A chance to meet with other disabled teachers and share experiences and inspirations.
· Inspiring, uplifting and a great example of Disabled Teachers working together.
· Superb conference again this year. I loved hearing from disabled teachers and how their education was/was not inclusive.
· Empowering and informative.
· Informative and friendly. Essential for all to attend.
· Very powerful for identifying what is out there to assist you and to keep you in work.
· Great- you should attend one!
f) Additional comments
“Really glad I finally managed to attend a conference. Keep it up!”
Delegates were asked for any additional comments about the conference. Some of their comments are included below:
· Urgent need to educate all Case Workers on Disability Equality.
· Stop using Compromise Agreements when it’s an issue of principle.
· Take action under the Public Duty Section 11 against schools in breach of Equalities Act.
· The Pullman Hotel has improved greatly, is so convenient and fully met my needs.
· I will initiate a dialogue with my Div. Sec colleague about mobilizing higher levels of the Union to act in more situations where we are being encouraged to negotiate compromise (sorry settlements) agreements where we believe this is a prospective ET.
· It is getting better and better.
· More training on getting our message out using social media.
· I ran the UKDHM workshop with Colleen but we ran out of time for the 2nd session because many delegates were not in their seats and making tea/coffee. Hence, we started 15 mins late- will need to factor this in for any other workshops next time.
· The last debate was really useful and we need more of that.
PART THREE - EQUALITIES MONITORING REPORT
The total number of monitoring forms received was 15. All responses given have been recorded here. Not all delegates who completed a monitoring form answered every question. Consequently, if the total number of responses to a question is less than 15, it should be assumed that the remaining delegates did not give a response to that question.
Do you define yourself as disabled? 100% of the respondents answered yes.
Are you aged 35 or under? Ten delegates answered this question, nine of whom were aged over 35 and one under 35.
Sexual Orientation Twelve delegates (86%) stated that they were heterosexual, with one gay and one lesbian member also responding. No bisexual teachers were indicated on the forms.
Is your gender identity different to the gender assigned to you at your birth?
One delegate answered yes to the above question and 10 delegates answered no.
Ethnic Origin The majority of delegates (69%) stated that they were White British – English. Of the remaining delegates two (15%) identified as White British – Welsh, one as Asian – Indian and one as Black – Caribbean.
LEARNING POINTS FOR 2015
The following are some issues for next year’s conference based on information from the evaluation forms and from NUT staff at DTC 2014.
It is to be noted for 2015 that:
· make arrangements in advance with the Pullman Hotel for payment of delegates’ deposits.
· publicity for the conference is made more visible on the NUT website and a further email push is made to engage new delegates.