The Barnett Government’s decision to transfer year 7 students into our high schools from 2015 will impact on staffing needs for 2015 both in primary and secondary schools.
We estimate there may need to be movements of 600+ teachers and school leaders.
The SSTUWA is of the view that in order to best manage the significant movement of staff 2014 for 2015 it should be done so centrally.
We are placing this demand before all parties in the lead up to the March 2013 State Election.
All members are urged to get behind this very important campaign. This week we are asking you to email the Premier Mr Colin Barnett.
SSTUWA Position
The placement of year seven students has been under discussion in W.A. over the past decade. In December 2011 the Premier advised the community that as of 2015, year 7 students in public schools would be placed in secondary settings.
Reasons behind the decision included: the introduction of the Australian Curriculum and discipline focus; availability of specialist facilities in secondary schools; non-government schools with year 7 students in secondary settings; the national situation with year 7 students in most states/territories in secondary schools; and the age of the year 7s.
The Minister announced associated capital works ($265m) including some science facilities would be occurring in 29 secondary schools to accommodate the move. $22.5m was also to be available to offer up to 525 primary teachers an opportunity to upgrade skills and qualifications to enable them to move into secondary schools.
The SSTUWA called on the Minister and the Director General to establish a ‘key stakeholder’ group. Three meetings of key stakeholders have been held to date where an opportunity to raise issues has been provided.
In June 2012 the Director General announced the establishment of a Year 7 Implementation Team to oversee the strategic coordination of the transition and liaise with key stakeholder.
The SSTUWA has also met with the previous and current Minister of Education and the Premier to speak specifically about the number of teaching and school leader position which will be ‘lost’ in primary schools as a consequence of the transfer of students to secondary schools and our position with regard to management of staff deployment/transfer.
As the representative of key employees (school leaders, teachers, school psychologists and other support staff) and an advocate for quality public education the SSTUWA is expecting genuine, ongoing and transparent consultation in the development of policy, practices and processes connected to the transition of year 7 students to high school settings in 2015.
The SSTUWA views genuine, ongoing and transparent consultation to mean the provision of opportunity to input into any associated proposed policy, practice and process at developmental phases, not as an ‘afterthought’ post completion.
The SSTUWA recognises key stakeholders to include the parent group WACSSO and school leader professional associations.
The SSTUWA has identified a number of matters under the heading of ‘staffing’ as being areas.
Career path opportunities
The impact of student numbers in primary schools is likely to result (current staffing arrangements) in the loss of deputy principal positions in primary schools across the state.
Issues
- Longer term ramifications for career aspirations of DoE employees in primary schools
- Impact on attraction & retention into the future
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Clarification of impact for deputy principal positions with workforce projections provided
- b) Examination of consequential workload impact for school administration and other staff
- c) Expected impact of mandatory PP on school administrator numbers
- d) Capacity to re-examine the ‘promotional profile’ of primary schools
Re-deployment of school leader staff in primary schools
The impact of re-deployment arrangements on individuals and school communities
Issues
- Redeployment arrangements
- Will redundancy be available
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Clarification of impact for deputy principal positions with workforce projections provided
- b) Placement of ‘moratorium’ on local placement procedures with teaching staff placements being managed centrally in 2014 for 2015
- c) Examination of consequential workload impact for school administration and other staff
- d) Capacity to re-examine the ‘promotional profile’ of primary schools
Re-deployment of primary teaching staff
The impact of loss of teaching positions in primary schools and plans for possible transition of primary staff to secondary settings
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- (a) Clarification of impact for teaching positions with workforce projections provided
- (b) Placement of ‘moratorium’ on local placement procedures with teaching staff placements being managed centrally in 2014 for 2015
- (c) Examination of consequential workload impact for school administration and other staff with reduction in staff numbers
- (d) Capacity to re-examine the ‘promotional profile’ of primary schools to include a new layer of ‘teacher leaders’
- (e) Outline of current status of discussions re the PD for primary teachers considering transition to secondary settings and discussions re ‘proposed PD pathways’
- (f) Discussions with regard to development of ‘specialist literacy/numeracy’ positions in secondary schools which may be best filled by primary trained teachers with such skills and knowledge
Specialist teachers in primary schools & curriculum choice
With the reduction in students is likely to come a reduction in teaching staff. The usual means of providing DOTT is through the employment of teaching staff who deliver specialist programs such as music, art, PE and language. With a reduced need for staff the outcomes could be a) loss of positions for specialist staff; b) loss of specialist expertise in primary schools; c) pressure on specialist staff to teach out of their area of expertise; and d) a narrowing of curriculum provision.
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Clarification of impact for specialist teachers positions with workforce projections provided (DOTT related)
- b) Examination of strategies to address concerns of specialist teachers and provision by specialists
Impact on school leaders in secondary settings
With an increase in student numbers into our secondary schools, attention will need to be placed on the adequacy of supports being provided to school leaders. This may need to be seen in the appointment of additional deputy and HOD/HOLA positions. As well, additional resourcing including for adjustments to clerical supports (GA 2011 Clause 16.4) and recognition of additional supports needing to be provided for teachers who are transitioning from primary to secondary settings (curriculum, pedagogy, pastoral care). The initial entry of years sevens will require a capacity for schools to oversee this transition with sensitivity.
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Clarification as to staffing adjustments which will need to be made to school leader staffing profiles
- b) Recognition and consideration of the need to provide additional resources to support the ‘management’ aspects of the transition including for staff induction, training and professional learning as well as attention to pastoral care issues
- c) Monitoring and review of the need for continuation of those additional resources
Promotion of public education in secondary schools
Extent to which DoE is setting expectations within its school communities that this change is to be positioned in the minds of the public school communities, the public and families/potential students as an opportunity to reverse trend of the students choosing placements in non-government schools
The extent to which DoE is actively supporting public school communities to undertake activities designed to support the promotion of secondary public schools as the preferred educational institutions for secondary education
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) That the DoE set clear expectations of primary and secondary government schools and school leaders as to their engagement as agents of promotion of public sector schooling
- b) That the DoE actively engage school leaders in the necessary dialogue to support an understanding of this obligation
- c) That the DoE provide appropriate supports to assist schools and school leaders in the endeavours of promoting the public school system including ‘media/communication’ materials, advice and assistance
Graduation of year 6 students making transition
At the end of 2014 primary schools will have two graduating year levels. Parent / student expectations will place additional pressures on school communities
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Recognition of associated workload and costs, with supplementary ‘one off’ additional resourcing provided to primary schools
Enrolment of year 7 students in first year of intake
At the commencement of 2015 secondary schools will have two intake cohorts. Parent/community expectations will be high. A smooth transition will be needed
The current connection of school classification with student numbers is likely to have an impact on staffing and funding of primary schools
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Recognition of associated workload and costs, with supplementary ‘one off’ additional resourcing provided to secondary schools
Feeder school engagement
Extent to which high schools and feeder primary schools are working collaboratively to (a) prepare students for transition; (b) support parents/carers of the year 7 students to understand the new environment; and (c) enable primary teachers interested in the possibility of working in secondary settings to engage in professional learning and other activities to build familiarity and confidence
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) DoE undertake a ‘minimalist audit’ in Term 4 2012 to assess the type and extent of inter sector engagement
- b) That the response be considered by the DoE and stakeholders
Organisation and curriculum delivery
The expectations with regard to organisation and curriculum delivery with the introduction of year 7 students into high schools settings
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Clarification as to ‘messages’ being sent, or intended to be sent, to high schools as to the organisational arrangements and curriculum delivery NOTE: concerns re messaging to parents; concerns re some measure of consistency; point of perceived advantages in context of ‘competition’; past management of middle school
- b) Clarification as to longer term position of ‘specialist schools’
Pastoral Care
Sensitivity to ‘parent concerns’ with regard to appropriate and adequate pastoral care supports
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Clarification with regard to any proposed ‘PL’ for secondary staff
- b) Clarification with regard to any proposed services and/or staffing to be added to secondary schools
- c) Clarification as to supports/resources/messages which will be provided to schools on this matter
Facilities
Are sufficient and appropriate facilities guaranteed to be in place to support the transition of year 7 students into high schools
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Identification of school targeted for upgrades
- b) Identification of any ‘at risk of insufficient facilities’ schools and management plans
- c) Identification of any new secondary schools coming on stream between 2012 and 2015
- d) Identification of any high schools who have established ‘specialist programs’ in ‘spare classrooms’ who may have to adjust/eliminate such ‘specialist program provision to house in-coming year 7s
Voice of ‘primary teachers transitioning into secondary schools’ in 2015 arrangements
Given that it is expected that a significant number of primary teachers may transition to secondary settings in 2015 what arrangements will be made to have their voices heard in the planning processes at individual schools
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Appointment of primary staff who are transitioning to secondary settings no later than term 4 2014
- b) Provision of time for transitioning teachers to engage in school planning/decision making in 2014
- c) A one off allowance of $1500 to be provided to transitioning teachers to assist with purchase of new resources
- d) Additional and dedicated P/L $ to assist transitioning teachers to build capacity for secondary teaching environment
RECLASSIFICATION
The current connection of school classification with student numbers is likely to have an impact on staffing and funding of primary schools. The impact on matters including breadth of curriculum provision, expertise of specialists, special events and occasions, task allocation and workload, leadership is of concern to primary schools on a range of fronts including their ‘attractiveness’ to potential families and students
ECE
The expansion of ECE provision in recent years with the universal provision of 15 hours for 4 year olds, the mandating of attendance for PP in 2013 and the changes to the Education Act which open the doorway to provision (with ministerial permission) to 3 year olds has changed the landscape of primary education. Informal commentary during the period leading up to the Government’s decision could give rise to the proposition that a ‘rebuild’ at the ECE end may assist in sustaining current levels of funding to primary schools.
CURRICULUM PROVISION
With reduction in staff levels there is a risk to curriculum breadth and ‘specialist area depth’ in primary schools
WORKLOAD
Schools have been required to take on board responsibilities of an increasingly complex nature in recent years. Levels of accountability have at the same time been enhanced. Major curriculum change is underway. Organisational and structural changes have ‘deposited’ further responsibilities on school leaders and school communities. The removal of staff and resources as a consequence of this policy will result in additional workload to be shared amongst fewer staff.
ACTION BEING SOUGHT
- a) Presentation of workforce data to enable a ‘full picture’ of potential impact of the transition on the primary sector workforce
- b) Examination of strategies to address identified concerns
- c) Examination of funding allocative mechanism for primary school students including increases for ECE students