Unions, Performance-Related Pay and Procedural Justice: the Case of Classroom Teachers

Performance-related pay (PRP) and performance management (PM) are now a part of the organizationallandscape that unions face in the UK's public services. While PRP and PM threaten the scope of traditionalunion bargaining activities, they simultaneously offer a new role to unions as providers of 'procedural justiceservices' to both union members and employers. We explore the case of the introduction of these systems forclassroom teachers in England and Wales as a means of testing this idea. Our survey evidence shows thatclassroom teachers experiencing the introduction of PRP have expressed a strong demand for such services fromthe teachers' unions. Further, analysis of the PRP implementation process for classroom teachers indicates thatthe teachers' unions have progressively assumed a 'procedural justice role' since its introduction. Union actionin this regard has led to substantial modification over time of classroom teachers' PRP and PM. These changeshave addressed many of the concerns of teachers, have created a new institutional role for the relevant unions,and may permit the systems to avoid the operational difficulties they have experienced elsewhere in the UK'spublic services.Unions, Procedural Justice, Performance-Related Pay, Teachers

Bildungswesen im Spannungsfeld von Demokratisierung und Privatisierung. Das Beispiel England

This paper presents a view of the reality of education in English schools in the maintained sector since the passing of the Education Reform Act 1988 and legislation subsequent to it. It does so by using a framework of ideology, policy and practice. The last of these is of particular significance because of the changed professional roles of heads and classroom teachers and the consequences for the education of the schoolchildren.(DIPF/Abstract übernommen

Assessing pupils’ progress: learners at the heart of assessment: 2010 guidance for senior leaders

"This booklet for senior leaders pulls together a range of recent practice and evidence to help you implement APP [Assessing pupils’ progress] successfully into your school – there is no one way to do it! Here we pose questions to help guide your thinking on school assessment policy and focus on learners being at the heart of curriculum, learning and assessment. The challenge for you as school leaders is to maximise the progress made by the pupils in your care. The APP approach is being adopted by schools throughout England." - Page 5

Proposed changes to allow initial teacher training (ITT) in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) from September 2012

"This consultation concerns the proposal to amend regulations to recognise ITT in PRUs including allowing trainee teachers to carry out practical teaching experience for the purposes of an ITT course and for trainees on an employment-based teacher training scheme to be employed to teach in this setting from September 2012. This will require minor amendments to the Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003. Subject to this consultation and to the parliamentary process, we are aiming to bring amending regulations into force from September 2012. The consultation also covers the closer involvement of PRUs and AP Academies in ITT through School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) and School Direct and asks for feedback on how to encourage PRUs and AP Academies to apply to become teaching schools" - front cover