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NUT comment on school banding statement

NUT comment on school banding statement

Commenting on the today’s statement on secondary school banding by the Welsh government, NUT Wales Secretary David Evans said this:

“We do continue to have concerns about the nature and impact of the banding system. No matter how this banding process is packaged, it will ultimately be seen as a return to league tables, especially when you consider it is a system based on ranking schools performance relative to each other. That is something that will create tension within the education system and the teaching profession.

“The NUT are naturally supportive of measures that aid schools in their aspirations to improve performance. However, we must also highlight the fears that this banding process could result in a spiral of decline, with schools at the lower end of the banding process suffering because of the stigma attached to their ranking. Given we know that no additional funding will be made available, how this banding system will aid schools placed in the lowest band, who will inevitably see a drift of pupils and teachers away from those schools, still remains unclear.

“It would be far more desirable to empower local authorities and schools to identify what challenges they face, and what support can be provided to achieve targets, rather than risk irreparable harm through a league table style process.”

Contact Owen Hathway, NUT Cymru, Ty Sinnott, 18 Neptune Court, Vanguard Way, Cardiff CF24 5PJ. Tel: 029 20491818. Mob: 07921146442 e-mail: cymru.wales@nut.org.uk