NUT Comment: Assembly banding debate
Wales’ largest teaching union has urged the Government to rethink its approach to education in advance of a Plaid Cymru Assembly debate on school banding. NUT Cymru has welcomed the debate which notes, ‘that banding does not provide a whole view of a school’s performance.’ The debate will be held at the Assembly on Wednesday 11 January.
Commenting in advance of the banding debate, NUT Wales Secretary, David Evans said:
“We are pleased that this debate has been brought forward by Plaid Cymru as it reflects the fact that teachers from across Wales have been left disappointed and angry by the Welsh Government’s approach. The Education Minister repeats his view that banding is not about ‘naming and shaming,’ however, we have yet to see any explanation that justifies that comment.
“The Welsh Government has given its approval to an unfair and unjustified system that, irrespective of what has been said, most definitely does label schools to their detriment. There is serious concern across the profession that the Government’s commitment to this league table style branding will have a long-lasting and damaging impact on the future of a generation of Welsh children.
“The NUT remains vehemently opposed to the banding system which must be scrapped before schools within the lower bands are despatched into a cycle of decline from which there is no escape.”
Commenting on the Welsh Government amendment to the debate that recognises ‘quality of teaching and school leadership are the key drivers of school improvement and pays tribute to the work of the teaching profession in Wales for delivering rising standards over the last decade’, Mr Evans added:
“It is good to hear the Welsh Government praising the profession for its work in improving standards. All too often the rhetoric that we have heard from Cardiff Bay has been focused on undermining teachers. Hopefully the Government will take this collaborative approach further and listen to the staunch, united opposition to school bandings which teachers in Wales have clearly voiced”.
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