Helen Osgood – Community Trade Union

Schools have many needs – a mobile phone ban isn’t one of them

Helen Osgood — Tue, 03 Oct 2023 10:31:42 +0000

Since the first iPhone was launched in 2007, mobile phones have become ubiquitous items and their use amongst our children and young people is widespread. It was therefore surprising to hear the news that Education Secretary Gillian Keegan is to ‘ban’ them from the classroom. Schools have the power to restrict the use of mobile phones, and many ban them already. This is neither something…

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Labour’s education plans positive step in the right direction

Helen Osgood — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 06:25:00 +0000

In an interview with the BBC, Shadow Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced that a Labour government would: We look forward to the full details of Labour’s plan for education, so that we can assess their potential to address the many challenges facing the sector, but a promise of a £2,400 bonus for newly qualified teachers who choose to stay in post suggests that they are serious…

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Education and Early Years Sector Conference 2023

Helen Osgood — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 09:28:30 +0000

The inaugural one-day Education & Early Years Conference was held in Liverpool on 24 June, attended by a wide range of delegates from across the UK. It was great to see nannies and nursery workers mingling with teachers, and for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) / additional learning needs (ALN) specialists discussing their concerns across the table from university and college…

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Ofsted: a better future is possible

Helen Osgood — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 10:53:41 +0000

On 4 July 2023, Community: the union for education professionals is holding a special free webinar on Ofsted and education and early years inspections, following the tragic death of head teacher Ruth Perry. The event will: We will also hold a couple of polls during the meeting to gather statistics on members’ experiences that we can use in our dealings with the inspectorate and government…

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Tragic news that should shock everyone involved in education

Helen Osgood — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:02:37 +0000

The tragic news of the death of a headteacher in Reading should shock everyone involved in education. But it should not take a shock such as this to progress change to the accountability systems in schools and colleges. The current system of assessment that means our children are formally measured in 5 out of 7 years in primary school, including within months of first beginning education…

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Community welcomes Labour’s Ofsted reform plans

Helen Osgood — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 14:19:13 +0000

Bridget Phillipson, Shadow Education Secretary, set out Labour’s plans last weekend to college and trust leaders outlining their vision for major reforms to Ofsted. Bridget outlined in her speech that the next Labour government would move away from the system of headline grades to a new ‘report card’ that tells parents, simply and clearly, how well their school is performing, because ‘parents…

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Claiming, celebrating, creating: LGBT+ History Month 2023

Helen Osgood — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 10:04:50 +0000

This month is LGBT+ History Month and the theme this year is “Claiming our past – Celebrating our present – Creating our future”. Stonewall, the UK’s leading organisation fighting for the freedom, equity and potential of all lesbian, gay, bi, trans, and queer people, reports that almost one in five LGBT+ staff have been the target of negative comments or conduct from work colleagues because…

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