News

Search the Archive:
Match all words
Match any words
The General Teaching Council for England’s Code of Conduct and Practice.
Article by David Brierley, Early Years Educator, July 2009
DCSF White Paper and Voice’s reaction
Statements, articles and links. Take part in survey.
Articles, speeches and opinion from General Secretary Philip Parkin
Teachers in England and Wales
Reaction to news that teacher training applicants in England to face psychometric tests before being offered a place on a course and that the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) is developing tests for skills such as communication and empathy.
Voice Scotland response to government consultation
QCA consultation on changes to the national curriculum in England
Framework for working with children in need and their families. Letter from Baroness Morgan, DCSF, to Directors of Children’s Services.
Sir Jim Rose’s review into teaching of children with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. 4,000 teachers in England will be funded to train in specialist dyslexia teaching.
Further information on the new 14-19 qualifications introduced in England from September 2008.
Revised framework from Ofsted.
Voice has renewed calls for a compulsory national register of nannies, following the announcement of a national registration scheme for home educators in England.
Voice has welcomed news that the review of home education in England is recommending a national registration scheme for home educators.
Reaction to announcement by Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop on the new national examination to replace Standard Grades. Changes will come into effect from 2013.
Guidance for schools and children’s services on Swine Flu
DCSF guidance
Latest information on the School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) in England.
Rosemary Stokes is the new National Chairman of Voice.
Article by Tricia Pritchard, Early Years Educator, June 2009
Annual Financial Statement (to 31 December 2008)
Single Status/Job evaluation, Renewing membership, publications, strikes, rarely cover...
’Fun and Friendship’programme for disabled children. Closing date: 31 July 2009.
Article in SecEd, 21 May 2009.
Voice members needed for Joint Negotiating Committees for Teachers in North Lanarkshire and Perth & Kinross.
Requirement for registration with General Teaching Council for England: September 2009.
DCSF is seeking more people to join its network group.
The All Wales Guidance for Educational Visits and Outdoor Learning Cards launched by the Welsh Assembly Government.
A new Minimum Design Standard for Building Schools for the Future (BSF) schools
Online resource for teaching tax as part of PHSE and Citizenship.
Letter in response to article on teachers’ mental health.
Comment on report on assessment and Sats
Safe to Learn (DCSF) is the over-arching anti-bullying guidance for schools. Includes "Cyberbullying: Supporting School Staff".
Review of safeguarding arrangements in independent schools, non-maintained special schools and boarding schools in England
Comment on Prime Minister’s speech, 5 May 2009.
NUT and NAHT 2009 conferences resolutions calling for boycott of 2010 KS1&2 tests. Voice shares other unions’ concerns but will not be supporting a boycott.
Review of the primary curriculum by Sir Jim Rose for DCSF and Voice’s response.
Provision that teachers should rarely cover for absent colleagues to be implemented from 1 September 2009.
Brian Lamb’s review of special educational needs for the DCSF
Voice responded to announcements from the DCSF on Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Drug and Alcohol Education, and on pupil behaviour, in England. Plus update on review of PSHE.
Scottish Government advice on inclusion and pupils with additional support needs
Voice General Secretary Philip Parkin said: “This is a controversial and unrealistic idea."
Briefing to SecEd by General Secretary Philip Parkin and National Chairman Andrew Broadhurst.
A Scottish Government publication
Voice welcomes key findings of Sir Alan Steer’s review of behaviour in schools. Plus Teachers’ guidance on powers and rights.
Information from Acas
Voice has welcomed the key findings of the Children, Schools and Families Committee’s report on the National Curriculum (2 April 2009).
Launch of "Experiences and Outcomes" guidance for Scottish teachers
Ofqual has published an open letter on changes to the structure of AS and A levels.
STRB report, Government’s response and Voice’s response
Voice has welcomed the "Behaving and Attending" action plan launched by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Voice has become a partner of Memory 4 Teachers, which is funding the distribution of 750,000 USB memory sticks to teachers and support staff.
Union address, SecEd, 26 March 2009
Voice has welcomed the key findings of the inquiry by Lord Laming (into Baby P case) and new training for children’s services managers in England to be announced by the Children’s Secretary.
Voice has raised its concerns about the public service announcements being made by the Prime Minister and DCSF today (10 March 2009).
Nomination information. Closing date: 17 July 2009.
Latest news on negotiations and new pay scales for nursery and education support staff (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
Voice has welcomed the asbestos survey of local authorities announced by the DCSF but called for a national audit of asbestos in all schools.
Information for Voice members
Article by Tricia Pritchard, Child Care, March 2009
Article on Baby P and implications for those working with children and young people by Tricia Pritchard, Early Years Educator, March 2009
Media briefing on impact on school trips of changes to secondary curriculum and introduction of Diplomas.
Details of Bill’s measures including establishment of Ofqual.
Evidence from the Rewards and Incentives Group to STRB
The revised School Admissions Code and School Admission Appeals Code came into force on 10 February 2009.
Voice has welcomed the key findings of the "Early childcare and child development" report published by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies at the Institute of Education.
Sir Alan Steer’s recommendations on behaviour: special educational needs and Behaviour and Attendance Partnerships.
Article in TES Cymru with statement by Nick Griffin of Voice.
Comment about scheme for Apprenticeships to be offered to 16-year-olds to train as teaching assistants.
Union address, SecEd, 5 February 2009
Updated guidance from DCSF/Teachernet
Philip Parkin, General Secretary of Voice, has welcomed details of The Good Childhood Inquiry.
Voice has won one category and been highly commended in another in the MemCom 2009 Membership Marketing Awards.
Article by Tricia Pritchard, Early Years Educator, February 2009
DCSF’s Building on Ten-Year Childcare Strategy and consultations. Voice’s response.
Briefing to The Observer
Briefing on student homework site.
Updated model pay policy: Welsh and English versions.
Voice has welcomed the findings of a survey by the Children’s Workforce Development Council which calls for more male nursery staff.
Voice has welcomed, with reservations, the DCSF’s review of home education and the Statutory Guidance (revised) for Local Authorities in England to Identify Children not Receiving a Suitable Education
Report by HMIE and Voice’s response.
Briefing on comments by Ofsted Chief Inspector on "boring teaching".

Comment on Secondary School Achievement & Attainment Tables for England.
Voice has cast doubt on the potential effectiveness of the Government’s ’loyalty payments’ scheme for teachers in England.
Revised additional guidance relating to the new arrangements for calculating the pay and working time of part-time teachers.
Advice for Voice members
The Careers Advice Service is a careers advice and guidance service for adults. Previously known as learndirect Careers Advice, the Careers Advice Service is now part of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
Briefing to Mail on Sunday Scotland on Scottish teachers buying classroom materials at their own expense.
The Charity Commission has published new guidance and other public benefit material
Progress reports from DCSF and Voice’s response.
EYF launched by Scottish Government and COSLA.
Revised Codes due to come into force in February 2009, in time for 2010 admissions.
Latest on Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) (starting 12 October 2009)
Research by TES Cymru and Voice Cymru’s response
General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "Voice welcomed the concept of Diplomas. However, we do have a number of concerns."
Voice: the union for education professionals has welcomed news that national tests for 14-year-old pupils in England are to be scrapped.
Quiz to support Voice (Supporting Education & Learning) in its project to build a special needs classroom in rural Kenya.
Voice has given a cautious welcome to the Prime Minister’s plan to extend free childcare places (to be announced on Tuesday 23 September 2008).
Let us know your thoughts on implementation of EYFS
Find out more
Statements, press briefings and further information links on wireless computer networks (wi-fi) and electro-sensitivity.
Send your views to Voice
Concerns about the requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage that at least one member of staff in maintained nursery schools and nursery classes must be a school teacher, and the impact on early years staff.
Advice for Voice members on strikes or industrial action: www.voicetheunion.org.uk/action
The Education (Induction Arrangements for School Teachers) (England) Regulations 2008 will come into force from September 2008
Speeches (where available) for Motions Session II
Speeches (where available) for Motions Session I
Speech by new Voice National Chairman, Geraldine Everett, to Voice Annual Conference, Monday 30 July 2007, Harrogate