We have prepared answers to many of the questions that teachers may have about the Putting the Learner First project. In addition, all of teachers questions that have been answered will be displayed here too. Parents Q&A can be viewed by following this link.

To make it a little easier to find answers to the type of questions you may have, we have broken them down into the following categories:

• Teachers general questions
• Teachers questions about redundancy
• Teachers questions about training
• Teachers questions about transition issues
• Teachers questions about standards
• Teachers questions about pay and conditions
• Teachers questions about federations

Many of these questions refer to the Staffing Protocol. This is available for you to view/download/print on the documents page.

We welcome your questions about this project, you can send them to us via our contact us page.

	TEACHERS GENERAL QUESTIONS ANSWERED
	INDEX OF ABRIDGED QUESTIONS (in date order) Closure of middle schools academy pre-schools I liked your site. Blyth Restructure How do we access job specs? How do we access the Northumberland intranet? Why is there no section for teaching assistants? What do you feel are the key requirements of a S.E.N TEACHING ASSISTANT Do you still believe Work-based education and learning? Will my child attend middle school 3 tiers. What is the number of surplus places in Bedlington? Bedlington - surplus places / over-subscription Leadership Group – Please define? Can staff be kept better informed? Does anybody take into consideration the needs of the community? Why is Ashington to be reviewed again, when we have already been through the process? Why are there no plans to create completely new Secondary Schools? Will Holy Island First School be going ‘Primary Early’? The expertise and ethos of Middle School staff Why do we need a Staffing Protocol now? DETAILED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS I would like a list of dates for closure of middle schools in Northumberland. Our Answer: Hi So far, only the closure of the Middle Schools in Cramlington have been agreed. These will close in August 2008. Currently, proposals for the reorganisation of Blyth schools have been published in Statutory Notices. The statutory period closes on 20th June. If final approval for the implementation of the proposals is given by the Executive thereafter, Blyth Wensleydale Middle School would close in August 2009. The further 3 middle schools in Blyth would close in August 2010. There is no further consultation on proposals for the closure of middle schools at the moment.    my child will be in year 7 in 2009 at wenleydale middle school i do not want her attending the academy what are my options? Our Answer: Hi Your options would be as follows: 1) Apply for a place at another Middle School for your child to start in Year 5 in September 2007. This could be either in another Middle School in Blyth or a middle school in another partnership. 2) Allow your child to spend two years at Wensleydale and apply to another Middle School for her to start in September 2009. At this point, it would not be a good idea for your child to transfer to another middle school in Blyth as they would be closing in September 2010. If the proposals go ahead, you will need to think through all of the options carefully and their potential impact on your child, e.g. does he/she make friends easily; number of potential moves within a given timeframe etc. Let us know if you require further information.    i work in plessey road pre-school and would like to know if there would be a need for our group if the school closes or have you accounted for our children to go into a different setting? we currently have 21 children attending and we have more starting after easter, should we be looking for new premises or could we stay on the school site? Our Answer: Hi again Under the proposals, provision has been made for current pupils in Blyth and for maintained nursery places. Provision of non-maintained places would need to be discussed with the Early Years and CHildcare team at the County Council and the current providers. Therefore, a County Council representative is likely to be in contact soon to discuss this.    I liked your site. Our Answer: Many thanks Hope you found it informative!    Can you please advise what decision has been made (following the consultation deadline of Dec 15th) with regard to the proposed restructuring of education in Blyth, with particular reference to the academy? The majority, if not all, of the teachers currently at BCC are against the proposed academy and feel that insufficient genuine consulation has taken place with regard to extending BCC and utilising the Tynedale site for this purpose. Our Answer: HI Please refer to answer to 'New proposals for plessy 1st' on this section of the website.    Are the Cramlington job specs now on the internet (as opposed to just the intranet?) If so how do we access them? Our Answer: No, they are only accessible through the intranet. This is only accessible from an NCC establishment, not from home. Schools now have hard copies of all job descriptions and person specs for the Primary posts. We will hopefully have the Secondary posts available tomorrow.    How do we access the Northumberland intranet from home. The links you have sent with the information don't work! Our Answer: I'm afraid none of us can access the intranet from home.    Why is there no section for teaching assistants questions? Our Answer: Hi Good point! We are currently updating the PLF website and hope to launch the new version in the new year - we will take your suggestion on board with regard to all other staff other than teachers.    I have just received a copy of my new job description following the review of the School Staffing Strucure and am relating it to a module on "Investigating the Work place"in my online degree course. I feel there are some issues in my job description that I am unsure about i.e my duties towards pupils may conflict with my duties to the Teacher if an incident arises with a child I support that prevents me from fulfilling some responsibilities in the classroom. I wondered if you could clarify who I am ultimately responsible for and to?, and what you feelthe key things someone in my role needs to be able to do? Thank-you Our Answer: I have passed your question on to colleagues in the SEN team who may be able to give you some advice.    Do you still believe what your councillors are telling you? More money & time is being spent on spin & media to make them look like they are listening to anyone than is being spent on actually thinking about children & learning. Teachers teach. Pupils learn. Councillors spin. One day everyone will see this for the farce it has become. Our Answer: It's regrettable that you hold this view. The underpinning objective of the Putting the Learner First programme is to raise standards and therefore increase the life chances of the children in Northumberland. In order to do this, we have to tackle the fundamental problems which are holding the education system back, such as poor condition of building stock, money spent on surplus places. Councillors have made some tough decisions, and with some, unpopular decisions. They placed themselves in this position and in May, the people spoke.    What is NCCs policy on work-based education and learning? I am finding it difficult to gain training appropriate to my job through my workplace and would like to take further qualifications, but I can't afford the costs. Our Answer: You will find information and guidance on training and development on the main NCC website if you search on the keyword 'training'.    My daughter is going into year 3 of South Beach First school in September 2005. Will she go to middle school in 2007 or stay at First school for the extra two years and then go on to junior high. Our Answer: The year of implementation of the re-organisation to the primary structure in Blyth is September 2008. Therefore, your daughter will transfer to Middle School at the beginning of her Year 5. The re-organisation to the secondary structure in Blyth is September 2009 therefore your daughter will transfer to the secondary school at the beginning of her Year 7.    I would like to respond to a letter printed in the News Post Leader from Mrs Jill Dove. Can you tell me why you have stayed and taught in a first school system for so long if you feel that a primary school system is better for the pupils? Our Answer: You would be better to direct your question to Jill Dove herself. She may be contacted at Admin@burnside.northumberland.sch.uk    What is the number of surplus places in Bedlington? Our Answer: The current projected number of surplus places in the partnership is about 300.    How can the two tier solution be resolving surplus places in Bedlington when Meadowdale and Guidepost are oversubscribed? Our Answer: Surplus places exist in a number of schools across the partnership. Whatever solution is ultimately adopted will probably result in fewer schools and hence reduce surplus places.    Leadership Group – Please define? Our Answer: These are staff paid on the Leadership Scale, i.e. Heads, Deputies and Assistant Heads.    Can staff be kept better informed? It is difficult to comment on staffing protocol if it is the first time you have seen it. Also other meetings with LEA officers have led to questions being asked and no answers being given even though they were promised. Our Answer: We want to ensure that staff are kept well informed, and would welcome suggestions about how best this can be done.    Does anybody take into consideration the needs of the community or is it just an exercise in numbers? Our Answer: In constructing the current models, a large number of factors have been considered, including the needs of the community. However, before any decisions are taken there will be full consultation, including a public meeting in every school where change is subsequently proposed.    Why is Ashington to be reviewed again, when we have already been through the process? Our Answer: The previous Ashington review was undertaken in the context of retaining the current three tier system. If a primary/secondary system is to be introduced then a further review is necessary.    Why are there no plans to create completely new Secondary Schools with a different identity to the current High Schools? Our Answer: The Secondary Schools that are created will not just be High Schools with two extra year groups of pupils. An 11-18 Secondary School will have a different identity and ethos from a High School.    Will Holy Island First School be going ‘Primary Early’ ~ as this does impact on Lowick? Our Answer: There are no plans to treat Holy Island First School in a different way from any other school and any change would take place at the same time as any other changes within the partnership.    How will the expertise of Middle School staff and the ethos of Middle Schools be incorporated into the new Secondary Schools? Our Answer: It is hoped that significant numbers of middle school staff will obtain posts in secondary schools following any possible changes. Middle school teachers and support staff will bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise which will certainly enhance the practice and ethos of the future secondary schools.    Why do we need a Staffing Protocol now? Our Answer: 1: Even though no final decisions have been taken everyone needs to know how the final decisions will be implemented. 2: We need to maintain and improve standards from now until completion of the PLF project. 3: In order to do this we must be able to retain and recruit high quality staff. 4: This can only be done by maintaining staff morale by ensuring that they have as much certainty as possible about their future employment.