IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5February 2003
Commenting on the annual report of DavidBell, Her Majestys Chief Inspector of Schools, Doug McAvoy, NUT GeneralSecretary, said:
The Government should read the Chief Inspectorsreport with great care. Unsatisfactory teaching can never be acceptable. Butthe extremely low level of just 4 per cent whilst good or better teaching ismore than 70 per cent is a testimony to the supreme efforts made by teachers toprovide high quality education for our pupils.
They are to be congratulated particularlyas this is achieved against ever changing demands made upon them.
The Chief Inspector is right to point tothe continuing shortage of teachers and the consequences of using unqualifiedpeople to substitute for teachers. Such practices deny children the educationthey deserve.
Nor can they ensure that challengingbehaviour by young people is properly dealt with and overcome. Such behaviourdamages their own and other childrens education. The chain of connectionbetween attainment and progress and pupils behaviour, attitudes toschool and their personal development alsoleads to even greater difficulties with recruitment and retention ofteachers.
In recognizing the achievement of schools,the Chief Inspector must now take the next step and give them moreresponsibility for evaluating themselves.
E N D PR.10.03