Our children, young people and adults deserve the best education service. To secure this we believe that there has to be the maximum possible professional unity amongst teachers and lecturers in the education sector and their unions.

July sees the launch of a historic partnership agreement between the NUT and the University and College Union (UCU). This agreement will bring together almost half a million teachers and lecturers to campaign for education.

Standing together to end SATs

This term our collaboration with the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) to end SATs has gathered pace, with a joint lobby of Parliament and joint meetings taking place across the country. We are keen for there to be a public debate about how we rid primary schools of this high stakes testing regime that distorts the curriculum and damages our children’s education.

Partnership with the NAHT in this campaign means that the vast majority of union members in primary schools are coming together on an issue that we know has the support of teachers and parents.

Protecting secondary school teachers and campaigning on workload

The NUT will also oppose an increase in workload for secondary school teachers. Secondary schools must not bear the brunt of any new system that is put in place of primary SATs. A manageable workload for teachers has to remain a priority and there must be no new additional tasks in the form of unnecessary assessment and testing.

Any proposals which intend to continue high stakes tests and league tables but just move the responsibility on to secondary school teachers would be flawed and totally unacceptable.

There’s never been a better time to join the NUT

The NUT is the only teachers’ union campaigning consistently for professional unity and campaigning actively on the issues that matter to all teachers. While separate unions remain, however, we’re encouraging teachers to join the largest and most influential teachers’ organisation in Europe.

If you are not already an NUT member see your school representative, join on-line, or phone our hotlines now.

Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said:

"I’m delighted to announce our new partnership with UCU at a time when it is vital for all those in education to be speaking with one voice. Half a million education professionals standing up for the education service will be a force to be reckoned with."

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