- Conference
- 2004 Local Government Service Group Conference
- Date
- 1 March 2004
- Decision
- Carried
This Local Government Service Group opposes the Government’s “Fresh Start” initiative, introduced purportedly to give support to schools deemed to be failing.
The “Fresh Start” scheme is fatally flawed because it forces staff at a school to reapply for their jobs at a time when continuity of staff is most needed, for their knowledge of the pupils and the challenges that a school faces. Under “Fresh Start” a school may have a new name and “new” staff, but it still has to educate the same pupils in the same building.
This Local Government Service Group believes that there are far more effective methods of supporting so-called “under-performing schools” and calls on UNISON to oppose in principle “Fresh Start” and to provide comprehensive support and guidance for branches facing this initiative in schools where they have members.