Delegates at the Wales TUC congress showed their support for school leaders in their fight for pay and support for schools.

NAHT Cymru President Kerina Hanson called for greater support for schools, with greater funding needed and a clear vision for the role and function of schools.

“Our members acknowledge they have a crucial role in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of learners, tackling inequalities and ensuring that students are ethical and informed citizens of the world,” said Ms Hanson.

“We believe in a vision for 21st Century schools that tackles the impact of poverty on educational attainment and achievement, and includes wider support services.

“Significant and continual underfunding of these services places additional pressure and work load onto schools and is proving detrimental to school leaders, teachers, support staff, and, crucially, our learners. 

“We need to be clear about the role and function of schools in the 21st century. Give us the services that support us, the time, resources and funding to fulfil that vision. 

“We know there are excellent support services that want to help our children and young people but have no resources or capacity to do so. There must be adequate and coordinated funding to enable support services to fulfil their roles and allow all families to prosper and thrive.”

On the issue of pay, terms and conditions Laura Doel called on all trade unions to support NAHT for fair pay, terms and conditions for leaders and teachers, citing a broken review body process where employers have failed to engage and a government determined to make affordability a factor.

In her speech to congress, Ms Doel said: “In the four years since pay was first devolved and the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body was established, the employers – a crucial player in this tripartite process, have failed to engage.

“The Welsh Government is determined to make affordability a key factor in the process, hampering in our view the remit of the independent body to make recommendations on what is a fair rate for our leaders and teachers.

“An independent body should not be constrained in such a way. Affordability is a political decision and should have no baring on determining what is fair pay, terms and conditions.

“We know education is the silver bullet, it’s the key to economic prosperity, breaking the cycle of poverty and has the biggest impact on society and communities.

“We know that strong leadership and highly-skilled and motivated teachers have the biggest impact on learner attainment.

“We should, we must, we will, do, everything, in our power to ensure that leaders and teachers get the pay, terms and conditions they deserve.

“We will ensure that the education workforce as a whole is invested in, because they are the ones that making a real difference in schools, homes and communities across Wales.

“They are shaping the next generation of leaders, teachers, engineers, medics, scientists, humanitarians, great-thinkers and activists. What would we do without them?”

Commenting following congress, Ms Doel added: “There was a clear mandate from congress for the movement to support the schools workforce. We thank those trade union colleagues who stand shoulder to shoulder with our members to ensure they get the pay they deserve and the support they need to help our learners flourish.”