A WA parliamentary question on notice addresses whether schools exceed agreed-upon class sizes under the teacher's enterprise bargaining system. The Minister's response refers to flexibility within the agreement for school-based decisions.

AnsweredQoN 493Legislative Council
Asked
27 May 2008
Portfolio
Education and Training

QuestionView source ↗

SCHOOLS — CLASS SIZES
(1) Do any Department of Education and Training primary schools and secondary schools currently have class numbers above the limit agreed to under the terms of the teachers’ enterprise bargaining system? (2) If yes to (1), what is the number of primary schools and number of secondary schools? (3) If yes to (1), why do these schools have class sizes above the limit agreed to under the terms of the teachers’ enterprise bargaining system? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. In view of the fact that the response is one and a half pages long and in 10-point print, although I am tempted to read it out, I seek leave to table the document and have it incorporated into Hansard . Leave granted. [See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
(2) If yes to (1), what is the number of primary schools and number of secondary schools? (3) If yes to (1), why do these schools have class sizes above the limit agreed to under the terms of the teachers’ enterprise bargaining system? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. In view of the fact that the response is one and a half pages long and in 10-point print, although I am tempted to read it out, I seek leave to table the document and have it incorporated into Hansard . Leave granted. [See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
(3) If yes to (1), why do these schools have class sizes above the limit agreed to under the terms of the teachers’ enterprise bargaining system? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. In view of the fact that the response is one and a half pages long and in 10-point print, although I am tempted to read it out, I seek leave to table the document and have it incorporated into Hansard . Leave granted. [See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. In view of the fact that the response is one and a half pages long and in 10-point print, although I am tempted to read it out, I seek leave to table the document and have it incorporated into Hansard . Leave granted. [See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. In view of the fact that the response is one and a half pages long and in 10-point print, although I am tempted to read it out, I seek leave to table the document and have it incorporated into Hansard . Leave granted. [See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
Leave granted. [See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
[See paper 4009.] The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
The following material was incorporated — I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.
I thank the Hon Member for some notice of this question (1)-(3) The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement between the Department of Education and Training and the State School Teachers Union (SSTU) allows for variation to general class sizes as a result of school based decisions. Clause 21.2 of the agreement says: It is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that: (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to below can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources. It is important to understand that if schools have any class sizes above the generally accepted maximum, then arrangements are put in place at the local level, in consultation with the teacher involved, to accommodate the particular situation. Where teachers may be aggrieved by such an arrangement, there is a procedure available to them to have their grievance dealt with. This common sense approach to allow local flexibility was agreed between the Department and the State School Teachers Union.

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