Our Top Five were:

1. Santa’s attempt to “high five” Mr Tibbles ended in disaster – Maggi Shellard, Our Ladys Abingdon
2. Santa gets mugged by a Moggie- makes a change from a Banker! – Richard Brown, Brookes
3. Santa: symbol of faceless capitalism. And a cat – Imran Murza, Careology
4. The turkey never puts up this fight when I stuff it!! – Pat Robinson, Ultra Electronics

And our winner is:

I said I wanted TUNA not I TUNES – Phillip Hinton-Smith MCIPS, TVP

In the photo: the winner Phillip Hinton-Smith, Principal Contracts Manager being awarded the champagne by Zoe Ellis of Hayden Marsh.

Whilst the tally is still being totalled, the fundraising pot promises to make the whole event a fabulous and worthwhile venture. Having finished the race, we went to Douglas House in east Oxford and attended the launch of a memories book which featured, amongst others, children from HDH and Hayden Marsh staff, raising approximately £5,000 in the process. Well done to everyone involved.

Don’t forget Childish Things 7 if you haven’t got your tickets yet! Jimmy Carr, Michael McIntyre and Radiohead already confirmed for both nights.

[Show as slideshow]

You’ve been working at Helen and Douglas House since June 2010. As a well known local charity, what were your expectations of HDH before you started?

I didn’t really know what to expect, but have been very lucky. Everyone I’ve met and worked with has been charming.

Had you worked for any charities before?

No.

What’s it been like working at HDH as a fundraiser?

It’s been both difficult and rewarding. As a fundraiser I have to approach customers and tell them about the lottery that HDH have started. It means both convincing them that the lottery is a good thing for the charity and something from which they can also benefit.

What response have you received from the public about your fundraising efforts?

Both good and bad. A lot of people, myself included, hate being approached in the street or in shops. However, I’m always surprised at how many people want to help – I assume it is that; either that or I’ve stumbled across hundreds of people with a gambling addiction.

In your other life, you’re a standup comedian – has this helped in working at HDH?

It thickens your skin, it makes you take rejection less personally, and there is a lot of rejection in the job. It also helps if you are fast on your feet and can crack a joke.

What would you say to volunteers thinking of working for a charity like HDH?

Do it, it is a wonderful working environment, the managers are, without exception, superb. The other volunteers come from a range of backgrounds. Even if you spend your time away from the till, you are going to learn so much. Also HDH have the best coffee and biscuits.

Can you finish with your best Christmas Special charity related gag please?

Guy bought a Santa suit from the charity shop. He’s very happy with it. Only slight problem is one of the arms is slightly longer that the other two.

Many thanks Isobel for your time and keep up the good work at HDH!

Tamika

Continue reading this article at Andrew’s CIPD Blog

The very subject of pay is considered taboo among employees. While everyone around the water cooler, or, in our office - the football table – may be happy to share their opinion on Rooney’s metatarsal there is secrecy to individual pay that is entirely unwarranted. Just what are we trying to hide?

Negotiating a rise is, for most people, a once a year conversation, but as a recruiter I am forced to negotiate, on behalf of myself, my employees and my clients on a daily basis. Negotiations that would be so much easier, not to say quicker, if a degree of transparency could be introduced, particularly in large corporations where bureaucracy and politics play such a large role.

Not only would the kind of transparency that recently revealed many senior civil servants earn a great deal more than the prime minister remove the nagging doubts that can hinder workplace productivity, the ability to view a colleague’s salary would force all employers to up their game.  Paying a wage commensurate with competence and experience, rather than relying on a pejorative assessment based on politics and personal judgement. Of course the length and quality of a client’s CV is important when entering negotiations on their behalf but this should also provide motivation for a less experienced job-seeker. We all need something to aim at, but it’s so much easier to miss a constantly moving target.

Pressure has been mounting since the publication of theEquality Bill (2009) to introduce compulsory pay audits in the private as well as the public sector, and as equal pay tribunals in the UK approach 50,000 a year for the first time it is difficult to understand why the idea still provokes such hostility.

Many HR professionals believe pay audits would not only benefit employees but also employers, who are missing out on new talent as prospective recruits feel squeezed out by an ‘old boys’ network that excludes them.

However some in our industry, including the Public People Managers Association warn that any obligation to publicise pay awards would not only infringe a reasonable expectation of privacy but may in fact breach the Data Protection Act, creating even more work for employment lawyers. It is a potential minefield proving that an increase in transparency cannot happen overnight, but creating a pay-banding system which allows workers to know what they can expect to receive in exchange for a credible performance lets all sides know whether someone is reaching their potential. In cases where they are exceeding expectations, additional rewards in the forms of bonuses can be implemented as an additional incentive to retain and stimulate excellence.
In straightened times we have all have to be realistic. If this means hiring on a lower salary than someone might reasonably expect, freezing or even reducing pay in order to retain staff and remain afloat, it would be easier for everyone involved to be able to point to a market standard.

Q1) Wrongly, people might consider an Oxford college to be more resistant to the recession but like other larger investors, Christ Church had to review its strategy for cash deposits following the Icelandic crisis. To what degree were you affected and how has this changed your investment strategy?

When I joined Christ Church in 2008 the main focus for our cash deposits was to secure the highest return, and at that time we were achieving over 5% pa. We did have some 3rd party exposure to the Icelandic banks but were able to move those funds without any capital loss. As with most charities the focus now is more on spreading the counterparty risk across several banks with a sound credit rating (although the Icelandic banks were widely considered to be a secure investment until 6-12 months prior to the collapse in Sept 2008), rather than chasing the highest returns. At the same time we have a responsibility to make the best use of the Charity’s assets.

Q2) Whilst this has been an undeniably sobering period, lessons have in fact been learned and each company or organisation has had to become a more effective and cost conscious entity. Would you agree?

Most definitely, falling returns on cash deposits and the general economic climate has meant that all costs have to be reviewed and justified.

Q3) Of course Christ Church is considered by most to be a wealthy college – what’s it like trying to manage the perceptions of the College?

There is a widely held view that all colleges are sitting on vast pots of money, in one sense this is true in that over the years many have been successful, and fortunate, in raising endowment funds from old members. However the costs associated in delivering a top class university education from such wonderful grade 1 listed buildings should not be underestimated and most colleges rely on income from non core areas such as conference and tourism to balance the books each year.

In the case of Christ Church, Henry VIII in 1546 set up the joint foundation of a college in the University of Oxford and of the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Oxford with the responsibility and expense that come with that duty. In addition we have the Picture Gallery and upkeep of Christ Church Meadow, including the river, both of which the public have access to. So our cost base is significant.

Q4) Aside from dispelling the rumors of extreme wealth, as the College Accountant, what are your main challenges for this financial year?

As always the main challenge will be to balance the books, the current economic climate will put pressure on some of our non core revenue streams such as conference and tourism, the annual grant paid to the University by Government (HEFCE) was under serious pressure from the previous Labour government with cuts already starting to feed in.

Q5) As part of our own austerity package, the coalition Government are going to reduce funding to universities – how do you expect this to hit Christ Church and what are you doing to prepare for it?

We have already built in some degree of the anticipated cuts to our 5 year plan but as yet we do not know the full extent of the cuts to university funding that the coalition government will impose.

One of the biggest costs at Christ Church is the maintenance and repair of buildings and we are looking very closely at every item in our 10 year repair plan to identify cost savings and possible delays to projects as well as focusing on wage inflation.

Q6) Oxford University has a very high staff retention rate. In terms of restructuring and recruitment, how does Christ Church deal with retiring staff?

Yes the retention rate can be very good.

Since I joined Christ Church I have recruited a completely new team and the number and quality of candidates has been exceptional. Providing an individual maintains a high level of performance, university and college posts can be seen as very stable compared to other roles in more commercial sectors, particularly in the current climate.

Retiring staff, who often have long service and experience, are of course offered the opportunity to request an extension to their retirement past their 65th birthday, in line with the statutory provisions. When they do retire, wherever possible, we plan for an appropriate handover period to ensure that the extensive knowledge gained over many years is imparted on to their successors.

Q7) Before Christ Church, you worked for a European Business School based in London – how different are the two cultures? i.e. is the decision making process and sense of bureaucracy still endemic at the colleges or have they modernised?

The governance structure is set out under Christ Church’s Statutes and hence most decisions are still formerly taken by Governing Body (GB). Every aspect of the operations is delegated to a number of committees who then report back to GB. However from my experience the committees are very professional, focused and efficient.

For the last 4 years of my previous role I was working for a very dynamic, young Italian director as part of a small UK Management Team, the main decision making body for day to day matters. However we were 1 campus of a 5 campus European business school with the head office in Paris and for more strategic matters (and sometimes quite trivial issues) the bureaucracy was much more frustrating dealing with 5 different cultures.

Q8) So you find yourself in the prestigious position of College Accountant at Christ Church, one of the most famous institutions in the world. Was your decision to forge a career in accounting justified?

I think so; it is a privilege to work in such a beautiful place and to be working with so many colleagues who really love to come to work. Clearly I could be earning more money say in a commercial sector or back in London but there are many non financial benefits that come with a role in such a prestigious college.

Q9) What are your plans for the future professionally?

Having spent 18 years in my previous role I am still just settling in to my current role at Christ Church, and with a 5 year old son I am at last enjoying a much better work life balance compared to commuting to London, was one of the main reasons for the move.

One area that I would need to develop, if I am to progress, is to acquire a more in depth knowledge of managing a diverse investment portfolio, something that I hope to do over the next couple of years.

Q10) For someone studying ACA or an accountancy related degree, what advice would you give them based on your life so far?

To train with a quality accountancy firm. I would encourage them to think carefully about the training provider. I trained with a local medium sized accountancy firm which exposed me to a very diverse range of clients from sole traders, high tech manufacturing, Oxford colleges and up to Plc’s; I think this provided me with a more rounded training than the pure audit work that you may get at one of the major firms.

Many thanks Keith, an interesting insight into your role and career.

Q: What was your experience of The General Teaching Council for England and other quangos connected to Education?

I certainly agree that this is an interesting time to be working in education and that it is necessary to review the role of government bodies and effectiveness. We need to see a direct trail of evidence from the work of the body to the impact in the schools. The prospect of more money going directly into the schools is a welcome idea and raises the question of systems of accountability at both ends. To be perfectly honest with you the majority of teachers simply pay their fee to the GTC and forget all about it! Unless they have a complaint made against them that is heard by the GTC or, as an employer, you make the compliant. This situation is relatively rare and it is extremely rare for a teacher to be disqualified. The GTC is arguing that teachers will feel their professionalism will be demeaned if the GTC is abolished. I don’t think the majority of teachers would notice the difference but do agree that if they are abolished it is unwise to subsume their disciplinary powers into the DFE. There is a case to be made for an objective professional body that restricts activities to its core business. There is already a forest of bodies in education with confusing overlap. This has been recognised for instance recently other government agencies such as the TDA, CWDC and the National College which have begun to align their work more closely.

Q: What do you think of the role Ofsted plays in raising standards in schools? Is it a help or an unnecessary burden?

Well I strongly believe that we need an inspection process of some kind in order to ensure that all our children and young people get the best possible deal. One of the issues we all have with Ofsted is that they keep changing the goalposts that makes year on year comparison difficult. League tables have been the thorn in the side of schools ever since they were introduced and created a culture of competition and test preparation rather than teaching which is counter productive. The result of the latest inspection regime, started in September 2009, is that many schools have been downgraded or judged to be failing. We were recently in the ironic situation of even Chris Woodhead, former Chief Inspector, despairing and suggesting that it be closed down! I agree that it is time for a re-think; Ofsted has lost the respect of many in the profession because so many hard working and effective teachers have now experienced demoralisation rather than a sense of celebration of what works well. Frankly a lot of what the inspection team discover, after an intensely stressful few days for all concerned, is that data and information given to them before they arrived is justifiable! Their remit is huge, which doesn’t help. One of the criticisms levelled at Ofsted inspectors is that they are obsessed with process. However I do think we need objectivity in the inspection system and that we should retain the voice of the parents and pupils as part of the process.

Q: Do you get the sense that the changes to the Education sector being discussed by the new Government are going to create a better teaching system?

Why exactly would an already outstanding school becoming an academy make the teaching any better? I think they are taking a gamble with the education and future of our children in the longer term. Encouraging these schools to disassociate from the local authority will dismantle the local cohesion, which has supported many of those schools to become outstanding. I tend agree that the academy idea will create a tiered system and that the most deprived schools will be drained of the support they need, could lead to some LA school closures and the very pupils who are most vulnerable could be left to travel even further to a school and simply might not make it to the gates! Our focus needs to be on using good schools to support the others because this tends to upskill everybody involved. The talk about freedom of the curriculum is interesting and it remains to be seen quite where this will lead. Lets not forget that we have spent the last 20 years establishing a more consistent curriculum approach because the freedom that existed previously gave no entitlement to an equitable school experience! In fact I am all for a creative curriculum that is responsive to local need but believe this needs skilful execution which is enhanced by schools working in partnerships.

Q: Funding for schools increased under a Labour government – but how hard was it to manage your budget when you were a Headteacher?

My last school was in a very stable area where families were not moving away so the number of primary pupils dwindled. This put enormous pressure on the budget because your overheads remain the same while your funding diminishes in the ‘falling roll’ situation because a high percentage of the budget is determined by pupil numbers. We fought back; creating a school environment that was highly desirable due to a family friendly ethos with high standards and positive marketing. I would say that competition for pupils between local schools is not wholly productive since there are huge benefits to be gained from cooperation and collaboration when schools pool knowledge, resources, research projects and CPD etc. Most years, staffing costs accounted for 90%+ of the budget – apart from the monies ring fenced for buildings – so we were always very careful with our budget planning. Also, having a cross section of staff of all ages and stages helps to maintain a healthy school ethos, as well as a healthy budget.
What I must add is that whatever your opinion of the Labour government, they certainly did put money into schools as promised by Blair’s “education, education, education” slogan. Under the previous conservative government, the school buildings and grounds had been neglected and so money earmarked to improve the fabric of buildings and grounds, and then new building, has continued to flow. This made a huge difference to us all.

Q: You worked in the state sector in a Primary School – did you then or do you now notice any real difference in the standard of education your school provided and that of a comparative independent school?

Yes I worked within the state system and this is a difficult question. All schools are different and this is what makes them so fascinating. I don’t honestly think it’s a question of standards between the state and private sector. There are good and bad and everything in between in both sectors. Schools are social microcosms and as such it is the unique mix of the quality of the vision and leadership, the strength of the team work where staff share common values and implement policies consistently, the nature of the pupil intake and, very importantly, the skill of the teaching that defines the school experience. Granted, some independent schools have very small classes – but even a small class can suffer from poor and /or unqualified teachers. So class size per se is not a golden benchmark. Also, in some state village schools where I have worked, the limited numbers have not offered all children the best opportunity for friendships – can you imagine for instance being one of three girls amongst a class of 9 other boys, and you don’t get on with the other 2 girls who stick together like glue! Emotional experience is an ingredient in learning attitude and progress.

Traditionally, some independent schools do offer excellent additional activities such as horse riding, drama clubs, martial arts etc. which is great. However, the state sector has changed dramatically over the past six years and now offers a wide range of after school activities under the Extended Schools banner, together with breakfast clubs before school.
Choosing a school for your children is a very personal and if I was looking to do that myself, I would not draw an arbitrary line between state and independent. Instead, I would take a good hard look at each school in terms of its results, its ethos, its services and most importantly, the relationships between staff and pupils.

Q: Would you recommend a career in teaching?

There are many more opportunities in teaching now. The school workforce has mushroomed over the past 10 years. Gone are the days of teachers, headteachers and a school secretary – with a Welfare Assistant to put on the sticky plasters and water the plant! Apart from teachers, heads, deputies or assistant heads, schools now employ a wide range of support staff including teaching assistants, learning mentors, pastoral care officers, EAL staff (English as an Additional Language), Parent Support Advisors and Extended Schools Managers to name a few. All these roles are related to teaching and learning and are being taken up by a wide range of people from varying backgrounds, all of which can add value to the pupil experience.

Being a teacher is demanding and you need the right skill set to be able to enjoy the job. If you like children and young people and are the sort of person who gets a buzz from sharing your knowledge, I would definitely recommend teaching or teaching related roles. Of course primary and secondary teaching can be quite different worlds; if you go into secondary and can impart a passion for your subject, it is very rewarding. Many people are aware of the golden hellos for shortage subjects like maths and science, but they are also available for a range of other subjects – nine in all – such as RE and music.

Q: You rose to Headteacher and now to Education Consultant. Are there many opportunities for progression in teaching?

Lately we have seen a surge in applications for teaching but despite a sharp increase in the numbers of people entering the profession, research indicates that teaching is still under-rated by the public. They tend to under-estimate actual industry salaries and the opportunities for career progression. For example, newly qualified teachers can expect to earn about £26,000 per annum. In recent research from the National College 81% of teachers said they felt there were plenty of opportunities to progress and nearly half of those under the age of 29 aspired to be head teachers, which is good news because one of the major headaches for many Local Authorities is succession planning. For example, it is not unusual for good teachers to progress to Head of Department within a few years of qualifying.

Professional rigour has increased with the introduction of performance management but by the same token, this has given good young teachers the chance to advance their careers and take on post with additional responsibility sooner than they might otherwise have done. Also, new teachers are now being strongly encouraged to do an MA and grants are being offered at the moment to help them.

The Labour government responded to the outcries related to teacher stress and have put some measures into place to support a reduction in teacher workload. This has been a progressive plan that began in 2003 with a ‘National Agreement: raising Standards and tackling Workload’; this meant that even teachers in primary schools now have guaranteed non –contact time for planning, preparation and assessment. Ofsted inspections loom rather large and in good schools can seem like a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

But schools don’t just offer opportunities for teachers. The role of the teaching assistant has grown enormously in recent years and its’ professional status is improving all the time. In the best schools, teaching assistants are given the respect of being para – professionals, the right hand partners of teachers, giving support in a wide range of professional duties and tasks. Experienced TAs can take a rigorous national assessment and achieve Higher Level Teaching Assistants Status, which means they can also teach some whole classes themselves, under supervisory arrangements. There is a whole raft of new qualifications starting next September for support staff working in schools so non- teachers can continue to learn and progress their careers. There is a now even an Apprenticeship in teaching and learning for anyone suitable over the age of sixteen. A career in supporting teaching and learning suits some people who do not want to take on all the responsibilities of being a teacher or do not have a degree.
On the other hand, I have known quite a few teaching assistants who have gone on to be supported in a one day release to do a foundation degree and then gone onto become teachers. There are other routes into teaching such as the Graduate Training Programme when you have a degree and train on the job in schools or the Registered Training Programme where you can do a degree and train at the same time as working in a school. You can teach if you trained inside the European Union but if you are so called overseas trained then you need to do an individual training and assessment.

There are also opportunities for school Bursars and school Managers. These post holders usually work very closely with the Headteachers, senior management and the governing body to manage the finances and support the development of the school assets, such as the grounds and buildings. They might also be responsible for leading the drive to gain grants, sponsorship and derive other incomes – lots of the tasks will be very similar to running a business. This can suit people who like the school environment and the feeling of belonging to a worthwhile enterprise with a focus on development and high standards.

Q: What advice would you give to teachers considering a role as Headteacher?

Use your experience as a deputy or assistant head to carefully analyse what works well and what doesn’t. Identify the positive professional characteristics the heads you know possess and be honest with yourself about your own strengths and weaknesses. Plan what skills you will need other staff to have in order to complement your own and only go for headships of schools that you can imagine relishing because headship is always a daily challenge and you will need a clear vision for how you will lead the school forward.

Q: Looking at one aspect of your profession, teachers are not allowed to use force to control their pupils – a positive reflection of a civilized society. But there are exceptions to the rule yet the law does not allow for them. “Teachers Can Use Force In the Classroom If Necessary ”, ex-Schools Secretary Ed Balls said earlier this year but he chose only to reissue the law instead of changing it to give teachers more support. Have you or your staff ever needed to use reasonable force? Has the Government gone far enough?

Well actually there are very clear rules about the use of force and restraint and all schools are required to have a policy on this issue and to record how it is implemented. School governing bodies have to agree policies and I always engaged my chair of governors and the Local Authority contact in any such problems at schools.

I can’t imagine there can be many schools where the force and restraint policy has not had to be used. Even in nursery schools we now have some very challenging situations with young children whose behaviour is violent and unpredictable; we also have the issue of older pupils carrying weapons etc. with some schools adopting search policies. Once a child of 8 ran into me and broke my nose. These things happen. In my own experience in primary, pupils who have been out of control to the point where we had to use the force and restraint policy have been autistic or had complex emotional problems. Many young children will settle down once they feel listened to and understood; if a consistent behaviour strategy is agreed and implemented by all the staff and the parents, unruly episodes can be managed or prevented altogether.

We always involved the parents in all our strategies, discussed a plan with the parents so that they also knew how we would physically deal with the child in accordance the policy. So much of what we do in schools works because we have appropriate policies in place. The whole point of the force and restraint policy is to protect the pupil from harming himself or herself or others – and not all harm is physical of course. We are allowed to use force that is proportionate to need and staff should be trained in the correct handling methods. I don’t see how else we could manage. So we do have the power we need to use force and restraint and I have known it used very judiciously with primary children. However, using restraint with older and larger pupils poses significant difficulties – not just the physical ones either. Manipulative behaviour when they accuse staff of manhandling can be hugely problematic. On balance, I think the law is about right at the moment though I concede, the schools in which I worked didn’t see the sort of behaviour more associated with more deprived urban areas.

Many thanks Angela.