Here are five important motions to look out for\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. The white paper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The NEU\u2019s national executive is expected to draft an emergency motion on the recent white paper and government\u2019s planned SEND reforms, deputy general secretary David Wilson told a recent re-conference briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Details of that motion are not yet clear, but Wilson said it will help to shape how the union responds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the NEU welcomes aspects of the plans, such as the clamping down on private special school providers, and the \u201cacknowledgement that education doesn\u2019t start or end at the school gates\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the union feels there are \u201cfundamental flaws \u2026 that will result in a system that is not collaborative and not inclusive\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wilson said the \u201cmajor problem\u201d identified is \u201cthe lack of money\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government has pledged \u00a31.8 billion over the next three years to make more experts available to support schools and their pupils, but the NEU has questioned whether this is sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou cannot build an inclusive school system on the cheap,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Pupil behaviour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Another key motion will focus on \u201ctackling the violence and behaviour crisis in schools\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NASUWT\u2019s 2025 behaviour in schools report revealed that 85 per cent of teachers had experienced verbal abuse, and 40 per cent had faced physical abuse in the past 12 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The NEU motion will call on the union\u2019s executive to carry out a similar, major survey of its members, to find out more about the scale and nature of these issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will also call for behaviour policy guidance to be updated and the creation of a violence in schools taskforce to monitor trends and support affected members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The motion will call for a national campaign to reduce violence in schools, and for the NEU\u2019s executive to lobby for a statutory national framework on school safety, including mandatory reporting and protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An amendment will also highlight successful industrial action led by the NEU at specific schools and call on the executive to provide training on how to successfully run a ballot focusing on student behaviour and how it is managed by leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Opposing the year 8 reading test<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Members will also vote on a motion arguing \u201cagainst the introduction of a statutory year 8 reading assessment\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government plans to introduce the test for 13-year-olds from 2028-29, to help \u201cdrive up reading standards\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But NEU members will debate whether to \u201cpublicly oppose\u201d its introduction, believing \u201canother high-stakes national assessment will increase pressure on pupils, narrow the curriculum, and further erode teacher autonomy\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The motion calls for the NEU\u2019s executive to demand the DfE carries out \u201cmeaningful consultation\u201d with teachers on the plans, and to campaign for government investment in early intervention and targeted support, \u201crather than new layers of testing\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Ending \u2018scripted\u2019 lessons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Another key motion is on ending \u201ccentrally prescribed\u201d teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wilson told the recent briefing that the NEU has seen a \u201creally worrying trend\u201d in \u201cthe roll-out of scripted, standardised, prescribed lessons that teachers are expected to deliver\u201d, particularly in multi-academy trusts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said this \u201cundermines the very concept of professionalism within teaching\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tabled motion calls for the launch of a new national \u201ctrust teachers to teach\u201d campaign, opposing this practice, which it says reduces teachers to \u201cdelivery technicians\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also calls for research to measure the scale and impact of prescriptive teaching and leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. The \u2018rise of the far right\u2019<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Elsewhere, members will vote on \u201ccombating the rise of the far right\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One motion calls on the NEU\u2019s executive to reaffirm the union\u2019s opposition to far-right extremism, and to produce materials \u201cmaking the case against the far right\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One tabled amendment suggests districts should work with local community organisations to \u201cbuild solidarity networks \u2026 and to campaign actively against Reform UK in the forthcoming local elections\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another amendment will call for the NEU to campaign for a \u201cfunded diversity and inclusion specialist\u201d for every school, who would be trained to \u201ctackle discrimination, promote inclusion, and lead anti-far right education\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other motions will cover a broad range of topics including opposing the new Ofsted framework, supporting stronger sanctions for racist incidents in schools, and ending academisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Zack](\"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Zack-Polanski-Alamy-feat-.jpg\")