The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), which was one of seven teachers' unions to sign an agreement with the Government in January to work on measures to remodel the school workforce, said it could not 'divorce the lack of resources from the cost of implementing the Workload Reduction Agreement'.
NAHT general secretary David Hart said budget deficits, with 'some schools in the red up to six figures', made the workload reduction agreement undeliverable in many schools, with much of the financial pressure linked to pay, pension contributions and this month's 10 per cent increase in national insurance.
The Department for Education and Skills consultation package, launched last week, includes proposals to change teachers' contracts, regulations on the role of support staff, and a set of standards for higher-level teaching assistants. It said one of the aims of the standards was to 'provide confidence to head teachers that higher-level teaching assistants have the necessary skills, expertise and experience to take on a range of teaching and learning activities under the professional direction of a qualified teacher'.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
