Introduction

Until the implementation of the National Workload Agreement (2003), rising demands on teachers’ time meant that up to two thirds of their time could be spent on activities other than teaching. These demands were unpopular and continue to be a large part of the reason why there are difficulties with recruitment and retention. The National Workload Agreement suggests two basic ways forward – reducing excessive workload and increasing the number of support staff, including teaching assistants. The full Agreement can be downloaded from the TeacherNet Web site. It has also been provided:

The National Workload Agreement

The Agreement includes a seven-point plan which is worth paraphrasing because it is how schools can interpret this plan that will determine how effective they will be in reducing workload and improving each teacher’s work/life balance:

Seven-point plan

The reforms should be taking place in all schools in three phases beginning in September 2003, 2004 and 2005. It is unlikely that schools are finding this timetable particularly helpful because there are many constraints. For example, significant reforms to the time teachers spend teaching will lead to problems with providing cover for their classes. This costs money. Equally, employing more administrative staff and teaching assistants has financial implications, as has the suggestion that there will be more time for management and leadership roles. It is also the case that schools will drive these reforms forwards more effectively if LEA officers, who have the expertise to manage the significant changes that are involved, are appointed to lead them.

Another way of looking at the constraints and difficulties that will arise when schools are trying to manage all the workload reforms is to look at what is and is not the ‘specified work’ that teachers are contracted to do. This is discussed in the next two sections.