11 April 2003
Britain's largest teaching union has signalled its intention to take industrial action if the government pushes ahead with plans to allow unqualified staff to take classes.
The National Union of Teachers has confirmed it is advising its members not to co-operate with the introduction of the new 'higher-level teaching assistants', and, in particular, to refuse to draw up lesson plans for them to implement.
But NUT general secretary Doug McAvoy, speaking at the union's pre-conference briefing on April 7, said the action would not extend to classroom walk-outs.
'It wouldn't be refusing to teach, it would be refusing to do all the other tasks,' he said. 'We will advise our members not to do anything to help the introduction of high-level teaching assistants.'
McAvoy reasserted his union's opposition to the workload agreement, which was signed by the government and the other teaching unions in January. It pledged to reduce 'excessive' workloads and give teachers 10% non-contact time during the school day to plan lessons and mark work.
The NUT is staunchly opposed to the government's plan to expand the role of classroom assistants so they can provide cover during these periods. It argues that only properly qualified teachers should take classes when colleagues have non-contact time.
McAvoy accused ministers of trying to meet this commitment 'on the cheap' and warned that children's education would suffer as a result.
'It would seem the government, and those who are working with them, are prepared to pay the price of not requiring the people with responsibility for whole class teaching to be trained,' he added.
McAvoy was speaking shortly after schools minister David Miliband launched a one-month consultation on the government's proposals for changes to the teachers' contract. The paper outlines the standards higher level teaching assistants will be expected to meet. It also proposes transferring a range of administrative duties, such as photocopying, to support staff.
Miliband said the proposals marked the 'turning of the tide'. He added: 'Teachers and assistants are not interchangeable. Teachers must make the lead contribution to teaching and learning.'
Graham Lane, chair of the Local Government Association's education executive, said he welcomed efforts to 'reduce excessive workloads for teachers in order to improve retention and help to raise standards in schools'.
PFapr2003
