The Department for Education received more than 44,000 responses to its Workload Challenge survey, which was launched by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg and education secretary Nicky Morgan in October.
Overall, a large majority of teachers identified data input and analysis and excessive marking as the two main contributing factors to unproductive workload.
Today, the government outlined a number of commitments to workloads, including a pledge not to change government policy or for Ofsted not to change its inspection framework during the academic year.
Clegg said ministers had listened to responses from the survey and would be ‘making changes to help ease the workload burden’.
‘Every school is only as good as the teachers that work there, and I know that some have been left feeling browbeaten and under-valued, engaged in a constant battle with bureaucracy,’ he said.
‘Yet thousands have told us that they’re simply not able to focus on the job at hand because of the burdensome workloads they’re faced with. It’s about time we changed that.’
Morgan added: ‘We know there is no quick fix but we hope the commitments we have outlined today will support and empower the profession and free up teachers to focus on what matters most in their jobs.’
But unions objected against the plans, with the NASUWT claiming that government’s demonstrates ‘contempt’ for teachers.
‘The report released today wilfully misinterprets and misrepresents the clear evidence provided by thousands of teachers about the chronic workload burdens they are facing as a consequence of this coalition government’s policies,’ said Chris Keates, general secretary of the union.
‘Anyone reading the [government response to the survey] would be forgiven for thinking that workload is a marginal issue, that the current recruitment crisis does not exist and that nearly two-thirds of teachers are not seriously considering quitting the profession.’
The National Union of Teachers added that ‘teachers will be bitterly disappointed at the government’s failure to listen to one of the central concerns of teachers.’
NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: ‘Government could and should immediately tackle the out-of-control accountability system, with Ofsted as its centre. School performance measures in this country are causing untold damage to teachers and to the quality of education.
‘The number of teachers leaving this proud profession is at a ten-year high, this announcement on workload is simply insufficient. Teachers will not see any great reduction in their workload as a result of the recommendations in this survey.’
