"Remodelling acknowledges the unparalleled resource which exists in all schools - the staff.  By harnessing the expertise, commitment and passion which exist within the whole staff, and by working with other schools and the wider community, schools can begin to shape their own futures"  

- Dame Pat Collarbone

The National Agreement

On 15th January 2003 Government, employers and school workforce unions signed the  National Workload Agreement with the aim of raising standards in schools by tackling workload issues and freeing teachers to focus on teaching and learning. This followed concerns about teachers' workloads highlighted by the  Pricewaterhouse-Coopers study and consultations on the Government's proposals in the autumn of 2002 entitled  Time for Standards. The Agreement contains a number of contractual changes to the School Teacher Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) that are to be phased in between September 2003 and September 2005. A national Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group (WAMG) was established, and is working at a national level to oversee delivery of a seven-point plan:

• Progressive reductions in teachers' overall hours
• Changes to teachers' contracts
• A concerted attack on unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy
• Reform of support staff roles to help teachers and support pupils
• The recruitment of new managers, including business and personnel managers
• Additional resources and national "change management" programmes
• Monitoring of progress on delivery.

 

The Phases of the National Agreement

The contractual changes took place in three phases:

Phase I: effective from September 2003

• Routine delegation of  administrative and clerical tasks
• Introduction of leadership and management time
• Introduction of new work/life balance clauses

Phase II: effective from September 2004

• Introduction of a 38 hour limit cover for all teachers

Phase III: effective from September 2005

• Introduction of 10% guaranteed professional time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA)
• Introduction of dedicated headship time
• Introduction of new invigilation arrangements

Latest News
The National Agreement
Last Modified: 31 August 2006, 09:47
National Agreement
Last Modified: 25 April 2005, 07:36
Page Last Modified: 31/08/2006 09:47:21

e-Mail a link to this page

Back to top