Raising standards
and tackling workload:a national agreement
TIME FOR STANDARDS

ATL, DfES, GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEOST, PAT,
SHA, TGWU, UNISON, WAG

15 January 2003

1.

INTRODUCTION

1.
This document represents an historic national Agreement between Government,
employers and school workforce unions to help schools, teachers and support staff meet thechallenges that lie ahead. It promises joint action, designed to help every school across thecountry to raise standards and tackle workload issues. Action will take place acrossEngland and Wales and will take account of the different circumstances from school toschool.
2.
Proposals in this Agreement for changes to the School Teachers’ Pay andConditions Document will apply equally to teachers in England and Wales. As set out in thisAgreement, the Welsh Assembly Government supports the need for school workforce
reform as a means of delivering contractual change and, in line with the devolution
settlement, will determine how this is best achieved in Wales, in partnership with relevant
employers and unions.
Context3.
We have the best generation ever of teachers and headteachers, as evidenced by
Ofsted and Estyn – and they are supported by an expanding and highly effective cadre of
support staff. Pupils are working harder than ever before and standards of achievement arerising. But the education service cannot afford to stand still. We need to find new ways, forthe 21st century, of helping schools to realise the potential of all our children and to ensure
the nation is competitive in a rapidly changing world.
4.
As the Government’s pamphlet “Professionalism and Trust” explained, the next
phase of raising standards will place greater demands on teachers than ever before. There
will be increasing emphasis on the pupils who require the greatest help and for whom
teachers will need to prepare more differentiated material.
5.
Teaching is a profession used to adapting to the demands of the economy andsociety. Before the Second World War, many jobs did not even require basic literacy. By
2010, more than 80% of new jobs will require qualifications of NVQ level 4 or above. This
will pose new, even greater challenges for the school workforce.
6.
Many teachers are already leading the way in adapting to these new demands. They
are using informed professional judgement to create new models of teaching and learningthat will benefit all schools and ensure that teaching is recognised for what it is: aninnovative and expert profession. But teachers will not be able to make further progress on
raising standards for pupils unless we can free them from the shackles of excessive andinappropriate workload.
7.
The nature of that workload was made clear by the independent study by
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Rising demands on teachers’ time have added increasing
non-teaching burdens: two-thirds of a teacher’s time is now spent on activities other thanteaching. The profession has suffered recruitment and retention difficulties as a result.
8.
Following the PwC report, the School Teachers’ Review Body made a series of
proposals for reducing excessive workload, including through changes to the teachers’
contract. In responding to these proposals, the Government has entered into detailed
discussions with national partners and through the “Time for Standards” package, with theaim of reaching Agreement on the nature and implementation of reforms that would turn thetide on teacher workload.
9.

This Agreement is intended both to raise standards and to tackle teacher workload.

1

The Signatories to this Agreement recognise that it is not possible to address one part ofthis equation without addressing the other. The contractual changes set out in thisdocument will not be delivered unless schools deploy more support staff in extended roles,
as a means of releasing the extra time for teachers and reducing their workload.
The way ahead
10.
The Agreement includes a seven point plan for creating time for teachers andheadteachers and therefore time for standards:i.

Progressive reductions in teachers’ overall hours over the next four years. Thisobjective will be promoted by all the partners and progress will be monitored andaudited, including at school level;ii.

Changes to teachers’ contracts, to ensure all teachers, including headteachers:•

Do not routinely undertake administrative and clerical tasks;•

Have a reasonable work/life balance;•

Have a reduced burden of providing cover for absent colleagues;•

Have guaranteed planning, preparation and assessment time within theschool day, to support their teaching, individually and collaboratively;•

Have a reasonable allocation of time in support of their leadership andmanagement responsibilities;

and that headteachers have dedicated time which recognises their significant
leadership responsibilities for their school.

11.

iii.

A concerted attack on unnecessary paperwork and bureaucratic processes forteachers and headteachers, including in England through the establishment of an
Implementation Review Unit;

iv.

Reform of support staff roles to help teachers and support pupils. Personal
administrative assistants for teachers, cover supervisors and high level teachingassistants will be introduced;v.

The recruitment of new managers, including business and personnel managers,
and others with experience from outside education where they have the expertiseto contribute effectively to schools’ leadership teams;vi.

Additional resources and national “change management” programmes, to help
school leaders achieve in their schools the necessary reforms of the teachingprofession and restructuring of the school workforce; andvii.

Monitoring of progress on delivery by the Signatories to this Agreement.
This plan is explained in more detail in sections 3 and 4.

12.
This phase of reform will last until 2006 but further reform is likely to be needed
beyond that. The parties to the Agreement will keep that issue under review.

2

Implications for support staff
13.
This Agreement will also have significant implications for support staff and otherprofessional staff in schools. Support staff will be increasingly recognised for thecontribution they make to raising pupil standards. Bursars, administrative, technical andclassroom support staff will all be important members of the school team.
14.
These support staff will have access to expanded roles and improved choices andcareer opportunities, including proper recognition for existing responsibilities. The National
Joint Council for Local Government Services’ Working Party on school support staff isdeveloping a national framework, including good practice guidance, covering theemployment of support staff in schools.
Resources
15.
Government has recognised its responsibility to provide additional resources insupport of the Agreement. In England, this funding will ensure that the Government meetsits manifesto pledge of at least an extra 10,000 teachers during this Parliament. It also
estimates that schools will be able to appoint at least 50,000 extra support staff of all types
during the same period. A detailed statement about resources in England is at appendix 1.
16.
Schools start from very different points on this agenda and, depending on the level of
new and existing resources available to them, will progress at different speeds in reforming
their workforce. The contractual changes set out within this Agreement represent theminimum that schools will be expected to achieve – many will be able to go further andfaster, and school leaders will be supported not only by resources but by a change
management programme to help them lead the way to change.
Common action
17.

Responsibility for promoting the Agreement lies with all the Signatories to it, so that:i.

Government fulfils its responsibility for articulating the overall vision andstrategy, for ensuring that sufficient resources are available to deliver reformof the school workforce, including through contractual change; and for freeing
schools from bureaucracy and restraints that stifle innovation;ii.

Headteachers and leadership teams, in partnership with their governors, feelempowered and responsible for implementing the reforms, and make choices
about local priorities through their spending decisions, in the context ofrelevant agreed national frameworks;iii.

Individual teachers and support staff are responsible for delivering highquality provision in support of the reforms;

iv.

LEAs fulfil their existing duty to promote raising standards in schools. LEAs
and Governing bodies are also responsible for ensuring that schools andschool leaders get the support they need to implement reform;v.

The school workforce unions are committed to supporting the agreed reform
process, by disseminating and promoting reform among their memberships,
by celebrating achievements in schools and by working to secure theimplementation of the Agreement in schools.

32.

PRINCIPLES

18.
The Signatories to this Agreement note that the Government has committed itself toinvest in reform across the public sector based on four principles:i.

Standards and accountability – the importance of a national framework ofstandards and accountability;ii.

Devolution and delegation – the need for greater freedom and innovation at
the front-line;iii.

Flexibility and incentives – the role of greater flexibility and less demarcation;

iv.

Expanding choice – the assurance for parents that poor provision will betackled quickly and effectively, and that for pupils the curriculum will allow
them to develop in the best way.

19.
In education, we have a shared vision of a world-class education system for all,where staff quality, motivation and deployment will help ensure the most effective approachto teaching and learning and the achievement by all our pupils of their full potential. We
recognise that the substantial investment made by Government provides an historic
opportunity to make progress towards realising this vision.
20.
We consider that investment and reform must go together, as part of a successful
partnership between schools, governors, LEAs, national partners and Government, so that
we achieve ever higher standards in a future where:i.

our pupils are supported by a wide range of teachers and other adults,
working flexibly and differentiating their approaches to meet pupils’ needs;
and pupils are developing their own learning skills;

ii.

our teachers are using effective approaches to teaching and learning, areworking in teams with other teachers and support staff; are committed to theirown development and confident in exercising their professional judgement;
and have higher status, proper remuneration and rewards, more
responsibility and autonomy, more support and a better work/life balance,with teacher numbers growing to ensure effective implementation of reform;iii.

our support staff are recognised for their contribution to raising standards andhave more opportunities to take on extended roles in support of teaching andlearning, supported by the right training, standards frameworks and newcareer paths, with remuneration that reflects their level of training, skills andresponsibilities and with overall numbers growing as far as necessary todeliver reform;iv.

our headteachers and leadership teams are committed to innovation, leading
the change to new, more flexible, ways of working, and to better teaching notjust within their own schools, but in partnership with other schools andinstitutions and with their LEA; are ensuring an appropriate work/life balance
for their staff; and are embracing leadership responsibilities in the wider
community; andv.

our schools are providing a world class education, with well-designed andequipped premises and ICT facilities which can adapt to modern approaches
to teaching and learning, and where there is flexibility and creativity in theapproach to curriculum delivery and the timetable.

4

3.

DELIVERING REFORM IN PRACTICE

21.
To deliver these reforms, the partners have agreed a seven point plan as noted
above.
A.

Contractual change for teachersi.

Mainly administrative and clerical tasks

22.
Teachers should not routinely do administrative and clerical tasks1. The School
Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document will be changed to reflect the provisions below.
23.
Teachers should have support so that they can focus on teaching and learning andexpect administrative and clerical processing to be done by support staff. Consequently,
teachers should not routinely be required to undertake administrative and clerical tasks,
including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Collecting money;
Chasing absences – teachers will need to inform the relevant member of staff when
students are absent from their class or from school;
Bulk photocopying;
Copy typing;
Producing standard letters – teachers may be required to contribute as appropriate informulating the content of standard letters;
Producing class lists – teachers may be required to be involved as appropriate inallocating students to a particular class;
Record keeping and filing – teachers may be required to contribute to the content ofrecords;
Classroom display – teachers will make professional decisions in determining whatmaterial is displayed in and around their classroom;
Analysing attendance figures – it is for teachers to make use of the outcome ofanalysis;
Processing exam results – teachers will need to use the analysis of exam results;
Collating pupil reports;
Administering work experience – teachers may be required to support pupils on work
experience (including through advice and visits);
Administering examinations – teachers have a professional responsibility for
identifying appropriate examinations for their pupils;
Invigilating examinations – see distinct provisions below;
Administering teacher cover;ICT trouble shooting and minor repairs;
Commissioning new ICT equipment;
Ordering supplies and equipment – teachers may be involved in identifying needs;
Stocktaking;Cataloguing, preparing, issuing and maintaining equipment and materials;
Minuting meetings – teachers may be required to communicate action points frommeetings;
Co-ordinating and submitting bids –teachers may be required to make a professional
input into the content of bids;
Seeking and giving personnel advice;
Managing pupil data – teachers will need to make use of the analysis of pupil data;

1

The management of the support staff undertaking these tasks is dealt with separately in Section D of thisAgreement.

5•

Inputting pupil data – teachers will need to make the initial entry of pupil data into
school management systems.

24.
The changes above will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect in every
school from September 2003 at the latest, with schools working towards the changes as far
as possible prior to that.
25.

In addition, the following provisions will be introduced on exam invigilation:a) Teachers should not routinely be required to invigilate external examinations;b) Teachers should usually continue to conduct practical and oral examinations;c) Teachers may be required to supervise internal examinations and tests, where thesetake place during their normal timetabled teaching time.

26.
The invigilation changes will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect inevery school from September 2005 at the latest, with schools working towards the changes
as far as possible prior to that. During the period to September 2005, schools should
maximise the use of support staff as external examination invigilators.
ii.

Reasonable work/life balance27.
All teachers should enjoy a reasonable work/life balance. The School Teachers’
Pay and Conditions Document will be changed accordingly.
28.
The wording for the pay document is to be agreed by the Signatories to thisAgreement, but it is expected that there will be three types of change:a) Governing Bodies will need to ensure that the headteacher has an appropriate
workload, in support of a reasonable work/life balance, having regard to their healthand welfare;b) Headteachers will need to ensure that their staff have appropriate workloads, in
support of a reasonable work/life balance, having regard to their health and welfare;c) Paragraph 67.7 of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document will beamended so that any work beyond contracted hours is subject to the provisions of(b) above.
29.
The changes will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect in every schoolfrom September 2003 at the latest, with schools working towards the changes as far as
possible prior to that.
iii.

Cover for absent teachers

30.
There will be occasions when the qualified teacher normally responsible for a pupil’s
learning outcomes is absent from the classroom. Such absences need to be carefully
managed to minimise the impact on teaching and learning for the pupil. We propose anumber of linked steps on cover:•

There should be limits on the extent to which teachers at a school can be asked
unexpectedly to cover for an absent colleague, with progressive movement towards
a position where this should only happen rarely;•

The relevant sections of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document will
therefore be changed so that no teacher may be required to provide cover for more

6

than a set number of hours per year;•

Initially, the number of hours will be set at 38, but it should be unusual for mostteachers to provide such a high amount of cover – schools should be providing
downward pressure on the burden of cover;•

The contractual change will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect inevery school from September 2004 at the latest, with schools working towards thechange as far as possible prior to that;•

One of the first tasks for the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group will be toestablish the likely impact of this contractual limit and agree the process andtimescale for achieving the shared objective that teachers at a school should only
rarely cover for absent colleagues and interim targets towards achieving this.

31.
These provisions do not cut across the role some teachers play where provision ofcover is a stated part of their job description, and where their teaching load has been set toreflect this.
Strategies for managing cover32.
The strategies for managing cover will need to take account of the type of absence.
For example, medium and long-term sickness, or maternity leave, will be more predictable
and therefore more manageable than sudden illness. Pupil standards are paramount andsuch absence should be covered by a qualified teacher, possibly through a fixed term
appointment, to ensure continuity and stretch in pupils’ learning.
33.
However, shorter absences can be handled in innovative ways. Reform is necessary
to help schools deal with absence in a more managed way, enabling them to address theconcerns raised recently by Ofsted about the effective deployment of supply teachers, andto give as much regard as possible to the need for pupils to continue to learn in spite of theirteacher’s absence:•

Schools should have access to a range of options for providing cover, including
through supply teachers, high level teaching assistants, cover supervisors , “floatingteachers” employed for the purposes of cover, and, where other options have been
exhausted, teachers employed at the school;•

Where supply teachers are providing cover, they must, as far as reasonably
possible, be actively teaching and not mainly supervising pupils. It is also importantthat they are managed properly and effectively, with regard to their teaching anddevelopmental needs, and they should have appropriate access to CPD to maintaintheir standards of subject knowledge, pedagogy and pupil behaviour management.
The good practices identified by the recent Ofsted report on schools’ use of
temporary teachers (December 2002) need to be adopted more widely and the poor
practices eliminated;•

High level teaching assistants will be able to cover classes, and should be able toensure that pupils can progress with their learning, based on their knowledge of thelearning outcomes planned by the classroom/subject teacher;•

A new cadre of cover supervisors is needed to assist with teacher absence andrelieve the pressure on qualified teachers to cover; cover supervisors will needappropriate training, including in pupil behaviour management. Detailed national
guidance will be developed, including in relation to cover provided by staff without

7

QTS;
•

The cover supervisor model is particularly valid where a teacher has been able to set
work, or where pupils are able to undertake effective self-directed learning, forexample within an ICT Learn Centre in a school;•

Cover supervisors and high level teaching assistants are for short-term absences
only – as already implied above, they should not be used as the remedy for the
medium or long term absence of a qualified teacher;•

Where qualified teachers at a school are used to provide cover, their PPA time must
be protected.

34.
As the improvements in teacher workload and pupil behaviour through current
policies begin to take effect, we should see more supply teachers attracted back into
permanent jobs in schools, part-time or full-time.
iv.

Guaranteed planning, preparation and assessment time35.
To achieve the demands of the next phase in raising standards, teachers will need totake a more differentiated approach to the needs of their pupils. And yet they are alreadydoing too much of their planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) at evenings andweekends, and in isolation from each other. While this cannot be changed overnight, theAgreement marks a turning point in carving out some guaranteed PPA time during thenormal school day.
36.
The School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document will be changed to bring this
into effect. Changes will be based on the following principles:•

The purpose of guaranteed PPA time is to enable teachers to raise standards
through a combination of individual and collaborative professional activity; within that
context, and subject to a national framework to be set out in guidance, it is for theteacher to determine the particular priorities for each block of PPA time;•

Guaranteed PPA time must not be encroached upon, including by any obligation tocover for absent colleagues;•

Guaranteed PPA should be set at the equivalent of at least 10% of a teacher’s
normal timetabled teaching time, where only teaching time within a teacher’s 1265
contracted hours would count for these purposes, not other forms of pupil contact
time;

•

Guaranteed PPA time would count towards a teacher’s 1265 contractual hours. This
contractual PPA would be distinct from any planning, preparation or assessment
undertaken outside the 1265 hours, as part of a teacher’s professional duties. The
latter will be subject to the new work/life balance clause outlined above;•

Guaranteed PPA should be timetabled time, in blocks of no less than 30 minutes
duration, as part of the teacher’s normal weekly or fortnightly timetable - i.e. ateacher should have a clear expectation of when they will be receiving theirguaranteed PPA.

37.
The 10% guaranteed PPA time is a minimum figure. Any teacher who already has aregular entitlement of more than this for planning, preparation and assessment should not
be brought back to a 10% figure. However, guaranteed PPA would not be additional to8existing timetabled free periods.
38.
The changes will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect in every schoolfrom September 2005 at the latest. Schools will be expected to work towards the changes
as far as possible prior to that, especially where non-contact time is already part of thetimetable.
Strategies for PPA
39.
There will be no progress if guaranteed PPA time simply shifts other work into
evenings and weekends. There must be a real corresponding reduction in the teacher’s
duties. Managerial, administrative and clerical tasks should be among the top priorities for
reduction in the classroom teacher’s workload, where such tasks do not require a qualified
teacher to carry them out.
40.
Moreover, some pupil contact time does not involve any teaching taking place e.g.
pupil supervision, detention, assembly duty. These types of supervision can in principle bedone by other adults – schools will receive guidance on how to secure this type of“remodelling” of how teachers spend their time.
41.
However, for some teachers, remodelling of their time will not be enough, and further
action will be needed to ensure that all of their guaranteed PPA is able to take place during
the normal school day. For example, where a teacher has a high teaching load, this will
necessarily mean some reduction to their timetabled contact time. In such a case, a teacher
who currently has a full active teaching timetable of, say, 25 hours, might in future need tohave reduced teaching time of as much as two and a quarter hours for their PPA. Schools
will need to use a variety of means to release this time, adjusting timetables and deploying
staff flexibly, to ensure high quality of teaching and learning for pupils.
42.
By the same token, some teachers may be released from some tasks as a result of
substantial remodelling by the school. For those who have been given lower teachingcommitments to undertake these tasks, remodelling may provide the option of actually
increasing their teaching commitments, and it is teaching which originally drew every
teacher into the profession. In any event, there should be no assumption for these teachersthat guaranteed PPA time will automatically mean less teaching time, if remodelling candisplace some other activity instead.
43.
Some teachers, especially in secondary schools, already have timetabled noncontact time. In their case, guaranteed PPA time would not be additional to this. On theother hand, where current non-contact time exceeds the 10% figure, it should certainly not
be reduced to 10%, which is in any case a minimum figure for guaranteed PPA. The PPA
provisions will therefore serve to protect current non-contact time, because of the stipulationthat guaranteed PPA time cannot be encroached upon, even in order to cover for absent
teachers.
44.
Ultimately, delivery of guaranteed PPA in many schools will depend upon support
staff reform. Releasing teachers from some of their previous responsibilities will require
other adults to take those over, unless the tasks can be radically simplified or dropped
altogether. To the extent that introducing guaranteed PPA means reduced teaching time fora teacher, the school will need innovative remodelling strategies. Guidance will be madeavailable to schools about this. It will cover the use of teaching assistants, including the newhigh level teaching assistants, who will be able to work with whole classes whereappropriate (see section D below on pages 11-13); and creative teaching and learningmodels, including, for example, teamwork options involving a QTS teacher and one or moreassistants covering a double-sized group of pupils.

9v.

Leadership and management responsibilities

45.
Members of the leadership group should have time to focus on their leadership
responsibilities and be supported in leading the reform agenda and managing change intheir schools. Many teachers outside the leadership group also have some form ofleadership and management responsibility, including the types of distinctive responsibilities
held by subject leaders and co-ordinators, advanced skills teachers, special educational
needs co-ordinators and initial teacher training mentors. At present, during the initial phaseof this national Agreement, it is not realistic to set out a formula for the amount of time thatshould support these responsibilities during the normal school day. But the Signatories areagreed that this should be signalled in the teachers’ contract as an issue for schools andrelevant guidance should be developed.
46.
Consequently, the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document will be changed
so that every teacher, including the headteacher and other members of the leadership team,has a timetable that provides – in addition to PPA – a reasonable allocation of time insupport of their leadership and management responsibilities. This would be additional toprovisions about work/life balance as above.
47.
These provisions cannot hope to cover all the time needed to discharge the relevant
responsibilities – for most staff, they will make only a contribution. Schools’ ability to makeprogress with this area of change will depend critically on their use of available resources.
48.
The changes will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect in every schoolfrom September 2003 at the latest, with schools working towards the changes as far as
possible prior to that.
Headteacher time
49.
There is a distinct problem where headteachers with significant teaching loads haveinadequate time during the normal school day for their leadership and managerial role.
Remodelling of the school workforce should help headteachers, as should all of theprovisions in this Agreement.
50.
Headteachers must have dedicated time to lead their schools, not just manage them.
Therefore, in addition to the provision set out above, Governing Bodies will be expected toensure that headteachers have dedicated headship time, having regard to relevant guidance
and resources in the school. Paragraphs 56 and 58.23 of the School Teachers’ Pay andConditions Document will be also amended to include leadership among the main
responsibilities of headteachers.
51.
The changes will be promulgated in draft early in 2003, to take effect in every schoolfrom September 2005 at the latest, with schools working towards the changes as far as
possible prior to that.
Circulars 2/98 and 22/98
52.
As a consequence of the contractual and other changes arising from the Agreement,
Circulars 2/98 and 22/98 will need to be reviewed. As part of the review the non-contractual
provisions which will assist in tackling teacher workload and unnecessary bureaucracy notaddressed elsewhere in the Agreement will be identified and strategies and timescales for
implementation agreed.

10

School closure days
53.
As flagged by the STRB and in “Time for Standards” on 22 October 2002, there will
be a review of the use of school closure days.
B.

Implementation Review Unit

54.
A concerted attack will be made on unnecessary paperwork and bureaucratic
processes for teachers and headteachers. An independent Implementation Review Unit willbe established in England, to consider the impact on workload both of existing policy
operation and potential new initiatives and to address issues of excessive bureaucracy. The
focus will extend beyond the DfES and will cover all bodies which impact upon schools,
including national agencies such as Ofsted, QCA and TTA, as well as local education
authorities and learning and skills councils. The Unit will meet national partners who are
Signatories to this Agreement on a quarterly basis.
55.
The Unit will feature a panel of practitioners – overwhelmingly serving Headteachers.
Panel job descriptions and conditions of service will be finalised following consultation with
the Signatories to this Agreement and published widely. Members will be appointed on a
fixed-term basis, normally for a period of 2 years. National partners and others will be able
to nominate individuals for consideration as possible panel members.
56.
The Unit will consider representations from all parts of the education system,
including unions and employers as well as individual headteachers, teachers and othermembers of the school workforce. Meetings of the Panel will normally occur on a quarterly
basis, with bi-annual meetings with Ministers. A report of the Unit’s work, including detailsof both successful and unsuccessful recommendations, will be published on an annual
basis. A secretariat supporting the Unit will be based in the DfES.
57.
The Welsh Assembly Government is considering how best to build on work alreadyundertaken through the Bureaucratic Burdens Advisory Group.
C.

Objective of reducing overall hours for teachers

58.
We are looking to schools to achieve progressive reductions in teachers’ overall
hours over the next four years. Government, in partnership with other Signatories to thisAgreement, is committed to a national campaign that will create downward pressure leading
to a reduction in these hours. But we recognise that individual schools will face varying
degrees of challenge in achieving this.
59.
We shall identify and highlight good practice to help support headteachers andgoverning bodies. Overall teacher hours will continue to be monitored by the Office for
Manpower Economics on behalf of the School Teachers’ Review Body on an annual basis.
And we will also, at a local level, collect information from individual schools as part of thechange management programme that will support remodelling.
D.

Support staff reform

60.
Schools will not be able to deliver in practice the contractual changes for teachers
covered by this Agreement unless there are appropriate extensions in both the numbers androles of support staff in the classroom. This will include the development of a new stream ofhigh level teaching assistants. The remuneration of support staff, including high level
teaching assistants, will need to reflect their level of training, skills and responsibilities.
Negotiations are taking place in the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government
Services to develop a national framework covering support staff employed in schools on

11

NJC conditions (i.e. the Green Book). The Signatories recognise that a successful outcome
to these negotiations will be critical to the delivery of this Agreement.
61.
Support staff working alongside teachers have already contributed to significant
improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, including as part of the literacy andnumeracy strategies, in early years and in SEN. Over the coming years, we shall see newdevelopments, pushing back the boundaries of what assistants can do in classrooms. In
taking this forward, we recognise that:•

Qualified teachers make the leading contribution to teaching and learning, reflecting
their training and expertise. Each class/group for timetabled core and foundation
subjects must be assigned a qualified teacher to teach them (subject to the existing
unqualified teacher provisions). Accountability for the overall learning outcomes of aparticular pupil must rest with that pupil’s qualified classroom/subject teacher;•Consequently, teachers and high level teaching assistants are not interchangeable
and this principle will be reflected in new regulations to be introduced under section
133 of the Education Act 2002. The fact that high level teaching assistants will beworking with whole classes for some of the time does not make them substitutes forwhen pupils need a qualified teacher, bringing the extra range, experience andcomplexity of understanding reflected in their higher qualifications;•Teaching assistants who interact with pupils in relation to teaching and learning,must do so within a regulated system of supervision and leadership operated by the
pupils’ classroom/subject teacher; they may specialise in working across a particularsubject area;•

It follows that the role of high level teaching assistants is to support qualified
teachers over teaching and learning, and their duties in this regard must always be inline with their relevant training and expertise. This is especially important where highlevel teaching assistants are working with a class when the assigned teacher is notpresent;•

A professional standards framework and training for high level teaching assistants
will be developed by the Teacher Training Agency and linked to relevant QTS
modules. The standards of prior experience, experience on the job, and any training,should bring the high level teaching assistant to roughly the equivalent of NVQ level
4. It will provide a sound basis from which many high level teaching assistants could
progress, in time, to become qualified teachers;•

Pay and career structures should be developed that reflect the roles andresponsibilities of support staff, including the option for high level teaching assistants
to go on and train to become a qualified teacher;•

The professional judgement of teachers about the contribution of any high level
teaching assistant must be informed by an appropriate national standards frameworkfor such assistants, and by national guidance to schools concerning the operation of
the school system of supervision;•

Teachers will not usually be required to undertake formal aspects of the linemanagement of support staff, including personnel / career advice and performance
management;•

Subject to the points above, high level teaching assistants can make a substantial

12contribution to the teaching and learning process in schools and to raising standardsof achievement by pupils.
Further roles
62.
Support staff reform will not be confined to high level teaching assistants. Earlier
paragraphs discussed the development of the cover supervisor role. Additional schoolsupport staff will also be recruited to act as “personal assistants” to teachers. They will
provide administrative support to subject and year group areas, where they can provide
direct, targeted support for individual teachers. They will develop expertise relevant to theteachers they support.
63.
Additional technical support staff will also be recruited, including in ICT. And many
schools will develop further the use of support staff in roles involving the guidance andsupervision of pupils. Clearly, it will be necessary for such staff to be skilled and trained inbehaviour management and to be able to command the respect of pupils.
64.
Schools will also need to consider whether the management of many of theadministrative and clerical tasks carried out by support staff should be transferred from
qualified teachers to appropriately trained non-QTS managers.
65.
There may be cases where teachers have been given management allowances forcarrying out some of the tasks listed above. These allowances may continue if the teacher
continues to manage the task. However, headteachers may wish to agree with thoseteachers alternative responsibilities that would more directly support teaching and learning.
E.

Leadership team reform66.
New managers and others with experience from outside education will be recruitedwhere they have the expertise to contribute effectively to schools’ senior leadership teams.
67.
We recognise that the successful management of a school may be more achievable
where headteachers and governing bodies have recruited individuals with particular areas ofexpertise, including in business or personnel management. It has become increasingly
common for schools to employ a specialist ‘bursar’, but often this person remains outside
the senior team with limited opportunity to contribute to the wider management of theschool.
68.
We seek to encourage the use of all available expertise. This may include someschool leaders from FE and 6th form colleges and independent schools being appointed
even where they do not have QTS and a fast track mechanism by which proven leadersfrom other sectors can achieve QTS / NPQH and secure headship.
F.

Change management programme

69.
School leaders and Governing Bodies will be supported by a national “change
management” programme, to help achieve in their schools the necessary reforms of theteaching profession and restructuring of the school workforce.
70.
In England, this programme will be based on that developed as part of theTransforming School Workforce Pathfinder project. School leaders will want to discuss with
their teachers and support staff how best to implement the provisions outlined in thisAgreement and the priorities for the school in raising standards and remodelling theworkforce. To assist this process, individual schools will have local access to support for thedevelopment of a ‘change plan’ which reflects the particular circumstances and needs of the13school.
71.
Such a plan would reflect existing and new resources available to the school andwould consider issues around staffing needs, use of ICT, class structures and school
timetables. It will be important also for schools to become sufficiently capable and flexible torespond to future changes.
72.
DfES will put in place a unit which will work closely with agencies, LEAs and the
Signatories to this Agreement, but which will take responsibility for training and the overall
direction and quality assurance of the programme.
G.

Monitoring of delivery of this Agreement

73.

This is discussed under next steps below.

No detriment
74.
Where the Agreement specifies a phased timescale for contractual change andimplementation of other provisions no steps should be taken in advance, as a result of theAgreement, which would result in a worsening of current working conditions.
75.
However, implementation of the provisions of the Agreement at an early stage or inadvance of the statutory target date will be supported by the Signatories.

14

4.

NEXT STEPS76.
The last few months have been marked by a huge constructive effort, with give andtake on all sides. We must now build on this urgently to maintain momentum for change
and to start delivering real improvements for pupils and parents, teachers and support staff
in schools.
77.
The focus must now turn to delivery, including through the following steps to beundertaken from January 2003:
•

•

•

•

Finalising the new contractual and legal framework:o

DfES to offer (i) the text of draft changes to the School Teachers’ Pay andConditions Document and accompanying guidance, and (ii) new draft
regulations and guidance under s133 of the Education Act 2002 – all to be
finalised and agreed by the Signatories. Similar regulations and guidance will
be agreed and introduced in Wales;o

Early work to be undertaken to determine how the new provisions will apply
to part-time teachers.

Communicating the Agreement:o

DfES and the Welsh Assembly Government to promulgate this standards andworkload Agreement to all parts of the education service and take steps toensure it is widely understood through a dedicated communications
campaign;oNEOST to promulgate this Agreement to its members and take steps toensure members are acting upon all parts of it; Local Government to play aleading part in facilitating change at local level;oAll unions to promulgate this Agreement to their members, take steps toensure members are acting upon all parts of it and withdraw related industrial
action, in line with the operation of this Agreement.

Initiating change on the ground:oSchool leadership teams and governing bodies to review and plan in
discussion with staff how the phased changes covered by this Agreement canbe most effectively implemented in their school;o

DfES and the Welsh Assembly Government to put in place national change
management programmes to support school leaders and governing bodies in England to be developed on the basis of the Transforming School
Workforce Pathfinder project;o

All national agencies, LEAs and the Signatories to this Agreement to work in
a concerted manner to support schools in implementing the agreed changes.

Monitoring progress:oDetails of the composition of the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group - agroup for Signatories to this Agreement, but involving other partners asnecessary - to be finalised and agreed by the Signatories.

15

•

Early tasks of the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group will include:o

To consider details of the change management programme, and thearrangements for collecting hard evidence about the pace and shape ofreform at school level;oTo establish how quickly progress can be made on reducing below 38 hours
the limit on cover for individual teachers;oTo establish regular liaison with the Implementation Review Unit, and thearrangements for making representations;oTo review circulars 2/98 and 22/98, to agree revised text, implementation
strategies and timescales;o

To contribute to a review of the use of school closure days.

78.
This Agreement will be meaningless and undeliverable without practical follow-up
measures of the sort described above. Just as important as this Agreement, will be ashared understanding about each step of implementation and delivery.
Phasing of change
Phase one – 2003
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Promote reductions in overall excessive hours
Establish monitoring group
Establish new Implementation Review Unit
Routine delegation of 24 non-teaching tasks
Introduce new work/life balance clauses
Introduce leadership and management time
Undertake review of use of school closure days

Phase two – 2004•

Introduce new limits on covering for absent teachers

Phase three – 2005•••

Introduce guaranteed professional time for planning,
preparation and assessment
Introduce dedicated headship time
Introduce new invigilation arrangements

16

5.

SIGNATORIES

79.
We, the undersigned, on behalf of our respective organisations, and having thenecessary authority, hereby undertake that the organisations we represent are party to thisAgreement:

ATL – Association of Teachers and Lecturers
DfES – Department for Education and Skills
GMB
NAHT – National Association of Headteachers
NASUWT – National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women
Teachers
NEOST – National Employers’ Organisation for School Teachers
PAT – Professional Association of Teachers
SHA – Secondary Heads’ Association
TGWU – Transport and General Workers’ Union
UNISON
WAG – Welsh Assembly Government

17

APPENDIX 1RESOURCES (England only)
The following table shows the total Funding for Schools and LEAs from 2002-03 to the endof the Spending Review period:
TOTALS (£m)
2
Education Formula Spending
School Standards Grant (recurrent)
Leadership Incentive Grant
Threshold & Performance Pay
Standards Fund
Capital (including PFI)
Devolved Formula Capital
Remodelling: Change Programme
Total

2002-0322,503
660
0
590
1,690
2,520
440
5
28,408

2003-04
25,014
800
175
740
1,530
3,100
685
62
32,106

2004-05
26,341
850
175
840
1,350
3,680
775
120
34,131

2005-06
28,704
875
175
0
1,550
4,270
800
110
36,484

The following table and chart show the cash increases in revenue funding over the 2002-03
baseline:
TOTALS (£m)
3
EFS / Standards Fund
School Standards Grant
Leadership Incentive Grant
4
Threshold & Performance Pay (in EFS 2005-06)
Remodelling: Change Programme
Total

2003-04
2,351
140
175
150
57
2,873

2004-05
3,494
190
175
250
115
4,224

2005-06
5,467
215
175
0
105
5,962

7,000

6,000
Remodelling:
Change Programme

5,000

Threshold &Performance Pay (inEFS 2005-06)

£m

4,000

3,000

Leadership Incentive
Grant

2,000

School Standards
Grant

1,000

EFS / Standards
Fund0
2003-04

2004-05

2005-062

Includes SR2002 increases, transfer from DfES DEL and increase for Teachers’ Pensions Contributions
Standards Fund included with EFS. Standards Fund is £-160/-340/-140m – this reduction has been netted of
the EFS increase
4
Threshold and Performance Pay is £-590m in 2005-06 – this reduction has been netted off the EFS increase
3

18

The following table shows how this revenue funding increases in real terms (excluding
pensions contributions increase5):
TOTALS (£m)
Real Terms
Cash

2002-03
25,45225,452

2003-04
27,015
27,6902004-05
27,61829,016

2005-06
28,53030,724

Not all of the cash increase will be available to school to spend on workforce reform. There
are a number of identified pressures in the following table:
TOTALS (£m)
Demography
6
Inflation (on pay and non-pay costs)
Employers' Pensions Contributions
National Insurance Contributions
Class Size Grant and Nursery Education Grant
7
Threshold and Performance Pay
Total
Total increase minus identified pressures

2003-04
-25
620
635
115
420
0
1,765
1,108

2004-05-170
1200

2005-06
-325
1790

660
120
420
0
2,230
1,994

690
125
420
250
2,950
3,012

However, there is still a significant gap between the cash increase and the pressures. Thisgap grows during the Spending Review period, so that by 2005-06, there is over £3bn extra
in school budgets that schools can choose how to spend, shown in the chart below.
7,000

6,000
Identified Pressures
5,000
Remodelling:
Change Programme

4,000
£m

Threshold &Performance Pay (inEFS 2005-06)
Leadership Incentive
Grant

3,000

2,000

School Standards
Grant

1,000

EFS / Standards
Fund0
2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

This amounts on average to more than £70,000 per primary and more than £350,000 per
secondary – much of which could be used for remodelling. This is in addition to the baseline
already in school budgets in 2002-03.

5

Increased contributions of 4.75%
Inflation at 2.5% (but includes 4% for support staff pay in 2003-04)
7
Total cost of Threshold and Performance Pay in 2005-06 is £840m - £590m of this (equivalent to 2002-03
baseline) has already been netted off EFS (see footnote 3 above)
6

19

APPENDIX 2
DEFINITIONS AND FURTHER STIPULATIONS“Government” in this document refers to the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly
Government. ‘The Government’ refers to the UK Government only.
“Teachers” in this document always refers to any teacher covered by the School Teachers’
Pay and Conditions Document, including classroom teachers, unqualified teachers,
advanced skills teachers and members of the leadership group: except where statedotherwise, or where the context clearly suggests otherwise.
The wording of the revised teachers’ contract may not follow exactly the wording in thisAgreement, as it needs to fit the framework of an existing legal document. However,amendments will be agreed in all cases with the Signatories to this Agreement.

20