Government only listening to teachers with ‘half an ear’

AN OLDHAM union leader has accused the Government of “listening with half an ear” to teachers’ concerns about excessive workloads.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Education Secretary Nicky Morgan have outlined what they call a “series of decisive measurers” to tackle the problems.

The news followed the participation of more than 44,000 teachers in the Workload Challenge survey — the biggest consultation of its kind by the Department for Education in a decade.

The Government’s commitments include giving schools more notice of significant changes - but reserves the right to push changes through quickly if it is “urgently necessary”.

Other measurers include more support for head teachers, debunking Ofsted inspection myths, cutting more than 21,000 pages of Ofsted guidance and surveying teacher workload every two years.

Nigel Yeo, National Union of Teachers Oldham branch secretary branded the Government’s response “disappointing”.

He said: “Nicky Morgan said she would listen. She has, but with only half an ear. She has offered warm words of understanding but nothing that commits the Government to a course of action.

“At a time when the number of teachers leaving this profession is at a 10-year high, this announcement on workload is simply not good enough.”