Implementation and sustainability of the National Agreement - Raising Standards and Tackling Workload - workforce reform

As a reminder, the three phases of contractual changes arising from the National Agreement (as featured in Section 4 of the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document 2008), were:

1st September, 2003

	Routine delegation of administrative and clerical tasks,
	Introduction of work/life balance clauses, and
	Introduction of leadership and management time for those with corresponding responsibilities.

1st September, 2004

Introduction of new limits on covering for absent colleagues (38 hours per year).

1st September, 2005

	Introduction of guaranteed professional time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA);
	Introduction of dedicated headship time, and
	Introduction of new invigilation arrangements.

As there have been various ongoing queries from schools, from the above, it is important to note:

	That teachers should no longer routinely be required to undertake the listed tasks (see Annex 3 of Section 2 of the STPCD 2008);
	That teachers should only rarely cover from 1st September, 2009 (see paragraph 50 of Section 4 of the STPCD 2008). In the meantime, schools should set their own interim targets, informed by the latest Office of Manpower Economics (OME) data which serves as a benchmark, to ensure they are ready to meet the objective of teachers rarely covering from 1st September, 2009.
	That all teachers at a school, including headteachers, with timetabled teaching commitments, whether employed on permanent, fixed-term, temporary or part-time contracts, have a contractual entitlement to guaranteed PPA time within the timetabled teaching day (see PPAtimeslides). For related information about the Early Years Foundation Stage, including PPA time - see FAQs.

In addition, workforce reform has meant more support staff roles in schools, including higher level teaching assistants and cover supervisors. The latest WAMG Note 22, and WAMG Note 17 and related guidance, give more detail on the appropriate deployment of support staff and on HLTA roles for support staff, plus longer term arrangements affecting support staff in schools. Also useful is the Regulations and Guidance under S133 of the Education Act 2002, for example providing advice on setting up a system of supervision for staff undertaking specified work.

For more details of training and development opportunities in Norfolk, please contact Denise Beckett, Training and Development Co-ordinator for School Support Staff on 01603 222743 or e-mail Denise Beckett. Also see the TDA website for two useful documents Unlock the potential of your support staff: develop the bigger picture and Support staff development: the five key stages. School staff can also access the Inset Opportunities brochure on the Norfolk Schools website for professional learning and development courses and events. For queries on workforce reform and related issues, please contact Peter Simmonds or Virginia Wakely in Children's Services on 07795 265669 or 01603 638092. To access more information, go to the Norfolk Schools website A - Z, select W for Workforce Remodelling, including the latest Remodelling Newsletter No. 9. For specific HR advice, please contact your school's HR Consultant or HR Officer as outlined in MI 115/08.

This MI sheet has been produced in liaison with the local Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group (WAMG) representing teacher and support staff unions - signatories to the National Agreement, and also the NUT.