As teachers chafe under the burden of an ever-increasing workload, the Department for Education (DfE) has chosen to water down its own proposals to tackle the issue.
An internal document leaked earlier contained plans for an “implementation lab” that would bring schools and the department together to talk through changes before they are implemented. The memo said the “lab” would “discuss policy formation with schools early in the process”.
The recommendations went so far as to suggest that early consultation with schools could be made mandatory. In some circumstances, new policies would be trialled in a small number of schools before being implemented nationally.
In a new pledge today, all mention of the “lab” has disappeared. The DfE has simply promised to consider the impact of policy changes on schools and give schools more notice – a minimum of one year.
The department has also promised to make no changes to qualifications in the middle of a course.
The announcement comes in response to a “workload challenge” consultation which ran in October-November 2014: 22% of teachers who took part said that reducing the frequency of curriculum, qualification and assessment changes would help to reduce unnecessary workload.
Teacher representatives believe the earlier version would have had far more impact in limiting the DfEs own detrimental impact on workload than the one released by the government today.
Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, says: “The government accepts that its own rushed and hasty implementation of policy is a major driver of teacher workload.
“It identified a strategy for dealing with this – the implementation lab – and then watered down it’s own response. The workload challenge tells me that the government is more interested in appearing to be concerned about teachers’ workload than they actually are. This is Nicky Morgan trying to create a better relationship with teachers before the general election.”
The government has also acknowledged Ofsted’s role in adding to teacher workload, admitting that the high-stakes accountability system can lead to “excessive preparation in schools”. But its reforms do little to alter the amount of bureaucracy associated with the threat of inspection.
In the results of the workload challenge, 56% of respondents in the sample analysis said that recording, inputting, monitoring and analysing data was the most unnecessary and unproductive task added to their to-do list, while 53% cited excessive detail and frequency required when marking.
The government has pledged that Ofsted will not alter its handbook or framework during the school year and try to simplify the handbook from 2016 onwards.
In response to the government’s plans, Ofsted’s chief inspector, Michael Wilshaw, says: “It is very important that schools maintain a sense of proportion when preparing for an Ofsted inspection. If they are devoting their energies to getting things right for pupils, then an Ofsted inspection will take care of itself.”
But the National Union of Teacher insists Ofsted is central to the “ludicrous levels of pressure on schools”, calling for “a root-and-branch reform to put in place a professionally acceptable system [that] can win teacher confidence”.
Christine Blower, general secretary of the NUT, points to David Cameron’s announcement this week that the government will raise achievement in 3,500 schools rated “requires improvement”. She says his plan to do this by changing leadership is a sign that the government has no intention of reducing the pressure felt on schools from the inspectorate.
Blower says: “The DfE accepted today that it must think carefully about any ‘additional work’ which is caused by their decisions and reduce it where they can. However, earlier this same week, the prime minister told teachers that any school assessed as requiring improvement by Ofsted will be put under new leadership unless it can bring about ‘rapid change’. David Cameron has signalled that government policy is not going to change; it will just become more intense - more pressure, more threats, more sackings.”
Tasks set by senior and middle leaders were also mentioned as a key driver of workload by 51% of those surveyed, and the government has responded by promising to review provision for leadership training, and to consider current coaching and mentoring opportunities.
But little has been proposed to reduce the impact of Ofsted on senior leaders and classroom teachers. Alongside previous plans noted for Ofsted, the government has now said the inspectorate will clarify what is and isn’t required by inspectors, review how reports are written and introduce shorter inspections of “good” schools from 2015.
There is also no mention of previous proposals to remind governors of their role in ensuring staff within the school are satisfied with their working conditions.
