IMPACTING ON STAFF
Making a difference
The school workforce
reforms have delivered
positive outcomes for the
teachers, support staff and
school leaders who work in
our primary and secondary
schools
A
s well as making increased time
available for strategic planning
and leadership within schools, the
workforce reforms have helped to improve the
quality of teaching and learning.
They have enabled teachers to focus on
teaching and learning while other school
staff use their skills and experience to take
care of key areas like administration, exam have, with different and greatly expanded Graham Altoft, who is headteacher of
invigilation, behaviour and attendance. roles. There hasn’t always been a proper Reinwood Junior School in Huddersfield
Other benefits could include reductions acknowledgement of that in reward terms, (see page 6), agrees. He said that as well as
in stress and absenteeism, more reasonable but hopefully the new School Support Staff enabling teachers to focus on teaching and
workloads, and a better work/life balance for Negotiating Body (see page 8) will help to learning in the classroom, workforce reform
all staff. Not only that, school teams have seen address that with some national consistency had enabled the school “to make a career
improved benefits and conditions of service, of pay and grading. Our members feel more structure for support staff ”.
increased opportunities for CPD, and better and valued as part of the total school workforce, Meanwhile, research published by Ofsted
more appropriate deployment of staff. but we recognise that there is some way to go in 2010 has shown that members of the
As both Ivan Ould, chair of the with the increasing need for CPD.” wider school workforce have been very
National Employers’ Organisation of A joint statement from the English and successful in other ways too, including
School Teachers (NEOST) and David Welsh governments said reform has brought engaging pupils at risk of underachievement or
Simmonds, chair of National Employers about “dramatic changes” in the way the permanent exclusion, developing links with the
for School Support Staff (NESSS), said: school workforce is deployed. community, and
re-engaging parents and carers in education.
We have teachers and school support staff
South Dartmoor Community College in
‘
Devon, for instance, has appointed a former
teaching assistant as a parent support advisor,
who are more appropriately deployed and who is working with 30 to 40 families (see
page 7). And at Coleshill Heath Primary
who are working in more collaborative
School in Solihull, a former pupil, whom
headteacher David Dunkley describes as “a
ways than ever befor
role model”, has developed how the school
tracks and targets attendance. “We are sharing
this work with other schools,” said Mr
“A major achievement of WAMG is that, “Teachers and headteachers have benefited Dunkley. “It improves the attendance of pupils
through the National Agreement, we have from administration tasks being transferred and means they learn more effectively.” (See
teachers and school support staff who are away from them and are now better able opposite page.)
more appropriately deployed and who are to focus on core activities of teaching and Patrick Roach, assistant general secretary
working in more collaborative ways than ever learning, and leading teaching and learning. of the NASUWT, agreed that the substantial
before with the aim of achieving ever higher “There are now many more support staff increase in the number of support staff
standards of pupil attainment.” working in a range of new and enhanced working in schools since 2003 has enabled
The reforms have also resulted in schoo
’
e
l roles which make better use of their skills and schools to free headteachers and teachers from
support staff taking on new responsibilities. experience.” work that doesn’t require their professional
“More than ever, schools call on the talents Bruni de la Motte, national officer for knowledge and skills. He added: “Schools
and dedication of the entire workforce, education and children’s services at UNISON, which have embraced remodelling have seen
highlighting the vital contribution made by said that workforce reform has brought about a very significant benefits in respect of pupil
every single member of staff to a safe and “transformation” of schools, with support staff progress, achievement and wider outcomes
successful learning environment,” said Brian being seen as professionals in their own right. for children. There has also been a cultural
Strutton, national secretary for public services “They have their own qualifications in change in schools, with trade unions being
at GMB. Meanwhile, Peter Allenson, national the areas they specialise in, whether it is seen as part of the solution to the challenge
organiser, public services, for Unite, pointed to business administration, technical, behaviour of raising standards. Where schools have
the fact that members have taken on wider and management, or SEN,” she said. “This has embraced remodelling, they have become
more varied roles. meant that support staff now have access to a far more democratic and inclusive spaces for
He explained: “Our members have seen career development that simply wasn’t there the entirety of the workforce and have given
an increase in the responsibilities that they before.” teachers and support staff a voice.”
4 SecEd • 5TO7 Educator
WAMG
Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group
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