Teachers welcome lesson plan deal
Teachers have welcomed the introduction of an agreement allowing them more time to plan lessons (PPA time)
From Thursday 1st Sept, teachers will be entitled to spend 10% of their working week on planning, preparation and assessment of pupils' work.
Schools' minister Jacqui Smith said the change, which applies to England and Wales, would raise standards in schools.
Fewer than 15 schools in England have said they would have difficulty implementing the agreement, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) said.
Ms Smith said 23,000 schools, over 99%, have confirmed they are ready to go ahead and almost 8,000 of these had already put planning time in their teaching schedules.
More money had been made available to schools to fund the provision of PPA time, she added.
“In 2005/06, school funding will reach over £4,000 per pupil, an increase of over £1,000 in real terms since 1997."
NASUWT head Ms Keates was upbeat on the changes.
"The provision of guaranteed time for planning, preparation and assessment - which cannot be used for anything else - will enhance the quality of lessons and enable teachers to continue to raise standards," she said.
"It emphasises the crucial importance of a teacher's core role - teaching.
With other changes since 2003, she said, PPA would help teachers take a more personal approach, reduce pressure and their workload.
But some head teachers have said they cannot afford to cover teachers' planning time and the National Association of Headteachers voted to pull out of the agreement in March.
'Assist not replace'
The Professional Association of Teachers said fears of unqualified staff taking over teachers' work were unfounded.
"This is not what PPA is about," said principal professional officer Deborah Simpson.
“Teaching assistants will assist, not replace, teachers. Support staff with the appropriate qualifications, training and experience will enhance pupils' learning."
Leader of the Secondary Heads Association Dr John Dunford also welcomed the deal, and said children would reap the benefits of a better-structured working week for teachers.
Full Story BBC News online
JC : My hope is that the money is there for all schools to allow this time to be made available. I am sure that there are many schools with problems that have not been addressed - is your school one of them?
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