Teachers will call for cut in hours

Apr 12 2009

Teachers are expected to demand a cut in their working hours, and to call for a day out of the classroom to mark and prepare work.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) says that it is "alarmed" by the continued rises in teachers' working hours.

Most teachers still work over 50 hours a week, the NUT says.

At their annual conference in Cardiff, NUT members are expected to consider a motion on workload and working time.

The motion calls for a further campaign to increase the amount of time teachers have for planning, preparation and assessment to 20% of timetabled teaching time. This is the same as a fifth of time, or a day away from the classroom each week.

Headteachers and other school leaders should get 60% of teaching time set aside for this purpose, it says.

The resolution also urges the union's executive to look at the impact of a 2001 agreement which introduced a 35-hour week for teachers in Scotland

A second motion to be debated calls for a National Contract for teachers, with details such as mandatory limits on class sizes and a requirement that no teacher should have to take on additional commitments without extra money built in.