Workforce remodelling
Workforce remodelling is an initiative that seeks to relieve teachers and school managers of the burden of time-consuming, routine, clerical and administrative tasks1 so as to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of school leadership and management.
The remodelling was put into action by the workforce agreement2, which was signed by Government, employers and school unions in January 2003. The agreement included:
- a transference of tasks to teaching assistants, clerks and administrators
- a gradual reduction in teachers' overall hours
- the addition of work/life balance clauses in teachers' contracts.
The changes outlined by the agreement were put into practice in schools by the close of 2005.
The agreement does not focus solely on teachers; it also acknowledges the vital role played by school support staff and has led to the establishment of higher level teaching assistant (HLTA) standards and the certificate in school business management (CSBM). There are now also increased opportunities for school governors to enhance their skills and add greater value to the classroom.
1A national survey found that over 30% of teachers' time was taken up with such tasks.
2Raising Standards and Tackling Workload: a National Agreement on Workforce Reform, The Training and Development Agency for Schools (2003). For more information, visit the Training and Development Agency for Schools outline of the remodelling process, including the benefits of implementation and its potential challenges.