The Department for Education has published initial recommendations made by the workload reduction taskforce. The taskforce was commissioned in October 2023 to reduce the working week of teachers by 5 hours within 3 years. Final recommendations are due to follow in Spring 2024.
The initial recommendations of most relevance to HR practitioners include:
Appraisal
- Following a review of the administrative burden of Performance Related Pay and concerns it does not have a proportionate positive impact on teaching and learning, a formal commitment to consult with statutory consultees on PRP with a view to removal is recommended in time for the 2024/25 academic year
- The Department for Education has committed to a rapid review of current guidance to ensure a replacement is ready for 1 September
Job Design
- Teachers and school leaders should not be required to carry out activities that do not require their professional skills or judgement and a revised list of administrative tasks that teachers should not be required to carry out should be re-emphasised and reinserted in the STPCD
Wellbeing Strategy
- The Secretary of State and teaching and leadership unions, working with organisations such as the Confederation of School Trusts, Local Government Association, and National Governance Association, should raise awareness of the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter including publishing case studies that demonstrate the positive impact of signing up
- The Department for Education should amend guidance to governors and trustees so that the core function of strategic leadership includes consideration of staff workload and wellbeing when setting the school's / trust's strategic priorities
- Schools and trusts should consider the merits of assigning a senior leader with dedicated responsibility for improving wellbeing and reducing workload, working with union representatives and staff
Flexible Working
- The Department for Education, working with trade unions and employers, should continue to promote and embed a diverse range of flexible working opportunities in schools raising awareness of the support available, including the funded programme offered by Flexible Working Ambassador MATS and schools (FWAMS) and the Department for Education Flexible Working Toolkit
Additional support announced for leaders mental health & wellbeing
The Department for Education also announced additional measures to boost recruitment and retention which include a three-year mental health and wellbeing support package for school and college leaders; providing professional supervision and counselling to at least 2,500 leaders, and a commitment to publish new guidance for schools – expected to be completed this spring - on how to prevent and tackle bullying and harassment of school staff.
What happens next?
In March we can expect initial guidance on a replacement for Performance Related Pay and final recommendations to be published, these will include the unintended consequences of accountability arising from school inspection and in addition to the impact of school culture and leadership.
Support available from Strictly Education HR
For more support on managing wellbeing in your setting visit our open access Wellbeing at Work area of our HR Resources Hub.
Find out more about our services to support Employee Health & Wellbeing including a survey tool which is aligned with the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter enabling you to measure how your school is performing against the eleven organisational commitments included in the Charter.
HR customers can also access range of resources to support flexible working via the HR Resources Hub.
We will monitor further developments and will share future updates with you once more information is available.
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