Teachers step up work-to-rule over workload concerns

From Wednesday onwards NASUWT members will only produce one written report a year to parents, will not submit lesson plans to senior managers and will refuse to invigilate mock exams.

Teachers will be able to supervise activities outside school hours, such as sports clubs and drama, if they are happy to do so, but will refuse if it is imposed on them by a headteacher.

Union members will also only send and respond to work-related emails during school hours.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) will undertake similar action from 3 October. The NASUWT has been working to rule since last December, but has decided to escalate its campaign, in conjunction with the NUT.

The union has blamed the education secretary Micahel Gove for failing to engage with its members and “betraying” the workforce and pupils.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT, said: “The escalation of the NASUWT industrial action is entirely the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove.

“This action has been specifically designed to be pupil, parent and public friendly. We are endeavouring to ensure that is still the case with our escalated action.

“In just over two-and-a-half years the actions of the secretary of state have resulted in over half of teachers considering leaving the profession altogether, specialist teachers losing their jobs, applications for entry into the profession plummeting and teacher morale at an all-time low.

“These issues undermine the ambition shared by all teachers to provide the highest quality of education for every child.”

The action will affect schools across England and Wales, where the two unions represent around nine in 10 teachers.