Teachers want less bureaucracy, according to Ofsted

The education watchdog found the workload agreement - giving more tasks to classroom assistants - had increased demands on head teachers.

Meanwhile, most teachers still felt bureaucratic demands were "excessive".

Ofsted asked staff in 100 schools about the impact of the reforms, which came into force in January last year.

Most of the teachers felt they "had yet to result in either a substantial reduction in their overall workload or an improved work/life balance", Ofsted's report said.

'Worrying report'

Most teachers and heads were still opposed to using classroom assistants to teach whole classes.

All the major teaching unions in England and Wales have supported the agreement except the biggest, the National Union of Teachers.

The NUT argued it would reduce the professional status of the job.

The next-biggest union, the NASUWT, which supports the agreement, said Ofsted's report was "not statistically valid or representative".

General secretary Chris Keates said: "It is particularly worrying that Ofsted apparently places greater emphasis on the perceptions and opinions of a few head teachers rather than on evidence collected through systematic inspection."

Ofsted said most schools were making "satisfactory" progress with the reorganisation, which involves teachers giving up tasks like photocopying and reading the register.

However, some heads felt lack of funds made it difficult to put the reforms into action.

David Bell, chief inspector of schools, said primary schools were finding it more difficult than secondaries to make sure teachers got time set aside for planning lessons.

Many primary heads had taken on more teaching commitments themselves.

Ofsted surveyed staff in 25 primary schools, 20 middle schools, 10 special schools and 45 secondary schools.

A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said since Ofsted had carried out its surveys, schools had made "considerable progress" in implementing the reforms.

"The provisions in the agreement apply equally to head teachers and it is essential that their workload is manageable and that they have an appropriate work-life balance," he said.