Teachers are demanding the next school year be cut by two days to give them time to assimilate major changes to the secondary curriculum, writes Jonathan Milne.
The NUT wrote to Alan Johnson, the Education Secretary, this week asking that the number of professional days for teachers be increased from five to seven.
Steve Sinnott, the NUT general secretary, said secondary schools were struggling to understanding the content of the new diplomas. Other changes coming in next year are revised A-levels, an overhauled key stage 3 and new functional skills tests for 16-year-olds.
The DfES has agreed to analyse the added workload created by new strategies and initiatives.