Legal News
Government to Aid Head Teachers in Sacking Underperforming Staff (16 January 2012)
Date: 16/01/2012
The Government is to ensure that it is easier for England’s head teachers to fire underperforming staff from September of this year it has been announced. The new proposals will see head teachers firing poor teachers within a term, as opposed to a year. Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, claims that head teachers have been forced to keep poor performing staff for far too long, adding that red tape was to blame for this. Teachers' unions have described the changes as a “bully's charter”. However, head teachers are supporting the Government’s plans.
The procedure for tackling underperforming teachers is set to be “simplified”, with head teachers being able to act within a shorter minimum timeframe. In the most straightforward of cases, the process of firing teachers could be completed within a minimum of nine weeks, as opposed to 24 weeks. Teachers will also be assessed annually to determine whether they have adhered to the new standards, which include teaching standards and “personal and professional conduct”. The Government remains in consultation over proposals to prevent poor teaching staff from moving between several schools.
Mr. Gove claims that the changes will aid in improving schools, adding that schools needed to be free to sack teachers who fail to perform to expected standards within a shorter period. Mr. Gove said that nobody benefited from poor teaching, stating that it increased the pressure on the other teachers and undermined children's education.
Duncan Lewis’ employment law solicitors can issues guidance to teachers who feel they have been unfairly fired from school.