Teachers warn on class time

TEACHERS have slammed calls to increase the time they spend in the classroom. The warnings come after the leader of Glasgow council said preparation time should be cut.

Currently, under the teachers agreement, also known as the McCrone deal, the profession only teaches 22.5 hours a week with the remainder for lesson preparation and marking.

Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow, said if teachers spent an extra 30 minutes a week with pupils, it could save the authority 15 million a year.

Ann Ballinger, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association said: "I am horrified that they are even considering it"

Ronnie Smith, of the EIS, said: " Adopting a bean-counting approach will inevitably lead to a diminution of the high quality education that our young people have the right to expect."