Gove announces his next attack - on teachers' national working conditions

Unions are expecting Michael Gove to make an announcement on Thursday about his plans to deregulate teachers' working conditions, when he releases his response to the Report from the 'School Teachers' Review Body'.

His original proposals were released in his 'evidence' to the STRB report last June - which I summarised in the document posted on: http://goo.gl/zvZvn

Here's what Gove had in mind then:

• Reducing PPA time
• Shorter holidays, longer hours  
• No right to a clear lunchbreak
• Back to invigilating exams and covering for absence

Regrettably, in response to those threats, teaching unions have failed to take the determined action needed to make Gove think again. Regional action wasn't followed by the national action we had threatened - although now, at last, the NUT have announced action for March 26. 

How confident will Gove feel to press ahead with his attacks - and, if so, will he again leave it to individual schools to decide how to introduce the deregulation - as he did over pay?

Watch this space ...