A qualified teacher in every classroom

There has been a petition to call on the government to insist pupils are taught by qualified teachers. This is the Downing Street response.

You may have your own views on whether politicians always tell the truth or not but this might be a useful response next time your SLT leave classes to be taken by unqualified staff:

"It is certainly the intention that all classes should be led by a qualified teacher.

"The work that teachers and others are allowed to do in schools is set out in regulations. The regulations state that, what is known as 'specified work', which includes the planning and preparing of lessons for pupils, the delivering of such lessons and the assessment and reporting of progress and attainment of pupils may only be carried out in a school by qualified teachers or others included in specified categories of exception. Exceptions would include Overseas Trained Teachers who, although will not be qualified in this country, will have an overseas teaching qualification, and Instructors who, although without a teaching qualification, will have special qualifications or experience that the local authority or governing body will consider relevant. Support staff may be permitted to undertake specified work only if the following conditions are satisfied: it is to support the work of a qualified or nominated teacher; the work is carried out under the direction and supervision of a qualified or nominated teacher; and the head teacher is satisfied that the support staff member has the skills, expertise and experience to carry out such work."