Commenting as the Department for Education (DfE) announces a new taskforce working towards reducing teacher and school leader workload, which James Bowen, assistant general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT will be a member of, Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said:

“Our dispute with government this year was about more than money. It was also about intolerable workload and inspection pressures.

“Included in the offer from government were important commitments to tackle workload and inspection pressure. The workload task force is an important step to bring about those commitments. As part of the offer settled, the taskforce caries the significant responsibility of achieving the government’s commitments.

“We look forward to working with the DfE and others to highlight some of the causes of unsustainable workload and to help find solutions through this taskforce.

“It’s absolutely vital that this results in tangible change which makes a real difference to our members’ working day and frees them up to concentrate their energies on what they do best – providing effective, inspirational leadership.

“The commitments made by government are part of a deal and we intend to make sure that they are delivered alongside a continuing focus to restore pay over future pay rounds.”