* The latest General Teaching Council for England magazine (spring 2005) says registering with the council assures the public that teachers are properly qualified and competent.
Yet at a recent workplace remodelling training session I was regaled with stories of heroic caretakers taking pupils for football all afternoon and of hordes of volunteers lurking around the school just desperate to take classes and give teachers planning preparation and assessment time. Perhaps these staff will join the Generally Anyone Can Teach (because we won’t fund teachers to cover PPA time) Council?
Elaine Barron Headteacher, Purwell primary school, Fairfield Way Hitchin, Hertfordshire
