The Year 6 teacher and science co-ordinator at Barming primary, near Maidstone is particularly pleased by the extra administrative support he receives.

“Photocopying and printing out worksheets used to dominate the first part of the morning and the end of the school day,” he said. “Having a teaching assistant to take over those tasks has been a boon.”

Teaching assistants have also taken over some of his marking and small group work. He still has to plan and monitor what is being done but believes that it has meant a net reduction in workload.

However, the gains have been balanced out by the extra time spent tailoring literacy and numeracy strategies to pupils’ needs and providing support as a subject co-ordinator.

Mr Paul, who is a national executive member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, still works a 55-hour week and spent the first week of the holidays tidying his classroom.

He has no regrets about his union signing the deal and will spend the final week of the holiday preparing for the new term.