Following the comments from Sir Michael Wilshaw about teachers pay; do teachers need to work harder to justify an increase in pay? Perhaps what should be discussed is 'can teachers work any harder?' which is certainly the case in the primary schools in the area I live. I have seen no evidence of teachers finishing work at 3pm and then going home and putting their feet up - quite the opposite in fact. Most teachers will arrive at school between 7.30am and 8.00am and will not leave until gone 5.30pm. This is not to mention the number of late nights such as parents evenings, prospective parent evenings and special events. For those who do leave at 3pm it is usually because of child care commitments which will then see then working well into the evening once the little ones are safely tucked up. 

Surely this is yet another kick in the teeth for the teaching profession, a profession that is already wounded. Some, outside of teaching will claim we get paid well, we have over 12 weeks of holiday a year and have great pensions. Maybe so, but we don't get the big bonuses of the people who got us in this financial mess and we are the ones who are educating the future of today. On the whole teachers are doing a fantastic job but we need to feel we are working in partnership with Ofsted and the government and not in opposition. Speaking as a teacher I know what can be achieved with a child when the school, parents and individual work together in partnership. However I also know the harm that can be done if one doesn't understand the other. This is clearly the case here and if these key issues are not addressed soon then the goodwill of the teaching profession will be lost forever.