NAHT NI urges swift implementation of teacher-workload reforms

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) in Northern Ireland has called for the recommendations of the Independent Review of Teacher Workload to be implemented early in the New Year, warning that school leaders and teachers cannot continue to operate under current pressures.  

The review, which was published late last week (28 November), sets out 27 recommendations aimed at reducing administrative demands, strengthening professional autonomy and improving support for school leaders .

National secretary of NAHT Northern Ireland, Dr Graham Gault, welcomed the report’s “depth of integrity” and its recognition of the strain within schools.

Dr Gault said: “We commend the panel for the depth and integrity of this review. It reflects the lived reality of school leaders and teachers who have been operating under unsustainable pressures for far too long.

“This report is not just a set of observations; it is a roadmap for change. The recommendations within it must now be used to urgently address the systemic pressures that have created the industrial unrest which led to this review.”

The union believes the publication must mark the beginning of decisive action rather than conclude the debate on workload reform.

According to the trade body’s president Joanne Whyte, ministers must “consider this report in full” and set out a timetable for delivery of the recommendations early in 2026. 

Whyte said: “These measures must bring tangible improvements to the working lives of school leaders, making the role sustainable for those currently serving and attractive for future recruitment into this vital part of our public service.”

The review highlights rising administrative demands, the volume of assessment and tracking, and the burden associated with managing parental complaints, Special Educational Needs provision, and staff issues. It warns that excessive workload has eroded teachers’ professional agency and contributed to long-running industrial tensions.

Dr Gault added: “School leadership is the cornerstone of educational success. If we fail to act now, we risk losing experienced leaders and deterring the next generation from stepping into these roles.

“The recommendations in this report provide a real opportunity to reverse that trend, but only if they are implemented with ambition and urgency.”