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Michael Gove: heads must intervene earlier to root out bad teachers.

Head teachers must intervene earlier to root out bad teachers, Michael Gove, the education secretary said today as he announced tough new powers for schools.

From Septembr head teachers will be allowed to sack the worst-performing staff in just a term – rather than a year – as part of sweeping reforms being announced today.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4 today, Mr Gove said: "If the alarm bells are ringing and the red lights are flashing it used to take a year but we are now concertinaing it.

"I think head teachers should intervene earlier. I don't think anyone wants to terminate someone's employment unless it's necessary."

When asked if a teacher whose class does not improve will be "in the firing line", he replied: "Yes."

Mr Gove added: "It's their responsibility to ensure that children behave and that children succeed."

Earlier he told the Telegraph: "You wouldn’t tolerate an underperforming surgeon in an operating theatre, or a underperforming midwife at your child’s birth.

"Why is it that we tolerate underperforming teachers in the classroom? Teachers themselves know if there’s a colleague who can’t keep control or keep the interest of their class, it affects the whole school.

"Children themselves know they are being cheated. Ultimately we owe it to our children. They are in school for 190 days a year. Every moment they spend learning is precious. If a year goes by and they are not being stretched and excited, that blights their life. We have got to think of what’s in the children’s interests first."

Mr Gove hit back at criticism by the unions that the new rules would create a 'bully's charter' for unethical heads who want to get rid of troublesome or challenging staff.

"At every stage there's an opportunity for teachers to be represented and for a fair judgement to be made.

"Nothing matters more than the quality of time children spend interacting with a good teacher."

Controversial rules restricting the amount of time heads can observe teachers in the classroom will be axed to give schools more freedom to monitor staff.

In a further move, the Government will announce that all teachers will be assessed against rigorous new teaching standards every year to ensure performance is being maintained and measures will be introduced to stop poor teachers being “recycled” from school to school.

Ministers claim the reforms – being introduced from September this year – will create a “simpler and faster system to deal with teachers who are struggling”.

It follows the publication of official figures showing that just 17 staff in England have been struck off for incompetence in a decade.

But the proposals sparked outrage among teachers’ leaders who branded the changes “draconian”.

The NASUWT union said members would “oppose these changes vigorously”, suggesting that activists may resort to industrial action to prevent them being introduced.

Read more at The Telegraph website.