HEAD teachers in Blackburn and Darwen have joined forces to fight government plans to introduce performance related pay.

Nine heads from the borough have issued a joint statement entitled "Headteachers Speak Out" condemning the proposals and calling for a boycott of a new appraisal system which is linked to proposed new pay structures.

Seven of the heads are from the National Union of Teachers which has warned that there may be industrial action in Britain's schools over the government policies.

Brian Peacock of Intack Primary School, Alison Taylor of Cedars Infant School, Janet Knight of Meadowhead Junior School, John Orgill of Hawthorns Junior School, Anita Abrams of Blackamoor Special School, Jill Catlow of the Ethnic Minority Achievement Project, Elizabeth Beaumont of Sacred Heart RC Primary School, Glen Purchase of Meadhowhead Infant School, Heather Jamison of Pleckgate High School are the teachers behind the statement. They say: "We reject completely any notion of performance related pay or any pay system based on pupil results, because this will divide rather than unite staff and can never lead to school improvement.

"We deplore the derisory and divisive pay award for classroom teachers and believe that every teacher deserves a substantial pay rise." Lancashire NUT secretary Simon Jones said he was proud the teachers had stated their opposition to what he sees as a "Victorian" system of payment by results.

He added: "I have visited many schools in recent weeks and have been amazed at the hostility to the government's ill thought out proposals.

"There is a genuine outrage at the plans to link pay with pupils' results, to impose an annual MOT on teachers and to compel them to undertake professional development in their own time and at their own expense."

Blackburn and Darwen teachers are likely to take part in a protest at the houses of parliament on March 24 and will be balloted soon about the boycott of the proposed appraisal system.

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