General secretary Mick Brookes prompted a backlash from children'scharities after he made the controversial call at the union's annualconference last week. "Many colleagues welcome the Every Child Mattersagenda - very few were aware that what we were being inveigled into wasthe administration of the national babysitting service," he tolddelegates. "We must have the courage to put progress on hold if itthreatens to further erode the work-life balance of school leaders, andtherefore damages the capacity of the school to fulfil its corepurpose."
It is the first time that a teaching union has publicly suggested theextended schools agenda could be halted. But supporters of extendedschools accused Brookes of painting a misleading picture of teachersworking longer hours to deliver extended services.
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