Tories urge changes for heads to sack weak teachers

And he urged heads to tell him what rules they feel needed to be changed to allow schools to dismiss weak teachers quicker.

In a speech to the NEEC (formerly the North of England Education Conference) in York today, Mr Gove said there were currently rules in place which prevented school leaders from knowing what was going on in the classroom.

"Headteachers can only spend three hours a year watching a current qualified teacher going about their work," he said.

"That personally seems completely wrong.

"The whole point of teaching should be an open and collaborative process, with those who have experience helping those who are learning to improve their craft."

Speaking after, he said there should be "no limit on formal

observation". He said: "In my view, absolutely, there should be

no restriction on the capacity of heads and heads of department to observe what's going on in order to raise standards.

"One reason we want a reform of Ofsted is to give the opportunity to allow more observation by inspectors."

In order to formally observe a teacher, a head must give the member of staff notice, and inform them what areas of teaching will be observed.

Heads can observe lessons informally.

Headteachers are responsible for what goes on in their school, and "live or die" as a result of that, so they should have the capacity to observe, Mr Gove said.

A York primary head with 14 years' experience in senior leadership roles, Tracey Ralph, told Mr Gove that Ministers needed to look at changing procedures for sacking weak teachers.

She said: "In industry the mechanism for moving on, or to be honest sacking people who aren't performing in the private sector in industry, they are quick and efficient and in my experience the mechanism for actually taking a qualified teacher through capability or disciplinary to the point of dismissal is enormously lengthy and cumbersome."

Mr Gove replied: "I am anxious to hear from headteachers on what they would like to see changed in competency procedures."