Enshrined in the Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document is the statement that, from September '09, teachers should only rarely cover for other colleagues. This is a significant step forward from the current limit of 38 hours a year.

The STPCD also says that schools should set their own interim targets in order to ensure this objective is met. This should mean that each school plans to reduce the limit from 38 hours during this year, and to make further reductions from September 2008, so that from 2009 rarely covering is a reality.