NAHT Northern Ireland has welcomed the publication of the Independent Review of Teacher Workload, thanking the review panel for its thorough engagement with the profession and its clear recognition of the challenges faced by school leaders and teachers.

Dr Graham Gault, national secretary of NAHT NI, said: “We commend the panel for the depth and integrity of this review. It reflects the lived reality of school leaders and teachers who have been operating under unsustainable pressures for far too long.

"This report is not just a set of observations; it is a roadmap for change. The recommendations within it must now be used to urgently address the systemic pressures that have created the industrial unrest which led to this review.”

The union stressed that the publication of the report must mark the beginning of decisive action, not the end of the conversation.

Joanne Whyte, the NAHT Northern Ireland president said: “On behalf of school leaders, we are calling on the  minister to consider this report in full and, early in the New Year, to draw up clear timeframes for the delivery of its recommendations.

"These measures must bring tangible improvements to the working lives of school leaders, making the role sustainable for those currently serving and attractive for future recruitment into this vital part of our public service.”

Dr Gault emphasised that the stakes are high, adding: "School leadership is the cornerstone of educational success.

"If we fail to act now, we risk losing experienced leaders and deterring the next generation from stepping into these roles.

"The recommendations in this report provide a real opportunity to reverse that trend, but only if they are implemented with ambition and urgency.”