A NEW wave of industrial action could soon be hitting schools in Oxfordshire.

The news comes after members of the biggest teaching union decided to ballot members on a one-week work to rule in the autumn term.

The National Union of Teachers, which is holding its annual conference in Blackpool, agreed an 11-point charter detailing minimum standards of employment.

These include a minimum working year, a maximum class size of 30 and attending no more than one meeting a week.

Oxfordshire NUT spokesman Roy Leach said if the action went ahead, it was likely that members in the county would adopt points in the charter members considered relevant to them during the week of action. But he played down fears of disruption saying: "The description of strikes and mayhem is misleading. It will be up to Oxfordshire members to identify things they see as being the most important."

The NUT is also planning to join forces with the NASUWT for a parallel campaign protesting at the unnecessary bureaucracy in teachers' jobs.

Teachers are likely to refuse to carry out certain administrative tasks such as unnecessary paper work.

Mr Leach added: "It's industrial action but not as we know it. This action will have no detrimental effect on pupils and parents who won't notice it's happening - it was a very moderate conference."

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