Teachers' contracts are set for a radical overhaul by ministers despite opposition from trade unions.

David Miliband signalled today that he is pressing ahead with plans which will allow classroom assistants to take lessons in some situations.

He also unveiled proposals for a shorter four-and-a-half day working week for teachers.

Forum Response: GMB

John Edmonds, general secretary of the GMB, told ePolitix.com: "Expectations following the signing of the new government education agreement are high amongst teaching assistants and nursery nurses. But if they are to be the solution to reducing teacher workloads, there needs to be reform to pay, conditions and training for these hidden professionals.

"Nursery nurses and teaching assistants are absolutely committed to playing their part in delivering high quality education but they are frustrated and angered at not being recognised for their contribution.

"They are the hidden professionals that provide the backbone of the education system and it is time that we all recognise them. The service that they provide is well beyond a mum's army.

"I hope that we are finally laying the foundations to achieve long overdue recognition and understanding of the role that nursery nurses and teaching assistants bring to education."

Forum Response: NUT

Doug McAvoy, general secretary of the NUT, said: "The description of the role of higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs) given in the Department for Education and Skills press release suggests little has changed. It was always intended that HLTAs would work under the direction and supervision of a qualified teacher.

"The key issue is whether and to what extent the HLTA is responsible for whole class teaching. The government's insistence on this was one of the reasons for the NUT refusing to sign the agreement on January 15. The NUT continues to believe that pupils should be taught only by qualified teachers or by those following courses leading to qualified teachers status.

"If the detail shows that HLTAs are to have responsibility for and therefore can be used as a substitute for teachers, the other teacher organisations will have signed away the professional status of teachers.

"They will have facilitated the use of HLTAs as a cheap option, to the detriment of children's education; a cheap option likely to be used because of the present inadequate funding causing threats of teacher redundancies round the country."

Forum Response: Professional Association of Teachers

Jean Gemmell, general secretary of PAT, told ePolitix.com: "We welcome this consultation and urge our members to participate in it.

"The National Agreement is backed by unions representing the vast majority of teachers and support staff. It represents the first major change in teachers' contracts of employment for many years. We are convinced that these changes will benefit the working lives of all our members.

"The phased introduction of the changes proposed under the Agreement will be overseen by the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group, on which PAT plays an active part in shaping the detail of the remodelling process.

"We know from our teacher members that excessive workload is the major concern that they have. This feeling is backed up by the results of several research studies which cite workload and pupil behaviour as the top reasons for teachers leaving or wanting to leave the profession.

"PAT works continually to improve the conditions of service of its members. Even before the publication of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report we were pressing for the issue of teacher workload to be addressed.

"The achievement of a contractual right to non-contact time and the right to a work/life balance have been part of PAT's strategic policy for a long time. We believe that the National Agreement offers significant advantages for the Whole Team who work in schools."