ASHFORD MP Damian Green has attacked the Government's plans to let classroom assistants supervise pupils in place of teachers. Mr Green, the Shadow Education Secretary, said parents rightly expected their children to be taught by teachers.

The proposal to let teachers set classwork and then leave pupils in the hands of classroom assistants was unacceptable, he said. Classroom assistants could offer valuable help during a lesson, especially to pupils needing extra guidance, but the teacher should be there all the time.

He was all in favour of classroom sizes being reduced but this was not the way to do it. It would help if the Education Department cut down the amount of administration teachers had to carry out.

Teaching unions have also condemned the idea while commending the work of classroom assistants.