Head teachers attack new child protection rules

London: Teachers' leaders representing almost 45,000 schools have written to the government to object to new child protection rules they say will stop language exchange programmes and deter parent-helpers.

In a letter to the children's secretary, Ed Balls, seven associations spanning state and private schools warn that new requirements to vet anyone who works or applies to work with children on a voluntary or paid basis are "disproportionate" and will not stop some paedophiles.

From November next year, under the Home Office's Vetting and Barring scheme, schools will have to ensure that anyone who could come into contact with their pupils has been registered and vetted.

The seven bodies say this will stop language exchanges altogether, because it will not be possible to vet overseas families who host British pupils.

They argue that the rules will reduce the number of outside speakers prepared to come to give assemblies because they will have to go through the "excessive bureaucracy" of the vetting process.

Parents who help out with drama productions, fundraising and school trips will also be affected.

The requirement, recommended by the inquiry into the murders of two girls by the school caretaker Ian Huntley in Soham in 2002, will reduce opportunities for children to take part in after-school sports, work experience, community work and Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. It will also make it difficult for schools to employ emergency plumbers and dinnerladies.

The associations include the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of School and College Leaders.