TEACHERS' union leaders have come under fire from a head who says her name was included on a list of protesters without her permission.

Heather Jamison, head at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, today denied she had joined eight other heads to condemn government plans to introduce performance related pay.

And she says she agrees with many of the proposals put forward by the government, unlike the other eight teachers who came forward under the banner of the National Union of Teachers.

She said: "I can only think this has come from a private conversation I had with somebody from the NUT which has been misunderstood.

"I was certainly very surprised to find my name included on the list and so were my staff and governors."

Mrs Jamison said her views differ from the other eight heads because she thinks better teachers should be paid more.

But she also believes that teachers who prove they are in the top bracket of the profession should not then be taken away from their school to be placed in a school which is doing less well.

The statement issued by the teachers, and supported by the NUT was entitled "Headteacher Speak Out" and rejected performance related pay.

East Lancashire NUT representative Simon Jones was unavailable for comment.

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