ABSTRACT
'Capping' was a clever way of bringing a high-spending authority to its knees. It was slow but relentless, like medieval thumbscrews, making the Inner London Education Authority appear to be harming children's education. Headteachers in London were strongly in support of the teachers' right to a decent salary, but we were also determined to minimise the damage to children's education caused by the teachers' action. The Inner London Teachers Association (ILTA) was very influential and determined to retain its considerable power. This was never controlled by either the national union or the ILEA, which meant that industrial action continued in London, with teachers withholding goodwill and refusing to cover for absent colleagues for much longer than in other parts of the country. The abolition of the ILEA appeared to be part of the larger agenda of central control. The Teacher Training Agency has asked schools to help to recruit people to the teaching profession.
