MUSIC and Welsh provision at one Pembrokeshire primary school could improve as a result of controversial new measures to lighten teachers' workloads.

While some schools have warned that standards could slip because of insufficient cash to back up the new workload agreement, Fenton Community School headteacher Gerallt Rees says he has enough money to improve delivery in some subjects.

Children at the Haverfordwest school will receive music and Welsh tuition from teachers qualified in those subjects, while staff spend 10% of their week planning lessons.

"It is better for teachers qualified in music and Welsh to teach those subjects so I am hoping to raise standards in these areas while my staff will be able to spend 10% of their week planning and assessing,'' said Mr Rees.

But he admits he still has reservations about the new workload agreement. Although he currently has enough money in the budget to pay for this provision, he is unclear how he will fund additional staff in the future.

The Welsh Assembly Government has only allocated schools enough cash to pay for learning support assistants to fill the breach. But Mr Rees believes cash isn't the main issue.

"I don't think it is a question of funding. It is a fact that children will potentially be losing their best teachers for half-a-day every week,'' said Mr Rees.

From September, all teachers will be legally entitled to the 10% 'downtime' for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA).

The agreement is compulsory but the Welsh Assembly Government has not allocated enough cash for all classes to be covered by trained teachers. This means that less-experienced classroom assistants could be left in charge of lessons.

Some headteachers have threatened to defy the agreement or face sacking teachers because the money from the Welsh Assembly is insufficient.

But Mr Rees said it was the job of heads to make the agreement work. Once the money had been delegated, each school had to decide how best to manage its funds, he said.