Workload And Working Time Policy: Extracts from the NUT Guidance For Representatives...

The full document is available on the NTA website. Follow the link from the News Page. (News button is in navigation on left of any NTA web page.

Extracts from NUT teachers’ workload and working time policy – identifying and raising concerns

WORKING TIME: Are directed activities restricted to no more than 1265 hours over the year, with pro-rata restrictions in place for part-time teachers?

WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DUTIES: What steps do you consider members could take to address any problems arising from these issues?

MID-DAY BREAK: Are you allocated a reasonable period of time at mid-day; Are you required during the mid-day break to undertake any duties including attendance at meetings?

PPA TIME: Is allocated PPA time during lesson time; Do teachers with management and leadership responsibilities receive adequate non-contact time to undertake their additional responsibilities?

PLANNING: Are there any problems with unnecessary or excessive requests for planning documents; What steps do you think members could take to address problems arising from these issues?

MEETINGS AND PARENTS EVENING: Does the meetings [including parents' evenings] programme at your school achieve on average no more than one meeting a week?

REPORT ON PUPILS: Are reports on pupils at your school limited to no more than one report on each pupil per academic year?

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS IN ENGLAND (FROM SEPTEMBER 2007): Do you want – no more than three targets per cycle – no more than one lesson observation lasting no more than one hour per cycle – not to make pay progression recommendations on colleagues; What steps do you think members should take to achieve this?

COVER: Do you do more than 38 hours cover per year; Is cover undertaken by teachers at your school displayed on the staff notice board to demonstrate equitable distribution?

INVIGILATION OF EXAMINATIONS: Have you been released from the invigilation of external examinations such as national curriculum tests, GCSE, AS/A2 examinations, mock examinations or other tests requiring alterations to your timetable?

ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS: Do you undertake tasks which do not require your professional skills and the judgement of a qualified teacher; If so what steps should be taken to stop this?

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION IN ENGLAND: In a given academic year do you wish lesson observations to be limited to no more than three hours with each lasting no more than one hour [one of the three devoted to performance management] and at least five working days’ notice for all lesson observations [no drop ins]; What steps are you and your members prepared to take to achieve this?

SCHOOLS CAUSING CONCERN IN ENGLAND: If your school has been designated as causing concerns by OFSTED and members believe that they are being subjected to excessive workload demands, has advice been sought from the NUT London East Regional Office?

CLASS SIZES: Do you have class sizes that exceed NUT policy and the locally agreed Class Size arrangements adopted by your governing body?

Please contact Newham Teachers' Association if you have any questions.

Best Wishes,
Peter Smith

Teachers' Workload And Working Time Policy

The following NUT document has been placed on the NTA website for your convenience.

"Teachers' Workload And Working Time Policy: Identifying Priorities And Raising Concerns............
A Checklist For NUT Representatives."

For access go to the NTA News page of our website (Click button in navigation column on left of the NTA website). The link to the document is in the "Teachers' Workload And Working Time Policy" Section of the News page.

This document is featured in my last Blog. You should already have a personal copy.

Best wishes,
Peter Smith

Workload Campaign - Priorities:

Following the successful outcome of the NUT's workload ballot and the support given by members to the "Teachers' workload and working time" documents, the Union is now seeking to take the campaign forward.

The next stage is to identify the concerns of members and the issues to be raised, school by school.

The document "Identifying Priorites and Raising Concerns - A Checklist For NUT Representatives" provides a checklist to prioritise, with full Union support, workload problems in your school. It suggests how such discussions might be conducted. It relates section by section to the Guidelines document.

The checklist document gives advice about approaching management. It indicates the means through which the NUT will support members in resolving such problems or needs that may be identified.

The NUT suggests that Representatives should:

• Post on the staff noticeboard NUT News 2, to inform your members
• Call a meeting of members to identify issues and concerns
• Use the checklist as a basis for discussion, referring as appropriate to the Union's booklet "Teachers' Workload and Working Time Policy - Guidelines for Representatives"
• Invite members to identify their concerns about workload, working time and work-life balance and prioritise those issues they believe should be pursued further
• Approach the representatives of other teachers' organisations, where members identify issues to determine whether they are shared
• Where NUT members wish to pursue issues further, please follow the detailed guidance set out in the document "Identifying Priorities and Raising Concerns - A Checklist for NUT Representatives

Further advice or information about this campaign is available from your local association or division.

Throughout this campaign the Union has emphasised that reducing teachers' working hours, removing excessive and unnecessary workload and gaining a better work-life balance for teachers will be good for teachers, their families and the children in our schools.

With the support of the NUT, you and your colleagues can achieve those goals in your school.

The content of this posting on the blog is taken from the NUT'sLetter To NUT Representatives 16/01/07. All NUT Representatives should have had a copy. If you didn't, please report the matter.

Best wishes,
Peter Smith