Category: Information for Members

Health and Safety Reps

• A well-attended training event took place in June. Topics included asbestos, safety on social media, pupil risk assessment, stress and violence.

School Representatives Training

• A well-attended training event took place in August. Topics included WTA, managing workload, stress and absence management.

Pension Briefings

• An update of the 2015 pension changes and their implications have been arranged in Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Perth, Stirling, Edinburgh, Troon, Dundee and Fife . Other venues to be added see ssta.org.uk
• The new scheme allows teachers to make arrangements to reduce the age of retirement to 65 or by a maximum of 3 years. However, it needs to begin within 6 months of entering the scheme. Teachers born after 1 October 1965 need to make the decision by 1 October 2015. Those born between 1 April 1962 and 30 September 1965 have a sliding deadline view here

First Minister and Cabinet Secretary

• ‘Closing the Gap’ – increased funding for Early Years, the introduction of standardised tests, student support through EMAs, and the introduction of Attainment Advisors in all local authorities. view here
• SSTA seeks additional resources for Secondary Schools, which includes increasing the number and training of Guidance and ASN Teachers.
• SSTA emphasised the need for collaboration of schools and support services to work together and support all pupils to reach their full potential
• SSTA to propose a range of measures for secondary schools to meet the challenge

Education Scotland

• SSTA returned to the CfE Management Board. Next meeting in September.
• Review of the Inspection Process for implementation in the autumn 2017. New arrangements to be trialled from September 2015.
• How Good is Our School (HIGIOS)? To be relaunched 23 September. SSTA met with officials in June as part of the review

‘Named Person’

• SSTA issued a Fact Sheet to advise members of the potential changes
• Government working with the SSTA in developing the guidance view here

SQA – New Qualifications

• Acknowledgement of the commitment of SSTA members in the delivery and improvements in qualifications in August 2015.
• The SSTA met with the SQA in June and raised issues identified in the SSTA survey including bureaucracy, verification processes, information on website and training. Next meeting in September
• A major concern is the value and excesses of the internal assessment regime
• A survey of members to be undertaken in February 2016

General Teaching Council Scotland

• The GTCS has been asked to make provisions for Further Education Lecturers and has celebrated its 50^th year in June
• SSTA has met with GTCS on the process/stages of the complaints procedure

Professional Update

• The guidance materials for Senior Managers has been issued by the Senior Mangers Advisory Panel was well received View here
• PU focus group meeting to discuss personal CPD entitlement and the reduction of the administrative procedures (still a major concern)

Scottish Parent Teachers Council

• The SPTC is piloting a programme to increase parental involvement in secondary schools

Scottish Trades Union Congress

• Campaign launched to oppose the changes in trade union laws in Scotland

Supply Teachers

• SSTA to campaign to restore pay levels and the introduction of a National Register for supply teacher view here

Working Time Agreements

• Salaries Conditions of Service Committee issued updated guidance on Working Time Agreements
• SSTA to advise members to adhere to the WTA in resisting the increasing demands being placed upon them

Absence Management

• Guidance has been issued to members on the process
• Increasing examples received of schools using the procedure to ‘bully’ teachers. guidance has been issued to members on the process
• SSTA advocating a review in LAs to produce a fair and supportive procedure

Workload

The Curriculum for Excellence Working Group on Tackling Bureaucracy Follow-up Report published in March 2015

• Assessment should be based on professional judgement. Tracking pupil progress and moderation is important; however there is no need for large folios of evidence to support it.
• Forward Planning should be proportionate; there is NO need to plan, assess, record or report every experience and outcome. Planning should support professional dialogue rather than to fulfil an audit function
• Monitoring and Reporting –ICT planning and reporting systems should be used with CAUTION. Just because such systems can support very detailed planning and reporting, does not mean they should be used in that way.
• Self-Evaluation and Planning – over-reliance on audit “tick box” distracts from quality teaching and learning.
• SSTA guidance to be issued to members.
  

Salaries

• The Managements offer of 1.5% for 2015 and a further 1% in 2016 is likely to be agreed but union side is seeking a restoration of supply teacher pay rates and guarantees on teacher numbers. View here
• Increasing concern over the movement away from Principal Teacher system to a Faculty structure and protecting subject specialism,
• SSTA is to develop a new career structure to encourage more teachers to remain in the classroom.

Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) 29-30 June

• OECD Working Group on Education, Training and Employment Policy
• Innovative Teaching for Effective Learning: Progress Report on OECD activity (final international report Dec 2016)
• The OECD Skills Outlook 2015 http://skills.oecd.org/skillsoutlook.htm
• Skills and Wage Inequality oecd.org/els/social www.oecd.org/els/newsletter
• TALIS 2013 Impact upon education policies and future developments. Views of teachers next survey 2018 oecd.org/talis
• Education Marketers: Corporate involvement in Education (e.g. Pearson)
• PISA for Development An initiative to enhance PISA. Concern raised about the focus upon assessment (testing) as a way of developing an education system.
• OECD Review of Policies to Improve the Effectiveness of Resource Use in Schools

British Irish Group of Teacher Unions (BIGTU) 8 June

• Teacher Workload a common issue across the BIGTU region. Agreement   reached to compile information on terms and conditions for teachers in each education sector in each jurisdiction. SSTA agreed to undertake a survey and collate the information.
• Internal Assessment TUI/ASTI dispute following a government decision to replace external examination with internal assessment at Junior Certificate (15 to 16 year olds). Following industrial action an agreement has been reached with the Irish Government. See tui.ie/
• Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)
• Resolution at World Congress EI (UCU/IFUT) opposition for education to be included in international trade agreements. ‘Stop TTIP and other similar Trade and investment Agreements (1.13)
• England – new government. Education Bill – no opposition to conversion and sponsorship of schools (underperforming and ‘coasting’ schools) out of LA control into Academies.
• Northern Ireland – The refusal to implement welfare reforms and set a budget is putting the NI Assembly at risk. The uncertainty is impacting upon on schools and staff and anticipating further cuts in education
• Republic of Ireland – Health and child-care will big issues in the forth-coming election. Education needs to raise its profile in the coming months. Public sector looking at pay increases in 2016 and 2017. This follows a 5 year period of serious cuts in pay and increased pension contributions.

 

 

The SSTA wishes to gauge members’ opinions on the implementation of the Professional Update Process. Emails are being sent out to members today with links to the survey. Members who have not received an email should contact the SSTA office with details of their email address.

The information we collect will provide a snapshot of how the process is being implemented and will be helpful in our discussions with the GTCS and local authorities.

 

The link in the email is uniquely tied to this survey and your email address and should only be used by you .If you are having difficulties getting the link to work you should try the following:

• copying and pasting the full link into the address bar at the top of your internet browser.
• if the link appears over 2 lines copy the link into a document and edit the link to appear on one line. Copy and paste this into the address bar at the top of your internet browser.
• some local authority IT policies block access to the SurveyMonkey website. You can try accessing the survey outside of school.

Printable Version

The following represent the most commonly asked questions relating to the 35 hour working week and the contractual matters associated with Working Time Agreements.

Q1. How are teachers’ contractual duties determined?

They are shown in the SNCT Handbook Part 2: Section 2 – Main Duties

Q2. Can the duties be varied at school level e.g. by the insertion of such a variation in a school Working Time Agreement (WTA)?

No.

Q3. Can the duties be amended at District (authority) level?

Only if the SNCT approves the amendment.

Q4. How much time is contractually available for the duties?

35 hours in any full teaching week. If the week contains a teacher holiday the time available for contractual duties during that week is reduced on a pro-rata basis. Teacher holidays are best allowed for by regarding the teacher as having worked a normal timetable on the holiday.

Q5. Some schools seem to use a 38 week year and others a 39. Which is correct?

The difference between the two are the five in-service days. It is probably better to assume a 38 week year and hence contracted time would be 1330 hours per year. The five in-service days then do not count towards the 1330 hours. There should still be discussion as to the format and use of the in-service days.

Q6. How are the 35 hours distributed?

By the drawing up of an agreement at school level following negotiation (not simply “consultation”) within the School Negotiating Committee (SNC). A school calendar is a very useful addition to the formal agreement.

Q7. How is the staff’s consent obtained?

Either by a free vote of staff (best undertaken by the use of a secret ballot) or by the teachers’ side indicating their consent on behalf of the teaching staff at a meeting of the SNC.

Q8. What happens if an agreement can’t be reached?

The matter is referred to the Local Negotiating Committee for Teachers (LNCT). If the LNCT has previously produced a framework agreement, a “failure to agree” situation is less likely to occur.

Q9. Can the headteacher impose an agreement?

No.

Q10. Can a WTA be established by the headteacher asking staff to “approve last year’s agreement unless I hear from you”?

No. The SNC must meet in order to ratify any agreement.

Q11. Does the SSTA see the necessity for members to count the 35 hours to the minute every week?

Most definitely not. It should not be and is not necessary in most schools.

Q12. When might such a situation arise?

This approach may require to be adopted if a school’s senior management adopts any practice which is contrary to the terms of national agreements or where the professionalism of members is being attacked in any way. It is worth noting that schools which have successful Staff Liaison Committees have fewer problems in this area. It is useful if members seek further advice from the General Secretary if they are contemplating such action.

Q13. What should happen if it is recognised that a school’s WTA is not able to meet the demands being placed on teacher’s time?

The SNC should reconvene. (An SNC should in any event meet regularly to review matters.) The WTA may be amended but only by the express agreement of staff. It is valuable, of course, that any WTA contains an element of “flexibility time” to deal with unexpected contingencies. Members are entitled to view the school calendar for the current term as a settled issue.

Q14. Are there any contractual duties for unpromoted teachers which are not shown in the school WTA?

No. If a teacher carries out any work relating to a matter not covered in the WTA, by definition that work is non-contractual and hence is voluntary. All main grade duties (as defined in the SNCT Handbook Part 2: Section 2 – Main Duties) must be allowed for in the school WTA.

Q15. Are there any contractual duties for Principal Teachers not shown in the school WTA?

No. See the answer above.

Q16. What happens if a Principal Teacher does not have enough time for all management duties? Do these duties remain?

No. “Duties” exist only insofar as there is time available to complete them. If the time is not available, the low priority work is no longer contractual. For this reason it is all the more important that the demands placed on Principal Teachers (and unpromoted staff) are realistic and capable of being completed within the 35 hour week.

Q17. It has been suggested that teachers on sick leave (especially Principal Teachers) still have their contractual duties to complete on return to school. Is this true?

This is absolute nonsense. The work, including management tasks, should have been completed by someone else during the teacher’s absence.

Q18. There is much reference to Principal Teachers’ “Management Time”. Does this time actually exist?

It must be stated clearly that all teachers can be asked to teach classes up to the limit of 22.5 hours imposed by national agreement. In the past it has generally been that Principal Teachers are given time for “management” duties by having a reduced timetabled commitment. There is really no other mechanism to provide such time.

Q19. Can Principal Teachers be given formal “management time”?

This might happen but is exceptionally unlikely for those Principal Teachers who have anything approaching a normal timetabled commitment. If “management time” is to exist, it must like all other time be accounted for in the school WTA. It is easily seen that Principal Teachers cannot undertake normal class teaching, have the usual preparation and correction time and for there to be time remaining to permit a formal allowance of “management time”. Many local agreements on cover make mention of “management time”. Hence many school based statements on the application of the cover policy will make provision to protect “management time” from class cover calls.

Q20. Is it possible for there to be a different WTA for Principal Teachers?

It is common for the time required for “Principal Teachers’ Meetings” to be shown as a discrete item on a WTA. Unpromoted staff would have this time accounted for in a different manner. It is, however, unusual to write a separate WTA for Principal Teachers.

Q21. What happens when an individual teacher finds that his/her workload cannot be completed within the 35 hours?

If additional time needed is significant, the teacher should see the headteacher to permit discussion of necessary arrangements to be made to solve the problem. This might mean that duties are prioritised to the extent that some are not completed by the teacher.

Q22. What causes such situations?

These problems commonly arise if
a).    an individual teacher has a large number of pupil reports to complete (perhaps being the sole teacher of a subject);
b).    a teacher has a significantly heavy upper school commitment in a subject which uses a large amount of time for internal SQA work;
c).    there have been heavy demands on a teacher to provide cover for absent teachers.

Q23. How are the contractual obligations of part-time teachers defined?

The general contractual obligation is on a pro-rata basis. However, the duties must be capable of being performed on days on which the part time teacher is contractually committed to attend (with the exception of Parents’ Evenings). It should be noted that many jobshare agreements require both jobshare partners to attend on all in-service days. Additional duties shown on a WTA must be carried out by part-time staff at times end on to their working blocks. This may mean part-time staff undertaking their contracted duties at different times from full-time staff.

Q24. How can I obtain further advice?

Your school representative may assist but only in terms of providing or explaining the school WTA; (this person may, in fact, be our negotiator rather than the school representative).

Any member requiring advice as to the interpretation of a WTA should contact the General Secretary.

Printable Version

School Rep Bulletin – Working Time Agreements

1. Introduction

Since 2006 the pupil contact time for secondary teachers in Scotland has been limited to a maximum of 22.5 hours per week. Teachers are contracted to work for 35 hours per week. Part 2 Section 3.9 the SNCT handbook states that:

“An allowance of no less than one third of the teacher’s actual class contact commitment is provided for preparation and correction. The use of remaining time will be subject to agreement at school level within LNCT guidelines, based on the Code of Practice on Working Time Arrangements (see Appendix 2.76).”

SNCT Part 2: appendix 2.7 Code of Practice on Working Time Arrangements for Teachers states that:

“Each educational establishment will prepare an annual programme of activities, which require the involvement of teachers. In each school, teachers will agree the range of collective activities contributing to the wider life of the school on a collegiate basis. The use of the remaining time (that is, time beyond the combined class contact and preparation/correction allowance) will be subject to agreement at school level and will be planned to include a range of activities, such as:

• additional time for preparation and correction;
• parents meetings;
• staff meetings;
• preparation of reports, records etc;
• forward planning;
• formal assessment;
• professional review and development;
• curriculum development;
• additional supervised pupil activity; and
• Career-Long Professional Learning.

The individual and collective work of teachers should be capable of being undertaken within the 35 hour working week.”

The activities listed above should be discussed by School WTA Negotiating Committees (SNCs) and time allocated to each element in individual School Working Time Agreements (WTAs).

The time commonly called “collegiate time” for secondary teachers is 35 – (22.5 + 7.5) = 5 hours per week. Hence the annual time is 38 x 5 hours equating to 190 hours. The figure of 38 is used rather than 39 because the 39 week teaching year includes 5 in-service days.

It should be noted that “collegiate” time (sometimes mistakenly called “directed” time) is a matter for agreement at school level; it is not under the direction of the headteacher and/or the authority. To regard it as “directed” time would be to the significant disadvantage of SSTA members, teachers generally and the education service as a whole.

It is stressed that a written WTA must exist for every school, that each WTA is subject to scrutiny by the relevant LNCT and that the LNCT can require that errors and or omissions in any WTA are corrected. The following advice is therefore offered with regard to the negotiation of WTAs.

2. General

2.1 The Composition of School Negotiation Committees: SNCs must be set up on the basis that the teacher unions alone determine the composition of the teachers’ side. Membership of the teachers’ side should be in proportion to the relevant memberships of the unions operating in the school. It is strongly advised that there are no attempts made to exclude from membership of an SNC any teaching union represented on the SNCT and operating in the school even where the union represents only one member. There are potentially legal implications in this area which the Association would wish to avoid. It is the Association view that WTAs should be generally approved by the teaching staff on the basis of a secret ballot. The extent to which individual unions are represented on an SNC is not relevant in any terms of “voting”. For the avoidance of doubt, the SSTA should not accept the establishment of any SNC which includes teachers who are seen as “representatives” of non-union teachers. Similarly any attempt by management to appoint or have appointed to SNCs teachers as “Representatives” of specific grades of teachers (e.g. “Principal Teacher Representative”) should be firmly resisted and any failure by management to accept this point should be regarded as a failure to agree. The matter would then be referred to the LNCT. It is worth noting that non-union members are not represented on LNCTs or the SNCT. (An employer may make any arrangements it chooses to consult such teachers but the views presented to the employer should carry such weight as the employer determines. Such consultation would be outwith existing mechanisms.)

2.2 Chairing SNC Meetings: There would appear in certain schools to be an assumption that the headteacher should chair the SNC. This should be resisted and where it occurs, the assumption should be challenged. The position should rotate. If the headteacher has (without formal agreement) held the post for the last three years, it is suggested that the teachers’ side hold the chair for a similar period.

2.3 Submission to the LNCT: As stated above, all proposed WTAs must be submitted to the LNCT for its comment and approval. No WTA is operable until this has been done.

2.4 Monitoring the Agreement: SNCs have a duty to do more than simply draw up the WTA. Regular meetings of the SNC must be scheduled (during normal school time i.e. the 35 hours) to permit discussion of any problems identified by either management or teachers.

3. Specific WTA issues

The chief task of an SNC is to draw up the WTA. A WTA must specify the amount of time to be allocated to each of the contractual tasks identified in SNCT Part 2: appendix 2.7 (noted above). Specific advice relating to the timings is given below. It is strongly recommended that the WTA is accompanied by an agreed calendar of events. This allows precise calculation of the hours involved in each item contained within the WTA and is therefore most useful in preventing disputes as to how many hours teachers have worked.

3.1 Additional preparation and correction time: This is perhaps the most difficult issue to quantify. Variations do exist both within schools and between schools as to the amount of such time required by teachers. There can be no doubt, however, that current trends in the curriculum place significant demands on teacher time. This should be a minimum of 40 hours.

3.2 Formal assessment: As with the previous item, there can be no doubt that current initiatives result in an increase in the time required for this element. It should include allowance for all time spent on external assessment. It should be noted that this would include not simply the correction but related administrative time. Such assessments include (but are not restricted to) prelim examinations which may be used in support of Special Consideration for SQA exams, NABs, internal assessment for national qualifications and any other assessments carried out under the auspices of an external awarding body. It is clear that the amounts of time required by teachers for this task varies considerably across subjects and is highly dependent on classes taught. However, a reasonable estimate towards the higher end of the range is necessary to ensure that the concept of a WTA remains valid. It is this item which has caused the greatest difficulty for a significant number of teachers. Complaints that insufficient time has been allocated are common. The SSTA therefore recommends that a figure of at least 40 hours is now adopted.

3.3 Preparation of reports, records etc: A reasonable assessment of how long is required to prepare and complete each individual report (even where this is only one to two minutes) needs to take place. It is also worth noting that the tasks of collating, copying and sending reports to parents and carers fall into the category of “Administrative and other non-teaching duties” and are dealt with by the Statement On Teacher Professionalism in Part 2: Appendix 2.6 of the SNCT Handbook:

“Teachers will not be asked to undertake administrative and non-teaching duties which are generally undertaken by support staff.”

3.4 Curriculum development: It is generally observed that most schools can only allow up to five hours for this item. Major curriculum development work remains work for seconded teachers.

3.5 Continuous professional development: It should be noted that this is in addition to the 35 hours of CPD which all teachers are contractually committed to.

3.6 Additional supervised pupil activity: This is likely to be a statement that recognition is given to the wide range of voluntary activities undertaken by teachers.

3.7 Staff meetings: These include all meetings staff are required to attend both within and outwith the pupil day. It is generally advised that such meetings are not scheduled for intervals or lunch breaks. The DM time must therefore be counted regardless of whether the DM is held during or outwith the pupil day. Members are advised to ensure that DMs do not over-run the allocated time.

3.8 Parents’ meetings: Time needs to be set aside to allow preparation for the meetings as well as the actual meetings. This may include, for example, looking out pupil work and setting it in order, making notes on each pupil to share with parents and carers, and discussion with colleagues where classes are shared.

3.9 Flexibility factor: Many schools have included this item. It leaves perhaps 5 to 10 hours available for contingencies. If the figure arrived at significantly exceeds this amount, it can only be because certain essential items are missing from the proposed WTA. The whole WTA should be re-examined in such cases.

4. Agreements and failures to agree

As indicated above, the best method whereby teaching staff ratify a school WTA is by a secret ballot conducted and counted jointly by the staff and the management sides. If, however, the WTA is to be ratified by a decision of the School Negotiating Committee, a meeting of SSTA members should be held to indicate that a draft WTA be ratified.

Any failure to reach an agreement should be referred to the LNCT which should have mechanisms to deal with such eventualities.

The existence of a WTA and the contracted 35 hour working week does not mean that the SSTA advises its members that they should rigidly operate a 35 hour week. The Association represents members of a profession and the Association’s own research clearly indicates that teachers generally work well beyond 40 hours per week. This stance, however, can only apply where the Association remains convinced that the school management or authority negotiates and operates on the basis of the importance and contractual validity of the 35 hour week. Statements from the Joint Chairs of the SNCT relating to “collegiality” which carry the Association’s full support are of significant relevance in this regard. Where management ignore the terms of the WTA or operates in a manner totally at odds with the definition of collegiality, the Association will advise members as to appropriate action.

Further information and guidance on WTAs and related issues are always available from the General Secretary.