Directed Time

[Guest]

I am the team leader for a foundation stage unit in a school and am looking at staffing for next year. Obviously with the 3 hour sessions the amount of directed teaching time would be 30 hours. If this were reduced by 3 hours ppa (10%) and she was given 3/4 hour daily to run clubs i.e. not directed time but not having to run these after school taking teaching time down to 23.15 hours. Then she could be asked to attend only relevant staff meetings and planning meetings would this be ok relative to the rest of school if we made theirs equivalent?

 

I am trying to think of ways around this has any body got an ideas or examples of what they are doing?

 

Thank you

[Guest]

Isn't this a nightmare! How does what you want to do fit in with the 1265 hours for teachers - these are still with us are they not? Alot of these hours were for contingency purposes - a good idea is to look at the websites of the various union bodies to see what they are promoting - check out what union your person is in and have a look!

 

Let me know if you sort it - same for me too, but more so the tight turn around times we will have because our school day is shorter due to a short lunch time and parents will want all their children at the same time at the end of the day.... aagh

 

Jenni

[AnonyMouse_73]

If this were reduced by 3 hours ppa (10%) and she was given 3/4 hour daily to run clubs i.e. not directed time but not having to run these after school taking teaching time down to 23.15 hours.

 

I am trying to think of ways around this has any body got an ideas or examples of what they are doing?

 

Thank you

 

Hi badger

I am not quite clear on this above bit about not running clubs.. is she currently running clubs within that 30 hours or on top? Im obviously having that Sunday morning feeling. I think its really tricky to expect the nursery teacher to work longer hours than anyone else in the school and I know some members have found ways around this through their lunch times being covered by others.

You do need to remember that PPA is still directed time even though not teaching time and so if you reduce that in your count, you need to also do that for the rest of the staff (so if a normal school week is say 25 hours contact and they have 2.5 hours PPA, then their teaching time is actually only 22.5 hours, so your nursery teacher is still contact for more hours)

 

I agree that looking at the unions advice is a good one, as it consulting with the teacher concerned.

In one of the schools I worked in the Head used to break down to the minute how the 1265 hours were directed over the year, including staff meeting, buffer time, parents evenings etc.

 

Good luck with sorting it out. It must be a nightmare to try and be fair to everyone

[AnonyMouse_3307]

Can you be required to run a club and if so does this become directed time?? (I'm just trying to remember not comment on initial post!!)

 

Cx

[Guest]

and she was given 3/4 hour daily to run clubs i.e. not directed time but not having to run these after school taking teaching time down to 23.15 hours.

 

 

I too am confused as to what you mean by this. Are you saying you would count some of her hours working in the nursery as hours running clubs? I'm sure this can't be what you mean, but I can't seem to work it out!

 

 

Also in answer to Catma I don't think you can be required to run a club, because although the head can direct you to tasks outside your classroom duties (ie. INSETS, staff meetings etc) I think these have to be tasks that don't involve contact with the children. It might be expected that you would take on a club though due to the culture in the school and possibly things which were mentioned in the job description.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Guest

[Guest]

I have just found out that Teaching Staff in a local nursery are being paid additional hours at supply rate as they are exceeding the 1265 directed hours of working. Are there any other school based teaching staff out there who are receiving any additional payments or time off in lieu.

Their Nursery Nurses have also had an increase in hours.

The HT who runs the nursery says this is covered by the additional funding they received for being open for the 15 hrs am/pm. They do not over lap their sessions but have a soft start/finish for parents who have other pick ups at school.

 

I have just cut and pasted this into this thread from another appologies if anyone else has read this already

[Guest]

I too am confused as to what you mean by this. Are you saying you would count some of her hours working in the nursery as hours running clubs? I'm sure this can't be what you mean, but I can't seem to work it out!

 

 

Also in answer to Catma I don't think you can be required to run a club, because although the head can direct you to tasks outside your classroom duties (ie. INSETS, staff meetings etc) I think these have to be tasks that don't involve contact with the children. It might be expected that you would take on a club though due to the culture in the school and possibly things which were mentioned in the job description.

 

I would give her time out from nursery for her to run clubs (she runs these now after school) in the middle of the day. All teachers in my school runs at least one club out of school and this is not counted as directed time.

[Guest]

Thanks to everyone for their help. I still am unsure what to do. As a AHT I get a day out of class so I could teach nursery as I am at the moment and I would be in the 1270 hours.

[AnonyMouse_73]

Hello there again badger.

I think that if you expect teachers to run clubs then this must be counted as directed time. (if they volunteer then that is their choice). Could you check this with your LA or union to make doubly sure as this will alter your calculations for all your staff. I am also not sure that AHTs are subject to directed time so it may be worth checking that too.

 

I think its a huge order to expect a nursery teacher to run two separate nursery session and then a club in between. (if I have understood you correctly). Have you looked into when she has a lunch break, who would cover the nursery during these times and also what effect her not being there at transition times (when children arrive and leave) would have on children and parents? Its also worth looking at how many children she will have resposibility for compared to the rest of the school.

 

There have been a few threads here on creative ways in which are going to offer their 15 hours whilst at the same time not demanding extra hours from their nursery teacher. here and here and here for example. I hope that you are your nursery teacher can read some of the suggestions and find a way that is workable for you.

[AnonyMouse_1195]

Just a note : As AHT you should be on the Leadershio Spine so you will have a different contract, and are not safeguarded by the directed time budget, which is 1265 hours per year for teachers only. Directed time includes staff meetings, parents evenings, courses etc. in fact any time which is 'directed' by the HT.