Headteachers with significant teaching loads are entitled to time during school sessions for dedicated headship time.

Although there is no definition of ‘significant’ in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) or the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document (STPC(W)D), the NASUWT believes that this would be a timetabled teaching load of, for example, 50% or more.

Dedicated headship time should be marked clearly on the timetable and be distinguished from any PPA time.

This provision can be found in paragraph 47.2 of the STPCD and paragraph 46.2 of the STPC(W)D.

Headteachers with significant teaching loads clearly are lead practitioners in schools and therefore require support through the provision of PPA time to support the provision of high-quality lessons.

Their leadership role for teaching and learning activities is equally important and therefore they need dedicated quality time to support the discharge of these headship responsibilities.

If a headteacher member does not have the required allocation of dedicated headship time, then the Chair of the Governing Body should be advised that unless the matter is addressed and an appropriate amount of time allocated, the headteacher should contact the NASUWT with a view to refusing to carry out his/her teaching responsibilities.

There is no definition of the amount of time which would be considered appropriate but the NASUWT believes that headteacher members would be able to identify what would be a reasonable allocation in the context of balancing their responsibilities.