Teachers on the leadership pay range
Part-time members of the leadership group
Teaching and Learning Responsibility posts
Members not employed under STPCD/STPC(W)D terms


Teachers who are responsible for leading or managing are entitled to a reasonable amount of time during school sessions in order to undertake those responsibilities. This should be clearly identified on your timetable.

Whilst there is no minimum amount, if you are paid on the leadership spine or are in receipt of a Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) allowance, you should be given a reasonable allocation of time during school sessions to enable you to discharge your leadership and management/TLR responsibilities. This should be proportionate to your level of responsibility, in addition to any PPA time allocated.

Teachers on the leadership pay range

In England and Wales, provisions regarding directed time do not apply to headteachers, deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers or teachers on the pay range for leading practitioners, as they do not operate on a time-bound contract.

As such, you may be required to attend your workplace during school closure periods, such as the school holidays, although any such requests should be reasonable and the subject of consultation so that any dates and times are mutually convenient and do not impinge on your ability to take time away or, at the very least, access your statutory holiday entitlement of 5.6 weeks' paid leave.

However, reference is made in the terms of the School Teacher's Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) and the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (Wales) Document (STPC(W)D) to the fact that working hours are covered by the Working Time Regulations 1998 which stipulate a maximum 48-hour working week over a 17-week reference period.

If you are a headteacher, you are entitled to a reasonable amount of dedicated headship time during school sessions to enable you to discharge your leadership and management responsibilities effectively under the terms of the STPCD/STPC(W)D.

In addition, headteachers are also entitled to a break of reasonable length during the course of the school day, during which a suitable person should assume responsibility.

Furthermore, the requirements for school leaders to have an adequate work/life balance continue to apply.

It should be noted that headteachers working under the provisions of the Burgundy Book for School Teachers in England and Wales should be able to enjoy a proper and satisfactory break in which they can relax and rest, including, if appropriate, leaving the school premises.

Part-time members of the leadership group

Although part-time members of the leadership group are not covered by the 1,265 hours' directed time, the STPCD makes it clear that headteachers are duty bound to have regard for your work/life balance and ensure that the workload of part-time teaches on the leadership group and those who are leading practitioners is reasonable and that they are treated fairly in comparison to their full-time equivalents.

Headteachers should therefore be cognisant of this and provide part-time teachers on the leadership group or who are leading practitioners with an understanding of the expectations of the school in respect of this.

Teaching and Learning Responsibility posts

The STPCD and the STPC(W)D specify that holders of TLR payments are expected to undertake a sustained additional responsibility, for the purpose of ensuring the continued delivery of high-quality teaching and learning. This can be across the curriculum or a specific subject/curriculum area for which the teacher is accountable and which impacts on pupils outside those the teacher is assigned to teach. In addition, TLR holders are expected to develop and enhance the teaching practice of others.

Whilst the STPCD has never specified the precise amount of leadership and management time that TLR holders should receive, the Union maintains that it should be based on an effective assessment of the extent and nature of the role in a way that ensures other similar roles receive similar allocations of time.

Furthermore, TLR holders who work part time should be afforded a similar level of leadership and management time (on a pro rata basis) to undertake their role effectively.

With the exception of those in receipt of a TLR3, under the provisions of the STPCD, part-time teachers are currently not eligible to receive the full remuneration for a TLR (paragraph 41.1). Therefore, where you believe you are undertaking the full range of duties and responsibilities associated without the full leadership and management time or the full payment, you should contact the NASUWT immediately, as the NASUWT maintains that this should not be the case.

The Union maintains that the provision outlined above is unfair and it should be the case that a part-time teacher receives the full leadership and management time allocated to the role, as well as the full payment.

If there is a situation involving a job share, then it may be the case that an informal or formal arrangement is made which sets out the division of responsibilities, payment and the appropriate leadership and management time. [1]

The staffing structure is a good place to start in order to assist you when making an assessment of the time made available to you in comparison to other TLR holders, specifically those who have the same TLR as you (e.g. TLR1, TLR2 or TLR3).

The Union is concerned that exercises, such as those referenced above are often not properly conducted in some schools, and, as such, some TLR holders are in receipt of time to undertake their TLR which is inadequate. Indeed, there are even reports of TLR holders who are in receipt of no leadership and management time to undertake their role.

If you are concerned about your workload in regard to a TLR, you should contact the NASUWT immediately.

Unless otherwise stated, TLR holders are still bound by 1,265 hours over 195 days of the year. More information is available in our advice on Directed Time. You are therefore advised to check your contract carefully.

Members not employed under by STPCD/STPC(W)D terms

If you are not employed under the terms of the STPCD/STPC(W)D, you are advised to check your contract carefully, as those schools/colleges may operate different terms and conditions.

If you require and advice or support, please contact us.

 

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