Can Head Teachers get supply teachers to cover classes if teachers strike?

[NoelEdmondshair]

Just wondering.

They will if productivity is adversely affected.

Productivity won't be adversely affected, most parents will find a way of getting into work even if it means paying money they can ill afford for childcare. I'm a SAHM and will be looking after (for free obviously) two of DD's friends next Thursday.

Why do parents and pupils need to be incovenienced because teachers are going to be working as long as they are? If you want to protest about the changes to your pensions then talk to the government, don't alienate the parents. Trust me, we won't be contacting our MPs or Cameron demanding they give into your demands.

Teaching Unions are talking to the government. In fact, a rather solid agreement was reached with regard pensions several years ago, and the teachers pension scheme is now sustainable.
This industrial action is because the government want to renege on that deal and steal from the teachers pension scheme to balance the economy. You know? The economy that the bankers fucked up and haven't had to redress? The government are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

The unions need to put a strong case to the government that teachers will not take this lying down. We've had enough.

The NUT is encouraging all members to contact their MP.

I am disgusted that the teachers are taking this strike action and holding our children to ransom. They will not get public support for this. In the private sector we have all had to accept the changes to our pensions and are thankful that we still have one.

I have tackled our head teacher about what attempts were made to keen the school open. We are a small primary with just 4 class teachers. All teachers are in one of the two unions and are choosing to strike. The head teacher has been told she is not allowed to go to an agency and employ temp teachers for the day. They came up with another idea which was 2 retired teachers agreed to volunteer to cover, and with the head and support staff could have kept the school open. When they checked this with North Somerset Council they were advised not to go down this route as it is "unchartered teritory". Do you know if this is correct? The goverment is asking heads to keep schools open but how can they is these options are not available.

The "solid agreement" still stands - the 2007 arrangements are clear that the contributions are made up of the SCR (standard contribution rate) plus an actuarially calculated supplement. So potential increases are part of the existing scheme. And sustainability is not immutable - it has been in deficit in recent years and with increasing longevity will be so again.

Raising the retirement age, which is hitting the entire workforce, is an issue though, as I do not see why the normal retirement age is increasing by more than that required of other workers (for teachers it appears to be 68, not 66). But perhaps this is foreshadowing 68 for all of us?

Sarah199, supply teachers or retired, HTs are not allowed to cover for striking teachers.

Our teachers have been told NOT to provide cover work for their lessons, when they are striking on Thursday.

TBH, their cover work is usually rubbish or non existant anyway, so that wouldn't make a whole load of difference to my Cover Supervisors, but that's a whole other thread!

Maureen are you covering for striking teachers?

Maureen maybe the teachers resent planning work for non-teachers to deliver. I know I would (again, whole other thread :) )

I don't understand why people are saying that supply teachers cannot cover striking teacher's classes? In strikes, the management will try and cover the job. whether they manage it or not is another story, but if a supply teacher is non union or union and decides to break the strike, then they will probably be asked.

Sarah199, don't you find the coconut fibres itchy? And was it painful to get 'Welcome' tattooed on your back?

From the NAHt FAQs:

"Can I use supply teachers to cover the classes of those teachers on strike?

No. Legislation specifically forbids agencies from supplying workers to replace employees taking industrial action."

Teachers shouldn't be asked to plan work for cover supervisors because legally cover supervisors are cheap babysitters

ilovemydogandMrObama if the industrial action is legal (as this is) they can not cover classes they would not normally be covering

Cover supervisors do an excellent job and I am happier setting work I know will be supervised by a CS than having it ignored by a teacher who spends the time doing their own work and not bothering whether mine is done or not.

then you seem to be in a minority basingstoke

I'd like to have cover supervisors at our school. But are they supposed to be covering striking teachers?

Yes - cover supervisors are excellent childminders. If you want your children babysat.

Why would you like to have cover supervisors EndoplasmicReticulum? (genuine question) [puzzled] I want to see my children taught not minded.

If a secondary teacher is away, your child will not be taught. If another teacher covers the lesson, they will do what a cover supervisor does but probably try to do their own work at the same time.

As a supply teacher I ALWAYS tried to teach according to the work that had been set by the class teacher. Under "rarely cover", the school cannot ask its own teachers to cover lessons for teachers who are away.

And to re-iterate the other various replies.
NO it the answer to the OP