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Original poster

Part time teacher and staff meetings

23 replies

BoysRule · 18/10/2015 12:09

I work 0.4 and am confused about staff meetings.

The staff meetings at my school are on a day that I don't work. I had my performance management and was told that it would be helpful if I could come to more. I have been to one which due to childcare meant my DH had to work from home.

I know that it is frowned upon by the SLT that I don't attend staff meetings. I have explained about childcare but it just makes me sound uncommitted. I am trying to attend one a term but I know that my lack of attendance affects my performance and how I am viewed by SLT. Should I just pay for regular childcare and go? It would cost me potentially £30 to attend as I would need a childminder to look after two DCs.

OP posts:
WellyMummy · 18/10/2015 12:18

I used to ask my HT to let me know which ones were important to attend and try to arrange childcare. It didn't always work, school plans changing and forgetting to let me know, childcare not always available but it did show willing. At 0.4 I would expect to attend a few more than one a term.

Olivo · 18/10/2015 13:20

I used to work 0.6 and then 0.8. I went to 3 out of every 5 and then 4 out of every 5 respectively. Could you managed every other, or or every third? On 0.4 I would probably exepct two every half term.

timelytess · 18/10/2015 13:24

Don't go in unpaid. If you do, you're a fool, and they won't respect you any more for doing it. The expectation that you should attend, on days when you are not working, is unreasonable. Talk to your union asap.

Buttercup27 · 18/10/2015 13:27

I used to do 0.4 but it was written into my contract I had to do 2 a term. Since I was missing so much ht extended my hours so I now do 2 and a half days a week and attend all staff meetings.
I did ask nut about this and they said unless contracted you did not have to go to anything on your day off.

PamBagnallsGotACollage · 18/10/2015 13:30

I worked .4 and my job share .6. Staff meetings were on my day. My job share didnt have to attend and I passed info to her.

It annoys me when job shares are expected to do the same as, or more than a full time staff member. So your job share does all the staff meetings and you do some too. So between you (2 people doing the work of one teacher) you are expected to attend more staff meetings than 1 full time teacher. Fair enough if it's some kind of training for something but for a bog standard staff meeting there is no reason your job share shouldn't be able to pass on the info to you.

Of course you may be secondary and not have a job share as such, in which case, please ignore my rant!

PamBagnallsGotACollage · 18/10/2015 13:31

Also, What Timely Said!

OurBlanche · 18/10/2015 13:37

So... why don't they hold them on different days? We did, so that the 0.3 bods could make every 3rd or 4th meeting.

There were still a couple who didn't work that afternoon, they just grabbed notes from A N Other, had a chat about the meeting, spoke to HoD to ensure there was nothing they should be aware of.

We also posted the minutes ASAP. The To Do list was published the next morning (we rotated note taking). So everyone was aware of what was needed.

But definitely DO NOT go in on your non working days NOT EVER! Contact your union if it is ever plainly suggested that you should!

Grrrrr!

Sellertape · 18/10/2015 14:31

Do not go in on your days off. I'm in a similar position with my school regarding attendance on INSET days. The union advice m, as I understand it, is that you should attend 0.4 of the meetings on the days that you are actually working.
So if you work Thursdays, and they have Thursday night staff meetings, you should attend 0.4 of those meetings through the year.
You should not go in, unpaid on days that you don't work. Don't feel bad about this!! You could be employed elsewhere - you are not beholden to the school. They can ask you to attend and pay you, but you can also refuse their request.

noblegiraffe · 18/10/2015 14:36

If the HT feels it would be helpful to attend staff meetings then you need to tell him that it can't happen unless he changes the meeting day (which is an entirely reasonable request, they don't have to be on your day off). His request that you pay for childcare and come in on your day off is totally unreasonable. If he suggests otherwise, ask him what the response would be if staff meetings were held on a Sunday.

Allyoucaneat · 18/10/2015 14:54

How often are the meetings?

I work 0.6, I don't work Wednesday afternoon but this is always when all staff meetings are. When my part time hours were agreed it was a condition that I would be available for staff meetings quarterly. So 4 per year, I think that's reasonable. But any more than every couple of months wouldn't be reasonable to me. It's a pain to organise childcare as it usually means dp taking annual leave but I don't really want to miss these meetings either.

Definitely don't attend unpaid though! I get my time back at another time.

Original poster
BoysRule · 18/10/2015 18:13

Thank you for your responses.

It's a really tricky one. I would like to attend as it does make me feel part of the team and much more involved. If I didn't have child care issues then I would go to all of them. However, I am reluctant to pay for childcare to go to them as I would just be sitting there thinking this is irrelevant to me and I am paying £30 to sit here!

I think I will talk to the head and agree 2 per term that are relevant to me and sort childcare around them. I find part time teaching very difficult - I am expected to run an after school club too like other teachers and co-ordinate a subject yet I only work two days. I am on a year's contract and want it to be renewed and I really want to contribute to school life. However, I am very stuck with childcare!

OP posts:
cece · 18/10/2015 18:18

My school usually holds them on a Thursday but twice a term they are on a Tuesday so that part timers from the beginning of the week can go.

cece · 18/10/2015 18:20

And if I attend INSET on my days off then I claim for them and get paid for them. I wouldn't go in for free! Similarly I had to stay and work an afternoon this week in order to do my appraisal. I will be paid for the extra afternoon (well hour).

EarlyNewDawn · 19/10/2015 23:29

Do full timers have to attend meetings on a Saturday or Sunday? Thought not.

If you are in a school subject to stpcd then you do not have to attend on days you don't work. You can choose to and be paid.

They won't thank you though. And the more people that bow under the pressure, the more they expect.

EarlyNewDawn · 19/10/2015 23:31

And just remember, two per term may be ok for you, but not another mum or dad who has childcare issues - yet you may be setting the precedent/ trend that others find harder to say no to.

Do t do it unpaid if you do.

CalleighDoodle · 01/11/2015 15:11

do not go in for anything on your day off. Unless you want to and youre getting paid. This includes open evenings and parents eveninhs. The percentage of staff meetings you are required to do as a pt member of staff should be whatever % you are contracted for but on your contracted days.

KittyandSqueal · 01/11/2015 15:14

Fuck that! I'm .4 and staff meetings are on my non working day. I read the minutes that's are sent out but there is no way I'm paying for child care to go to a staff meeting when I'm not getting paid (and it's basically an hour and a half of people faffing and fannying about)

CalleighDoodle · 01/11/2015 15:15

Think about easter school.

Would it be possible at all for you to do some revision classes during the easter holidays? We will provide lunch and cake and are very grateful...

To

Can you provide easter revision classes again this year? We will provide nothing.

And now

can all departments let me know which days and hours you will be providing revision classes by the end of today. We will consider turing the heating on for an hour.

balletgirlmum · 01/11/2015 15:23

Dh never used to attend meetings or inset on his days off. He couldn't, as he had another job on those days.
Why should you be any different just because you are a woman & it's childcare not other employment?

ja9r · 01/11/2015 15:34

Which part of the U.K. are you in op? (Don't want to rant on about how that should work in Scotland if you're not in Scotland...)

CasualJersey · 03/11/2015 20:52

Seriously!!!!
No!!
No one would go in at the weekend for a meeting, why should you on your day off!
Suggest that as you have DP
At home on Saturday morning you are more than happy to reschedule for then, see what they say then!
They either rearrange the meeting days or accept you aren't present.

teacherwith2kids · 05/11/2015 14:43

Looking at this from the other side:

  • I have a 0.6 timetable, beginning of the week.
  • Staff meetings are always on my days, as are the majority of INSETs
  • I therefore attend all staff meetings, take notes for my job share partner, and e-mail them in my own time (yes, there are minutes, but it's the niggly things that matter)
  • I also attend virtually all INSETs, because they are on my days.

My job share partner (0.5, as we overlap for PPA) attends no staff meetings (not her days) and virtually no INSETs, because there are very few on their days.

What should I be doing?

Lucycat · 05/11/2015 17:26

teacherwith2kids - you should be doing 0.6 of staff meetings and INSET not al of them, even if it is when you are in school.

Here speaketh somebody who went into school (15 mile drive each way - petrol money please!) yesterday for 4pm for a parents' evening on her day off.
AND our school is holding twilights - which I've already done 2 of - in lieu of a day off at the end of November.....on yes, you guessed it - my day off anyway. I feel like a 2nd class citizen

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