Inset days when part time

[goldenlilliesdaffodillies]

What do other part time teachers do about Inset Days falling on their days off? I work in a Private School. We seem to be doing more and more Inset Days (up to 4 before the start of term). I have just found out I have to go in for 2 full days. I won't be paid for either, neither of them are on my teaching days. They amount to more time than I actually teach in a week. The content is usually irrelevant to my subject.

I will have to pay for child care as have no other back up. One of the days is 8.30am-4.30pm so much longer than I teach. I will basically be paying to go to work (again).

I am so fed up of the attitude that part time teachers are available the same as full time and also aren't paid. How do I tackle this?

They might not recognise unions but legally they can't discriminate against part time workers.

If you were particularly bolshy you could bring that up. 'In order to clarify that you aren't discriminating against me as a part time worker, please can you confirm the days that full time workers are expected to work unpaid'?

Good advice from noblegiraffe. Legally they do not have a leg to stand on. Have you told them that you are available on these days? If not, tell them that you have other commitments on those days which can not be rearranged. You should not be working at a loss, that is ridiculous! If you don't make a stand on this what else will they ask you to do?

I used to have this when I worked PT as a teacher.
I ended up getting the union to confirm it all in writing as had a HT who wanted to insist everyone did every INSET regardless and with no extra pay, etc.

The rules then were:

• you only do the INSET day if they fall on the day you normally work
• if school want you to go in on your days off, you can say NO and not be penalised
• if you do want to go in and it is over and above your normal contracted days then school should pay you at a full teaching day rate.

This also applies to staff meetings and parents evenings too, or rather it did when I was teaching - though that is a decade ago now.

However that was also for a maintained state school. Independent schools and academies have their own rules.

Thank you Hula, I have just checked my union document which says exactly that. So I am not being unreasonable in that none of the inset days fall on my working days, and therefore I do not HAVE to attend them!
Yes INSET is important if it's relevant, and I do my own subject related CPD, but none of that happens through school as it doesn't benefit anyone apart from me and my job share (who is currently on sick leave).

'Can I be directed to attend all staff meetings and INSET days?
Full-time teachers can be required to work under the direction of the headteacher for up to 1,265 hours per year. As a part-time teacher you can only be directed to work for a percentage of these 1,265 hours. All of your directed time must fall on days when you are normally contracted to work.
Your headteacher should provide you with a breakdown of how your directed time will be used throughout the year. Your directed time may include elements for:
• teaching
• planning, preparation and assessment time
• non-contact time
• registration
• assemblies
• breaks (except lunchtime, which is excluded from directed time)
• INSET training days or sessions
• staff meetings
• parents’ evenings.'