UPS expectations

[GodolphianArabian]

So I'm UPS in a secondary school. We've just got a new headteacher. Apparently they expect UPS staff to have additional roles or at least that's what the rumours say. Does anyone have this at their school and what kind of roles do you do?

I'm a little worried it's basically a plan to ensure expensive staff leave due to overwork.

Yes we do.. have to prove our worth ! Things like mentoring trainee's, exam marking to inform teaching, lunchtime intervention for those not meeting the grade

No - we have no additional responsibilities that’s what a tlr is for. But then I work in a fantastic school where slt realise the importance of a happy staff.

Part of ups is whole / wider (beyond own class) school impact so yes, this kind of thing has become more & more common. In primary I’m expected to lead a core subject for mine (no tlr). In secondary DH was told his enormously time consuming head of year role (through which he could obviously prove wider impact) couldn’t count for ups progression as he got a tlr for it already so must do something else as well.

It’s increasingly been the case since pay progression became more linked to pm (& schools ran out of money).

It does in my school too. I'm expected to contribute to wider school for it. Luckily as the head of drama I can use the school production as my evidence of it.

SLT did try to argue that it was part of my TLR to do a big production every year but there is no obligation in my contract for it so either I can use it as my wider contribution or we don't do a production which is a big out reach to our feeder schools. I won that argument.

It's fairly standard for UPS to involve contributing beyond your classroom. Eg. Mentoring, leading CPD, supporting department or key stage priorities, trips etc.

What it can't/shouldn't have is the accountability element of a TLR.

To be honest, as a UPS teacher I think it's reasonable.

I think for UPS, it is common to take on something else to show you are having a “sustained” impact on the wider school, not just your job.

However, once on UPS, you shouldn’t take on more and more each time you want to progress between them.

UPS was invented I believe to encourage good teachers to stay in the classroom and not to move into management. Once you have shown that your practice has an impact on the progress of your students and pass the criteria and threshold then you should not be asked to take on other roles to justify your salary. Our head tried this and then was told to go away and read about UPS and what it is for and came back with his tail between his legs!

The head at my previous school tried to introduce this. Unions went wild. Speak to your union.

It's the difference between wider contribution and taking on lots of additional roles though.

Some schools seem to be using UPS as a way to reduce the TLR budget, which is out of order.

Equally, there's nothing wrong in expecting someone being paid over £10,000/15,000 more a year to contribute more.

It's reasonable to expect more experienced staff to chip into team planning, to mentor NQTs or trainees, to be involved in CPD etc.

If a UPS2 teacher isn't offering anything more than an MPS5 Tecaher then I don't think they can complain if a school choose to get the same deal for less money (I should state I have a massive problem with removing experienced staff in favour of lots of NQTs/M2 staff).

I have a TLR role and also a whole school responsibility for being through UPS. I think that’s pretty normal in secondary though. The responsibility does vary though - some people have careers, reading, literacy - big things - others just have to organise a couple of trips/visits!

Fallulah
Same. I have my TLR position and then as part of being on UPS I contribute towards one of the department priorities and mentor trainees and NQTs.

It doesn't strike me as unreasonable.

Given that you have to apply to move up to UPS and it’s not an automatic increment (not that any of them are but it requires more effort), I agree that if you want the extra cash you have to demonstrate value for money in some way.

Obviously the expectations should be reasonable and not TLR activities - mentoring yes, being SENCo no.