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The staffroom

Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Teachers clocking in and out

32 replies

Cleebope2 · 21/08/2022 15:25

Our term has started already and we now have to swipe our cards to clock in and out every day. Just wondering is this now common practice across UK schools? The justification is for health and safety to check who is in the building in case of emergency but it’s obviously really to check up on us.

OP posts:
Nel81 · 21/08/2022 15:28

We've had to do this for the last couple of years, signing in and out using an jpad. We were told it's so that if there happened to be a fire they would easily be able to see if any staff members are still in the building.

JaffavsCookie · 21/08/2022 15:46

We have had to do it for years, absolutely agree with your feelings. Don’t think there is anything you can do about it though

ElegantPuma · 21/08/2022 16:03

We've had to do it for several years. Same H&S / fire justification. However, management was too mean to buy the more expensive software package, so the clock rolls back to Year Zero every day at midnight 😂This means they can't build up a dossier on us.

The head's secretary takes a register in briefing. That really

ElegantPuma · 21/08/2022 16:04

Aaghh! Really pisses everyone off, I meant to type.

Malbecfan · 21/08/2022 18:03

We have it too. There is a scanner on the Rottweiler's receptionist's desk but as most people park at the back of school, there is one near the back gate. It frequently conks out. SLT would like us to use the app but lots of staff refuse to use their data so when the scanner doesn't work, they don't get any data.

Also, if you stay in school eg for a concert and don't swipe out until 9pm, it won't let you sign out then, so it seems to default to you going at 5 or 6, so it's completely wrong.

Original poster
Cleebope2 · 21/08/2022 19:32

Thanks for replies. Sounds like a right hassle and pain in the arse and totally unnecessary. But will see how it pans out. Just hope we don’t get ticked off if we forget to do it.

OP posts:
JanglyBeads · 21/08/2022 20:06

We have several points across school for Staff and Sixth form to swipe in and out using lanyards. Never used for checking up on people to my knowledge.

Hercisback · 21/08/2022 21:54

We've had this for years. I regularly forget Blush. I don't know if anyone does check it out but they've never said. I wouldn't really care.

Takeachance18 · 21/08/2022 23:03

Lots of workplaces use it for fire safety - the fire brigade only enter a building if they absolutely have to (for their own safety). Technically not following the system is a breach by someone for not complying with health and safety legislation. It is unlikely you would be stuck in a fire, but if there is a fire alarm and regularly you haven't swiped in, it could be used against you in disciplinary process.

You can ask how your data is going to be processed and if not for monitoring attendance, then can't be used as evidence.

Michino · 22/08/2022 10:26

We started this last term at my school. I'm a TA and I did joke that it would be good if I was paid for the hours I'm actually in school, rather than what's on my contract!

Whyarewehardofthinking · 22/08/2022 18:12

It has been normal for at least 10 years for me; 2 schools. At my current it is definitely only used for Health & Safety.

TortolaParadise · 22/08/2022 23:49

Yes, common in my experience.

ToadiesCouzin · 23/08/2022 13:02

We have had this for a few years. You can still get in and out without swiping though, so plenty of people just forget. Nothing happens to my knowledge when they do.

RaraRachael · 23/08/2022 15:48

We had a kind of board at the entrance where we slid our names across if we were in or out. When we had a fire drill the receptionist took it off the wall to check where everybody was.

The problem is, at the end of the day a lot of staff just left by the door nearest their classroom so didn't sign out.

helloisitmeyourelookingfor · 23/08/2022 15:49

They were doing it at my old school for at least the last 5 years and it absolutely was used for checking up on people and teachers were getting dragged into the office for clocking in at 8.32, even though the head knew they had to do the childcare drop off in the morning and regularly stayed until 6 as their OH did the pick up

TortolaParadise · 24/08/2022 10:38

Big brother is watching you! The funny thing is - example: staff X clocks in at 7:45am and sits in the staffroom/roams the building gossiping until 5 minutes before the students enter the classroom. Well...yes...X is on time but...they are not working/being productive in any way. Same can be observed for staff who clock off at 6pm. Are they actually working!

Just sharing my observations.

RaraRachael · 24/08/2022 15:02

I agree @TortolaParadise
At my last school parents judged you by how long your car was in the car park after school. I used to work through lunchtime and leave at 3.45/4.00 but others were there until 5 or 6. Parents thought they were the hardest working teachers, not realising that they were in the staffroom drinking coffee and gossiping for most of that time.

itrytomakemyway · 24/08/2022 15:24

The key fobs record who has entered and left the building and the times - so we were monitored for years. Every now and then someone might complain about someone from my team coming in very close to the start of the day. How odd that no one mentioned that I started at 7am every. single. day.

I never troubled my team by passing on the passive aggressive comments. They were working the hours they were paid to be there.

Beachhuts90 · 24/08/2022 16:16

At the school I've just left I don't think anyone checks it. Once the caretaker set the alarm with my friend still inside, obviously she hadn't clocked out yet. 😂

Meredusoleil · 24/08/2022 16:33

At my previous school they definitely used it to monitor your arrival times. The Head would get a message ping on her phone every time one of us signed in!

At my current school, I didn't even know I had to sign in for the first month or so and no-one even mentioned it 🤷 I was just using my ID card to unlock the door!

MumofSpud · 24/08/2022 21:06

At my school we have to swipe in / out with our lanyard
If I am late (may be 1 or 2 times) I make a beep sound and pretend to log in
I hate having to log in - wish I could log in at home so they could see me WFH in the evenings!

TortolaParadise · 24/08/2022 21:45

Haha! @MumofSpud I second that.

echt · 25/08/2022 00:12

Every now and then someone might complain about someone from my team coming in very close to the start of the day

Which means they are on time, as such complainers need to be told. And yes, this is exactly what I said to an HT who said I was nearly late a number of times. Grin

itrytomakemyway · 25/08/2022 08:13

Exactly @echt which is why I didn't bother to 'have a word' as instructed by the member of SLT. I pointed out to them that no one in the department had ever been late - they were in school to work their contracted hours on time.

As I say, no one ever said anything about the fact that I was in school one and a half hours early every day. They should have. I was burning myself out, and SLT should have seen this as a warning bell. I no longer work there.

Iamnotthe1 · 27/08/2022 15:45

Every school I've worked in has had some form of written or electronic check in / check out system. There are multiple valid reasons with, yes, safeguarding being part of that. Whether it's used to check up on people depends on the culture and ethos of your school and whether it's a poisonous environment or not. My first school monitored times in and out. My current school doesn't give a shit what times you're there. Guess where people are happier?

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