Can they do this?

[reastie]

I've just returned from maternity leave as a teacher. I work just under 2 days a week but spread over 2 mornings and one nearly full day.

I went to the dept head last week to express my concerns re: one of my classes being behind thanks to the supply teacher. She asked if I could do after school classes or lunch time classes to catch them up in addition to giving them written work in the holidays to complete to catch up themselves.

It's not that I don't want to do the extra sessions but due to childcare issues I need to return home straight after my lessons (and so work hours) have finished to collect DD. The one day I'm in school during lunch I have duty so cannot do it on this day.

The dept head has asked me to stay one lunch time I do a half day to do lunch time sessions but I need to dash home in this time to collect dd. She hasn't insisted I do this (yet) but I just wanted to check I am within my rights and being reasonable to say I cannot due to childcare or if it's something she can try to enforce leading to me to have to plan/adapt childcare.

Can't you be relived of the lunchtime duty so you can do the session when you are there?

Relieved

funnily enough scurry they don't seem to want to do that

What does your contract say?

They are not being very reasonable then it would be the ideal solution. One of the reasons I left teaching was because I was paying for full time child care for a part time wage. Not sure they can force you though, what do your conditions say?

Your teacher's contract will say something like "works XXX hours and any additional hours reasonably required to discharge duties". The hours you are required to work should be calculated as a proportion of directed time - which is slightly longer than contact time. Directed time for a F/T teacher is 1265 hours spread over 195 teaching days (190 term time + 5 training days) This equals a 6.49 hour day. Lunchtimes are excluded from directed time. If you work 2 days per week your directed time is therefore 12.98 hours (let's say 13!) So I think they can ask you to work extra after school or during your lunch to catch up.

The attachedhttp://www.atl.org.uk/Images/Part-time%20worker%20addendum.pdf here might exp[lain it a little better that I have.

OK, link didn't work - I will try again

My contact doesn't really say anything about this. I know alot of extra stuff is expected of teachers though not required but sometimes the line can be a little grey . Tbh I'm a bit worried if they do move my duty to another day as the other days I have full on teaching with no breaks - I really need the break time to prep my room for the next lessons - I teach a practical subject with lots of classroom equipment needing sorted and also (teach cooking) sometime I need that break time if students' food hasn't come out of the oven in time to get it out when it's cooked. So it would make my life quite difficult if they moved my duty to another morning. Tbh I'm having alot of problems returning after maternity leave. It feels just like scurry had - I'm doing so many more hours than I should and the work life balance is just not working. Something like this just makes me feel even more than maybe I am not cut out for this any more (but I do love the teaching)

OK, my contract says I think just 0.35 of a time table and I'm in for I think (they've changed the timetable so I'm a bit rusty) 19/55 lessons a week

You say you're full on teaching - do you have any PPA? You should have 10% of your contact time as PPA, and it should be in blocks of at least ½ an hour, not 10 mins here and there.

At a rough calc your directed time (0.35) is 11h 20 mins per week - how does this compare to what you are teaching?

Are you in a union? Can you talk it through with them?

Yes I am mycats and will ring them up if needed, just wondered if it seemed likely that they can dictate I stay in for lunch time after my lessons have finished. The 11hr thing sounds about right for my teaching/non contact time an I do get non contact time sufficient it's on one of the 3 days I'm in.