The Working Time Agreement - Working for Teaching And Learning and Quality Professional Activities Frank Healy EIS Area Officer, Glasgow, Western Isles, Argyll & Bute Schools, Colleges and (Non-HE) education establishments

Introduction WTA at school level- collective agreement reached between trade union(s) and headteacher as “agent of the authority” WTA at school level- collective agreement reached between trade union(s) and headteacher as “agent of the authority” Binding on all members of teaching staff in the establishment Binding on all members of teaching staff in the establishment Covers 5 hours per week in a 39 full week equivalent working year Covers 5 hours per week in a 39 full week equivalent working year Signed Off as agreed by Rep and Headteacher Signed Off as agreed by Rep and Headteacher

Local Framework Agreements LNCT 2 LNCT 2 LNCT 17 LNCT 17 LNCT 17 extract “The overall workload should be such as can be overtaken within the 35 hour working week. Therefore each teacher’s workload should be manageable within the indicative time allocations of the school’s WTA………However………..” LNCT 17 extract “The overall workload should be such as can be overtaken within the 35 hour working week. Therefore each teacher’s workload should be manageable within the indicative time allocations of the school’s WTA………However………..”

Core Collegiate Activities Additional Time for Preparation and Correction Additional Time for Preparation and Correction Parents Meetings Parents Meetings Preparation of Reports Preparation of Reports Formal Assessment Formal Assessment Planning Planning Staff Meetings Staff Meetings PRD PRD CPD CPD Additional Supervised Pupil Activity Additional Supervised Pupil Activity TU Meetings TU Meetings Flexibility Flexibility

Concepts of Time 5 hours collegiate contractual time per 35 hour working week 5 hours collegiate contractual time per 35 hour working week Real or Actual Time – time needed for designated meetings Real or Actual Time – time needed for designated meetings Indicative Time for activities as per LNCT 17 – arrived at through professional audit Indicative Time for activities as per LNCT 17 – arrived at through professional audit 195 hours per year – “annualisation” 195 hours per year – “annualisation” Notional Time – Not Enough Time Notional Time – Not Enough Time

Contending and Changing Priorities Time Allocated for specific activities Time Allocated for specific activities When they should take place in the week/year When they should take place in the week/year Teacher v Management priorities Teacher v Management priorities New Initiatives post 2001 such as; New Initiatives post 2001 such as; Changes to QA/Self Evaluation Changes to QA/Self Evaluation Tracking, Facultisation, Tracking, Facultisation, 32/33 period week 32/33 period week CfE CfE

Problems with Annualisation 195 hours model does not address the real needs of teachers by focussing on; 195 hours model does not address the real needs of teachers by focussing on; “Notional” hours for teacher activities “Notional” hours for teacher activities Real or Actual time for Management directed activities Real or Actual time for Management directed activities Dispute around sub-division of hours within activity bands Dispute around sub-division of hours within activity bands False “victory” False “victory” Negates concept of 35 hour working week. Negates concept of 35 hour working week.

EIS Branch Committee WTA Preparation Professional Audit - Evidence based assessment of time taken by teachers to complete each collegiate activity in the year – use a spreadsheet or pro-forma to ask members ( indiv, stage or dept returns) Professional Audit - Evidence based assessment of time taken by teachers to complete each collegiate activity in the year – use a spreadsheet or pro-forma to ask members ( indiv, stage or dept returns) Outcome returns from Professional Audit used by EIS Branch Committee to decide LNCT 17 Indicative Time required for each activity Outcome returns from Professional Audit used by EIS Branch Committee to decide LNCT 17 Indicative Time required for each activity

Branch committee prep 2 Using dates of last year’s parents’ meeting and 2014/15 Calendar spreadsheet and to ensure Quality professional activities; Using dates of last year’s parents’ meeting and 2014/15 Calendar spreadsheet and to ensure Quality professional activities; insert Indicative Times (max 5 hours per week) for statutory duties (parents’ meetings, and working backwards report/records, assessment) in Calendar spreadsheet. insert Indicative Times (max 5 hours per week) for statutory duties (parents’ meetings, and working backwards report/records, assessment) in Calendar spreadsheet. Based upon needs of Teaching and Learning insert Indicative Times for other required activities which support the educational and wider needs of children e.g. forward planning, PRD, flexible time for meetings with other professionals/staff, TU meetings, etc. Based upon needs of Teaching and Learning insert Indicative Times for other required activities which support the educational and wider needs of children e.g. forward planning, PRD, flexible time for meetings with other professionals/staff, TU meetings, etc. Review activities carried out last year and prioritise any time left. Review activities carried out last year and prioritise any time left.

Developing Issues What happened last year cannot follow the same pattern What happened last year cannot follow the same pattern Branch WTA committee will need to “reschedule” parent’ meetings and other professional activities etc., within context of 5 hours per week and Indicative Times Branch WTA committee will need to “reschedule” parent’ meetings and other professional activities etc., within context of 5 hours per week and Indicative Times Prioritisation will mean some activities cannot take place unless other time is freed up e.g.,by release from class etc. Prioritisation will mean some activities cannot take place unless other time is freed up e.g.,by release from class etc.

Remodelling The calendar spreadsheet will now be filling with parent’s meetings and other professional activities having to be re-arranged to fit in with time available The calendar spreadsheet will now be filling with parent’s meetings and other professional activities having to be re-arranged to fit in with time available Ensure key priorities for Teaching and Learning are addressed within the calendar spreadsheet Ensure key priorities for Teaching and Learning are addressed within the calendar spreadsheet Address stress point issues with narrative proposals (stage intervention model ?) particularly when indicative time allocations do not meet the needs of specific teachers Address stress point issues with narrative proposals (stage intervention model ?) particularly when indicative time allocations do not meet the needs of specific teachers

Branch Decision making Present fleshed out proposals to branch meeting Present fleshed out proposals to branch meeting Revise/amend as per branch decision Revise/amend as per branch decision Advice other TUs of EIS position Advice other TUs of EIS position Present proposals to management for negotiations Present proposals to management for negotiations Take outcome of negotiations back to branch for decision Take outcome of negotiations back to branch for decision EIS Rep Signs Off agreement. EIS Rep Signs Off agreement.