Teacher on 0.3 FTE asked to work 10 days a fortnight

mark55man

Is it reasonable to ask a teacher on 0.3 (ie 15 hours over 50 hour fortnight) to work every single day, often a single lesson and where there are 2 lessons they are often in different halves of the day.

Is there any best practice guidelines. This is for a secondary, academy based school. I did the maths and its harder to spread them out this much than to concentrate them, even with the flexibility of a week A week B system.

ohreally

I'd argue the proposal isn't reasonable.

Do you know what their agenda is?

Brynsam

Have you asked your union?

mark55man

Good questions

Union not yet - only got the timetable today just conducting a reality check

Agenda - benefit of the doubt - the school was trying to fit an additional option in and it seems most of the rest of the schedule had been stabilised - so its not a how can we get rid of this post, its literally a new contract from April

Jimmithecat

No it is not reasonable - I would be looking elsewhere

mark55man

Thank you for confirming my initial feeling. There is lots of material on the internet about processes for asking for and deciding on flexible working (including part time), but very few on what is reasonable. I will carry on looking for some case studies - but all the govt ones tend to have rosy endings and show good examples not unsatisfactory ones

pinkshoes

I work 0.4 and do two full days.

I have a collegue who is in most days on 0.4 but this fits round her other job so she doesn't mind.

What are you doing this year? I would not accept this and would notify them immediately stating this is unacceptable, particularly if it is very different from your current timetable.

mark55man

This year was for a different subject and was a short term fix that got the school out of a fix. This is slightly more planned longer term thing so it needs to be got right or I will be wrong all year, and possibly longer

agrinnall

It probably isn't reasonable but if it's what they need to fit the timetable then you either accept it or decline to take the hours and resign. The in between answer may be for you to come up with a solution that fits their needs and suits you and present that to them as a compromise.

System

Unfortunately, this is typical of the sector.


It's not right, but timetables are quite complicated meaning that staff are often brought in for specific lessons. My mum had a contract where she job shared and did a 0.5FTE. On each of her three days, she was required to take a full hours lunch unpaid, only to come back after lunch for just 40mins!!

Savvy_Sue

The other thing to bear in mind is that they may have just drawn up the timetable without registering what it looked like for you. It's a hugely complicated task, as you've realised, and if you can see an easy way out then presenting that is your best route to getting a more reasonable arrangements. You say they were fitting something in, and this is what it looks like on their first attempt.