Rationale
A school timetable is developed annually to reflect how the school offers the curriculum, the learning needs and academic pathways of students and available staffing resources. The Secondary Teachers Collective Agreement (STCA) sets out particular requirements for non-contact hours and average class sizes that are to be incorporated into the timetabling process.
Purpose
1. To ensure the needs of students is the first and key priority in the timetable development.
2. To ensure fairness and transparency in the timetabling process.
3. To comply with the conditions of the STCA.
Guidelines
1. The Principal determines the allocation of staffing for the school annually using the GMFS and any Board of Trustee staffing contribution as a basis.
2. The Principal determines the number of classes that will operate at each level and in each subject using student enrolment data and subject choice information gathered from students.
3. HOFs, in consultation with their staff, other TICs and the Principal, allocate classes to staff.
4. A timetable team constructs a timetable in readiness for the start of the new year that meets the needs of the school and its students and is based on the allocations made to allocations originally given.
5. The timetable team consults with HOFs and the Principal, should changes need to be made with allocations originally given.
6 Non-Contact Time
6.1 Non-contact time is based on an individual teacher’s timetable classroom teaching hours comprising a total of 25 hours or a combination of periods of time equivalent to 25 hours per week.
6.2 Each full time teacher shall have a minimum of five hours non-contact time within each school week.
6.3 Minimum part time allocations for part time teachers shall be those in the table with clause 5.2.6(b) in the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Employment agreement. The school will endeavour to give those part time teachers who work more than 12 hours per week non-contact time proportional to that provided to full time teachers.
6.4 Total weekly non-contact time may be a combination of periods less than one hour.
6.5 Trained, full time beginning teachers in their first year are a charge of 0.8 FTTE against the staffing allocations and must have no more than 15 hours of timetabled contact each week.
6.7 Trained, full time beginning teachers in their second year are a charge of 0.9 FTTE against the staffing allocation and must have no more than 17.5 hours of timetabled contact each week.
6.8 One hour per unit for the first three permanent units shall be allocated for permanent unit holders who are required to carry out specific management responsibilities. The school will endeavour to provide additional non-contact time for senior management staff to allow them to carry out their particular duties.
7 The school will provide 1 hour extra non-contact time for any member of staff responsible for beginning teachers as described in the STCA.
8 In special circumstances and where a genuine reason exists, teachers may be asked to temporarily forego their minimum entitlement to non-contact time. These would be in times of emergency when no day reliever can be found and teachers holding more than the minimum non-contacts are unavailable, compensation will be given. Situations where teachers volunteer to cover for their colleagues whilst on leave for ‘non-contract’ reasons are not included.
9 Where teachers are requested to work hours in excess of those described in the contract, every attempt will be made to redress the situation at another point in the school year. A range of ‘off-set’ mechanisms can be employed.
10 In allocating classes to teachers, the Principal will use reasonable endeavour to achieve, for each teacher who has two or more classes, an average size of 26 students.
11 To allow for a settling down period, to cater for new student enrolments and student option changes, the average class size for teachers will be based on 1 March numbers. There will be on going monitor of average sizes.
12 Where a teacher has an average class size that exceeds the 26 student threshold, then an agreed (between the teacher and Principal) compensatory mechanism will be provided that may include provision of extra non-contact time or reduction of other duties.
13 Other Duties
- All teachers will have some pastoral responsibility, either as Form Teachers or Deans, except as negotiated with the Principal.
- Part time teachers will have pro rata pastoral responsibility.
- Part time teachers will be scheduled for duty on a pro rata basis.
- Compensatory Mechanisms
14.1 Teachers may only be asked to temporarily forgo their minimum entitlement to non-contact hours when:
14.1.1 All reasonable options have been investigated and no alternative to a reduction in entitlement non-contact can be found.
14.1.2 The request is made on an individual basis, and a blanket request for agreement to reduction in non-contact entitlements shall indicate need to review timetable structures and operation.
14.1.3 There is a sudden emergency that requires supervision of a class for its ongoing safety. All efforts will be made to find a day reliever.
14.1.4 No day reliever can be found after timely and appropriate efforts have been made.
14.1.5 On a longer term basis, and after all reasonable endeavours have been exhausted, the timetable can only be made to operate if a teacher teaches for a term, semester, module or a year, at a higher level of contact than their minimum non-contact indicates.
14.1.6 Teachers holding more than the minimum non-contacts have first been asked to forgo one or more of those additional non-contacts.
14.2 Where by virtue of demonstrated timetable or other constraints the allocation identified of non-contact hours or an average 26 students per class limit for any individual teacher cannot be implemented the teacher will be offered the opportunity to review the timetable and suggest changes that would allow the allocation of their non-contact entitlement or average class size entitlement. If it is subsequently agreed that there is genuine reason why it is not possible to provide the non-contact or average class size entitlement within the timetable then the principal and the teacher may mutually agree to compensate the teacher with:
14.2.1 An equivalent increase in the allocation of time for non-contact teaching duties at another point in that school year; or
14.2.2 An equivalent reduction in non-teaching or supervisory duties outside the school’s timetabled teaching periods; or
14.2.3 Compensatory relief cover for the teacher later in that school year; or
14.2.4 Some combination of the above or other mutually agreeable mechanism
14.3 Where by virtue of genuine and demonstrated temporary constraints the allocation of non-contact hours to which an individual teacher is entitled cannot be met within any week, then the principal and the teacher may, on each occasion, mutually agree to compensate the teacher with:
14.3.1 An equivalent increase in the allocation of time for non-contact teaching duties at another point in that school year; or
14.3.2 An equivalent reduction in non-teaching or supervisory duties outside the school’s timetabled teaching periods; or
14.3.3 Compensatory relief cover for the teacher later in that school year; or
14.3.4 Some combination of the above or other mutually agreeable mechanism
15 The Principal shall institute Procedures pursuant to this Policy.