Support Staff Newsletter Autumn ‘24
“The NEU welcomes the removal of the single headline inspection grade. The idea that you could give a verdict on a whole school in one or two words was always ridiculous. The Secretary of State for Education is right to say that single headline grades are low information for parents and high stakes for schools. Scrapping the headline grade is a step in the right direction. Ultimately, the NEU still thinks that Ofsted needs to be abolished and replaced. Ofsted is toxic for teachers and school leaders and no amount of rebrand or reform will help Ofsted win back the trust of the profession. We need to see Ofsted replaced with a system of accountability that fosters a culture of collaboration between all stakeholders. One that creates a culture of trust, transparency, and a shared responsibility for the quality of education”.
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the NEU.
Top Stories
Overtime, TOIL and contracted hours The NEU’s 2023 survey of support staff members provided stark evidence that unpaid overtime is endemic. 23% of support staff members of all categories reported that they work at least four hours’ overtime a week; three quarters (75%) work extra hours because ‘their workload demands it’; and 66% are not paid for this overtime, as they should be [Link]
Flexible Working
Employees can make two flexible working requests every 12 months. The manager must consider a request in a ‘reasonable manner’, which involves weighing up the benefits for the employee and the school/college against any potential adverse business impact. They must follow the procedure within the school's policy, considering all options available to them and base a decision on these facts to demonstrate that fair and due consideration has been given to the request. [Link]
Job Descriptions
Many support staff are working beyond the boundaries of their current job description and are therefore not being adequately paid for the extra work they are taking on. A job description should detail the purpose, tasks and responsibilities of a particular job. The national agreement for support staff outlined in ‘School support staff – the way forward’ says that “every member of staff needs a comprehensive job description reviewed on a regular basis”.
Even for standard schools’ roles, such as teaching assistants, librarians, technicians and administrators, job descriptions can be amended to take account of any additional duties the post holder is expected to carry out. While a job description does not have the same legal standing, it should be provided to a new employee at the same time as the contract of employment.
If you wish to amend your job description to encompass changes to your role and responsibilities, you should firstly update it yourself, using the model job profiles for guidance.
You should then talk informally to your line manager, to try to reach agreement on the revised job description. Should the informal approach not result in a satisfactory outcome, then you have recourse to the school or LA grievance procedure (whichever is applicable).
Before embarking on a challenge to your existing job description or grading, it is a good idea to consult your NEU school rep. If you do not have a rep at your school, you can always seek advice from your local NEU branch.
If you need any advice or help in your school with any of the above, please contact the NEU Adviceline on 0345 811 8111, or email traffordbranch@neu.org.uk for confidential advice and support.
Thank you for reading.