Jordanstown agreement

Your teaching contract.

(Bet you didn’t even realise you had one!)

This is sometimes called “The Jordanstown Agreement”, but it’s usually the pile of text you click “I agree” to when applying for a job as a teacher. It states – as clearly as can be – that a Principal can “direct” a teacher to work for a maximum of 1265 hours per year on “such duties as may reasonably be specified by the Principal.”

“What do you mean I’m not paid for my holidays?!”

Every teacher ever, when they read their contract.

PROFESSIONAL DUTIES OF A TEACHER

TEACHERS’ (TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT) REGULATIONS 

(NORTHERN IRELAND) 1987

Schedule 3

Regulation 5

1) Exercise of general professional duties

A teacher who is not a principal shall carry out the professional duties of a teacher as circumstances may require:- 

(a) if he/she is employed as a teacher in a school under the reasonable direction of the principal of that school;

(b) if he/she is employed by a board on terms under which he is not assigned to any one school, under the reasonable direction of that board and of the principal of any school in which he/she may for the time being be required to work as a teacher.

2) Exercise of particular duties

(a) A teacher employed as a teacher (other than a principal) in a school shall perform, in accordance with any directions which may be reasonably given to him/her by the principal from time to time, such particular duties as may reasonably be assigned to him/her.

(b) A teacher to whom paragraph 1(b) refers shall perform, in accordance with any direction which may reasonably be given to him/her from time to time by the board or by the principal of any school in which he/she may for the time being be required to work as a teacher, such particular duties as may reasonably be assigned to him/her.

1. Planning 

1.1 Planning and preparing courses and lessons; 

1.2 Teaching, according to their educational needs, the pupils assigned to him/her, including the setting and marking of work to be carried out by the pupils in school and elsewhere; 

1.3 Assessing, recording and reporting on the development, progress and attainment of pupils. 

2. General 

2.1 Promoting the general progress and well-being of individual pupils and of any class or group of pupils assigned to him/her; 

2.2 Providing advice and guidance to pupils on educational and social matters and on their further education and future careers including information about sources of more expert advice on specific questions, making relevant records and reports; 

2.3 Making records of and reports on the personal and social needs of pupils except in instances where to do so might be regarded as compromising a teacher’s own position; 

2.4 Communicating and consulting with the parents of pupils; 

2.5 Communicating and co-operating with such persons or bodies outside the school as may be approved by the employing authority and the Board of Governors; 

2.6 Participating in meetings arranged for any of the purposes described above. 

3. Assessment/Reporting 

Providing or contributing to oral and written assessments, reports and references relating to individual pupils and groups of pupils except in instances where to do so might be regarded as compromising a teacher’s own position. 

4. Staff Development/Professional Development 

4.1 Participating, if required, in any scheme of staff development and performance review; 

4.2

a) Reviewing from time to time his/her methods of teaching and programmes of work; 

b) Participating in arrangements for his/her further training and professional development as a teacher. 

4.3 Advising and co-operating with the Principal and other teachers (or any one or more of them) on the preparation and development of courses of study, teaching materials, teaching programmes, methods of teaching and assessment and pastoral arrangements.

5. Discipline/Health and Safety 

5.1 Maintaining good order and discipline among pupils in accordance with the policies of the employing authority and safeguarding their health and safety both when they are authorised to be on the school premises and when they are engaged in authorised school activities elsewhere. 

5.2 Participating in meetings at the school which relate to the curriculum for the school or the administration or organisation of the school, including pastoral arrangements. 

6. Public Examinations 

Participating in arrangements for preparing pupils for public examinations and in assessing pupils for the purposes of such examinations; recording and reporting such assessments; and participating in arrangements for pupils’ presentation for and supervision during such examination. 

7. Review and Development of Management Activities/Administration 

7.1 

a) Contributing to the selection for appointment and professional development of other teachers, including the induction and assessment of probationary teachers; 

b) Co-ordinating or managing the work of other teachers; 

c) Taking such part as may be required of him/her in the review, development and management of activities relating to the curriculum, organisation and pastoral functions of the school. 

7.2 

a) Participating in administrative and organisational tasks related to such duties as described above, including the management or supervision of persons providing support for the teachers in the school and the ordering and allocation of equipment and materials. 

b) Subject to the provisions of Article 22 of the Order, attending assemblies; 

c) Registering the attendance of pupils and supervising pupils, whether these duties are to be performed before, during or after school sessions. 

8. Number of days/Hours of work 

8.1     

a) A full-time teacher, other than a teacher employed in a  residential establishment, shall be available for work on 195  days in any year of which not more than 190 days should involve teaching children in a classroom situation; 

b) A teacher, other than a teacher employed in a residential establishment, shall be available to perform such duties at such times and such places as may reasonably be specified by the Principal, or where he/she is employed by a Board on terms  under which he/she is not assigned to any one school by the Board or the Principal of any school in which he/she may for the time being be required to work as a teacher, for 1,265 hours in any year exclusive of time spent off school premises in preparing and marking lessons and time spent travelling to and from the place of work; 

A teacher… shall be available… for 1,265 hours in any year exclusive of time spent off school premises in preparing and marking lessons…

Jordanstown Agreement 1987 / 1988.

c) A teacher may not be required to teach as distinct from supervise children in a classroom situation for more than 25 hours in any week in a primary or special school  and 23.5 hours in any week in a secondary school; 

d) Unless employed under a separate contract as a mid-day supervisor, a teacher shall not be required to undertake mid-day supervision;

e) Subject to paragraph (f) all teachers shall be required to have a break of at least 30 minutes between the hours of 12 noon and 2.00 pm;

f) Teachers in nursery schools and nursery units in primary schools shall be required to have a break of at least 30 minutes between the hours of 12 noon and 2.30 pm;

g) For the purposes of this paragraph, a ‘year’ means a period of 12 months commencing on 31st July and a ‘week’ means a period of 7 days commencing on a Sunday.

9. Staff cover 

9.1 Supervising and teaching any pupils whose teacher is not available provided that: 

a) In schools with an average daily enrolment of 222 or less, in primary 1 and primary 2 classes in schools with an average daily enrolment greater than 222 pupils and in nursery classes in primary schools a teacher other than a supply teacher shall not be required to provide such cover:

b) In schools with an average daily enrolment greater than 222 pupils a teacher other than a supply teacher shall not be required to provide such cover after the second day on which a teacher, other than a teacher of primary 1 or primary 2 class or of a nursery class in a primary school, is absent or otherwise not available, or from the first day if the fact that the teacher would be absent or otherwise not  available for a period exceeding 2 days was known to and agreed by the employing authority in advance.

This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

Christmas break in…

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