Teachers will have the opportunity to discuss, amend and agree their DTB with a senior leader prior to the first day of teaching. There’ll be a right of appeal and a mechanism to do so if agreement cannot be reached.
- TNC 2011/8 Appendix III Time Budgeting 1.3 https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/de/tn2011-appendiiitime-budgeting.pdf – ‘The Principal is responsible for determining a time budget to each member of the teaching staff, giving due regard to the individual responsibilities of each teacher. The Principal should seek to agree with each teacher the range of activities/duties which that teacher will undertake and the amount of time which that teacher will spend on each of these. ‘
- TNC 2011/8 Appendix III Time Budgeting Disputes 6.1 https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/de/tnc2014-6-grievance-procedure.pdf – ‘It is hoped that this guidance will avoid disputes in relation to teachers’ time budgets. Any teacher who has a concern or fails to reach agreement on their time budget should raise the matter, in the first instance with the Principal. If necessary the teacher should seek support from their recognised trade union to resolve the situation. It is hoped that such issues will be resolved without recourse to formal procedures. In circumstances, however where a teacher is not satisfied with the outcome the Grievance Procedure for Teachers (TNC 2008/3) may be used.’ (TNC 2014/6 supersedes the referenced document)
- Directed Time Budget Guidance for Principals FAQs Q1 https://ennilive-my.sharepoint.com/personal/bmckenna686_c2ken_net/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fbmckenna686%5Fc2ken%5Fnet%2FDocuments%2FDTB%2FDTB%20%2D%20FAQs%20%2D%20Sway%202022%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fbmckenna686%5Fc2ken%5Fnet%2FDocuments%2FDTB&ga=1 – ‘A number of principals have raised concerns about how they will have one-to one conversations with every member of their teaching staff about Time Budgets. In schools where the staff numbers are quite small this might not be an issue. But in schools that have a large number of teaching staff it would not be feasible to expect the principal to conduct all of these conversations. In such instances that responsibility could be delegated to a senior member of staff as suggested in the Jordanstown Agreement, paragraph 5.’
- Advice on Developing Directed Time Budgets 1.1/1.2 https://www.eani.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-06/Advice%20on%20Developing%20%20Directed%20Time%20Budgets%20050620.pdf – ‘Each teacher is entitled to a Directed Time budget and it is the professional duty of principals in all schools to ensure a Directed Time budget is prepared for, and gives due regard to, the individual responsibilities of each teacher in their school. This is not a new requirement and has been in place since 19871. While it is accepted that many schools have long had processes in place for constructing time budgets, it is nonetheless important that reference is made to this advice moving forward as some elements supersede existing guidance. Principals and each member of staff should seek to reach agreement on a teacher’s Directed Time budget; teachers do not have freedom to decide for themselves how they allocate their time. Principals should plan the use of teachers’ hours carefully in conjunction with the school calendar. If they do not, there could be a danger that staff will exhaust their obligatory hours before the end of the school year.
- EA Health & Safety Statement & Policy 2023 https://www.eani.org.uk/sites/default/files/2023-10/EA%20Health%20and%20Safety%20Statement%20and%20Policy%20Nov%202023.pdf – ‘actively identifying health and safety hazards and unsafe processes/systems of work with a view to eliminating, controlling or minimising risk where practicable through a recognised assessment process; engaging and consulting with all employees and their representatives on health, safety and wellbeing by establishing and maintaining consultative committees.’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 1.1 https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘c. to ensure that members of staff are able to observe their contractual requirements, pursue their careers and undertake their day to day duties without unfair and unreasonable requirements being placed on them in relation to those duties and with sufficient time to enjoy a reasonable work/life balance; d. to protect and enhance the professional relationships within a school; e. to ensure that Boards of Governors as employers are aware of and in a position to meet their legal obligations with respect to employment matters and to operate within the spirit of the legislation governing Working Time and Health and Safety.
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 1.2.2.i https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘That workloads will continue to be managed in an open, fair and equitable way at departmental/school level and that Teachers are able to challenge unfair and/or unreasonable distribution of workload.’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 1.2.2.iv https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘Where a Teacher and his or her line manager fail to reach agreement on any of the above, in the first instance the Teacher should raise the matter informally and may refer the matter to the Board of Governors using the appropriate grievance procedure.’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 5.1d https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘Some Teachers will be in receipt of Teaching Allowances or Special Educational Needs Allowances for specific duties. These duties must also be allowed for within the time budget of 1265 hours, taking cognisance of the guidance on cover arrangements (Section 6).’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 5.1e https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘There is a range of other professional activities that go on regularly within schools. If a Teacher is expected to carry out any duty that is deemed reasonable and in balance with the duties allocated to colleagues, then it must also be accounted for in the time budget. Due attention must be paid to ensure that there is work/life balance, in line with the Strategy for Teacher Health and Wellbeing in Northern Ireland (TNC 2011/1), particularly where a Teacher volunteers to take on additional duties on an unremunerated basis’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 5.2 https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘5.2 If a Teacher agrees to carry out these duties on a voluntary basis they will not count as directed time, however, if the duties are directed by the Principal then the hours fall under directed time. 5.3 Principals cannot direct Teachers to take pupils on educational visits involving overnight stays. Where this takes place on a voluntary basis it is a matter of negotiation between the Teacher and the Principal as to the amount of directed time which will be allocated to this activity out of the annual time budget. This should include an appropriate allocation of time for the organisation of such visits.’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 5.5.1 https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘It is recommended that each Teacher’s time budget includes an element of contingency time to ensure there is flexibility to accommodate situations that may arise and are unaccounted for within the time budget’
- TNC 2024/2 Workload Agreement 5.8 https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/education/TNC%202024-2%20%20Workload%20Agreemeent.pdf – ‘It is hoped that this guidance will avoid disputes in relation to Teachers’ time budgets. Any Teacher who has a concern or fails to reach agreement on their time budget should raise the matter, in the first instance with the Principal. If necessary the Teacher should seek support from their recognised trade union to resolve the situation. It is hoped that such issues will be resolved without recourse to formal procedures. In circumstances, however where a Teacher is not satisfied with the outcome the appropriate grievance procedure may be used. 5.8.2 If the issue is impacting on a number of Teachers in the school then the Teachers and/or the Trade Union Representative (or representatives) may raise the issue with the Principal on a joint basis. Where this does not resolve the issue the Teachers may utilise the appropriate grievance procedure.’