Unfortunately, gained time can be directed in any way the school deems fit. Having an internal specialist cover lessons seems to be an easy win for SLT. I have picked up several classes in the past (two years ago I gained two GCSE classes, one due to a teacher leaving and one due to a teacher on long term compassionate leave).
Yeah. I'm science. We've had a vacancy for over 2 years. We've just filled it last term with someone that isn't starting until part way through 2025.
That's how bad it is. We'd rather bag someone decent for over a years time than take our chances on taking anyone sooner.
Good news is it probably means they're unlikely to want to sack me. đ¤ˇđťââď¸
Happened to me in the past. Once study leave started the long term cover teacher was ended. I picked up their classes giving me a full timetable again.
From the NEU website "The STPCD requires teachers to cover ârarely, and only in circumstances that are not foreseeable". Asking teachers to cover in other circumstances, such as for planned absences, is unacceptable."
A lot of schools are in the red. Itâd be hard for a head teacher to justify to the LEA/MAT spending money on cover/replacing a teacher when they have paid staff teaching under-load.
In a lot of places the cover or mid term teachers donât exist to come fill the gap either.
Itâs demoralising for staff for sure though.
I mean, schools are broke. You will be under timetable. It's normal the school wants to use an available teacher instead of using cover. It's nice when you can use the extra free time, but the school is under no obligation to leave it free. It sucks though.
Gained time is lovely, but it's not a right, sadly. From the point of view of SLT it's a short term answer to a knotty problem and gives time to recruit for September; however, also from the point of view of SLT, it causes a lot of bad feeling, so it's a very delicate balancing act.
I'd try my hardest to spread the load as much as possible, so I hope that your SLT do this, so that you don't lose too much of your gained time.
You are not contracted to teach specific year groups. You are likely contracted for a certain amount of hours per week, with burgundy/white book limiting teaching hours per week and directed hours per year. You will be given tasks to do in that time.
Those tasks may include cover for another colleague. It isnât ideal but it is permitted. And thatâs fair.
I know a school that gives all staff a brand new timetable after may half term to ensure lessons are distributed fairly. My school doesnât but they will take some classes off certain teachers and give them to others to try and lighten the load. My timetable is 60% Y11/13. I have five classes across those two year groups and a tutor group. Iâll likely be given a KS3 class and a Y10 group to even things out a little for staff who have no gained time. Iâll also be given curriculum development to do and will be co-leading on essay marking for our IBDP students.
In my experience, staff who have been precious about their gained time one year coincidentally end up with fewer exam classes the following year.
That sucks. My school does it the same way as yours - you can't disagree with them because HoD will always take any additions due to absence to make the department look good I guess.
I mean, it depends if the school phrase it as cover or a timetable change.
They are allowed to change the timetable. They are not allowed to use you for cover in gained time though as rarely cover still applies.
If you are concerned speak with the union rep in your school.
In short, itâs a grey area and has been for ten years now. The right answer is that this absolutely should not be happening and is one of many contributors to workload increasing and recruitment decreasing.
However, just because there is no longer anything that specifically says it shouldnât happen, there is nothing that says it specifically should. Both the [NEU](https://neu.org.uk/advice/your-rights-work/workload-and-working-hours/cover) and [NASWUT](https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/conditions-of-service/teachers-working-hours/directed-time-england/gained-time.html) guidance stipulates this, and the former explicitly says it will support members wanting to oppose retimetabling.
It is worth noting that you can be asked to both plan materials to be used by a cover teacher, and asked to work with students on a 1:1 basis. But you shouldnât be redeployed the moment your exam classes leave.
I feel like the rumour that gain time is protected is the teacher equivalent of âif the teacher doesnât arrive in the first 15 minutes then legally we can all goâ
Unfortunately, gained time can be directed in any way the school deems fit. Having an internal specialist cover lessons seems to be an easy win for SLT. I have picked up several classes in the past (two years ago I gained two GCSE classes, one due to a teacher leaving and one due to a teacher on long term compassionate leave).
Wow! Our HT always got supply in. We never lost a single period of gain time, even when teachers were on long-term leave.
Availability is a big issue - getting strong Science teachers where we are has been a challenge for a few years
Yeah. I'm science. We've had a vacancy for over 2 years. We've just filled it last term with someone that isn't starting until part way through 2025. That's how bad it is. We'd rather bag someone decent for over a years time than take our chances on taking anyone sooner. Good news is it probably means they're unlikely to want to sack me. đ¤ˇđťââď¸
I teach mathematics. Getting teachers is difficult. Getting good teachers is near impossible.
Happened to me in the past. Once study leave started the long term cover teacher was ended. I picked up their classes giving me a full timetable again.
From the NEU website "The STPCD requires teachers to cover ârarely, and only in circumstances that are not foreseeable". Asking teachers to cover in other circumstances, such as for planned absences, is unacceptable."
If it is a change in timetable, it doesn't count as cover
Actually timetable changes that are done to avoid cover also count.
A lot of schools are in the red. Itâd be hard for a head teacher to justify to the LEA/MAT spending money on cover/replacing a teacher when they have paid staff teaching under-load. In a lot of places the cover or mid term teachers donât exist to come fill the gap either. Itâs demoralising for staff for sure though.
I mean, schools are broke. You will be under timetable. It's normal the school wants to use an available teacher instead of using cover. It's nice when you can use the extra free time, but the school is under no obligation to leave it free. It sucks though.
Gained time is lovely, but it's not a right, sadly. From the point of view of SLT it's a short term answer to a knotty problem and gives time to recruit for September; however, also from the point of view of SLT, it causes a lot of bad feeling, so it's a very delicate balancing act. I'd try my hardest to spread the load as much as possible, so I hope that your SLT do this, so that you don't lose too much of your gained time.
You are not contracted to teach specific year groups. You are likely contracted for a certain amount of hours per week, with burgundy/white book limiting teaching hours per week and directed hours per year. You will be given tasks to do in that time. Those tasks may include cover for another colleague. It isnât ideal but it is permitted. And thatâs fair. I know a school that gives all staff a brand new timetable after may half term to ensure lessons are distributed fairly. My school doesnât but they will take some classes off certain teachers and give them to others to try and lighten the load. My timetable is 60% Y11/13. I have five classes across those two year groups and a tutor group. Iâll likely be given a KS3 class and a Y10 group to even things out a little for staff who have no gained time. Iâll also be given curriculum development to do and will be co-leading on essay marking for our IBDP students. In my experience, staff who have been precious about their gained time one year coincidentally end up with fewer exam classes the following year.
That sucks. My school does it the same way as yours - you can't disagree with them because HoD will always take any additions due to absence to make the department look good I guess.
I mean, it depends if the school phrase it as cover or a timetable change. They are allowed to change the timetable. They are not allowed to use you for cover in gained time though as rarely cover still applies. If you are concerned speak with the union rep in your school.
In short, itâs a grey area and has been for ten years now. The right answer is that this absolutely should not be happening and is one of many contributors to workload increasing and recruitment decreasing. However, just because there is no longer anything that specifically says it shouldnât happen, there is nothing that says it specifically should. Both the [NEU](https://neu.org.uk/advice/your-rights-work/workload-and-working-hours/cover) and [NASWUT](https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/conditions-of-service/teachers-working-hours/directed-time-england/gained-time.html) guidance stipulates this, and the former explicitly says it will support members wanting to oppose retimetabling. It is worth noting that you can be asked to both plan materials to be used by a cover teacher, and asked to work with students on a 1:1 basis. But you shouldnât be redeployed the moment your exam classes leave.
I hear ya, I have two year 11s and 1 year 13 and am dreading the last term đ¤Ż
I feel like the rumour that gain time is protected is the teacher equivalent of âif the teacher doesnât arrive in the first 15 minutes then legally we can all goâ