Top 3 most popular articles in March 2022

At Edapt, we support thousands of school staff in England and Wales with employment-related queries. 

As a result, we have a unique window into the insights and concerns of school staff and how this changes at specific times throughout the academic year.

With over 200 accessible support articles on education and employment-related subjects, when school staff search for reliable information on employment issues in schools, they come to Edapt.

During March 2022, our 3 most popular support articles were:

1 Can teachers take a day off to attend a job interview?

During March we had lots of enquiries about job interviews and applying for jobs as a member of school staff.

Teachers asked us whether they should tell their existing school about attending an interview and if they will suffer any adverse consequences.

In the majority of instances schools will be understanding that staff will be looking at other employment opportunities and will be accommodating for requests to attend job interviews. You will have to make a request to your headteacher or line manager in advance and follow the procedures set out in your school’s staff absence policy.

There are no specific sections in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) or the Burgundy Book which explicitly set out details on whether teachers are allowed paid leave to attend a job interview.

It will be the decision of each school how it handles requests for a leave of absence for attending interviews during term time. You will need to check your school’s policies and staff handbook for specific information. Staff absence and special leave policies will be useful to look at.

2 What is a teacher support plan?

Teacher support plans can differ in content, name and structure and should be catered for the individual needs of the teacher. They are meant to be a supportive and developmental tool which will assist you in improving your teaching and learning practice.

Most often support plans will include a number of objectives which you will have to meet within a set time frame.

If you have been placed on a teacher support plan you will want to clarify with your school if it is the beginning of informal or formal capability procedures.

We have produced another article which looks in more detail at what informal capability procedures are. 

It explains that in the Department for Education’s (DfEs) model policy for schools on teacher appraisal and capability, where there are concerns about any aspects of the teacher’s performance the appraiser will meet the teacher formally to:

• Set clear objectives for required improvement
• Agree any support (e.g. coaching, mentoring, structured observations), that will be provided to help address those specific concerns
• Make clear how, and by when, the appraiser will review progress (it may be appropriate to revise objectives, and it will be necessary to allow sufficient time for improvement).
• Explain the implications and process if no, or insufficient, improvement is made – e.g, impact on pay progression and potential move to formal capability

If you are an Edapt subscriber we recommend contacting us as soon as possible if placed on a teacher support plan.

3. What is a lead practitioner?

Becoming a lead practitioner can be an attractive route for school staff looking at ways to increase their pay while still keeping a focus on teaching and learning.

The Leading Practitioner Pay Range rewards consistently high-performing teachers who wish to focus on modelling excellent practice and raising the standard of teaching across the school.

Lead practitioners should take a leadership role in developing, implementing and evaluating policies and practice in their workplace that contribute to school improvement. This might include:

• Coaching, mentoring and induction of teachers, including trainees and NQTs
• Disseminating materials and advising on practice, research and CPD provision
• Assessment and impact evaluation, including through demonstration lessons and classroom observation
• Supporting the school or groups of schools in provision of high-quality schemes of work to reduce workload
• Helping teachers who are experiencing difficulties

The STPCD explains that teachers on the lead practitioner pay range have the same professional responsibilities and benefit from the same rights conferred as all other teachers.