Archimedes (TES 2, School Management, November 11) got it wrong. The question was whether a school could require its teaching staff to come into school during the school holidays.
In saying “yes” Archimedes referred to paragraph 36(1)(f) of the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions of Service Document (which in the 1994 document is paragraph 38.6). That is the one which says that teachers may have to do more than the 1,265 hours of directed time.
But the question is not about the number of hours, but the number of days on which a teacher can be required to attend school.
The answer is to be found at paragraph 38.1 of the 1994 document, which states that a teacher shall be available for work for 195 days in any school year, 190 being days on which the teacher may be required to teach.
Unless the headteacher chooses to use one of the remaining five days to require a teacher to come into school, then the question answered by Archimedes with “yes” should have been answered with “no”.
DAVID JONES
Deputy general secretary
Professional Association of Teachers
2 St James’ Court
Friar GateDerby
