Sixth form college teachers have secured a contractual right to \u2018planning time\u2019 following union negotiations.<\/p>\n
The National Education Union (NEU<\/a>) said planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time had been added to sixth form teacher terms and conditions, despite the protection existing in schools since 2005.<\/p>\n Schools Week<\/em> understands that though there will be no set percentage figure, during PPA time teachers should not be asked to carry out other duties and may be able to work away from the college site where appropriate.<\/p>\n Other principles the NEU and NASUWT have agreed with the Sixth Form College Association (SFCA) include a “rarely cover” provision and parameters around the use of directed time.<\/p>\n Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said the \u201cimprovements\u201d would address college workloads<\/a> which have \u201csteadily ticked upwards\u201d and are a significant driver of the education sector\u2019s retention and recruitment challenges.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cNew workload principles will go a long way toward ensuring that teacher workloads are fair and balanced, whereas the enshrining of directed time in colleges at a time in which it is under threat in schools is an important step in the right direction for the sector.<\/p>\n \u201cThis workload win is down to the resolve of NEU sixth form college teachers to stand firm until their conditions improved, as well as a mark of the success of the effective dialogue between unions and employers that the sectoral collective bargaining structure in sixth form colleges facilitates.\u201d<\/p>\n