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Class Contact Time for Secondary Schools

POLICY 87.01

The Union recognises that individual schools operate under many variables and hence it is difficult to make hard and fast rules.

However, in the interests of professionalism and the educational welfare of students, a policy has been developed to provide schools with guidelines for classroom contact.

The QIEU recommendation is that secondary teachers should have a maximum of class contact ranging between 70 and 75 per cent of the total number of class contact periods in any school week.

The following should be noted:

1. It is stressed that this is a recommended MAXIMUM not the OPTIMUM.
2. In allocating class contact, consideration should be given to:
   • the size of actual classes;
   • whether the class is a senior class or not;
   • the special character of each class which exacerbates the degree of difficulty in the management and planning required, for example, behavioural problems, slow learners, physically handicapped etc.;
   • the experience of the teachers - QIEU policy for first year teachers recommends a reduced workload by 10-20 per cent less contact time than their more experienced peers;
   • whether the teacher has additional responsibilities, for example, Subject Area Co-ordination. QIEU policy recommends that:
     • Senior Co-ordinators: 49 hours per week or more and 4 teachers should be given an additional line off or 4 lessons less contact.
     • Junior Co-ordinators: 25 hours per week and 2 teachers should be given an additional line off or 2 lessons less contact.
   • Teachers who are involved in union work, for example, Staff Representatives, should have additional relief time.

It should not be necessary to reiterate the rationale for giving teachers release time from class contact. Likewise, cognisant of this rationale, it should be unnecessary to state that QIEU views the maintenance of teachers release time as essential.

Union policy strongly opposes any diminution of teacher's non-contact time through the imposition of extra duties, supervisions etc.

QIEU acknowledges that on occasions, due to unforeseen circumstances, relief teachers may not be able to be arranged. However, this is the exception, not the norm. In most instances, administrators have ample time and opportunity to arrange teacher relief.

Full time staff should not have to forsake valuable planning and preparation to take supervisions. If individual members of staff seek to improve their own working conditions, they may be successful. However, frequently in the rectification of their colleagues who are less vocal are in turn disadvantaged.

If the issue is addressed at a school level and all staff act in solidarity then two things are likely to occur. Firstly, the united voice is more effective and secondly, the result is more likely to be equitable.