To All BANUT Reps

Workload and work-life balance Survey

Dear Colleague,

I am writing to inform you that we are surveying all our reps regarding the issue of excessive workload and work-life balance. We are also writing to a sample of NUT members across schools in Birmingham .

Our aim is for members in Birmingham to contact BANUT directly, or via their school rep, where there are workload and work-life balance issues or indeed examples of good practice.

You will be aware that head teachers have a statutory duty to maintain a reasonable work-life balance for all teachers. Despite the introduction of PPA time, limitation on cover and the fact that teachers are no longer required to routinely undertake administrative tasks, the School Teachers' Review Body in May 2006 reported that there had been ‘no significant change in the number of hours worked by teachers between 2005 and 2006'. In fact, it was found that some teachers were suffering an increase in their overall working hours. Where there was a decrease in working time it amounted to no more than 18 minutes per week.

If you and/or your members have concerns that you would like to talk through please feel free to contact the BANUT office on the above number. We are always more than happy to arrange a school based meeting with members to discuss ways of addressing this important issue.

If your school is among the sample you will, of course, receive your own individual survey form as well as the one enclosed with this mailing.

Please return this survey form to the BANUT Office and encourage your members to fill in their individual forms. We have enclosed a FREEPOST return label. (The form is also accessible on the BANUT website: www.banut.net and can be returned via email)

Yours sincerely

Roger King General Secretary

*(If returning below questionnaire by email please click on following link banut@btclick.com and copy and paste below questions and your answers onto your email.)

Workload and work life balance survey

(Status: strictly confidential, no contact unless specifically requested)

1. Workload, work/life balance are issues at my school. Yes / No

 

2. Attempts have been made to address the issues. Yes / No

 

3. All teaching staff get weekly PPA time off at least 10% of their

overall teaching commitment. Yes / No

 

4. Teaching staff (excluding cover teachers) are not required to

cover in my school. Yes / No

 

5. Teaching staff (excluding cover teachers) have not been asked

to cover beyond the 38 hour limit. Yes / No

 

6. Some/all teachers are regularly asked to cover in my school Yes / No

 

7. I believe my school is an exemplar of good practice. Yes / No

 

8. I believe excessive workload is a significant issue in my school. Yes / No

 

9. I would like someone from BANUT to contact me / the rep. Yes / No

 

10. I would like to offer the following comment(s)………………………………………………………………………………………

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

Please contact me on:____________________________________ (phone/email)

 

Name: _____________________ School :_________________________________