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School Support Staff Taking on Teacher Duties

Hi All,

Can I get your views on whether asking support staff to take on one bus duty one a term is unreasonable?  The prime reason for this would be to free up the Teaching Staff to be available for other duties and after school clubs.

The bus duty runs from 4pm until 4.30pm and would involve one member of Teaching Staff and one member of Support Staff.  This will be within their current working time but feels a little far reaching to be a 'requirements of their role' so to speak.

My initial feeling is as long as the Support Staff employees agree to this (like any other job description/contract amendment), we are OK to go ahead and offer this out.  the issue will come when somebody refuses or doesn't think it within their duty.  

Any thoughts/views would be helpful.

Many thanks

Kate

3483 views
  • Our school is very much driven by the principle that you do anything that is needed by the head, as long as it's within your capabilities and is a reasonable request. This sounds like a reasonable request to me - so as long as you're open to a discussion if for an individual it really isn't reasonable (for reasons that may not be apparent to you), I see no problem with it. The divide between support and teaching staff is unhelpful in my mind, and the more that everyone feels that they do what the school/pupils need (rather than stick rigidly to one side of a line), the better.
  • In reply to Nina Waters:

    Thanks for your reply, Nina.

    I absolutely agree, most of the staff do have that view but there are the odd few, like anywhere, that may not want to contribute to 'what is best for the school'.

    Thanks again.

    Katie
  • In reply to Katie:

    Oh yes, we certainly have that too!
  • In reply to Nina Waters:

    Hi I don't see why all staff can't help if needed - our office staff regularly help with the bus and the caretaker does the morning 'stop and drop' for parents.
    Good luck with it all.
    Melissa