Contracts and terms and conditions of employment

Contracts and conditions of employment for school staff

9 articles
  • Conditions of service for school support staff
    Understand who's responsible for setting the conditions of service for school support staff in different types of schools and how pay arrangements are determined.
  • Conditions of service for teachers: the STPCD and the Burgundy Book
    Find out whether the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) and Burgundy Book apply in your school and get an overview of the key requirements they cover.
  • Continuous service
    Be clear on what continuous service means, what is considered a 'break' in employment and what happens when staff move between different employers including between a maintained school and an academy.

Maternity and paternity arrangements

3 articles
  • Keeping in touch (KIT) days
    Employees on maternity or adoption leave are entitled to 10 keeping in touch (KIT) days. Read guidance on how and when they can be used, as well as how to calculate pay.
  • Maternity leave and pay
    Download our summary of the rules about maternity pay and leave for teachers and support staff. Adapt our 2 template letters, one for employees giving notice of maternity leave to their employer and the other for employers confirming maternity pay and leave details to an employee.
  • Paternity leave and pay
    Eligible employees are entitled to statutory paternity pay and leave. Find out about your responsibilities as an employer, the rules on eligibility and taking paternity leave, and understand the requirements for shared parental leave.

Organising working time and breaks

8 articles

PPA time and other non-contact time

3 articles
  • Management time: requirements
    You must give teachers with leadership responsibilities, such as subject leaders, a 'reasonable' amount of non-contact time. Understand the rules and read advice on how much time to give.
  • Planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time
    Find essential information on planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time in just 1 page. Plus, download a copy of this QuickRead as a ready-made resource to share with colleagues.
  • PPA time: rules, eligibility and organisation
    Under the STPCD, eligible teachers must have guaranteed planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time. Read the rules on what you must provide, which teachers are eligible and how to manage the planning and delivery of cover lessons.

Staff leave and absence

8 articles
  • Leave entitlements for staff
    Get to grips with the statutory and additional leave entitlements of teachers and support staff – including maternity, paternity, neonatal and adoption leave. Plus, understand when staff might ask for discretionary leave.
  • Return to work interviews: template and guidance
    Run positive and practical return to work interviews with this downloadable template, and read advice on how to prepare and what to cover.
  • Sick pay entitlements: teachers
    Learn about sick pay terms for teachers, including statutory requirements, who the Burgundy Book terms apply to and what they cover.