What's directed time and what are the rules?
Who's employed under the STPCD?
The STPCD applies to all teachers in maintained schools.
Academies set their own employment conditions for staff, but some teachers in academies are still employed under the STPCD's conditions – for example, teachers whose employment transferred to an academy at the point of conversion will still be employed under the STPCD, unless the academy has renegotiated pay and conditions for all its staff.
Full-time teachers employed under the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD) must normally be available to perform any activities or tasks specified by their employer or headteacher for 1,265 hours across the school year on days they're required to be available for work.
This time is known as 'directed time'.
The 1,265 hours limit is pro-rated for part-time teachers.
What's typically included in directed time?
Any compulsory activity counts as directed time, so in addition to teaching hours:
- Meetings, such as staff meetings and performance management meetings
- Supervisory duties
- Registration
- Assembly
- Planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time
- Management time for teachers with additional responsibilities
- INSET days
- Parents' evenings and open evenings
You don't have to include optional or voluntary tasks in directed time.
A representative from the DfE confirmed this is a sensible approach to take.
Rest breaks don't count as directed time
Teachers must get 1 break of "reasonable length" each day (if they're working both the morning and afternoon sessions) – this doesn't count as directed time, nor do any other breaks throughout the day.
This was confirmed by the DfE. Read more about this in another article.
Keep your directed time calculations flexible
Free periods (when staff are not timetabled to be teaching) should be counted as part of directed time if they are:
- Used for other activities that fall under directed time – for example, planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time
- 'Trapped time' between other duties that fall under directed time
As such, be aware that break times you hadn't previously calculated for may become 'trapped', or time when staff are carrying out duties that fall under directed time, and you may need to adjust for them.
We also recommend you include some 'contingency time' when calculating directed time, to cover unexpected events such as extra meetings or cover teaching. This is because teachers can't be directed to work more than 1,265 hours.
Reasonable hours in addition to directed time
In addition to the 1,265 hours, teachers must work additional hours as needed to effectively fulfil their professional duties, particularly:
- Planning and preparing courses and lessons
- Assessing, monitoring, recording and reporting on the learning needs, progress and achievements of assigned pupils
However, you must not determine how many additional hours they must work, or when these hours happen.
Don't confuse these additional hours with PPA time, which is part of directed time.
Who's covered by directed time?
Directed time applies to all teachers employed under the STPCD, except:
- Headteachers – including deputy and assistant headteachers, or teachers receiving an acting allowance for these roles
- Teachers on the pay range for leading practitioners
- Unattached teachers in charge of pupil referral units (PRUs) who are paid as headteachers
- Unattached teachers who are paid on the leadership pay range
See page 49 of the STPCD, linked above.
Use our spreadsheet to calculate directed time allocation
Download our spreadsheet and use it to calculate how much of your teachers' directed time has been allocated over a year.
You decide whether to use a directed time budget
There's no requirement under the STPCD to use a directed time budget or calendar.
Using a calendar or budget can help to make sure:
- All time is accounted for
- Teachers aren't working more or less than the 1,265 hours of directed time
Not using a calendar or budget:
- Promotes a sense of goodwill and trust in teachers to work the hours without direct monitoring
- Allows teachers to feel more in control of their working arrangements
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) explained this to us.
Note: teachers must follow a budget if your school puts one in place.
Examples of directed time budgets
Small primary school in Lincolnshire
Scampton Church of England (CofE) Primary School has a directed time budget in its directed time policy that includes:
- Staff professional development meetings
- Communications to parents/carers
- Report writing
Special school in Kent
St Anthony's School in Kent has a directed time calculation that includes:
- Break duties
- Annual reviews
- After school clubs
Secondary academy in Rotherham
Wales High School has a directed time calculation (on page 2 of the policies page) that includes:
- Break duties (included in the school day calculation)
- After school meetings
- Public meetings