(Psalm 34) Let Us Exalt His Name Together Forever

'Rarely Cover'

Are we right to be concerned about the impact of 'Rarely Cover' on theatre visits and INSET? Will SMTs of schools adhere to the NUT guidance or will 'Rarely Cover' be viewed as just another way of putting management control before stimulation and education both for the children and their teachers? The NUT guidance states that:

'The WAMG [Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group] guidance refers to cover being undertaken in circumstances which were not foreseeable. The ‘Rarely Cover Implementation Process Guidance’ (the WAMG guidance) refers to the need for robust systems to deliver the contractual entitlement to cover for absent colleagues only rarely. Each school’s ‘robust system’ would be expected to “deal with all foreseeable events, but would not be expected to deal with unforeseeable events.'

'This definition is helpful. It is the Union’s view that most events which prompt a need for cover will be foreseeable. For example, it will be foreseeable that a number of staff are likely to take sick leave or maternity leave. In many areas of England and Wales it will be foreseeable that there may be adverse weather or traffic conditions which will affect teachers’ attendance, although it may be that any particular occurrence is itself unforeseen. It will certainly be foreseeable that there will be a need for cover to be arranged when teachers are absent from school due to other work commitments such as school trips, external meetings, or INSET. This definition of what should be included within school policies on cover allows NUT representatives to argue that all such events which take teachers out of school should be provided for within the school cover policy.'
(Arrangements for Teacher Cover: Guidance for Divisions, Associations and NUT Representatives, May 2009)

But what do you think? What is your experience? Should we be concerned about this? Some of you have already responded - please click the title of this blog to access comments so far.