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Gained time
During the academic year, especially during the summer term, teachers are released from some of their timetabled teaching commitments as a result of pupils being on study leave, examination leave or when pupils meet their year group tutor. This time is known as gained time.
There are activities directly relevant to teaching and learning for which it would be appropriate to use gained time and which would be reasonable for a head teacher to direct teachers to undertake. They are:
developing or revising department/subject curriculum materials, schemes of work, lesson plans and policies in preparation for the new academic year - including identifying appropriate materials for use by supply staff and/or cover supervisors
assisting colleagues in appropriate planned team teaching activities
taking groups of pupils to provide additional learning support
supporting selected pupils with coursework
undertaking planned activities with pupils transferring between year groups or from primary school
CPD during school session, where a school has a policy allowing this.
If teachers are directed to cover during gained time, it must count towards the 38-hour limit - see the cover section of this website.
Need further advice?
Your first point of contact is your ATL rep in your school or college. Your local ATL branch is also available to help with queries, or you can contact ATL's member advisors on tel: 020 7930 6441 or email us. Please have your membership number to hand when telephoning and include it with any correspondence - this will help us to answer your query more quickly.
You may also wish to call: the out-of-office-hours helpline, tel: 020 7782 1612; our stress helpline, tel: 08705 234 828; our crisis helpline, tel: 08705 234 838, or our personal injury claims line, tel: 0800 083 7285.