Supervision and Substitution in Post Primary Schools Your ...

Supervision and Substitution
in Post Primary Schools
Your Questions Answered
www.education.ie

Supervision and Substitution in Post Primary Schools
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
What is the purpose of the supervision and substitution scheme?
The purpose of the scheme is to ensure that the delivery of
supervision and substitution is put on a sound footing into the future
and to provide certainty for schools, teachers and pupils.
Is the scheme voluntary?
Yes. Teachers can choose whether to participate in the scheme or not.
Who is eligible to participate?
All permanent, temporary and part-time teachers on the staff of the
school who constitute the teacher allocation approved by the
Department of Education and Science for the school are eligible to
participate. This includes Principals and Deputy Principals.
How many hours must a participating teacher commit to in a year?
• Participating wholetime teachers will be required to commit to 37
hours supervision and substitution duties over the school year.
• Participating job-sharing teachers will be required to commit to
181 /2 hours.
• Participating part-time teachers will be required to commit on a
pro-rata basis.
2
www.education.ie

Your Questions Answered
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
What is the rate of pay?
The rate of pay is €38.48 per hour. The original rate of €37 was
increased with effect from 1 October 2002.
When will payment be made?
Payment will be made through the payroll system at the end of the
school year on foot of a claim certified by the Principal. Further
discussions will be held on agreeing arrangements for the payment
of an advance earlier in the year.
Will supervision be a first call on the 37 hour commitment?
Yes. Supervision will be a first call on the 37 hour commitment.
How many hours of that 37 hour commitment relate to supervision?
It is anticipated that supervision will normally require a first call of
about 20 – 25 hours but there may be some variation from school to
school.
Will a teacher know when he/she will be required to provide
supervision?
Yes. Participating teachers will be rostered for supervision duties
following consultation with the Principal.
3
www.education.ie

Supervision and Substitution in Post Primary Schools
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
How many hours substitution will be required of each teacher?
The substitution hours will be the balance of the 37 hours available
after the hours for supervision have been deducted.
How will a teacher be assigned to substitution duties?
In consultation with the teacher two class periods per week will be
designated for which the participating teacher must be available for
substitution duties.
When will a participating teacher know if he/she is required for
substitution duties?
The intention is that school management will inform participating
teachers at the start of the day if they will be required for their
rostered period on that day.
Will a teacher have to teach the class when substituting for an
absent teacher?
The aim is that the substitution arrangements should, whenever
possible, optimise the teaching and learning experience of the pupil.
4
www.education.ie

Your Questions Answered
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
What happens if a teacher is not called upon for any substitution
duties in a particular week?
If, in any given week, a teacher is not called upon for substitution,
the unmet commitment remains. It is carried over but is subject to a
maximum delivery in any future week of 1 1 /2 hours within the two
designated class periods (save where otherwise agreed with the
teacher).
Is it possible to commit to more than 37 hours?
Yes, but only if the school’s allocation is not fully taken up by each
teacher. Such unallocated hours from the school’s overall allocation
may then be made available to other teachers. Payment for these
additional hours will be solely on the basis of hours delivered.
• Wholetime teachers opting to do more than 37 hours may
deliver up to a maximum of 49 hours.
• Part-time teachers may deliver the difference between their
annual contracted part-time teaching hours with the school/VEC
and 735 hours.
Is a teacher entitled to receive full payment for the 37 hours whether
he/she does the duties or not?
In the event that management does not require delivery of all of the
37 hours over the course of the full year, payment will, nonetheless,
be made for the full contracted 37 hours.
5
www.education.ie

Supervision and Substitution in Post Primary Schools
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Will a teacher be paid for his/her full commitment if he/she is on
maternity or sick leave?
As payment is on the basis of actual delivery teachers on maternity
or sick leave will be paid for whatever hours are delivered over the
course of the school year. On return to work a teacher will, of
course, be paid for any unfulfilled hours that he/she subsequently
delivers.
Is the payment for supervision and substitution pensionable?
Yes. The agreed payment is pensionable subject to the payment of
contributions and the rules of the superannuation scheme.
To qualify for this pensionability a wholetime teacher must:
• give a written commitment to undertake supervision and
substitution duties on an ongoing basis to retirement under a 37
hour per annum contract and
• make such a commitment on or before 1st September 2004 (or
within 1 year from the date of first appointment in the case of a
newly appointed teacher).
What is the position regarding pensionability for part-time teachers?
The pensionability of supervision and substitution payments for parttime
teachers will be addressed in the context of discussion of the
implementation of the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act
2001.
6
www.education.ie

Your Questions Answered
Q
A
Q
A No.
Is it possible to make a commitment on a year to year basis?
Yes, but in that case the payment will not be pensionable.
Is an absence on maternity leave or sick leave considered a break
in a pensionable commitment?
7
www.education.ie

Main features of the scheme:
• Voluntary – teachers may opt to participate
• 37 hour commitment over the course of the year
• €38.48 per hour rate (w.e.f. 1 October 2002)
• Payment is based on actual delivery
• Supervision is a first call on the commitment
• Substitution - availability for 2 class periods per week
• Supervision/substitution to a total of one and a half hours per week
• Pensionability
www.education.ie