Time table

[thegrassisgreener]

Hi all,

 

The head at my school is looking at creating a time table for me. I am employed as an ICT Tech and VLE Content Provider. The way the head has been speaking latley is he wants me to be more "classroom" support.

 

Basically stood up in the classroom watching over the children making sure they are doing things proper.

 

anyways he is putting together a timetable which he will allocate me some time for network Maintenance and updates, backup and General Networking but I think most of the time he wants me supporting classrooms????

 

what would you do/say??????

 

thanks

[plexer]

Second word would be "off".

 

If you are employed in a job to do specifics i.e look after the network/computers and have a job description then he can't just get you to do what he likes and classroom supervision is not something you should be doing.

 

Of course if you now turn around and say you don't have a job description you need to find your lea's one for the position you have.

 

Ben

[thegrassisgreener]

I have my job description. He is an arse though and retires at the end of this year what can I say without causing too much hassle?

[plexer]

If you have a job description and it doesn't include what he's asking, get him to put in writing exactly what it is he wants and then go to your union.

 

if you're not in a union, seek advice from LEA HR department.

 

Ben

[thegrassisgreener]

i'm in unison

[thegrassisgreener]

in my job description one of main duties is support staff/children in ICT usage

 

He may use this against me and say this is refering to what he wants????

[budgester]

Set up scripts on his PC's and the servers so that something happens every time you are timetabled into a lesson, then you'll get called out of that lesson, about a week of this and everything should be back to normal for you.

[plexer]

As I said speak to your union now and take their advice then ask him to put in writing what he wants.

 

I wouldn't agree that producing you a timetable relates to that duty.

 

Ben

[thegrassisgreener]

Set up scripts on his PC's and the servers so that something happens every time you are timetabled into a lesson, then you'll get called out of that lesson, about a week of this and everything should be back to normal for you.

 

quality response

[thegrassisgreener]

thanks ben

[Butuz]

Set up scripts on his PC's and the servers so that something happens every time you are timetabled into a lesson, then you'll get called out of that lesson, about a week of this and everything should be back to normal for you.

 

:twisted: :twisted: BOFH!!!!

[thegrassisgreener]

Just got the timetable, It's a joke, I get 1 hour a day for Network Stuff, software deployment, WSUS - Everything on the network I get 1 hour per day 3:15 - 4:15 which can be interupted. The rest is for supporting lessons?????? OMG

 

Oh and I get 20 mins a day for updating the school web site (I think thats all the ICT CO-ORD this I do all, update the website.............

 

What would you do.................

 

I might even upload the Document

[thegrassisgreener]

See time table attatched

 

Please bare in mind this is a fully independant network set up by myself. Fully maintained by my self with no 3rd party support

ict_tech.doc

[jumpinjamez]

Set up scripts on his PC's and the servers so that something happens every time you are timetabled into a lesson, then you'll get called out of that lesson, about a week of this and everything should be back to normal for you.

 

:twisted: :twisted: BOFH!!!!

 

This is why BSF seems like a good idea to school leaders.

[crc-ict]

Second word would be "off".

 

If you are employed in a job to do specifics i.e look after the network/computers and have a job description then he can't just get you to do what he likes...

 

Unfortunately, if his contract is anything like mine, he can!

 

All my contracts (from the LA) include a clause 'and other duties as directed by the headteacher'.

 

I think you might be over a barrel on this one mate, though I'd have to agree it seems misguided and that the network is going to suffer for it.

[plexer]

Sorry but that is wrong.

 

That clause cannot be used to get you to do anything, if the thing that you've been asked to do is going to take a consideral amount of time to the detriment of your other duties he cannot force you to do it.

 

Ben

[elsiegee40]

I have no idea how large your school is and that is obviously a factor in how much Tech time you need.

 

I'm part-time - 4 hours per day in a very small school. I can do the IT Tech's job in that time and run the school library as well. In a bigger school, I can see that job would be full-time.

 

I do provide cover/support in lessons, but this is on an informal basis - as needed. The attempt to timetable me in failed miserably and was abandoned after 1 term as it became obvious that they couldn't rely on my presence!

 

Your timetable is very restrictive as PCs don't only pack up at 3.15pm - unless of course there's a very important presentation being done to the governor's on the shiney new whiteboard at that time (when of course the entire network will freeze!)

 

Personally, I would agree to the timetable on condition that you get it reviewed after a term. Don't feel tempted to do extra hours/work through your breaks during this term to make up for what you can't do because you are in lessons. Let things crumble a little. It's time for a 'work to rule'. Your head will soon realise that you are needed elsewhere at these times.

 

I think your head reallly needs to employ another Teaching Assistant, their hourly rate would be cheaper than yours! The head is probably trying to avoid the costs of having another member of staff on the payroll.

[plexer]

My LEA HR response to the other duties clause was:

 

1. it does not give line managers carte blanche to ask any employee to do anything.

2. it does mean that a manager can resonably expect the postholder to do other tasks or take on other responsibilities that are appropriate to the grade of the post, and also to the nature of the knowledge, skills,, and experience that match the person specification for the post.

3. Regarding the amount of time any additional tasks may take, this could be a matter of the grade. Posts up to Sc 6 work to a basic 37 hour week and can be paid overtime for any significant number of additional hours they are required to work above this and which cant be accomoodated within the normal fluctuations of flexitime. The contracts of posts of SO1 and above contain a clause which says that postholders are required to work "such hours as may reasonably be required to carry out the duties of the post." And they are not entitled to be paid overtime.

 

Ben

[tech_guy]

Tell him to take a running jump the miserable old git. He's trying to merge two jobs in to one - by making you in to some sort of Techie/TA hybrid.

 

I'd stuff viruses on his PC, piss in his tea and pay the kids to slash his tyres.

 

Only kidding :-)

[thegrassisgreener]

thanks for all of your responses, although I am still not 100% of what route to take at this time.

 

I am going to ask what is meant by support/supporting (in writing)

 

I agree he is trying to merge 2 jobs into one.

[tomscaper]

if for what ever reason they make you do this, i would finish at 4:15 exactly, take your 1 hour lunch, let many of the jobs pile up, and just let all hell break loose.

Then if they start to complain bring unison in again and show your timetable. and then discuss with them when you want them to do all these jobs as your time is fully booked, if they even try to extend your hours, the union rep should back you.

[Homer]

i'd personally tell them to go stuff themselves, im not trained to deal with kids in classroom enviornments on a one on one basis, only to help them out if they come to the office.

 

if they want me to do that, they pay me more for it and put me on training. not that id bloody want to anyway.

 

so yeah, tell him where to shove his timetable, hopefully he gets some papercuts

[Heebeejeebee]

Cheap cover!!

 

Tell them where to go.

 

HBJB

[thegrassisgreener]

I Agree, cheap cover... I was brought here to pull the school away from the LEA's network for Primaries. I did that. I created an independant network, which runs smoothly and better than the service provided from the LEA. Now it's set up it does seem he wants me as a TA....

 

thanks again for all your responses

[Friez]

Yikes!

 

I like the BOFH responses. Definitely have the servers mysteriously 'crash' at some point during the day, and adamantly refuse to go fix them until its THAT time of the day to do your maintenance, only to inform them that it could take a good 5 hours to get it back up and running (i.e. all week according to your timetable).

 

Do they not realise the importance of IT Support. Are you the only person at your school looking after the machines?