Organise cover for absent colleagues
Overview
Who is this unit for?
This unit is for those who organise cover for absent colleagues on a day-to-day basis. The cover will be short term and consistent with the policy, regulations and code of practice that apply to your own country and workplace.
What is this unit about?
This unit is about organising cover when a teacher or support staff colleague normally responsible for teaching or supporting a particular class is absent from the classroom during the time they have been timetabled to teach/support. This includes absence which is known in advance (e.g. where a colleague has a medical appointment or is undergoing professional development) and unexpected absence (e.g. absence due to illness).
This unit contains two elements:
1. Arrange cover for absent colleagues
2. Monitor and review cover arrangements
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
Arrange cover for absent colleagues
P1 maintain accurate and up-to-date records of known colleague absence P2 implement agreed procedures for receiving and recording notification of
unexpected absence
P3 confirm cover requirements with the appropriate person and seek clarification, where necessary, on any outstanding points and issues
P4 identify people to cover for absent colleagues according to the school's cover policy
P5 allocate cover to individuals on a fair basis, taking account of their skills, knowledge and understanding, experience and workloads
P6 confirm the availability of appropriate people to cover classes as required P7 notify the appropriate person in the event of difficulties in organising
cover for any class or group of pupils
P8 advise relevant people of the need to provide appropriate work for pupils who are being supervised, providing full details of the class or classes involved and the length of time for which cover is required
P9 provide information on cover arrangements in accordance with school procedures
P10 give clear, accurate and complete information to those providing cover as needed for them to work effectively
P11 offer help and advice to those providing cover when they ask for it, when this is consistent with your other responsibilities
P12 maintain accurate and up-to-date records of cover arrangements in accordance with agreed school procedures
Monitor and review cover arrangements
P13 check the progress and quality of cover arrangements on a regular basis against the standard or level of expected performance
P14 provide prompt and constructive feedback to those involved in providing cover
P15 support those providing cover in identifying and dealing with any problems
P16 consult all relevant people about the effectiveness of cover arrangements
P17 identify and share information on opportunities for improvement in cover arrangements in a constructive manner
P18 work with all concerned to agree and implement improvements in cover
arrangements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 the school's cover policy
K2 legislation, regulations, guidelines and codes of practice relating to cover arrangements in schools
K3 the importance of confirming/clarifying the cover required with the appropriate person and how to do this effectively
K4 which members of staff you should approach, and at what stage, to provide cover
K5 why it is important to allocate cover work on a fair basis and how to do so K6 the importance of making sure that the requirement to provide cover is
not at the expense of other elements of an individual's job
K7 the limits and restrictions on the amount of cover that can normally be expected by different members of staff
K8 the difference in cover supervision and specified work and who within and out with the school you can call on to provide these as required
K9 when and how supply staff would be called on to cover for absent colleagues and your role in arranging supply cover
K10 who you should inform of any difficulties in organising cover
K11 who you should approach for appropriate work for pupils who are being supervised
K12 why it is important to brief people on the cover they have been allocated; what information they need and how to provide this information
K13 the sorts of situations where those covering classes may require help and advice and how you should respond to these
K14 effective ways of regularly and fairly checking the progress and quality of cover arrangements
K15 how to provide prompt and constructive feedback to those who contribute to cover arrangements
K16 the types of problems that may occur in providing cover and how to support people in dealing with these
K17 the importance of working within the boundaries of your role and competence and when you should refer to others
K18 the importance of consulting a wide range of interests, including pupils if appropriate, on the effectiveness of cover arrangements
K19 how to offer suggestions and ideas for improving cover arrangements in a constructive manner
K20 the importance of keeping accurate and complete records of cover
requirements and arrangements made to meet these, and the school procedures for this
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Absence
may be known in advance (e.g. where a colleague has a medical appointment or is undergoing professional development) or unexpected (e.g. absence due to illness)
Appropriate person
this will be defined in organisational procedures and is likely to be a supervisor or line manager
Colleagues
teaching or support staff who are timetabled to teach/support groups of pupils
Cover
the term `cover' refers to any occasion where a colleague normally responsible for teaching or supporting a particular class is absent from the classroom during the time they have been timetabled to teach/support
People to cover for absent colleagues
people available to cover for absent colleagues will depend on the policy, regulations and code of practice that apply to your own country and workplace, and may include:
1. cover staff employed by the school
2. support staff who provide cover supervision as part of a wider job role
3. supply staff
4. teaching staff (within agreed limits on providing cover for absent teachers)