AEU long-term plan sample: Primary school-based consultation

This is a sample Long-Term Planning document to support school-based planning. Information populated under each heading is for reference only and should be updated to suit your school’s local arrangements, provided they are in accordance with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 (VGSA 2022). Long-term planning documents must be provided to all staff in writing by the end of the last week of November each year (clause 12(5) (C) and should be stored locally.

Please contact your AEU organiser or principal class organiser for additional support.

Download sample template here*

*Please note after you have downloaded the sample you will need to replace the example content with your own school’s planning details.

Exampleville Primary School

As per VGSA 2022 clause 12(5), please find the following information regarding the 2023 long-term planning and workforce plan for Exampleville Primary School.

The VGSA 2022 seeks to ensure that employees have the opportunity to perform all of their duties within a reasonable timeframe and have fair and reasonable conditions. This long-term plan supports that objective.

1. Long-term planning means:

• development of workforce plans;
• the planning and organisation of the program of instruction in the school (including the timetable and allocation of allotments and classes, transition arrangements, and any changes to school programs, including avoiding grade splitting where possible);
• organisation of teacher work consistent with clause 22, including time in lieu for activities as set out in clause 24;
• organisational duties, including the allocation of time release and/or an allowance for the duty as set out in clause 22(11);
• organisation of education support class (ES) work, including time in lieu for any work required outside the ordinary hours of work consistent with clause 24(9) and time to participate in the performance and development process;
• organisation of teacher work in their first twelve months of teaching as set out in clause 22(6) (b);
• the recognition of the work performed by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employee associated with a cultural responsibility as set out in clause 24(17);
• the schedule of meetings occurring in addition to the seven hours attendance requirement set out in clause 24(3)(a);
• organisation of classes including class sizes. In determining class sizes, staff or the union at the school may provide the principal, as the Employer’s representative, with alternatives and, following consultation, staff or the union at the school may request that the principal provide reasons in circumstances where the principal, as the Employer’s representative, determines class sizes in excess of the planning guidance set out in clause 25(3);
• the structure of selection and other panels for the purpose of making recommendations to the principal;
• the process for access to external professional development opportunities. 

2. Workforce plan means:

A document setting out the projected staffing needs of a school having regard to factors such as the education program of the school, predicted enrolment increase or decrease, predicted staff absences due to leave or other reasons and any predicted departures of existing staff and the consequent mix of ongoing and fixed term teaching and non-teaching staff and the number of fixed term employees eligible for translation to ongoing employment in accordance with clauses 21(2)(f) to (h). 

3. Exampleville Primary School Workforce Plan 2023 

• 2022 enrolment - 255
• 2023 projected - 259
• 2024 projected - 260

*Eligible fixed term staff will be translated to ongoing as part of the DET annual translation process, or at any other time during the year, where there is a suitable ongoing position.

4. Organisation of classes including class sizes (VGSA 2022, Clause 25)

Download sample template here*

*Please note after you have downloaded the sample you will need to replace the example content with your own school’s planning details.

The VGSA 2022 requires that class sizes are planned on the smallest possible within the following guidelines: 

1. Prep - Grade 2: an average of 21 students per class.
2. Grades 3-6: an average of 26 students per class provided that the average class size of 21 at P-2 is maintained.

Exampleville Primary School will have two classes at Grade 2 with 23 students. This has occurred following consultation with the sub-branch and consultative committee. These classroom teachers will receive a reduction in yard duty of 1 x 25 minutes session in recognition of the class sizes being bigger than the average for P-2. Class sizes from Grades 3-6 will be kept lower than an average of 26. 

5. Teacher Attendance (VGSA 2022, Clause 24)

The ordinary hours of work for a full-time teacher is 38 hours per week across five days. A teacher will be in attendance for a minimum of seven hours. The ordinary hours of work will be pro rata for a part time employee.

8.50am: Teacher attendance time commences    
9.00am: Classes begin    
9.00am-11.00am: Class time    
11.00am-11.30am: Recess (bell)    
11.30am-1.30pm: Class time (bell)    
1.30pm-1.40pm: Lunch eating time (students eat in their classrooms)    
1.40pm-2.30pm: Lunchtime (bell)    
2.30pm-3.30pm: Class time (bell)    
3.30pm: School finishes (bell)    
3.50pm: Teacher attendance concludes (Monday & Friday)    
4.50pm: Teacher attendance concludes (Tuesday-Thursday)

A teacher’s attendance commences at 8:50am, ten minutes prior to the first pupil instructional session. A teacher’s attendance concludes seven hours later at 3.50pm on Monday and Friday, and 4.50pm from Tuesday to Thursday, to enable to attend up to two meetings and complete 38 hours of attendance.

6. Education support staff attendance (VGSA 2022, Clause 24)

Education support employees attend for maximum of 7.6 hours daily between 7am and 6pm from Monday to Friday. Individual ES attendance arrangements, including starting and finishing times and break time, are agreed at the commencement of employment based on the requirements of the position and the availability of the employee and can be varied where both the principal and the employee agree. All part-time staff arrangements will be pro-rata. In the absence of agreed arrangements, daily start and finish times will be 8.30am and 4.36pm, respectively. 

7. Teachers – breaks

Teachers are entitled to a paid lunch break of not less than thirty minutes free from assigned duties between the hours of 11.30am and 2.30pm. A lunch break is part of the 8 hour component of the 30+ 8 model.  

8. Education Support Staff – breaks 

Education Support staff are entitled to a 30 minute unpaid lunch break and free from assigned duties between the hours of 11.30am and 2.30pm. The break will be scheduled no later than 5 hours after the scheduled starting time. A lunch break roster will be developed by the relevant leader in consultation with ES staff. In exceptional circumstances where an education support class employee is required to undertake duties and not able to take a lunch break free from assigned duties within that, the employee will be provided with an alternate break within five hours of the employee’s commencement of work on that day.

9. Time in lieu for teachers and ES (VGSA 2022, Clauses 24(8) and (9))

Teachers    
Time in lieu (TIL) will be granted to a teacher where attendance is required at a structured school activity outside the normal hours of attendance (i.e. in excess of 38 hours for a full-time teacher and pro-rata for a part-time teacher). TIL will accrue for the period of time that a teacher’s required attendance is greater than the normal hours of attendance. A teacher may request not to attend the school activity outside the normal attendance of the teacher where this will unreasonably affect the teacher’s personal or family commitments. The Employer may only refuse the request on reasonable grounds. Where a teacher has not been granted time in lieu by 1 December in the year it was accrued, the teacher can vary their attendance time on any school day prior to the end of the school year equivalent to the time owed, provided that the teacher provides not less than three (3) working days notice. If there are a number of teachers seeking to vary their attendance on the same day and that would result in the dismissal of students, then the principal is responsible for determining the timing of the absences to avoid dismissal of students.

Every effort will be made for time in lieu to be taken in the fortnight in which it is accrued. Where that is not possible, TIL will be acquitted before the end of the school year in which it was accrued, otherwise VGSA 2022 clauses 24(8)(c) and (e), and 24(9)(d) will apply. As an alternative to TIL, the principal and a teacher may agree to payment for TIL owed at the teacher’s normal rate of pay. All time in lieu will be recorded via eduPay. 

Education Support staff

For ES and Teachers    
Unless otherwise agreed between the principal and the staff member, if TIL is not granted by 1 March of the following school year, the staff member may elect to take the time owed commencing immediately or receive pay at time and a half (150%) of the employee’s normal rate of pay.

In 2023, the following structured school activities will require staff attendance:    
 

These activities have been determined through the school’s consultative committee. 

10. Time in lieu for camps – clauses 24(8)(a)(iii) & (9)(v)

Time in lieu accrued during camps is dependent on the staff members’ roster, which will be created by the camp coordinator. Attendance at school camps will be calculated on the basis of 100% time in lieu for the time the teacher/ES is in attendance/performing duties in excess of normal hours and 50% for the time the teacher/ES is on call and available to perform duties. 

At Exampleville Primary School, time in lieu for camps is accrued on the basis that all staff are on duty, as outlined below.

• 8.50am-4.50pm: Normal paid attendance
• 4.50pm-8.50am: 16 hours 'on duty'    

Time-in-lieu – acquittal    
Time in lieu accrued for attendance at student learning conferences is acquitted by varying attendance for the remainder of the week – i.e. it is a meeting-free week. Over the course of that week teacher attendance will be 7 hours per day for four days and 10 hours on the day of the conferences.

Teachers and ES staff with accrued time in lieu in relation to other structured school activities, such as camps, parent information BBQ, etc. can apply to take accrued time in lieu or seek payment by following the requirements set out in the VGSA 2022 clause 24(8) and (9).

For teachers, time in lieu is to be acquitted at a time that is least disruptive to the educational program, and for ES at a time following consideration of the operational needs of the school. Where possible, TIL should be acquitted at a time that is agreed upon (with the principal making the ultimate decision).

Where time in lieu is acquitted without CRT replacement, it will be provided at a time where the staff member does not need to be on site at the school, such as at the beginning or end of the school day. When a staff member is not required to attend work to perform duties (i.e., acquitting time in lieu) they will have the amount of duties which are required reduced relevant to the TIL taken.

12 Teachers – meetings

Teachers attend up to two hours of meetings adjacent to the seven hours of daily attendance. These meetings will not exceed one hour unless otherwise agreed using the consultative provisions of the VGSA 2022. Meetings will not be scheduled on Monday or Friday. The following meeting schedule will apply for each term and has been consulted on and agreed to.

Meetings will commence at 3.50pm and end at 4.50pm. Attendance at meetings for part-time staff is pro-rata.

13.    Teacher Work 30+8 (VGSA 2022, Clause 22(8)) 

This section details the organisation of teacher work as described in the VGSA 2022.  

• 30+8    
  A full-time teacher will be provided with 30 hours of time to undertake the work directly related to the teaching and learning program of their class(es) (such as face-to-face teaching, planning, preparation, assessment of student learning and collaboration), with the duties undertaken within that time determined by the teacher. The remaining eight hours are available for other activities (such as yard duty, meetings, and lunch). This will be pro rata for part-time teachers. 
• Organisation of teacher work including the face-to-face teaching requirements    
  Face-to-face teaching is set at a maximum of 21.5 hours per week. The specialist program (Art/PE/Music/Science) generates 4 x 60 minutes non-face to face time a week for classroom teachers. Specialist teachers also teach a maximum of 21.5 hours per week. 
• Grade splitting    
  Where a teacher is absent, they will be replaced by another teacher (CRT) where available. If there is not an available replacement teacher (and only under these circumstances) a grade split, whereby students from the absent teacher’s class are placed into other classes, may occur as a last resort with small numbers of students re-allocated into a large number of classes. The impact of grade splitting will be considered by the consultative committee with a view to considering workload compensation.     
  Grade splitting will be avoided wherever possible as it significantly impacts the learning program for students and increases workload for teachers.   
• Pupil-free days and teacher professional practice days    
  In 2023 there will be six days over the year where teachers aren’t required to teach students, structured as follows:
  • 27 January: pupil-free day: AIP overview, school communication, OHS & teacher directed time
  • 10 March: common professional practice day for all staff: duties undertaken on this day are teacher determined
  • 9 June: pupil-free day: assessment and reporting duties as determined by teachers
  • Term 3: pupil-free day (date and program to be confirmed)
  • Term 3 or 4 : individual professional practice day: teacher nominates a date to be agreed by the principal, and duties undertaken on this day are teacher determined (arrangements to be confirmed) 
  • 6 November: pupil-free day: PLCs and assessment.
• Organisation of work of teachers in their first 12 months of teaching    
  Teachers in their first 12 months of teaching will teach a maximum of 20 hours face to face per week. In addition, teachers requested to act as mentor for a classroom teacher in their first 12 months will be allocated a maximum of 20.5 hours face-to-face teaching per week to support their mentee.

14. Yard duty

The maximum amount of yard duty for a full-time teacher is 75 minutes. This will consist of three student supervision sessions across the week. Yard duty will be shared equitably across the teaching staff (pro rata for part-time staff) and is considered as part of a teacher’s ‘other duties’ in the 8 component under the 30+8 model. 

Education support staff will not be responsible for a yard duty area but may be required to support teachers on yard duty and/or support individual students as part of their allocated duties. 

15. Cultural responsibility and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff

All staff at Exampleville Primary School have a role in ensuring that the school is culturally safe for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff, students, families and visitors.  

Where an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander staff member agrees to undertake work that requires a cultural responsibility, the impact of that responsibility will be considered in the context of the employee’s duties and will be recognised with time release and/or a special payment, in consultation with the staff member and consultative committee.

By the end of 2023, all staff will have had the opportunity to attend a school sourced and organised PL on Cultural Safety and Inclusion, within the normal meeting structure.      
Exampleville Primary School will begin each whole staff meeting with an Acknowledgement of Country.

16. Organisational duties

Organisational duties, including any allocated time-allowance and special payment, will be reviewed through the consultative committee by the end of Term 3 as per the VGSA 2022 Clause (22) (11). A finalised list of positions of responsibility will be published during Term 4, to enable teachers to express interest subject to a local merit-based selection process.  

17. The structure of selection and other panels for the purpose of making recommendations to the principal

Selection panels for all staff positions (teachers and ES) will comprise a minimum of three people:

• principal or principal nominee
• an elected union representative
• an additional staff member.

At least one panel member will have merit and equity training, and provision will be made for gender representation. Where possible the panel should include an employee from the same employment classification as the position being advertised.

18. Accessing external professional development opportunities

All school staff – teachers, ES, and principal class – can benefit from accessing professional learning relating to their area of work. Applications to undertake external professional development should be completed using the Google form and submitted at least four weeks before the scheduled professional development. 

The principal, in consultation with relevant leaders, will decide on attendance within one week of receiving the application and advise the employee the outcome in writing.

19. Education support staff – duties

The duties, responsibilities, and appropriate salary range of ES staff are outlined in the Dimensions of Work (VGSA 2022, Schedule 4). An ES employee can request that the principal undertakes a range review. Similarly, a range review may be initiated through a discussion at the consultation committee.

20. Education support staff – contract dates and annual leave

All ES fixed term contracts will include the December and January holidays i.e. January 2023 to January 2024. ES staff will attend for duty on the first day of Term 1 with teaching staff.

21. Agreed consultation arrangements

At Exampleville Primary School the consultative arrangements for 2023 will be:

• Structure
  • principal
  • assistant principal (principal nominee)
  • business manager (principal nominee)
  • AEU CC teacher representative
  • AEU CC ES representative
  • staff representative.
• The operational procedures including the chair, and schedule of meetings
  • The chair will be the principal and we will follow ‘Exampleville Primary School’s meeting norms’.
  • The schedule of meetings is referred to elsewhere in this document.
• Arrangements to enable committee members (where the structure involves a committee) the opportunity and time to canvass views in their school
  • Time will be provided at the end of each staff meeting and the AEU reps will schedule other meetings during the lunch period where required. It has been agreed that additional time may be provided where needed and that request will come through the consultative committee. Other canvassing will be determined by the reps.
• Time release for one union nominee to enable consultation with the union sub-branch, which must not be less than provided in subclause (4)(d)(iii)
  • the union rep will be provided with the equivalent of one hour per week and additional time will be granted by the principal of Exampleville Primary School - for example, where a significant part or whole of school change is occurring or during Term 4 prior to the finalisation of the long-term plan.
• Treatment of confidential material as it relates to employees of the school
  • We will follow ‘Exampleville Primary School’s meeting norms’ and all consultative committee members understand and agree that certain information disclosed during discussions will be kept within the confines of the consultative committee meeting.
• Method of recording and communicating decisions to staff
  • It is agreed that minutes will be taken and rotated each meeting. Each member of the consultative committee will take minutes except for the chair. These will be sent to the principal for finalisation and distributed to all staff. 

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