3.145 This subsection deals with the employment and administration of Dependant staff who are employed with Service Children’s Education in British Forces Germany (BFG) in Learning Support Assistant grades (LSA) Clerical grades (CS) and Industrial grades (AS). These supplementary instructions are not to be considered exhaustive and SI BF(G) 6200 Sub Sections 1 – 5 remain the overarching document. Queries relating to this Sub Section should be addressed to the local GLSU.

3.146 The grading structure pertaining to classroom based support staff is LSA 1, LSA 2 and LSA 3.

Grading of Posts

3.147 The decision regarding the allocation of either LSA 1, LSA 2 and LSA 3 to posts within schools rests with the Headteacher. The Headteacher will grade posts in accordance with the guidance given from HQ SCE relating to the relating to the responsibility of the job description.

3.148 Requests for a review of an established grade should be processed through the OC GLSU.

3.149 Only grades that are predominantly classroom based (over 50%) fall within the LSA structure.

Timesheets – BFG 24

3.150 Due to the annualisation of salary, only exceptions to normal attendance should be annotated on timesheets, e.g. self-certified sick, doctor certified sick, special paid leave, unpaid absence etc.

Multiple Contracts

3.151 Wherever possible LSA staff should be engaged on a single contract.

3.152 Staff engaged as both classroom based workers and mid-day supervisors will be placed within the grade appropriate to their predominant duties and engaged on a single contract.

Leave

3.153 The standard working year for LSA/CS/AS grades is190 days. Added to this, is added 35 days in respect of annual leave and public holidays. Staff engaged for less than 190 days per year will receive a pro rata entitlement to leave and public holidays. The annual total is divided by 12 and then paid as a monthly salary.

3.154 Payment for annual leave and public holidays is included in the monthly salary. Annual leave cannot be taken in term time and staff will be expected to work on public holidays when the school or setting is open.

3.155 The regulations regarding Special Paid Leave and Unpaid Leave are outlined within Sub Section 4 to Section 3 para 3.083 onwards and remain extant for LSA/CS/AS grades.  

3.156 Unpaid Leave and Unauthorised Absence does not attract an entitlement to annual Leave (see also 3.158).

3.157 Any overpayment of annual leave will normally be recovered in the finals month’s salary. Any underpayment of annual leave will be paid in the following month.

Unpaid Leave and Unauthorised Absence

3.158 Staff who take periods of Unpaid Leave or Unauthorised Absence cannot accrue an entitlement to annual leave or public holidays for days they do not work. The adjustment of the leave entitlement is included in any deduction required to be made for these absences.

Engagements and Terminations

3.159 Staff who are employed at any point from the beginning of the academic year until Easter will be placed onto annualised salary.

3.160 New starters who are engaged on or after Easter each year will be initially placed on a supply contract. This will avoid an overpayment of annual leave for that academic year. The supply contract will be amended with effect from 1 Sep to a standard, annualised contract after confirmation from the respective school.

3.161 Staff who change from a post where they have received annualised pay to another annualised post after Easter may not have to change to a supply contract. In these cases the LEC Pay Bureau is to be consulted for assessing the annual leave situation.

3.162 As salary is annualised, when a member of staff resigns or leaves the LSA/CS/AS scale there will be a need to calculate whether annual leave is owed or if the employee has been over paid in terms of annual leave. The LEC Pay Bureau will calculate if monies are owed to an employee or should be recovered from the final salary upon termination of employment.

Amendments to Contracted Hours

3.163 Contracted Hours are only to be amended at the start of any term. BFG24s are to be annotated with any extra hours worked. Any decrease in contracted hours is to be actions in the mont h of occurrence in order to avoid overpayments.

Incremental Dates and Previous Service

3.164 Provided that the gap in service is no longer than 6 months, there will be no requirement for LSA staff to revert to step one of the incremental pay scale during the probationary period when changing school through in theatre transfer of spouse. Staff will serve a probationary period within the new school or setting but on their previous step.

3.165 Previous service with other units within BFG will not count toward an increase in incremental step on the LSA scale. This is because no other unit employs staff in a classroom-based environment delivering the UK curriculum form age 3.

3.166 Staff joining SCE on the LSA scale in 2003/2004 may not have previous service with LEAs counted toward an increase in incremental step. From academic year 2004/2005 staff joining SCE from a UK LEA who have worked in a post of a similar nature may have one year’s service taken into account. Similarly, in 2005/2006, two year’s service may be considered for an increase in step. This is to avoid new members of staff being placed on a higher incremental step than staff who were already in post at the time of assimilation in Sep 03 or before.

3.167 If staff are promoted onto a higher grade on the LSA scale, the date that the new post was commenced will become the new incremental date. Note: The move from LSA 2 to LSA2Q as an example is not classed as an upgrading.

3.168 Spare

Qualifications

3.169 Staff who are deemed to hold qualifications at the appropriate level and relevant to the key stage they are working in will be paid at the qualified rate. The Head teacher should write to the OC GLSU confirming the qualifications and authorising an amendment to contract.

3.170 Further phases relating to the recognition for qualifications will be added to these instructions when negotiations are completed.

Gratuity Payments

3.171 Leave and Christmas bonuses are not payable to staff employed within the LSA grade structure.