Does anybody know if there's a minimum hourly rate of pay for local authority-paid peris (peripatetic teachers) in the UK? And should it bear any relationship to MU minimumrates of pay for instrument teachers?

I've been discovering that there are wide discrepancies between various authorities around the country, even taking experience into account, and some places pay well below the minimum MU rate which I believe is £21.60 p.h. or was a couple of years ago; it could be even more now.

Anybody have any information about all this?

Violinia

I don't know the answer to your main question, Violinia, but it might be interesting to compare rates if you get replies from people around the country. I've long suspected that they vary greatly.

A recent part-time school-job I did (not strictly peri, but on a very similar basis, hourly-paid, but not local authority, ) paid a derisory £10 per hour. I guess there may be some peris who get even less than this, but I certainly hope that many get quite a bit more!

Incidentally, this is less than half the average going rate for individual music tuition in this area. (btw I don't do the school job any more ! )

Maggie

I get paid £20 per hour for peri work, which when you consider that in my authority you only get 36 weeks work in an academic year, isn't as much as I get for teaching from home, where I work a minimum of 40 weeks, plus many students having some extra lessons during school hols. Off the subject of pay, I'd be very interested to hear of other people's experience of peri working conditions- I've heard of teachers expected to teach in a passageway to other classrooms; I used to teach in a school where I felt physically unsafe due to isolated rooms, constant vandalism, students wandering unsupervised and disrupting other people's lessons, and general lack of interest by the school - I ended up resigning when I got tired of constantly complaining and trying to improve things, and getting nowhere. At present, I work in a school that's generally fine, but got there today to find my teaching room full of school equipment because they'd forgotten it was my day today. Does anyone else have any useful advice on preventing that sort of thing occuring, whilst maintaining good relations with a school which has put a huge amount of work their way?

Only 36 weeks of work??? I only get 30!!!: 5 weeks for every half term. Come to think of it, how could you possibly get more than 36 weeks a year, when the school year consists of only 37 weeks?

Do most people get 36 weeks, then? I wish my authorities weren't so paltry.

Violinia

We get paid standard teacher's rates in our music service and we work 30/32/34 weeks per year depending on how many are booked per school.

Facilities vary greatly; some are good, some bad. I had one term in the first aid room, not enough seats or music stands, with children coming in and out for sick bowls etc etc.......

QUOTE (Violinia @ Jun 30 2004, 08:41 AM)

Only 36 weeks of work??? I only get 30!!!: 5 weeks for every half term. Come to think of it, how could you possibly get more than 36 weeks a year, when the school year consists of only 37 weeks? Do most people get 36 weeks, then? I wish my authorities weren't so paltry. Violinia

It's 36 weeks at present but due to reduce to 33 next academic year where I teach, although there's going to be an option for schools to have 36 still and pass the cost onto the parents I think. If I'd taught for every week this year I'd have fitted in 37 weeks . I've heard of local authorities where the kids only get 30- I think they miss out compared to private students. The point is that the pay needs to be decent to make peri teaching an attractive option, given the fewer number of weeks. I'm doing much better since I swapped one of my school days from Monday, which was always being disrupted with Bank Holidays in the spring and summer.

Yes, I get 36 weeks, thought that was normal! Our LEA pay badly...don't even care to share it, it's that bad! All I can say is, as a teacher with a degree in my instrument, I deserve a lot more...

QUOTE (trio @ Jun 30 2004, 09:05 AM)

We get paid standard teacher's rates in our music service and we work 30/32/34 weeks per year depending on how many are booked per school. Facilities vary greatly; some are good, some bad. I had one term in the first aid room, not enough seats or music stands, with children coming in and out for sick bowls etc etc.......

That must be very off-putting sometimes-think I'd rather share the room with PE equipment like I do now!

I had the boiler room for 7 weeks in one school...apart from being VERY hot, there was not enough room for a music stand and we had to use the top of the photocopier instead! Things have improved now...I teach in the entrance, 6 doors (including the outside one) lead onto it, but at least there is just about enough room for a music stand!

I asked my head of music today why I only work 30 weeks and he said it's financial - which I suppose it had to be. The school subsidises the lessons and the parents pay a very reasonable amount. I get a good hourly rate, but just wish it was for 6 more weeks a year!!!

Guess I could always offer the pupils extra lessons in my home if they want them (and can afford them) but the schools are quite a way from where I live, so it's probabaly not viable.

Oh well...

Violinia

Hi Violinia, I'll write you soon! I get 30 weeks a year at £20 p.h, but that's better than the local authority who pay £19 p.h... and even THAT's better than the post I've just taken up, not knowing it was a meagre £17 p.h (they said well paid on the phone...). In school I teach in the hall, library (also throughway to classroom), and occasionally the staff room, surrounded by lunching teachers.

Hi Hot Rosin!! I was beginning to wonder what on earth had happened to you - glad you're back amongst us!!!

I do two private peri jobs - £20 for one and £22.50 for the other, so I can't complain, even if they are only for 30 weeks. The good pay seems to go with the reduced hours, so it probably all comes out about the same, if anyone can be bothered to do the calculation.

I do 30 weeks -no lessons either side of term holidays, but I get frustrated with other missed days because of outings, special assemblies, teacher training days. Sometimes they go 6 weeks without a lesson and the school doesn't really like me doing 'makeups', though I have to sometimes or they just miss too many

It was hopeless when they didn't pay me for this missed days, I never knew where I was financially, so we came to an agreement.

They pay me £18.50 per hour for 7 hours a week multiplied by 30. Its then divided into 12 equal payments so I get paid the same amount 12 months a year regardless of what days I end up doing.

This is sort of how I charge for piano lessons, so I get paid from both school and private lessons throughout the year and still have the school holidays.

Suits me.

Can anyone boast less than £11 per hour?!...

QUOTE

Can anyone boast less than £11 per hour?!...

yes .....

QUOTE

a recent part-time school job I did paid a derisory £10 per hour

granted it was more than 30 weeks per year, probably around 38 -40 weeks. But still ................ !

Anyone beat 10 ??

Maggie