Geography Teaching Today

To be most effective, LOtC activities should be built into an integrated curriculum. LOtC activities will then be timetabled in advance and will only be subject to Rarely Cover provisions if the person timetabled to take the class or group is unforeseeably absent.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has published the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 2009. Paragraphs 47 to 90 in section 4 of this document set out information about cover and what schools need to do to ensure that teachers and the head teacher may be required to cover only rarely from 1 September 2009.

Paragraph 73 explains that learning outside the classroom is an important part of the curriculum and provision for it should be included in school calendars and timetables. Appropriate arrangements should be included in the timetable for both the staff and pupils who will be participating in learning outside the classroom and for those who are not.

For further information on rarely cover, please go to:

• http://www.tda.gov.uk/remodelling/nationalagreement/cover.aspx

And to see the full guidance in Section 4 of the 2009 STPCD go to:

• http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=14150

And to see the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 2009 go to:

• http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/14150/STPCD%202009.pdf

The following school workforce unions are amongst those organisations which have endorsed the aims of the LOtC manifesto: ASCL, ATL, NAHT, NASUWT, NUT, VOICE.