There’s no such thing as a silly question…
- What exactly is a Principal Teacher in a primary school, and what do they do?
- Should parents be able to answer this?
- Is there an easily accessible source of information for parents on jargon, titles, etc?
- If there is, why can’t I find it? I’ve tried the Alphabetical Index of Education Policies, Procedures & Guidelines, but my eyes glazed over pretty quickly
- If there isn’t accesible source of information - why not? I can’t believe I should have to rely on Wikipedia in order to understand my offspring’s school - and besides, that entry is about Secondaries.
While you’re at it, I’d be grateful for a definition of any other common job titles.
Much obliged.
I’ve always understood a Principal Teacher to be something akin to a Deputy Head - although they have those too in larger primaries. Except that they seem to be called Depute Head. So, in fact, I don’t know what a PT is either.
I saw your question the other day and decided that I would wait for someone who knows the real answer to reply – if not I would offer my impression of what it’s all about (I only visit two primary schools for half-a-day each per week). Put simply, I think it simply represents a level of career advancement between class teacher and head teacher. If the school if sufficiently large to warrant a depute head, there may also be a principal teacher charged with particular areas of responsibility. If the school’s size does not warrant the salary of depute, then I think that a principal teacher represents the layer of management between teacher and head. The difference between PTs in the secondary and primary sector is that the former is subject related whereas the latter is more likely to take on more over-arching areas.
Of course, the whole thing has become further obscured by the faculty head idea, where one secondary teacher acts as PT of a group of related departments.
There now, if I’m wide of the mark, perhaps someone will chip in with more accurate definitions.
Thanks both of you. I’m so glad to have the confirmation that I’m not the only one who is bamboozled by this!
So is ‘depute’ just a different way of naming a ‘deputy’? ie a school wouldn’t have a depute head and a deputy head?
Like Alan, I’d still like to see an answer from someone who really does know the answer.
But now I’m getting more troubled by the idea that even these most frequently used titles leave so many people (professionals and parents, not to mention the children) in the dark without a chance to understand them…
Yes, Mrs Soup, Depute means Deputy. You ask for info on other job titles - I can offer some clarification on the music front, as I know confusion on this is not uncommon. There are basically 3 categories:
Music Teacher (Secondary) - usually in one school (unless someone is juggling two part-time jobs) teaching music to whole classes. Some departments have principal teachers, others have faculty heads who may, for example, also manage Art, P.E. & R.M.E.
Primary Music Specialist - often covering many schools over the course of the week - teaching whole classes.
Instrumental Instructor - often involved in primary and secondary schools, although most spend the greater part of their week in secondary schools - teaching instrument(s) to small groups or individuals - usually in small rooms. I’d guess the average is around 5 schools per person. Instructors receive 92.5% of the equivalent point on the teachers’ pay scale, are not required to be GTC registered and do not undergo any form of teacher training. Although I had no formal training myself, I’m not convinced that there is not a place for, at least, some kind of apprenticeship.
In addition to the above there are a variety of initiatives in place under the auspices of the Youth Music Initiative.
In my years as an instrumental instructor questions like the following have hinted at the misunderstandings which abound:
“Are there no classroom jobs going at the moment?”
“So, do you get the school holidays too?”
and the roaringly solipsistic..
.. “Do you not wish you were full-time?”
Since Local Government Reform (1996) such misunderstandings have begun to vanish which, I am convinced, is just one of the benefits of belonging to a smaller, more tightly-knit family.
Now - if I’ve taken the liberty of calling you Alan, I can’t have you calling me Mrs Soup! I hadn’t thought of a short form, but if MotherSoup is too unwieldy, I guess just MSoup would do? Few people are lucky enough to choose the names they get called ‘for short’…
Wonder why Deputy became Depute?
I’d never really given much thought to the difference between a mucic teacher and an instrumental instructor - despite the fact that I have a parent who spent a little time as an i.i. - and hated it: that was in the days when you had to strap your stuff onto the back of your bike and cycle between schools!
Now I have a new bit of jingo-lingo: in sorting through a big pile of aged paperwork today (FatherSoup made me do it!) I found something from school referring to a ‘temporary ASL auxiliary’ - what’s that?
And once again: HOW ARE PARENTS SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS?!
Hi MSoup,
I’m taking it your fine with “temporary” and “auxilliary”
so I’ll simply point out that ASL stands for Additional Support for Learning. More at:
http://childpolicyinfo.childreninscotland.org.uk/index/news-app/story.2588
Where did you peri-parent do the rounds?
Hi Alan
Nope - I’m losing confidence that words used as jargon by the Powers-that-Be necessarily mean what I think they do. Don’t feel that I can make assumptions!
Besides, nesting and juxtapoising titles can give different meanings (Chief Assistant to the Assistant Chief, to quote Flanders and Swann…) I imagine that it would be quite possible that a ‘Temporary Auxiliary ASL’ was entirely different to a ‘Temporary ASL Auxiliary’ - who knows?
As for the peripateticism: that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away - well, nearly 40 years ago (before I was born, ahem) and would have been some distance over the border…
I imagine cycling will work better for some rather than others. It’s maybe not ideal if your instrument of choice is a tuba or a cello… (no jokes about ‘imagine trying to strap a piano onto your carrier’)
Talking of jokes: only found your other blog last week, and laughed out loud at the Chattanooga Haiku
Hi MSoup
Good point about juxtaposition. Perhaps it wouldn’t take someone long to compile a glossary for interested parents - someone who actually knows instead of guessing, like I do. Perhaps one exists already.
Yes, cycling peris are very rare these days - especially in The Hebrides - since funding for the pedalo lease agreement dried up.
I’ve been looking online for such a Guide, with no results…
I imagine it’s only a matter of time before bikes are introduced once more as a green Ministerial initiative - yep, it would be a sort of re-cycling…
Well, on the matter of cycles, there is such a green initiative in London I believe. My sister’s bike (she teaches whatever the equivalent of CDT is) was paid for in large part by the ?school ?authority. I think she said that something like 30 or 40 teachers in her school cycle daily, whatever the weather.
Optional incentives - good!
Compulsory schemes wouldn’t be a brill idea. I remember when Top Gear did a race across London, the pushbike won, so there must be some real practicality in it.
I hope they paid for some good wind- and water-proof panniers to go with it…
I’ve found an advert for a PT on the council website. It gives the best insight into the role so far:
Job Purpose:
To work as an effective member of the whole school team delivering a high quality, child centred service, which meets the needs of children and their families.
Major Tasks:
The succcessful candidate will be expected to act in accordance with School and Authority policies and, in addition to carrying out duties of a classroom teacher, will be responsible for carrying out the general duties of a Principal Teacher as described in Annex B of the agreement, “A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century”.
Responsibility for the leadership, good management and strategic direction of colleagues
Take on the role of ICT Co ordinator and develop ICT throughout school, nursery to P7
Take on the role of Health Promoting School Co ordinator and Enterprise Co ordinator
Liasing with other colleagues, parents and a range of external agencies as appropriate
Responsibility for the development, implementation and monitoring of effective teaching and learning policies, procedures and practices
Developing and disseminate good practice in learning and teaching, raising achievements by example and influence of his/her own practice in a P3/4 class (Session 07/08)
Relevant Qualifications:
GTC Registered.
Proven success as a Primary Teacher
Recent experience of managing teams and/or areas of “whole school” responsibility.
Proven ability to create, motivate and work effectively within a team.
Experience of good management, liaison, communication and presentation skills.