FAQs

Below are some of our most frequently asked questions. If your question is not answered here, please contact us.

How do I join the NEU?

The easiest way to join is online.

How can I contact Tower Hamlets & the City NEU?

You can email Natasha, Lucy or Rosie (our District Secretaries) at: towerhamletsandthecitybranch@neu.org.uk

How can I get advice on an issue? What if the issue affects several members?

To ensure a quick and useful response, please see our advice pages in the first instances.

Often what can feel like an individual issue is actually of concern to many others. Call a meeting of NEU members in the school to talk about the issue.

How can I update my membership details?

This is best done via MyNEU. To activate your MyNeu account you will need to complete a quick on-line quick form. You can also use this QR code to access MyNEU.

If nothing works, contact pauline.philippe@neu.org.uk (membership secretary) in the first instance and/or membership@neu.org.uk.

When and where are General Members’ meetings held?

General Members meetings are once a month and are usually the third Monday of each month. You can see a list of dates for 2025/26 and all access information here: General Members Meetings.

What are my pay entitlements?

Your school sets your pay within guidelines set every year by the School Teachers Review Body (STRB). In Tower Hamlets we are paid on the Inner London Pay Scale.

For most schools there is a six-point Main Pay Range (M1-M6) and a three-point Upper Pay Range (U1 –U3). New teachers start on M1 and should go up a point each September. After 1 year on M6 you can cross the the threshold into the Upper Pay Scale. If successful you move on to U1 (note: you can now apply to move onto U1 before reaching M6). After 1 year on U1 your head can move you to U2 after a successful Performance Management Review. After another year you are eligible to move to U3, the top of the scale.

Tower Hamlets and the City District has negotiated a model pay policy which we urge all schools to adopt. Most of our casework about pay comes from workplaces which have not adopted this policy.

You should receive a salary statement each September and should be informed of any decisions about your pay before October 31.

Use our pay and appraisal calendar to ensure your pay progression is being assessed fairly: NEU Appraisal Pay Calendar for reps

What is the Teachers’ Pension Scheme?

All teachers, full time and part-time, are automatically placed in the Teachers Pension Scheme.

This is a “defined benefits” scheme in which your pension is based on your salary and length of service. The Teachers Pension Scheme is a very good one and the NEU strongly advises members to stay in it, no matter how long you plan to teach.

Read these factsheets for more information:

For more details on your pension a statement of your projected entitlements, see the Teachers’ Pension website.

What is my sick leave entitlement?

1^st year of teaching: 25 days full pay and 25 days half pay
2^nd Year of teaching: 50 days full pay and 50 days half pay
3^rd year of teaching: 75 days full pay and 75 days half pay
4^th year of teaching and after: 100 days full pay and 100 days half pay.

You can “self-certify” absences up to 8 days. If your absence is longer than 8 days you must get a doctor’s certificate.

When can I resign?

There are three dates on which teachers can hand in their notice during the course of the year:

October 31^stto leave at the end of Autumn Term
February 28^thto leave at the end of Spring Term
May 31^stto leave at end of Summer term

If you want to resign at any other time you would have to negotiate this with your headteacher. We can often help with this.

What is Directed Time?

Teachers are contracted to be “available for work” 195* days a year – 190* school days plus 5 INSET days. “Available for work” means just that – you do not have to be in school; you can be on a course, a trip or working at home!

Directed Time describes all the hours where you are “directed” by the head. This includes the school day, break times, after school meetings, parents meetings and so on. Your school should produce a calendar of 1265 hours “directed time” showing how this time is allocated.

Teachers cannot be directed to work during their lunch-time, weekends or holidays.

What is PPA time?

All teachers should have 10% of their weekly timetable allocated as Planning, Preparation and Assessment time. This should be in blocks of at least 30 minutes and it is up to the teacher how to use it.

What are the rules on cover?

Current policy means that teachers are not required to cover for absent colleagues unless there is an absolute emergency or they are specifically employed to do so. Your school should have an agreed cover policy that reflects this.

Tower Hamlets model cover policy May 2009

Can I take a leave of absence?

There are a number of reasons for which your head can grant you paid time off work: these include, moving house, religious observance, jury service, international sporting events, death or illness in the family, marriages.

These are best checked with the NEU office if you are not sure about anything.

For other reasons your head may decide to grant you time off but unpaid. You should always be clear whether any time off is paid or unpaid.

If I do take unpaid leave, what deduction will be made?

If you do have time off unpaid your salary should be deducted at the rate of 1/365 not 1/195. Although we work 195 days we are paid throughout the year hence the lower rate of deduction at 1/365.

Some teachers have had problems with this in the past, which we have been able to resolve, so it is always worth checking.

What is the maternity entitlement?

Teachers are entitled to maternity leave of 1 year. Some of this is paid, and some unpaid.

As a result of campaigning by the NEU, the maternity scheme in Tower Hamlets is one of the best in London. If you have worked in local government (includes teaching) for more than 1 year (including 26 weeks in Tower Hamlets) you benefit from the full scheme:

4 weeks full pay
6 weeks 90% pay
20 weeks half pay plus SMP (£139.58)
9 weeks SMP (£139.58)
up to 13 weeks unpaid

You should also read the NEU national guidance.

The NEU works with Maternity Action to campaign for fair treatment during pregnancy and maternity.

What is the entitlement for adoption?

Adoption leave is the same as for maternity leave – see above.

How much paternity leave should I get?

You are entitled to two weeks leave on full pay.

How do I apply for part-time working?

For advice and guidance on your rights and entitlements as a part-time worker, please contact the NEU office and check the NEU guidance on flexible working.

We also have a flexible working focus group in Tower Hamlets NEU which you can join on WhatsApp. Get in touch for more detail.

Does my NEU membership include insurance?

Your NEU membership will cover insurance for loss or damage to property at work, it also covers loss or damage to students’ property, which may have been entrusted to the teacher.

If you need to make an insurance claim please use this link.

Did you know you are eligible for free eye tests?

Thanks to the NEU, teachers are now in the scheme, which provides free eye tests for council employees who use computers for large parts of their work.

Your school should have a copy of the application form and relevant materials.