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Open petition: Do Not Scrap the 1265 Directed Time Provision for Teachers

Created by REBECCA LINDY PARTINGTON-JENKINS
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We are concerned about reports that the 1265 directed time policy for teachers may be scrapped. We feel teachers have faced real terms pay cuts, and view 1265 as the only thing protecting staff from even more unpaid and excessive workload. Recruitment and retention is already critical. We say no.

Our school staff and young people deserve better. We oppose trying to run state schools on the cheap. There is a cost of living crisis and many teachers and support staff have 2nd/3rd jobs, which they wont be able to commit to. Scrapping 1265 in favour of unregulated and unpaid hours will lead to more poverty and burnout of staff. This will not help our young people. We want to attract people into the profession, not expect them to be 'on call' at the whim of CEO's/ Leadership - unpaid.

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10,423 signatures


Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

  • Government responded to this petition

    We have not proposed the removal, or a specific change, to the current 1265 directed hours limit, which is a key teacher protection.

    Read the response in full

    To be clear, the Department for Education (DfE) has not proposed the removal, or a specific change, to the current 1265 directed hours limit, which is a key teacher protection.

    This year’s remit asked the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) for their views on the benefits and challenges of current working hours arrangements within the ‘School teachers’ pay and conditions’ document, considering both directed time and non-directed time for teachers and the working hours of leaders. 

    We know that many teachers are working significantly more than 1265 hours and we want to build a comprehensive picture on how working hours arrangements interact and impact on workload before considering any changes.

    Department for Education

  • Government will respond to this petition

    This petition got more than 10,000 signatures meaning that government will respond to it.

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 19 August 2026.