Understanding Key Terms: Industrial Action, Curriculum Changes and Staffing
This page explains key terms parents, students and staff may have seen in communications about changes at Local Schools
It aims to provide clear explanations, reduce confusion, and set out what the National Education Union (NEU) believes about each issue.
What the NEU believes (overall)
The NEU believes that:
Students are best supported when schools are properly funded and fully staffed
Staff should not be forced into losing jobs or worsening working conditions due to funding pressures
Changes to curriculum or staffing must be educationally justified, not driven primarily by cost-cutting
Workload and staffing levels are directly linked to student outcomes, wellbeing and safety
Where industrial action is taking place, this reflects serious concerns from staff about education quality and sustainability, not a desire to disrupt learning.
Key Terms Explained
1. Compulsory Redundancy
What it means:
Compulsory redundancy happens when a member of staff is told they are losing their job because their role is no longer required and they are not leaving by choice.
Why this matters:
It means a school is reducing staffing levels
It can lead to larger classes, fewer subject options, or reduced support for students
What the NEU believes:
Compulsory redundancy should always be a last resort
Schools and trusts must take all possible steps to avoid it
Job losses in schools are rarely “neutral” — they directly affect education quality
2. Voluntary Redundancy
What it means:
Voluntary redundancy is when staff are invited to apply to leave their job, usually with a financial package.
Important clarification:
This is often described as a “choice” — but in reality:
It usually takes place in a context where jobs are already at risk
Staff may feel pressure to volunteer to protect colleagues or avoid being selected later
What the NEU believes:
Voluntary redundancy is not a genuine free choice in most cases
It is better seen as a way for staff to retain some control or dignity in a difficult situation
It does not remove the underlying problem of reduced staffing
3. PPA (Planning, Preparation and Assessment time)
What it means:
PPA is time during the school day when teachers are not teaching, so they can:
Plan lessons
Mark work
Assess student progress
The statutory minimum is 10% of timetable time.
Why it matters:
Without sufficient PPA, teachers do work in evenings and weekends
Reduced preparation time can impact lesson quality and feedback
What the NEU believes:
Adequate PPA is essential for high-quality teaching
Small increases (e.g. from 10% to 12%) do not necessarily offset increases in workload elsewhere
PPA must be considered alongside overall workload and staffing levels
The NEU actively campaigns for minimum level of PPA of 20%
4. Curriculum Time
What it means:
Curriculum time refers to how much teaching time is allocated to each subject.
Examples of changes may include:
Increasing English and Maths time
Reducing or removing subjects
Limiting subject choice (e.g. reducing languages offered)
Why it matters:
It shapes what students can study and for how long
Reductions in subjects can limit future opportunities
What the NEU believes:
Children are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum
Narrowing subjects is a loss of opportunity, even if presented as “streamlining”
Curriculum decisions should be driven by educational need, not financial pressure
5. Directed Time (The “1265 hours”)
What it means:
Directed time is the number of hours teachers can be required to work during the school year.
This is capped at 1265 hours per year
It includes teaching time, meetings, training and duties
What it does NOT include:
Marking, planning, and preparation done outside directed time
Why it matters:
Teachers often work significantly beyond 1265 hours
Changes to staffing or curriculum can increase workload within and beyond this limit
What the NEU believes:
Many teachers already work unsustainable hours beyond 1265
Increasing demands without increasing staffing leads to burnout and retention problems
Workload directly impacts teacher wellbeing and student experience
6. At Risk of Redundancy
What it means:
A staff member “at risk” has not yet lost their job but may do so if proposals go ahead.
Why it matters:
It creates uncertainty and stress for staff
It can affect morale, recruitment and retention
What the NEU believes:
Being placed “at risk” is a serious situation, not a routine process
Schools should actively work with unions to remove staff from risk wherever possible
7. Consultation
What it means:
A formal period where staff and unions can respond to proposed changes.
Important clarification:
Consultation does not always mean proposals will change significantly
Length of consultation does not guarantee meaningful influence
What the NEU believes:
Consultation must be genuine and open to change
Decisions should not be effectively predetermined
Staff voice should lead to real revisions, not minor adjustments
8. Curriculum “Redesign” or “Restructure”
What it means:
A reorganisation of subjects, staffing and timetables.
Why this term can be misleading:
It may sound educational, but is often linked to budget reductions
It can result in fewer staff or reduced subject offer
What the NEU believes:
Many “restructures” are actually cost-saving exercises
Educational quality can be affected when staffing is reduced
Transparency about the financial drivers is essential
9. Industrial Action
What it means:
Action taken by staff, such as strikes, when negotiations have not resolved serious concerns.
Why it happens:
To protect jobs
To challenge changes that staff believe will harm education
To push for fair and sustainable conditions
What the NEU believes:
Industrial action is always a last resort
It reflects collective concern about the direction of the school
Protecting staff conditions is also about protecting students’ learning environment
10. Redundancy Modification Order (RMO)
What it means:
The Redundancy Modification Order is a national arrangement that applies to many education employers, including schools and trusts.
It means that:
If a staff member leaves one eligible employer and starts at another within a set period (typically four weeks),
They may lose their redundancy payment entitlement
Why this matters:
Staff considering redundancy cannot simply “take the money and get another job”
They may be forced to choose between:
Taking redundancy and leaving the sector (or delaying re-employment), or
Staying in their current role and risking compulsory redundancy later
This significantly affects how staff respond to redundancy proposals.
How it affects decisions in schools:
It can discourage experienced staff from moving to nearby schools
It may push staff to leave education entirely, even if they would prefer to stay
It limits genuine flexibility during restructuring
What the NEU believes:
The Redundancy Modification Order creates additional pressure on staff in already difficult situations
It undermines the idea that voluntary redundancy is a straightforward or fair “choice”
Schools and trusts must recognise that staff decisions are being made under constraint, not freedom
The NEU’s position is that:
Redundancy processes must be handled with full transparency about these implications
All possible steps should be taken to avoid redundancies altogether, rather than relying on staff navigating restrictive rules such as the RMO
Final reassurance to parents and carers
We recognise that terminology used in school communications can sometimes be unclear or reassuring on the surface.
Our aim is not to cause concern, but to:
Provide transparency
Help families understand the real implications of changes
Ensure that decisions affecting education are fully understood
This page will be updated to ensure all terms are explained clearly