Board of Governors Assurance Statement

Cost Reduction: School Based Redundancies 2015/16

Name of School:
School Reference Number:
Financial Position of School
Projected position over the coming years @:
31 March 2015
31 March 2016
31 March 2017 / (+/-) £ / (+/-) %
£
£
£ / %
%
%
Relevant evidence must be attached.
This should include the school’s 3 Year Plan approved by Employing/Funding Authority showing the school’s financial position for the years above.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)
Present (FTE) for Teaching / FTE:
Proposed FTE Reduction
Detail the no. of FTE teaching posts to be made redundant / FTE:
Proposed Staffing Numbers at
1 September 2015 / FTE:
FTE refers to the number of posts in a school, including full-time, part-time, NISTR posts.
Part-time hours are converted on the basis that a full-time working week is 32.4 hours.
e.g. FTE 1.0 = a full time post (5 days), FTE of 0.6 = 3 days, FTE of 0.2 = 1 day
The overall FTE of the school must decrease in line with the number(s) of posts declared redundant. Where there is not a correlating reduction in the overall FTE teaching staff numbers a full explanation must be provided using the attached “Additional Information” sheet.
Continuation of temporary staff
Will temporary teaching posts continue in the school following the proposed reductions /
Yes No
Details of temporary teaching posts continuing in the school with a full explanation for the reason related to the continuation must be provided using the attached “Additional Information” sheet.

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Details of proposed redundancy / The table below must be completed in relation to the proposed redundant post(s)
Teacher Name / TR / Reason for Redundancy / FTE of Teaching Post / Subject(s) Taught
(if applicable) / If teacher holds Allowance(s) will this continue to be filled and in what manner. Please provide details
Associated Additional Savings and/or Costs (if applicable)
  • Provide details of associated additional savings and/or costs
/ Savings:
Costs:
Details of additional savings and/or costs must be provided using the attached Additional Information” sheet.

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Declaration:

I have carried out due diligence and am content with the propriety of these redundancy proposals and canconfirm that no commitments or assurances have been given to staff in respect of this scheme prior to receipt of the necessary approvals.

I confirm that the proposed redundancies meet all of the criteria in that:-

  • School is managing a challenging financial position - As this is a cost reduction exercise that posts declared redundant are within schools managing a challenging financial position (as defined at Annex A);
  • it is a bone fide[1]redundancy: that is, that the post is being suppressed and WILL NOTbe refilled at a later stage;
  • there is a genuine reduction in FTE[2], not to be increased at a later date; and
  • I understand that the Employing Authority will be required to ensure a payback period of up to 2 years is clearly demonstrable.

I confirm that the proposed redundancies will deliver cost savings as a result of staff reductions and that the number of FTE staff at school level will not be increased,ona permanent or temporary/substitute basis, even through NISTR, following this exercise without the prior approval of the Employing Authority, where appropriate and the Department.

Signed:
Principal, ______Date, ______
Please Print Name ______
Chairperson
Board of Governors, ______Date: ______
Please Print Name ______

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Circumstances where there is not a correlating reduction in the overall FTE

In circumstances where there is not a correlating reduction in the overall FTE teaching staff numbers a full explanation must be provided below:

Details of temporary teaching staff continuing to be employed in the school

Details of temporary teaching staff continuing to be employed in the school with a full explanation for the reason for this should be provided below:

Associated Additional Savings and/or Costs

Details of associated additional savings and/or costs should be provided below:

ANNEX A

Definition of Schools Managing a Challenging Financial Position
NB: The redundancy applications received will be
consideredin order of priority as outlined below.
Please be advised that all of these redundancy applications are subject to DE approval and availability of funding.
Level of Priority / Teaching Redundancy Applications relating to:
Priority 1 / Schools that are in a Closure / Amalgamation situation with a Development Proposal which has been confirmed by the Minister of Education (closing or amalgamating in August 2015) or coming out of a collective agreement in August 2015.
Priority 2 / Schools that are presently in a challenging financial position (as evidenced in their financial plans) as at March 2015,ie Schools in deficit of -£75k or -5% whichever is the lesser.
Priority 3 / Schools that are projecting to be in a challenging financial position (as evidenced in their financial plan) as at March 2016,ie Schools in deficit of
-£75k or -5% whichever is the lesser.
Priority 4 / Schools that are projecting to be in a challenging financial position (as evidenced in their financial plan) as at March 2017,ie Schools in deficit of
-£75k or -5% whichever is the lesser.
Following the approval and funding of the above priorities,should the availability of funding permit, applications in respect of schools projecting a deficit position at March2018may be considered, ie prioritised on the basis of greatest need.
CHECKLIST of Documents Enclosed / Please tick
1. / School’s 3-year Financial Plan, for the undernoted period which has been signed off by the Employing/Funding Authority:-
  1. 2014/15
  1. 2015/16
  1. 2016/17
/ YES / NO
2. / Board of Governors Assurance Statement Signed and dated by both the Principal and Chair of the Board of Governors.

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[1]Bona fide redundancy: that the post is being made redundant, not to be refilled at a later stage.

[2]Genuine reduction in FTE: that the overall FTE of the school decreases in line with the number(s) of posts declared redundant (eg 2 redundancy applications, FTE staffing level to reduce accordingly by 2) and that the FTE will not be increased at a later date without Employing Authority and Departmental approval. (The teaching FTE must not increase on a temporary/substitute basis, even through NISTR, prior to obtaining said approval).