This service is for academies, free schools and other non-maintained schools.

Trade Union representatives have a statutory right to reasonable paid time off from employment to carry out trade union duties and to undertake trade union training.

Historically, funding for facilities time for Trade Unions representing school-based employees at a local or branch level have been primarily funded through the Dedicated Schools Grant. However, funding regulations state that non-maintained schools are not able to de-delegate funds back to local authorities to administer Trade Union facilities time.

As such, we facilitate a service through which academies, free schools and other non-maintained schools can 'buy in' to an arrangement whereby they contribute to a pool that shares the costs of teaching and non-teaching Trade Union facilities time.

The service provides an effective route for statutory and collective consultation and bargaining, a framework and structure for non-maintained schools to manage industrial relations and access to branch officials from recognised unions. It includes:

• consultation, negotiation and representation for union members on matters connected with employment terms and conditions
• attendance and rep