PTA Guidance for Managers

PTA contracts are for a fixed-term period of up to 12 months. This arrangement recognises that PTA teaching requirements vary from year to year based on student choice and student numbers, so it is only possible for the University to commit for the academic year.

If a PTA is sick and unable to undertake scheduled work, they should notify their academic manager or another contact in the Faculty as soon as possible. Their manager should follow the sickness recording process and provide cover where necessary or re-schedule the work.

Where work cannot be rescheduled then the PTA is able to submit a claim in the usual way (through iTrent) for work that they were due to undertake during their period of sickness as they may be eligible for University sick pay. 

For guidance on managing sickness please refer to the Managing absence Code of Practice. Advice can also be obtained from your  HR Advisor.

The work undertaken by postgraduate students is primarily related to teaching activities and this aligns to the Education and Scholarship job family.

Yes, subject to satisfactory performance, and subject to a minimum of six months’ service in the grade, increments are payable on 1 August each year up to scp 27. For further information on salaries and oncosts please follow this link: Payroll Office and salary information | Payroll Office and salary information | University of Exeter

Yes, their continuous service from when they were issued their contract will apply in their new role (subject to any breaks between contracts).  However, they cannot continue to be employed as a PTA. 

University salaries are paid on the penultimate working day of the month.  The pay date may vary in December but a list of pay dates is confirmed at the beginning of each year.

Provided the claim is submitted and approved by the monthly Payment Claim Form cut-off date, the payment will be made at the end of that month. Further information on payroll deadlines and pay dates can be found here: Payroll deadlines

Please note that we must have received the student's right to work documentation and new joiner details in order to pay them. 

UK law requires the University to check that every worker has the right to work in the UK, and we are expected to conduct this check for each new period of employment.

Students will accrue approximately 0.18 hours of annual leave for every hour they work and are paid for.

From 1st September 2024 we are making changes to the way PTAs receive payment for their annual leave. There is now no requirement for a PTA to book their annual leave, it will automatically be paid with their salary. This is called rolled-up holiday pay. The holiday pay will appear as a separate line of their payslip.