THE following is a tentative guide to what is emerging from the talks.

. The new management structure for schools emerging from the talks allows for a substantial increase in salary for principals and for the creation of a post of deputy principal in bigger schools. Such schools could thus have a team of principal, deputy principal and perhaps assistant principal, giving a tighter management team and enhanced pay.

. Roughly 1,000 new posts of responsibility to be created in second level schools involving some existing `B' posts being upgraded to `A' posts, providing for a stronger middle management team.

. The points system for allocating posts to be changed to allow for, approximately, an additional 2,600 promotional posts, to be provided in national schools, about 700 of them at `A' post level, thus providing these schools with a sizeable number of posts for the first time and allowing for the development of a team approach to management.

. An agreed document which will provide a broad outline of specific responsibilities and management duties of postholders to be produced schools could then select from this outline. This would provide a defined structure for work undertaken by the team of post holders in schools.

. Allowances for `A' post holders to go up by from 20-30% in recognition of the administrative/managerial responsibilities they undertake. The existing 19,000 postholders will benefit from this.

. All posts to be filled by merit through competition within the school with experience/seniority being taken into account as one qualification among others.

. This package on promotional posts will provide around £20 million in additional pay allowances for teachers.

. All teachers to agree to undertake an additional 15 hours, or so, work per year (about three teaching days) which would be used for parent teacher meetings, to provide lunchtime supervision of pupils, in service training etc. Teachers would also agree to provide `cover' for absent teachers for two periods per week but perhaps within the existing 22 hour week.

. The principle of parents' right to consult teachers with out impinging on teaching time for students to be recognised by teachers.

. Very slight movement on the school year issue with teachers to agree to work on religious holidays if schools opt to stay open.

. The existing 23 point incremental pay scale for teachers to be reduced in length and a one per cent overall increase in pay provided in line with the PCW provisions backdated to April 1994. (This latter already implemented but is also part of the package).

. In return for the above productivity concessions teachers will be able to opt for retirement at age 55 with 35 years service. To encourage teachers who remain on after this age, a payment of £1,000 to be made to teachers aged over 55 with 35 yeas' service.

. Teachers consistently unable to achieve an acceptable level of professional performance to be eligible for early retirement on the recommendation of a commission composed of representatives of teacher unions, school, management and Department of Education.

. In all 300 early retirements will be provided each year, 100 on grounds of age, 100 on grounds of inadequate professional performance and 100 due to falling enrolments.

. Teachers trained in a two year training course national teachers trained before the course became a degree and teachers of practical subjects in a similar situation to be paid the degree allowance. About 10,000 teachers are affected.

. Teachers trained on a four year teacher training degree to be paid the additional H.Dip allowance which is paid to teachers trained through a three year degree plus H.Dip.