Thank you, Turnoi. Yes you are right that the instruction is a ridiculous one but very often such ridiculous things can quickly mushroom into much bigger proportions. Your comment that it does not form part of a contract is the very one I have pointed out to him. The school tried to bully me into donating almost half of my three-week holiday in June for the purposes of 'promotions' and I stuck the contract up their pipe over that too and although they tried to adjust my pay, they climbed down when I threatened legal action. Thanks anyway.

Dave