Teachers - how much 'lunch break' do you get?

[LornaD40]

As in, time to actually eat (/have a coffee) and not on duty/supervising detention etc. How does lunch break work in teachers' contracted hours?

[CDAlady]

None

[ScarletSienna]

None when I taught in state schools.

[Aliveinwanderland]

Our school lunch break is 30 minutes long. Baring in mind the bell goes 5 minutes before the end of lunch and we are expected to be in our classroom by then it's barely time to visit the loo and eat anything! We get a 15 minute morning break but my classroom is a 5 minute walk from the nearest loo, if there is a queue I'm late to my next lesson. It's ridiculous. Then we are meant to keep students in detention at break and lunch time, no idea how unless they are accompanying me to the loo!

[PotteringAlong]

None. I stuff a cereal bar into me when on duty at break time and hope for the best.

[Tw1nsetAndPearls]

We have 50 minutes. I used to work through it but I refuse to now because as a teacher you just give and give and it is never enough

[ThisIsNotARealAvo]

We get an hour between taking the kids over to lunch and collecting them from the playground. I usually sit down in the staff room to eat for about 15 minutes and then set up for the afternoon etc.

[DanyellasDonkey]

Usually about 45 minutes. I do some marking and then set everything up for the afternoon, then go to the staffroom for my lunch until the bell rings.

[mackerelle]

In theory 40 mins. In practice 20, usually.

[CarrieBlue]

None is timetabled for me (supply contract) as in I am supervising a student all day, but I can grab something to eat if I want to (unless I'm travelling to my next lesson)

[MrsGuyOfGisbo]

1 hour - no idea if paid or not - is just a salary!
Usually have kids come to drop off work in the first 10 mins or so, or one a week may supervise a detention for half an hour ( if I have set detentions). One day a week have 20 min lunchtime duty. Free lunches to compensate for the duty - sit down, hot meal same room as kids, but separate areas for staff.

[soimpressed]

None recently because i have to duty 3 or 4 times a week and i need to work through lunch to stay on top of things,

[DrMadelineMaxwell]

About half an hour. We have 50 mins, but it takes 10 to clear up from the morning session and I make sure I get back to class 10 mins before the children are back in. The rest of the time I make sure I do get to the staff room. Some of the staff that don't have that time end up feeling a bit left out of the loop if they've missed things that have just come up in discussion etc. If I have something to do I might take it with me but otherwise I make time to have that break.

As does our headteacher. He's been seen telling staff that have been working through their lunches that he wants them to make time for something to eat and that it's good for them to get out of their classrooms for a bit.

[cricketballs]

We officially have 30 mins, but between detentions, sorting out for the afternoon, calling parents back I manage to make a mug of tea before the next lesson

[CanadaMoose91]

I have 30 minutes unpaid, though I more often than not work through it because otherwise, there are children left unsupervised.

[OneOfTheGrundys]

None. I work in a small alternative provision and we do family dining with the children. I actually quite like it-after we've finished eating we take it in turns to have a wee/coffee/check phones etc.

[TheRightHonourableLady]

Technically 50 minutes. Today I got just about ten.

[PurpleDaisies]

Officially 30 mins. It never is though.

[TipTop333]

50 mins and I take it and I hide from all kids. PP is right - you can give and give but it's not enough.

[Ladyvird135]

Lunch break is an hour. I usually take about 20/30 mins. I know most of the teachers in my school work right through it but I just can't bring myself to do it. I feel a bit last sometimes tbh when I'm sitting there eating my sandwich and shock horror not marking, but meh.

[Sleeperandthespindle]

I think we should all be entitled to spend it as we choose, and not judge each other for working/ not working. Some people like a break, others prefer to work through to save time later/ not work so long in the evening/ get up ten minutes later in the morning.

Our profession is judged enough without needing us to be judgemental about others' lunch breaks.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

I used to get an hour and then, in an independent school. We did clubs and ate. Never felt rushed and never got indigestion! I moved back to state sector and we got half an hour which really was 5 mins. Horrid.

[BobbinThreadbare123]

An hour and ten not an hour and then

[BubbleBed]

We have 45 minutes between morning and afternoon periods.

Five to Ten minutes of that is clearing out the last classroom I was in.

Plus an extra five or ten for detentions

Plus five to ten for setting up next classroom for the session.

So I have between 30 and 15 minutes to eat. Whilst responding to emails, printing, and checking FB!

[ILoveMyMonkey]

1 hour, state primary, we do not need to be on site during our lunch break and are not required to do more than 1 30 minute lunch club a week but these are technically voluntary.

[Teatimebear]

none, usually, but that's out of choice because I'd rather do that than stay later after work. I get in very early, so I like to leave early too!