Teachers... PPA question.

[rapide]

Does anyone know of the PPA entitlement for staff where a bank holiday falls? I'm not talking about someone who usually has a Monday missing it coz school is closed. I mean the entire staff losing their whole week's entitlement due to it only being a 4 day week. Ditto this week, where the whole staff has also been told they can't have it at all because school finishes at 2pm on Friday.

Is this "allowed?"

surely there's a bit of give and take on both sides?
I occasionally lose my ppa time because of extended assemblies, cover, class trips, overrun meetings - but it all evens out each term.

OK, so that's the give (on our part). Where's the take?
This is a regular occurrence each term. And I can't see any justification for it.

I don't think that is right - you are entitled to 10% of teaching time - so they could maybe justify a bit less PPa but not taking it away altogether. My head is fab, and my PPA is always on a MOnday but she reschedules it for Tuesdays when a bank holiday falls on the Monday.

our take is when there are year group residentials - today 3 of my classes were out so I had 3 extra spare lessons (with no extra cover)
that was a nice take

i work in v small special school so I guess can't really compare to big scary school.......good luck

best to speak to your union rep

It all depends. PPA is meant to cover 10% of your teaching time. If you calculate it and you have no extra each week ( most people end up with about 20 to 30 mins extra a week) then yes you should be entitled (good luck getting it though)

But normally the little extra you get each week will count towards it and make up for it.

Well, personally, I get less than I'm entitled to, plus have to plan my absence (but that's another issue). But everyone else...?

I believe it is allowed. So we've been told. But if you have a decent boss they won't enforce it unless necessary.

Not sure, think all LEAs are different. We get one afternoon a week, but if we have an inset day for example, the afternoon would be given to all of us that week instead and we'd therefore loose our 'allotted' ppa that week. At the end of each term, we also get a full morning off as extra so it evens out as our 10% as the time we get in the afternoon doesn't quite cover it. We are quite a big lower school with 9 classes ( if that makes any difference - am sure it prob doesn't!)

Surely LEAs should all be the same? If PPA is a legal entitlement?

PPA isn't anything to do with the LEA, it's down to the individual school.

Sure, in terms of how it is organised, but the actual entitlement is laid out from, well the government I s'pose. 10% each week, although I accept that that can be spread out ver a longer period of time if that suits all parties.
But the OP's situation is different. Seems unfair to me.

10% is the rule, and it must be in blocks of a reasonable length (over half hour I think). Are you getting it overall? Dod you have free time in an inset. I've planned the diary at mine to give staff the pm of the inset to themselves.

INSET days aren't the problem. We accept that we won't have PPA in a week where there is INSET.
This is a bank holiday. And a slightly early finish on a Friday. Which is different, we feel.

When we return after the Easter break, our week being Tues, Wed, Thurs, only staff whose PPA is normally on a Tuesday will be having it.
Staff who normally have PPA on a Wednesday won't be as a school party was planned by mistake. Lucky for me I have PPA on a Tuesday!

I expect PPA will soon be cut anyway :(

I don't think so.

Flippin' hope not!

Do you have give and take. I sometimes am slightly heartless when planning the timetable on a week to week basis but I am very generous overall.

Academy schools can cut PPA can't they?

PPA time is a % of the teaching hours you do that week. So if you are only going to be working 4 days then you only get the pro rata amount of PPA. Same as if you are off sick for a day, or there is an INSET, etc.

rapide legally you are entitled to PPA for the hours you actually work in a week containing a Bank/public holiday. If your normal day is the day of the holiday alternative time should be given (the same applies for INSET days)

What happens if a teacher misses PPA time due to bank holidays, staff training days or school residentials?
These would be known in advance and schools should be developing timetables in such a way that they take these things into account, enabling teachers to maintain their PPA entitlement.

Most teachers are employed under terms set out in the 'Burgundy Book' (conditions of service for teachers). Academies do not have to employ teachers under these conditions, but in practice most do, and where local schools are taken over by academies existing employees usually transfer their old pay and conditions with them.

Anyone employed under the Burgundy Book is entitled to a minimum of 10% PPA time per week, more for NQTs. Teachers with additional responsibilities are also entitled to LMA time in addition to their PPA entitlement.