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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Coffee breaks during the school day......

47 replies

calzone · 17/01/2015 18:32

I have a coffee break during playtime unless I am on duty when I go during assembly. I work in y2.

Reception staff have just been informed that their breaks have been cancelled. No more playtime for children as Reception are just free flow now, so there is no more coffee time.

How would you feel about that?
Is it legal?
They are pretty upset about it......

OP posts:

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spanieleyes · 17/01/2015 18:40

Not illegal, apparently a 20 minute breal is required if you work over 6 hours in a day but that's it!
Presumably break times are part of directed time so Reception staff can be directed to work them, as can you! Think yourself lucky that you don't have to, rather than that Reception staff are unlucky they do!!

nocheeseinhouse · 17/01/2015 18:41

Not legal- European Working Time Directive says 20 minutes ever 4 hours break (who may or may not be paid, mind).

Way to exhaust your staff further- short sighted, and bad people management. Are you in a union?

nocheeseinhouse · 17/01/2015 18:42

Sorry, yes, 6 hours. So, actually, maybe is allowed for you...

CharlesRyder · 17/01/2015 18:43

My staff and I don't leave the children at all, all day. We have our own kitchen and eat biscuits drink coffee in class though, in well lidded travel mugs.

clam · 17/01/2015 18:47

What happens about loo breaks? not to mention "sit down and regain your sanity breaks

Juniper44 · 17/01/2015 18:47

Teachers in England aren't entitled to break times; only lunch times.

Most schools will expect teachers to do a playground duty once a week, and if it's wet play then it's normal to miss your break.

If I missed my break, I would normally do the main teaching input and then use the toilet / make a cup of tea when the children were settled at their tables. Obviously they are older children, and I had a TA too so they weren't unsupervised.

misssmapp · 17/01/2015 18:49

Our reception classes do this, but they all get a break as they cover each other during the morning. They have followed this timetable for a couple of years now and it seems to work well.

BMO · 17/01/2015 18:50

Similar at my school, most staff take a tea break during playtime or assembly depending on duties. Reception children don't have a playtime as such so TAs take a break during the children's snack times but teachers don't have a tea break.

spanieleyes · 17/01/2015 18:54

When I have break duty I also have before school duty and collective worship too, so no breaks between 8.35 and 12! Bladder control is a must for most teachers

Feenie · 17/01/2015 19:31

Are you a teacher, CharlesRyder?

CharlesRyder · 17/01/2015 19:43

Yes, in a primary specialist setting (ASD/ challenging behaviour).

mrz · 17/01/2015 19:46

It's normal in the foundation stage to work without a break as children don't have "play times" or attend whole school assemblies. It's been that way in my school for over ten year. Technically you aren't entitled to a break except for lunch.

mrz · 17/01/2015 19:48

Clam you develop a very strong bladder working in a school

WhenMarnieWasThere · 17/01/2015 19:50

Yep. Only entitled to a break 'of a reasonable length' i.e. 20 mins or so at lunchtime. That's why we can be asked to do break duty. It's all directed time.

I hate my loong morning once a week when I'm on duty before school and at morning break. No chance for a toilet break between 8.40 and 12.00.

Juniper44 · 17/01/2015 20:04

Early pregnancy was my low point. If I wasn't rushing off to be sick, I was desperate for the toilet.

Ah, memories.

Littlefish · 17/01/2015 21:41

I'm a teacher in a school nursery. We start at 8.35 and I don't get a break until 12.00. Luckily, we have a disabled toilet within the nursery, and a small kitchen where I can get a drink of water (I don't drink tea or coffee). It's absolutely normal in Early Years not to get a "break time".

Original poster

calzone · 17/01/2015 21:58

Think Rec have been so used to a break, it is now a bit of a shock for them.

New Dep H has introduced it......to the horror of the staff!

OP posts:

MissPricklePants · 17/01/2015 22:03

I'm a hlta at a primary school and dont get a break (various duties) and got told last week all staff now have to supervise for 30 mins every lunchtime but we will not get paid for it! I think it's part of the job to.not have breaks!

Littlefish · 17/01/2015 22:05

Our Reception and KS1 teachers and TAs get both a morning and afternoon break. Our KS2 teachers and TAs only get a morning break. Nursery teacher - no breaks at all except lunchtime. I try and release the Nursery TAs for a quick cup of coffee if I can in the morning, but it's not possible every day.

calzone, I'm afraid your Reception colleagues are just going to have to get used to a new way of working. I would love my new HT to bring this in for our Reception classes. I've talked to her about it as I feel it would encourage far greater use of our outdoor area for active learning.

Littlefish · 17/01/2015 22:07

MissPricklePants - how can they refuse to pay you if you are now working an additional 30 minutes each day? Our Nursery TAs used to get an hour for lunch. We shortened that to half an hour, but pay them for the additional half hour they are now working.

Littlefish · 17/01/2015 22:07

Meant to say - their hour lunchbreak was previously unpaid.

MissPricklePants · 17/01/2015 22:23

No idea! We can have a school meal if we want to instead of getting paid! We are also expected to do an hour a week as after school clubs too!

Littlefish · 17/01/2015 22:28

You cannot be expected to run an after school club. You can offer if you want to. No pressure should be put on you to run a club. If there is, you should speak to your Union.

I think you need to speak to your union about the lunchtime payment business too.

MissPricklePants · 17/01/2015 22:53

I will be doing! All members of staff are expected to do this. I will happily do it if I get paid!

clam · 18/01/2015 00:15

mrz I understand that - been doing the job for 28 years. However, I will go to the loo if I need to, and my (extremely efficient) TA will hold the fort if necessary.

Must say, however, that sometimes we teachers are our own worst enemy. If we accept sub-standard working practices, then "they" will continue to treat us like shit.

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