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

[calzone]

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......

I don't have a TA to hold the fort Clam and find some days it' can be 12 hours between visits to the loo.

Blimey mrz.......you will end up with a bladder infection!

Schools can not direct teachers to supervise lunch break but TAs can be directed to within their terms and conditions. As the school day (when children are present) is normally around 6 hours legally a break isn't required I'm afraid.

We get a break but I always seem to be clearing up then setting up the next activity, ditto lunchtimes and after school. I'm a year one ta and work a lot more hours than I am paid for, but I do love my job.

I am a TA with a 7 hour day and always take my full 30 minute unpaid lunch break, even if it means being late back to class. They're not taking that from me!

Just to clarify the law, the requirement is that there must be one uninterrupted rest break of at least 20 minutes if you work more than 6 hours a day. That is NOT the same as saying there must be a 20 minute break every 6 hours - a point which many people don't seem to understand. If you have, say, a 10 hour working day it would be perfectly legal for your employer to require you to work 9 hours before taking a break. The only restriction is that the break must not be added to the beginning or end of the working day. So, for example, you can't say that someone starts work at 9:00, immediately takes a 20 minute break then works for 8 hours.

Considering the wages I doubt you'd ever get any TAs to work a whole day without lunch or a break.Would be dire for the kids anyhow as most would be wilting by the afternoon.

I may be wrong but the OP isn't saying staff will lose their lunch break

Regarding a TAs terms and conditions, can an HT direct the unpaid lunch hour? I had a 'debate' with my HT when she told me that it was within her remit to tell the TAs that they had to work one lunchtime a week. Obviously we don't mind being ASKED but to be TOLD was a different matter and left us questioning whether it was our own time or not. Some of us go home to feed dogs and check on elderly parents etc between am and pm sessions!

No a head cannot direct hours that are unpaid.

We have been told at my school that we must do the half hour over dinner time, we will not be paid but can have a free school meal. We are expected to manage behaviour of the children within those 30 minutes. I wouldn't mind now and again but we have to commit each day to do half the dinner hour. I sometimes go out of school to feed the cat or pop in to dd's school for meetings (SEN) so I don't have to arrange any time off at other parts of the day.

Thanks mrz, I'm glad I stood my ground now. That doesn't sound fair misspricklepants.

Are you only paid for the hours you are actually working with the children MissPP?

Yes, in school 32 hours and paid for 27.5 (which is the time spent with kids) I also stop back to attend planning meetings etc so regularly do 9-10 hour days!

27.5 hours is considerably more than the recommended primary teaching week..

Why on earth are you staying back for unpaid planning meetings??

I'm in school 35 hours and paid for 32.5 so try to only work 32.5. Usually stay no more than 10 minutes passed by finish time. They don't pay enough to put in any extra for free.

If you are paid by the hour I would speak to your union rep for advice, especially now you've said about the after school meetings. If you are salaried then, like some support staff at my school, I think you are 'expected' to work at lunchtime and after school if necessary.

I am salaried and I stop for planning meetings as I cover some ks1 lessons (hlta status but employed as a ta) I love my job but not keen on the lunch time scenario. We have a new head so think he is trying to make his mark on the school.

Camolips - even if MissPP is salaried, she may not be paid for lunchtimes. That is the situation with our TAs. If we changed their working hours and asked them to take only half an hour break instead of an hour, then we would pay them for the additional half hour they were working.

I would check your contract to see if it specifies the working day. As you are employed for more than 6 hours a day you are entitled to a break (this could be considered lunch) but your head can direct when this is taken, so you may be required to cover lunchtime and take your break earlier or later in the day.

My contract states 1 hour unpaid for lunch, so the extra 30 mins is unpaid. Right fiasco really!!

In our school staff don't get breaks. There is time to grab a quick drink whilst the kids are out at play (if it's not your duty) but we're not entitled to breaks, just lunch hours. This is the same for TAs and teachers at our school. I don't see how anyone would get time for a break anyway, while the children are out at playtime I'm always preparing for the next lesson.