Raised a PPA fairness issue- now everyone's ppa has been shortened and I feel conflicted

[Sk999]

Looking for some perspective.
At my school, full-time teachers get either a longer morning PPA or a shorter afternoon PPA, with the morning block being around 40-45 minutes longer.
Recently, some colleagues had the longer morning PPA more than once, while I consistently had the shorter afternoon slot. Over a half term, that difference adds up.
I raised it politely with the head and suggested rotating PPA so it was fair. He agreed verbally, but nothing changed.
After I followed up again, a whole-staff message went out saying the morning PPA would be adjusted, effectively removing the extra time so both sessions are now equal.
I was then told I could have a morning PPA slot - but only after the time difference had been removed.
I understand the system is now "equal", but it doesn't sit right. I wasn't trying to take time away from anyone - I just wanted fairness. Instead, the outcome is less PPA for everyone, and the change seems to benefit cover arrangements more than classroom teachers.
I keep flipping between feeling justified for raising it and wishing I'd never said anything.
Has anyone else experienced something like this?
Just to add that - they now get the extra 30 mins themselves because they don't have to cover us until certain time in morning?
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You were right to raise it imo and it's not your fault that the school have now adjusted it unfavourably to all. What was the justification for morning PPA being longer? I'm not sure if there's a legal requirement for a set number of hours PPA to be given, but if so, I would check that the school aren't now giving you less than your entitlement.

In my experience if a fairness issue is raised it is usually sorted by levelling down, but one only learns that by painful experience.

10% is the requirement which if you’re on a 32.5hour contract (FT with unpaid lunch break) as standard it’ll be 3 hours 15 minutes, or half a day.

So unfair - I only started September - and surely I couldn’t have been the only person who complained- you’d think they did this for years and just because I asked for some extra ppa time, and I was interested in the extra time. So unfair

I agree with this. My general rule of thumb is be happy for people if it’s lands well for them and move on with my own day. I don’t know this system but could it have just been swapped with one of your colleagues and sorted between yourselves? I don’t see how they could have just made it viable to find extra time so feel like what did you expect they’d do? (I mean that genuinely, not confrontationally)

I think you were well within your rights to both raise it and to ask for a fairer rota, and that the school's response was petty and small minded.

They could simply have changed the rotas occasionally so you all benefited.

You were tight to raise the issue. At our school am and pm PPA rotate every half term.

One week certain staff get morning ppa and one week those staff get afternoon ppa. Yes I’ve learned a lesson as they made it worse. But it’s not fair to just sit there and watch others receive a longer ppa every single week. Also no one would swap their ppa giving you their longer ppa.

That makes more sense and so much fairer but imagine I’ve lost 8 hours of ppa in the very first half term compared to others and a following 3 more hours each other time I didn’t receive a morning ppa. There’s no going back as well now since they’ve taken this away now.

Thanks for clarifying. I’m so surprised people wouldn’t do a low key swap to help a colleague, disappointing!

So you joined the school a few months ago and pretty swiftly complained about the lack of PPA fairness. The SLT then readjust the PPA down. Learn a big lesson… keep your cards very close to your chest and your thoughts to yourself when new to a staff room.

You didn't get what you wanted but you got what you asked for.

You raised an issue and it was dealt with. 🤷‍♀️

So are all staff getting the time they are entitled to? Were some people getting more than that?
Your head does the cover? So this now frees them up to do their other work? Have I read this right?
It’s a shame if some people have had to give up their extra but if they are all getting what they should then it’s just tough.

Just to add that-they now get the extra 30 mins themselves

Who are 'they'? When you say they can that time themselves, are they off timetable? Non-teaching?

Yes SLT only cover ppa and at the moment we have another supply covering ppa- so that supply will just kill time in the staffroom until 9:30 even though they are paid for the whole day and then come and cover from 9:30 - makes no sense still the change

so now morning staff will get 2 hours 30 mins - afternoon staff will get 2 hours and 15 but because afternoon is just before home time and we have to dismiss 2 hours and 10 mins. So one group still gets slightly more but it’s a little more equal- but makes no sense as morning ppa people will still secretly receive longer ppa - as if a daily supply comes into cover when SLT cannot - why would they sit in the staffroom until a certain time

@Sk999 does everyone receive the appropriate 10% of contact time as PPA?

It's 10% of the timetabled teaching time, not contracted hours. So probably closer to 2.5 hours PPA.

That isn't correct. Minimum 10% of teaching time, not defined working hours.

You said it yourself @Sk999 I understand the system is now "equal", but it doesn't sit right. I wasn't trying to take time away from anyone - I just wanted fairness. Instead, the outcome is less PPA for everyone, and the change seems to benefit cover arrangements more than classroom teachers.

And in addition, school leaders are providing the minimum 10% for everyone.

I would accept that you have made it ‘fair’ in meeting requirements and keep quiet. You have succeeded in reducing PPA time for your colleagues.

You best just hope your colleagues don’t realise it was you who complained. 🫣

Still not really understanding. You’re suggesting that staff working in the morning will be skiving off for an extra half an hour and no one is going to notice?? The cover staff will ( or would in my school anyway) be given something else to do to fill their time if they’re being paid. Or maybe only paid 9:30 onwards? I do think you’ve shot yourself in the foot. As long as everyone gets their minimum entitlement then any extra is not really your business. Some staff in my school get a little more ppa because they have more Sen or subject responsibilities.

the outcome is less PPA for everyone

Does everyone know this was down to you complaining??

This is just off the wall. And contradicts what you said with a different bee in your bonnet about supply doing nothing for 30 mins but being paid all day. You need to get to the bottom of what has really bothered you here as you’re coming across as just never happy with anything and pre-empting things to put in the next complaint about (which won’t go down well in the staff room). They have offered you a morning slot so if you really believe your secret extra ppa conspiracy then grab the morning slot and find out. 🤷‍♀️

I work in an independent school so our 20% ppa is scattered as taught by specialists eg, sport, music, French, computing etc. However, years ago when I was in state, we’d get either a longer morning ppa or shorter afternoon ppa but plus reduced play duties etc so the time was the same.