PPA queries

[Starlight21]

In a nutshell PPA will be covered by a level 3 TA and a level 4 TA in a nursery class. Planning and all prep left by the class teacher. Is this allowed?

25 children in the nursery.

Yep.

Yes

Yes. All PPA at my school (primary) is covered by TAs-most don’t have any TA qualifications at all.

Thanks all

No!

Do I have to mark or set work, or deal
with pupils’ misbehaviour which
occurs during my PPA sessions?
It is essential that the introduction of PPA
does not trigger additional workload for
teachers receiving their entitlement.
Teachers receiving PPA should not be
burdened with planning and marking
work being undertaken by pupils during
that time. Teachers should not be expected
to deal with immediate discipline problems
which arise during these sessions since
this would not result in the intended
workload reduction. If any such requests
are made, contact your NUT regional
office in England or NUT Cymru in Wales.
If qualified teachers are used to provide
PPA time, such issues are less likely to
arise.

No it is certainly not allowed! Where did you all get that from?

Contact your union!

(I will be back in a bit with a link...)

www.teachers.org.uk/files/PPA_207sq%20(3996).pdf

Point 14 - you should not be planning or marking work that is undertaken during your PPA!

To clarify- ppa can be covered by non-qualified teachers/TAs but the teacher should not, in any circumstances be planning or marking for the person covering their ppa release time!

Really Waterlemon? That is very interesting.

Teachers don't plan for PPA, but it can be undertaken by a TA. Our level 3 and above TAs are involved with lesson planning anyway.

The problem with having TAs or unqualified teachers covering PPA is that they are not qualified to plan lessons!

And the class teacher shouldn’t be planning for or marking work undertaken in their release time either...

So what do “we” do?

We end up planning so we can go do some planning!

In nursery classes the ratio is only 1:13 if at least one adult holds QTS or another level 6 qualification so no this shouldn't be happening regardless of who does the planning. Ratio without a level 6 is 1:8 so technically 4 members of staff.

I don't know of many schools in my area that use qualified teachers to cover PPA. It just doesn't happen anymore. What you quite often find in addition is a SLT teacher who has their own class being covered half of the week by a TA. Shocking? Yes! Will it change? No!

So, are you saying that it is it legal for a TA to cover any class for PPA but NOT a nursery class?

Not in a school, Mistoffelees

The nursery class in my school is taken by a Level 3 TA, but there are three other TAs in the room at the same time.

That's useful to know noble, which page number is that on please?

But it does say they must be supporting or assisting the work of a teacher and subject to the direction and supervision of a qualified teacher which I interpret as them needing a teacher during PPA, if they want to stick to those ratios. Without a qualified teacher, they should revert to the 1:8 ratios all settings without a qualified teacher use.

Starlight No, you should not be planning work for anyone else to deliver. That is not what PPA is about.

No, direction and supervision of a qualified teacher means a teacher is in charge of what work is done and monitors this, not that the teacher is in the room.

Doesn't that contradict the previous point about not planning/marking for your PPA time though noble?