Long term supply teacher in a one form school ks1 teacher (requires improvement school), ppa is 2hrs 15 mins weekly and use for PPM and meet the teacher etc

Se12345 · 2025-10-04T13:16:41+00:00

I have started working with this school beginning of September. Lovely school so far, people are nice, SLT seem nice so far. They are a requires improvement school who have been taken over by an academy of-course. Planning is a pain for a ks1 class- especially as last year they did not have a proper teacher and no planning was left behind - planning from scratch. I've gotten over that now but now getting annoyed over ppa. Im a full time teacher and school day is 8:45am to 3:10pm. We get ppa from 1:00 pm to 3:15pm - but now they said we have to go back and dismiss - so really to dismiss we need to be back in class at 3:10 - okay fine. Couple weeks ago we had meet the teacher which landed on my ppa day - not anyone elses somehow and it took 40 mins out of my ppa and when I went to see them - they said actually the head decided that meeting the parents can be a part of our ppa as its important to get to know the parents - btw we were just reading of a powerpoint - it wasnt a casual chat where Okay fine- looked past that as well. Had to plan lots at home and even with normal 2 hours - i still plan every lunch - afterschool. Theres nothing from year before - yes theres schemes but theres so much to prepare still. Moving past that - now on Monday when i have my ppa - they have booked me in for a pupil progress meeting - says 30 mins but we all know it will be longer, till we meet, discuss every child. So I will have maybe an hour. I am supply I know I can leave - but because i did so many short covers in the past I have no proper reference from 1 place and the ones i did have are from 4-5 years ago now - so I need this to work and see out the year.

BoleynMemories13 · 04/10/2025 16:34

We always have our Pupil Progress meetings during PPA, but it's the same for everyone and is part of assessment so I get that.

You absolutely should not be asked to lead a parent session during PPA though. I get it's important to meet parents and it was probably impossible to arrange during a time where it didn't clash with anyone's PPA at all. That chunk of PPA should have been owed back to you though, especially as nobody else had to miss their PPA for the event.

I would definitely bring it up with them. Say how you're struggling to fit everything in during PPA anyway, due to the lack of past planning. Constantly having chunks of PPA taken away from you is not helping. You should be owed a whole afternoon by now by the sounds of it. They shouldn't be dictating how you use your PPA, and you certainly shouldn't be treated differently to anyone else in terms of PPA entitlement.

CeciliaMars · 05/10/2025 09:37

PPA cannot be directed time. If they take it from you, they need to give it back. I would be really firm with them about this from the start and get your union involved if you need to.

Strop · 11/10/2025 11:36

BoleynMemories13 · 04/10/2025 16:34

We always have our Pupil Progress meetings during PPA, but it's the same for everyone and is part of assessment so I get that.

You absolutely should not be asked to lead a parent session during PPA though. I get it's important to meet parents and it was probably impossible to arrange during a time where it didn't clash with anyone's PPA at all. That chunk of PPA should have been owed back to you though, especially as nobody else had to miss their PPA for the event.

I would definitely bring it up with them. Say how you're struggling to fit everything in during PPA anyway, due to the lack of past planning. Constantly having chunks of PPA taken away from you is not helping. You should be owed a whole afternoon by now by the sounds of it. They shouldn't be dictating how you use your PPA, and you certainly shouldn't be treated differently to anyone else in terms of PPA entitlement.

Technically you shouldn't be having pupil progress meetings in PPA though and it will just be because no one has pushed back against it. PPA cannot be directed.

BoleynMemories13 · 11/10/2025 15:16

Strop · 11/10/2025 11:36

Technically you shouldn't be having pupil progress meetings in PPA though and it will just be because no one has pushed back against it. PPA cannot be directed.

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No, you are right it shouldn't be directed but my school are great in every other way so I'm not going to be militant about this when they're so supportive of us in other ways. We get report writing time, for example, which many schools don't give. They'll release working parents to see a couple of events at their own child's school each year (sports day, class assembly etc). If I was being shafted left right and centre like OP and treated differently to other members of staff it would be different. I'd be seeking union advice. I do think it's a bit of give and take is find though when the school are so fair in other ways.

As I said, I see pupil progress meetings as part of 'assessment' so I don't really object to this. It's not like it's something that happens regularly, or for something irrelevant. Personally, I'd rather do it in my PPA than being out of class for half an hour, covered, and have to return to my class going nuts (they're always deregulated by change). This is the less of two evils for me!

Matronic6 · 15/10/2025 20:52

BoleynMemories13 · 11/10/2025 15:16

No, you are right it shouldn't be directed but my school are great in every other way so I'm not going to be militant about this when they're so supportive of us in other ways. We get report writing time, for example, which many schools don't give. They'll release working parents to see a couple of events at their own child's school each year (sports day, class assembly etc). If I was being shafted left right and centre like OP and treated differently to other members of staff it would be different. I'd be seeking union advice. I do think it's a bit of give and take is find though when the school are so fair in other ways.

As I said, I see pupil progress meetings as part of 'assessment' so I don't really object to this. It's not like it's something that happens regularly, or for something irrelevant. Personally, I'd rather do it in my PPA than being out of class for half an hour, covered, and have to return to my class going nuts (they're always deregulated by change). This is the less of two evils for me!

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That's your personal stance but I don't think it is very helpful or relevant to OP in this situation.
I think it's important we remind each other, especially in OP's context, that PPA cannot directed at all.

So to reiterate OP, they cannot tell you what to do in your PPA at all. If you have a union rep in school, talk to them, if not, speak to your union.

BoleynMemories13 · 16/10/2025 06:41

Matronic6 · 15/10/2025 20:52

That's your personal stance but I don't think it is very helpful or relevant to OP in this situation.
I think it's important we remind each other, especially in OP's context, that PPA cannot directed at all.

So to reiterate OP, they cannot tell you what to do in your PPA at all. If you have a union rep in school, talk to them, if not, speak to your union.

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I've told OP to seek advice from their union. 🤷‍♀️

I did indeed tell them that PPA time shouldn't be directed, too. I simply added that the Pupil Progress meeting wouldn't bother me, personally, in isolation, as it is part of assessment, but all of it together is taking the pee and they should seek union advice.

You're entitled to disagree with me, but it's a bit rich to accuse me of not being very helpful. I only ever post to try and be helpful on here, otherwise what would be the point? I haven't got time to waste deliberately making 'unhelpful' comments.