Unpaid Leave query

[mynamechangemyrules]

Hi, I understand that govt policy is that parental leave is unpaid.

When I have something to get my children to I try to schedule it after hours. Obviously not always possible. So I have then taken eg my child to a medical appt (fairly serious) and an orthodontist appt (less serious but unable to reschedule) during work hours.

Luckily I also have very helpful schools and Dr surgery for the children so they have always been able to at least fit the appts in my PPA time (barring one hospital appt). Eg the appt falls in the free period, I run out of school, take the child and return to school to teach. Where this has fallen at the end of a school day, I have taken the child and not returned as the pupils have left school at the end of my PPA time anyway.

My school docks these appts in my PPA time as unpaid parental leave.

My question is- I get half a day docked when I am out of school for less than an hour, and none of that hour is designated teaching time- shouldn’t it be pro-rated at 1hr or however long I am out rather than half a day every time?

My SLT say they are ‘following govt policy’ and there is no ‘wriggle room’ for me as a single parent of 3 school age children. It feels like a lot of money even though it’s only approx every 2 months.

Tomorrow I’m attending a child’s school for an award they are receiving and I just feel like, is this worth £50 for the 10mins in their assembly?! 😂 😩 (I will be missing registration this time, and one 30 minute PPA period which follows it)

Tempted to say I’ll just go in to get the money, but that feels shitty for my child.

You are paid for your PPA just as you're paid for your teaching. So if the policy is it's unpaid, and the time you're out is covered by the policy, then so be it.

We get three days paid and then unpaid after that.

Our head was always very flexible but we were asked to book appointments in PPA time where possible. You then submitted a request and it would come back labelled with or without pay. Usually it would be paid.
Not sure about it being Government policy but there are rules around amount of time for parental leave.
As a teacher I don’t think you’d expect to be allowed time off to attend an assembly.

Thanks for your replies, @MrsHamletis the 3 days paid and then unpaid onwards for childcare leave or sick leave, pls?
Only after digging this week have I discovered that the UK does not have any provisions for paid childcare leave of any kind, in any profession, which I just didn’t realise as it’s a statutory paid 5 days a year per parent in the country I’ve moved from.

I didn’t go to her assembly, I can’t afford to lose half a day’s pay for 20 mins missed contact time. I do realise I’m paid for my PPA, I’ve just been trusted in other countries to use it as needed and ‘repay’ in other ways- I find it slightly jarring when we are expected to attend many out of hours events, and I was even asked to use a day of my half term to conduct induction for new staff, which I happily did, but will no longer be doing!

Sickness absence for staff is entirely separate.
3 days paid for dependents and then unpaid thereafter. Some schools don't offer even that.

There is wiggle room as I would not be docked pay for medical appointments or if I have to look after my children when unwell. You might not get the assembly - in our school this term is crazy busy but maybe at the end of the year after exam classes have gone. I guess there is also the idea that not every parent has PPA when their child has assembly so it isn’t really fair in that sense. However, my school does try to cover us so we can go to nativities or school plays or similar where there has been a lot of rehearsal etc.

But it is also a gesture of good will that does mean people do often go above and beyond in other areas and we have very very low staff turn over which ultimately is better go the school than an odd missed PPA.

Thanks @MrsHamlet and @Littlelot. Yes it’s one of the many ‘grey’ areas of staff wellbeing I suppose. Just to clarify, it wasn’t her assembly as such, it was her receiving the school achievement award, so it’s a rare occasion. I wouldn’t ask for eg a primary assembly.
It is our county policy to offer no time for defendants so it is what it is!
thank you for helping me get over my little rage 😆

How annoying! It's not like you won't have to do your PPA work in your own time anyway.
If they are going to dock you half a day instead of just an hour, I'd be tempted to take the actual half day off and do something for yourself instead of dashing back into school! Why should you work if not getting paid?