PPA time is time allocated for a teacher to complete their duties away from the children in their care. Some teachers will have more than ten per cent. The union supports PPA time of 20 per cent.
A teacher must not be required to carry out any other duties during their PPA time.
No, it must take place during the time in which pupils are taught.
No, it must not be used in this way and, equally, teachers cannot be directed to undertake specific activities during this time.
Yes, the minimum entitlement must be maintained in these circumstances. This also applies to part time workers. There is no reimbursement, however, for loss of PPA time through sickness absence or leave of absence.
Yes, there is an entitlement to leadership and management time. Although there is no minimum amount, teachers should be provided with a level that is commensurate with their responsibilities.
Teachers can only be required to cover ‘rarely’. This means in circumstances which were not foreseeable. A certain level of sickness absence, perhaps dependent on the time of year, is entirely foreseeable so a colleague’s absence on sick leave is not a good enough reason for requiring a teacher to provide cover.
Gained time does form part of directed time and the STPCD. The ‘rarely cover’ provision applies equally during gained time.
If the task does not call for the exercise of a teacher’s professional skills or judgement, it cannot be routinely required of a teacher.
They cannot be required to invigilate external examinations, apart from practical/oral examinations in their own subject area. They may wish to be present at the start and end of examinations in order to deal with issues/questions that may arise.
