Ppa

[Guest]

Can anyone help?

 

Yesterday school was closed due to the snow. We have been told that we are not allowed to have our PPA time this week or next week due to 'having a day off'.

 

Is this allowed?

[AnonyMouse_73]

You might want to check with your union but Id imagine that they could argue that your not being in due to snow would be your PPA time, and in fact you get a whole day not half. I know whenever we were closed for snow/broken boilers etc, we were expected to work from home, which I think is reasonable in the circumstances.

[Guest]

I will not be expecting to have my PPA as usual as i have had 2 days off because of snow

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Agree with Mundia, as you presumably have been paid, it only appears right, that if possible your PPA time is taken within your time at home.

As its such a busy time of year anyway, everyone pulling together and the team spirit approach, seems a great thing to do.

[Guest]

Can anyone help?

 

Yesterday school was closed due to the snow. We have been told that we are not allowed to have our PPA time this week or next week due to 'having a day off'.

 

Is this allowed?

I am not expecting my ppa time back as it was my ppa today, never have got it back even when my ppa cover is used to cover sick teachers!

[Guest]

Thanks for all your responses.

 

It has become quite an issue in school because all the TA's got a day off but teachers have to lose PPA time.

I quite agree about the team spirit approach but when morale is at its lowest ebb that is very difficult.

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Hi it does seem to be a trifle unfair i know, but thats when the status of a teacher and Ta comes into play including the difference in pay scales.

You cannot blame the Ta's for that. I would be more concerned about your morale being so low at this time, the reasons for it and also possible changes that could be made.

Wishing you well.

[AnonyMouse_3307]

In a non school based LA job it's take a days leave or take a day without pay!!

 

Personally I don't think it's unreasonable.

CX

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Whatever the situation in different kinds of settings, I think the important thing is to know exactly what the situation is before it arises. If it is made explicit that a snow day should be used for PPA beforehand then a lot of confusion and ill-feeling can be avoided, especially if staff morale is a bit low!

[AnonyMouse_4544]

All our staff used the snow day as our PPA time. You could argue for your time but remember it is 10% of the time you have actually spent teaching so will be reduced.

[AnonyMouse_1195]

I think a bit of flexibility and goodwill is what is needed here. As far as TA's are concerned they earn a pittance compared with teachers, give their all, and are not entitled to PPA. I wouldn't even think of putting them into the equation in these circumstances. This weather is exceptional and the team should be pulling together.

[AnonyMouse_3307]

Absolutely. The work place was closed for safety reasons but it was still a paid workday not a designated holiday! The children have lost x days teaching and deserve some continuity when they come back to school to make up for it too - Teachers have had x days non contact for whatever reason in which I would argue they could have done an awful lot of planning, preparation and assessments to get them safely through to the other side of Christmas!!!

 

Cx

[Guest]

I was talking to a work colleague who has a friend who teaches in Canada.

 

Apparently, if they have to have a day off school for snow, that day gets tacked on the end of the summer term, so that the children don't lose out.

 

It's worth remembering that what teachers these days call PPA time, we used to call 'working in the evening'. It is something which I think is richly deserved, but I don't think teachers should forget that it is a recent innovation (as are TA's!)

[AnonyMouse_1195]

And sadly even with PPA there is still a lot to do in the evening. Work seems to expand to fill the time.