Non-contact time for primary teachers has been a pipe dream for so many years that it’s hard to believe how smoothly it has been implemented in many schools now that they have to provide it and have been given a bit of money.
Doubtless, unforeseen glitches with PPA time will emerge over the coming months, and we at The TES want to hear about them.
The most popular solutions for covering classes we’ve heard about are enrichment programmes. St George’s RC primary in Harrow, for instance, is bringing in specialists to run a range of PE activities, including gaelic football and hurling (funded by the Irish government) and street dancing.
Simonswood primary in Kirkby found the funding to have an advanced skills teacher relate arts to the children’s other work. Kington primary in Herefordshire has yet another approach, which Colin Doctor describes below.
All three are using their programmes to enhance the particular character of their schools.
