If you're an academy or free school, you are free to follow the STPCD or set your own rules around breaks. Check your teachers' contracts to see if they're employed under the terms of the STPCD before making any changes.
Teachers must get 1 break of "reasonable length" each day
This applies to the following staff in maintained schools:
- Teachers, as long as they work for more than 1 school session. They can take their break either between school sessions or between 12pm and 2pm. It does not count as directed time
- Deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers and teachers on the leading practitioners pay range. They should take this as close to the middle of the school day as possible
- Headteachers, but they must arrange for someone to cover for them while they're on break
20 minutes is the minimum length, but
