School taking on unqualified staff.

[sailorsgal]

I was a bit shocked that someone who has no experience and qualifications got a job in our school as a teaching assistant.

She is a parent.

[shushpenfold]

Perhaps she was the best of the interviewees?!

[sailorsgal]

Out of thirty. I do find it hard to believe. I had put in a complaint as she had spread rumours and gossip not just about my ds but also that a friend's child had aspergers which hadn't even been diagnosed.

[MyCatHasStaff]

Most of us start as parent volunteers. You can only get experience by doing a job (any job) and to get onto an NVQ course you must first have a job because all the standards have to be met under observation. It's a bit chicken and egg.

[TheFallenMadonna]

Most of our TAs (secondary) come in unqualified.

[Hopeforever]

So the problem is her, not the lack of experience or qualifications?

Most of our support staff start at the school with no qualifications, some go on to get qualifications, but by no means all.

[cornsconkers]

T.A's don't have to be qualified

[sailorsgal]

Thanks, I didn't know that this was usual procedure for schools.

[cornsconkers]

TAs that's is

[sailorsgal]

Yes I guess my issue is her. I'll just have to suck it up.

I don't want to go into too much detail but she said some horrible things about ds which concerns me now she is on staff. The headmaster assured me she would have nothing to do with him but he said she spoke to him the other day.

[MyCatHasStaff]

I don't see how the head can make that kind of assurance. What about when she's on playground duty or goes on a school trip. If you have geniune concerns about her you should talk to the head, but I would say be careful about any allegations you make.

[germyrabbit]

it annoys me that so many TAs at my sons last school were parents. think it's just weird to want to work at a school your child is at.

it's not surprising you have concerns but doubt there is much you can do about it really

[sailorsgal]

it might be something to do with getting reduced school fees. call me --cynical.

[weblette]

Do you have any idea how little TAs are paid?

Parents or people wanting to get experience before a teaching course are about the only groups I can think of who would take home do little, they sure as hell don't do it for the money!

What would you rather? No TAs?

[weblette]

so little

[sailorsgal]

I know its not that well paid. I work as a support worker for people with learning disabilities which is even less than a TA.

[mrz]

We wouldn't consider anyone with less than a level 3 qualification and I would prefer no TA in my class to an unqualified one personally.

[weblette]

Appalling isn't it. I am a 1-1 SEN TA, my experience is voluntary, it costs me more in childcare to cover my children than I get paid.

mrsz, schools round here wouldn't function unless they had unqualified staff. Depressing but true.

[mrz]

We also pay our TA an annual salary not hourly paid term time only.
We only have 1 TA,not one per class ( but highly qualified and very experienced ) ... I wonder how schools managed before TAs and with larger class sizes weblette. [thinking]

[sailorsgal]

I met someone in the supermarket who had gone for the job who had a level 3 qualification and years of experience. She said that she had heared it had gone "in house".

[mrz]

Parents like the idea of lots of TAs

[weblette]

Mrz, great for your school if that's the way it works. Funnily enough I get the impression the teachers like having lots of TAs too.
Sailorsgal, unfortunately that happens a lot from what I've heard/seen.

[mrz]

A good TA is worth their weight in gold a poor one is a liability.

[sailorsgal]

We had an amazing TA last year. If only they were all like her. The TA we have now had to be moved from the last class she was in because her child is now in that class.

[sailorsgal]

She is still gossiping about me outside school this time. We have no option but to move school. It makes me so cross.

[cornykrueger]

why can't you report her gossiping?