TA teaching

[pigsinmud]

My dd2's year 5 teacher has left. Before half term we were sent a letter telling us a new teacher would be joining the school and teaching the class 3 days a week and then Mrs X would be teaching them for the other 2 days. It also said Mrs X knows them well as she's been their TA for a while. I'm 99.9% sure she's not a qualified teacher. Is this allowed in a state school?

[BoneyBackJefferson]

She may have a teacher type qualification (not HLTA but similar).

And although it is recommended that you have qualified teachers in state schools a non qualified person can teach at the description of the head.

If the school is an academy then there is no rule that the teacher has to be qualified.

[toomuchicecream]

There is a teaching recruitment crisis. If the choice is a TA who knows the children, is good at teaching them and does a good job versus ongoing supply teachers so no continuity or consistency for the children, which would you rather choose? The school may well be very unhappy with the situation, but they've had to choose the least bad option.

[Hulababy]

Yes, it is allowed in some circumstances, even in state schools. And if it is an academy then even more so. It is not best practise for it to be a permanent basis in place of a class teacher.

The TA may also have other qualifications that makes her more able to do so, or even have QTS/teaching qualifications - just because they haven't taught then it doesn't mean they aren't qualified

[Hulababy]

It will also depend not he level of the TA as to how much teaching (or delivery) they can do. A TA should teach under the direction of a teacher, and many shouldn't be planning the lessons, etc.

[pigsinmud]

Ok thanks. School has just had a disappointing ofsted inspection to pile on the problems. Dd2 is not keen on this TA as she shouts a lot and is just feeling sad that the best teacher in the world has left! I agree with the continuity point, it's just shame that she has been a bit stressy when left in charge of the class in the past.

I suppose I feel like the school is losing it a bit. Loads of teachers have left in the past couple of years.

[spanieleyes]

And loads more will leave in the next couple of years too, you may as well get used to it! The recruitment and retention crisis will begin to have a serious impact on many schools.

[momtothree]

A lot of teachers do TA work - either due to the stress of the job or family commitments etc - some do TA and teaching on supply to get the bills paid -

[mrz]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/10497175

[gingerdad]

My wife ended up doing similar. Had taken a ta role as it was 200 yards from the house. But was a teacher. She lasted as a ta about a year before ending up teaching as someone had left. So this ta may well be a qualified teacher. My oh has since left education all together and loving it.

[mrz]

www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2013/06/On-line-Catalogue185583.pdf

[mrz]

"higher level teaching assistants are for short-term absences only" quote from Unison