People who described themselves as teachers when they’re actually teaching assistance or cover supervisor

@Nevertrustacop yes only Solicitor and Barrister are but I wasn't going to pick at that given my chosen title - interestingly Legal Counsel also isn't protected. I had someone once ask at a new role if I was qualified (I'm in-house and can't imagine being called a "solicitor" now)

Yes! If it quacks like a duck, you can sure as hell believe that it will be expected to swim like a duck ( quite often actually!)

To be fair, it’s not just because it’s cheaper. Sometimes it’s all that we can find.

I think it’s something that is actually encouraged in school- we often call all staff the ‘teacher’

I actually assumed it was to stop children thinking they could ignore/ disrespect the ta and only have to follow direction from the teacher

it also is just easier to say it …

We had Michael Gove as Education secretary. He allowed it in free schools, academies and private.

It is cheaper and schools, sadly, are businesses

Nope. No regulations especially in academies and private schools.
In reality the vast majority of teachers in secondary have a degree and a teaching qualification.

They do parent’s evenings, plan, attend staff meetings, mark books, assess and input data, write reports, phone parent’s after school, meet other professionals, fill in outside agency reports and work at least a 40 hour week?

If they do and they are being paid as a TA I suggest they talk to their union rep.

I’m actually terrible at teaching PE and I hold QTS and am very specialised in my area. I’m also not first aid trained so am less useful with injuries etc than many of our TAs and dinner ladies.

I know I am very cool because a Year 8 pupil told me I was today. I was able to discuss the inner workings of a Jedi temple with him and he was so impressed.

I did want to point out that nerd was probably nearer to accuracy than cool!

As for the title, in Primary TAs do more teaching as TAs in secondary are more likely assigned a class or pupil, rather than a teacher and they move about a lot. Regardless many are bloody invaluable and can call themselves what they want.

No one is suggesting we shouldn’t let them. I was responding to your silly commment that the alternative to a qualified teacher teaching PE was to have a cleaner do it.

@Cosyblankets - the OP said earlier in a response "I don't mean to sound snobby" then recited the fact she can sign passports but TAs can't as if that's an indication of being better than TAs.

As someone whose mum is a HLTA and sister is a teacher (and who works in a profession filled with snobbery) I've no room for that sort of hierarchy and I'd tell my sister to pack it in if she said that to my mum.

I wouldn't expect a TA to go round saying "I'm a teacher" but my point was the semantics of saying "I teach children" (or "they do") seems a safe space if people aren't sure.

Great, let them.

How are you allowed to have unqualified teachers teaching classes? Is there not any regulations? In Australia, you must have a teaching qualification to be in front of the class. Even cover teachers must be fully qualified and registered. This is in both state and independent schools.

that said, we very often have teachers in secondary teaching outside their subject areas. There is actually no rules to stop that. Particularly in the sciences often in less attractive schools that struggle to get staff, they will have humanities or pe teachers teaching chemistry or physics.

Don’t be ridiculous. A qualified sports coach would not be a qualified teacher but would be excellent at teaching KS3 PE.

I know and she doesn’t claim to be one. The school obviously think she can replace a teacher though. She gets annoyed as teachers get far more than her and she does their job. But this may be why some TA’s say they’re teachers because they effectively carry out teachers work

I was confused too for a moment, but assume they actually mean "can't be arsed"

Lawyer is not a protected title either and anyone can legally call themselves one.
What do you imagine qualifies someone as a lawyer? Same with councillors or therapists. All entirely meaningless.
It's quite possible to Google a list of protected titles UK and there is not that many.

The problem lies with people playing down the role of a teacher. Teachers are qualified to a degree level. It is a skill. If, anecdotally, people say that their mate Jill with zero qualifications, that’s been working in a restaurant her whole life, is now a teacher in a school, when she is actually a TA, people start to lose respect for teaching and more and more people will not take up the profession, because it won’t be seen as a profession.

We all love TA’s. They are amazing, good people. They don’t do half the job or hours of a teacher though.

Sport and practical subjects are the most likely lessons for children to be injured in. But sure, let the cleaner or the dinner lady teach these lessons, I’m sure it won’t harm anyone.

If I moved away from law and went into being a receptionist at a firm, I wouldn't be so insecure as to say I was a lawyer to people coming into the office and I'd be happy being on reception.

I would (as I said) be entitled to say to people that I'm a qualified but non-practicing lawyer... as my sister could say she's a qualified teacher who now works as a full time carer for her son.

Yes.

There is.

All qualified teachers are registered with the department for education and have a teacher number.

I was with you until the passports.
I sign loads of them as a teacher

I will also say that, hands down, my TA is a better teacher than pretty much every ECT and supply teacher I’ve ever met. She might not have QTS but I would rather leave my class in her hands than most ‘teachers’

Teaching assistants do an amazing job and often teach under the direction of teacher.So many schools are employing TAs as the teacher it is not surprising they should call themselves that .
Qualifications and pay are at risk particularly in primary where TAs are often job sharing in my experience .Parents are not made aware of the difference in qualifications and often the TAs have a wealth of experience, but it is another erosion of the requirement for teachers to be trained and well qualified.

Well no one can call themselves a registered nurse if they are not on the register. But there is no public register of qualified teachers. It's just not a thing. If a school wanted to employ a teacher with qualified teacher status obviously they could, but they could employ anyone to teach who they thought capable of doing the job. And lots do.