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Original poster

DD's one to one is a lunchtime supervisor

28 replies

ladybirdsarelovely33 · 08/02/2019 10:32

DD is 3 yo and has global developmental delay. She attends a mainstream nursery for 12 hours a week. The local authority granted this much funding for higher needs one to one funding. However the one to one dd has been allocated is a lunchtime supervisor. She is a really nice lady who adores dd but English is her second language and dd has speech difficulties. The lady does not have any teaching asst qualifications and even the SENCo said something about her English not being strong. I feel dd needs someone to push her along a lot more in her learning. I wonder if it's worth mentioning something to the SENCo as I am meeting her today or is this normal in schools?
Another girl with SEN who was in the nursery last year, had a great TA who has gone onto other things now but she learned Makaton to help the child she looked after. My dd's TA has not done anything as such.
Advice would be appreciated.

OP posts:
IceRebel · 08/02/2019 10:36

Can you just clarify, is she in a nursery / pre-school on the school site, or a private nursery that takes from babies to school aged children?

peridito · 08/02/2019 10:38

Watching with interest as I am shocked by the way in which children with additional needs are supported by completely untrained staff .

Does your DD's one to one have much supervision /input from the Senco or an experienced teacher ? Is there a plan of work/activities with guidance on intervention ?

Zampa · 08/02/2019 10:39

My DD is in a very similar situation to your daughter. Her one on one had always been a trained nursery nurse and her current support is the nursery's SENCO.

I would push the nursery management to find someone more appropriate. Your DD has additional needs and it sounds like they're not being supported. Does she have an EHCP?

You could maybe check the terms of the funding from the LA?

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

3 year olds Families
Crusoe · 08/02/2019 10:40

Very normal in my experience. I was employed as a midday supervisor and within a few months was a 121 for a boy with autism. I knew bugger all about autism and was totally out of my depth. The boy was completely short changed. I did my best but when I left (we moved out of the area) I was replaced with ... you’ve guessed it another dinner lady. Lovely woman but not a clue about autism.
What a shambles of an education system we have that allows this.

Sirzy · 08/02/2019 10:40

I would have a word with scjool. However unless she has a very specific ehc then it may be hard to change things and it could be school doing best with the limited resources they have

x2boys · 08/02/2019 10:40

Does she have an EHCP ,if so what does it say about 1:1 they can be quite vague and sometimes 1:1 doesn't always mean the same person

Aeonium · 08/02/2019 10:43

I would be unhappy on both counts - the lack of English and the lack of qualifications. Definitely speak to the nursery.

RainbowSparkles · 08/02/2019 10:57

I am a lunchtime supervisor and a 1:1 TA, I do not have a TA qualification but I am very good at my job. We have TAs in our schools who are qualified and do very little, are shouty and have no patience.
I would approach the school and ask them why they think the TA is the best person to be working with your child, what courses they will be attending to improve their knowledge so that can give your DC the best support and also point out that your child has speech problems and perhaps someone with limited English isn't the best person to be working with them.

LittleOwl153 · 08/02/2019 11:13

I wouldnt necessarily have an issue with the lunchtime supervisor aspect - provided that the time allocations work out. But the fact that the child needs speech support and the allocated supporter does not have good english I would have a big issue with.

You need to ask the SENCO about what the child was allocated the 1:1 support for - there will be written evidence of this - and how this supporter meets these aims.

Abitlost2015 · 08/02/2019 11:14

Does your DD see a Speech Therapist? She could liaise with the lady who supports your child to discuss strategies to support her communication. Having English as a second language may not be an issue if her communication skills are good, and if her language is not good enough the SLT can liaise with the nursery to find someone more suited for the tasks.

Original poster
ladybirdsarelovely33 · 08/02/2019 11:25

We have to employ a private SLT as the borough one won't see her as she is "only in nursery". It is state nursery which is attached to the main school.

Good point Rainbow

OP posts:
Abitlost2015 · 08/02/2019 11:32

Are you sure you can’t access SLT under NHS? Being in nursery or 3 years of age is not an exclusion criteria in any area I know and most SLT services accept self referrals from parents. In any case, the private SLT if that’s the one seeing DD can also liaise with nursery.

Original poster
ladybirdsarelovely33 · 08/02/2019 16:56

Mmmm…. will have to ask around about how to access NHS SLT.

OP posts:
cassgate · 08/02/2019 17:27

I am a TA and also a lunchtime supervisor. I actually started out just as you described. I worked lunchtimes but volunteered in the school as well so was well known for being reliable, adaptable and good at what I did. I was offered a job on the back of this working initially as a 1-1 with a child with speech and language delay. I wasn’t qualified but I did teach myself makaton. Note, I taught myself. I purchased books out of my own money to do this. That child went on to a special school after about six months and I went on to work as a general class ta at first in KS1 and now in KS2. You would be surprised at the things ta’s are expected to do that they are not really qualified for. SALT being one of these. A SALT will put together a plan but it will be up to the school to deliver it and this will most likely be done by a ta with no SALT training.

Bestseller · 08/02/2019 17:31

A child with a language delay being supported by a 121 with English as a second language could be a concern, depending on the quality of her spoken English.

The fact that she's unqualified or a dinner lady is not, she's not there to teach. How do you propose funding all these qualified 121s?

BackforGood · 08/02/2019 18:51

The fact she is unqualified, will match the funding that is allocated.
In pre-schools in our authority, Nurseries can apply for additional funding. It is capped at 7.5 hours x £8 an hour.
Obviously, not many qualified teachers or SaLTs (which would be ideal) will work for £8 an hour. The fact there are only a few hours a week means it is not even a full day at £8 an hour. If you are at work 8 hours, then the proportion of time (and money) you spend traveling to and from work) is much smaller than if you are working under 3 hours a day - all takes a toll when you are on such limited money.

Rainbow makes a good point about someone who starrts at the school "just" being a MDS doesn't necessarily mean they aren't good at the role, but it doesn't sound ideal in your case.
I like this suggestion:
I would approach the school and ask them why they think the TA is the best person to be working with your child, what courses they will be attending to improve their knowledge so that can give your DC the best support and also point out that your child has speech problems and perhaps someone with limited English isn't the best person to be working with them.

Jess74 · 08/02/2019 18:54

Have you got an EHCP?

Rockbird · 08/02/2019 19:18

Yep, another one here who is an MDS/TA so that wouldn't concern me as much as the language issue, particularly when language is already an issue for your dd. I'd definitely arrange a meeting to see what their reasoning is.

Original poster
ladybirdsarelovely33 · 08/02/2019 20:03

So found out from the Senco today that dd's main quality input is from the teacher and the one to one lady is an extra person in the classroom who ensures that dd is safe. Dd's EHCP is in progress - we have received the draft copy.

OP posts:
hennaoj · 08/02/2019 20:19

My 5 year old has 1-1 support from own level 2 teaching assistant on EHC. You need to get the EHC to state what level the teaching assistant has to be and that the ta is purely for her and for how many hours per week. She's going to need a ta with more training when she starts school.

SomethingNastyInTheBallPool · 08/02/2019 20:35

It doesn’t sound right that your DD isn’t getting SALT. Does she see a community paediatrician? They would be the best person to do and chase a referral.

PepperSteak · 08/02/2019 21:39

I have two children with global delay in my class. We get zero help with them. No extra adults ever. No advice from the senco. Nothing. It’s appalling how these children are treated.

ShirazSavedMySanity · 08/02/2019 22:14

Have you seen the salary for a 1:1 TA? Utterly shocking.
Most are MDS to top up their wages

peridito · 09/02/2019 09:13

dd's main quality input is from the teacher I wonder how the teacher manages to provide thisand what training they have had in language delay . And what the rest of the group are doing while this is being provided .

3year olds are pretty lively and require a lot of input ,how many staff are working in the nursery ?

peridito · 09/02/2019 09:15

I have two children with global delay in my class. We get zero help with them. No extra adults ever. No advice from the senco. Nothing. It’s appalling how these children are treated.

I agree ,and so hard for the teacher and staff as well .But the Senco should advise and there should be more adults in the class to help .

I guess some schools are better than others .