Staffing crisis in schools - teachers/school staff, what's your school like?

[noblegiraffe]

Discussions with fellow teachers about the current crisis in school staffing has raised the issue of whether parents know how bad it is. I guess they won't know if we don't tell them?

My school - struggling to recruit teachers. There are subjects at A-level where students are currently teaching themselves, and with no prospect of a teacher on the horizon. Last year we had similar issues, pupils went into exams not fully prepared, and coursework was a huge problem. At GCSE where we couldn't recruit, there was a teacher in front of the class, but not qualified in that subject and pupils complained about the syllabus not being taught.

TA provision has been cut to the bone. There is only in class support if a child has an EHCP, this support is then spread to other children who need help. Due to backlogs with EHCP applications, and applications routinely being rejected (the assumption is automatic rejection, then appeal) some very needy children get no additional help in class. In addition, we have bigger classes due to leaving teachers not being replaced, so teachers are spread even more thinly.

There are huge concerns about teacher recruitment for next year as the number of trainees on local PGCE courses has collapsed.

And I know my school is in a relatively good position compared to others.

@PixiesFeet I know. And when your child's 1:1 is off sick for an extended period? Would you like to keep your child at home? Or would you like us to use someone else's child's 1:1 to help support yours?
Or when your child's 1:1 leaves and cannot be replaced?
This is the reality. We didn't choose it any more than you or your child did. It's shit.

@woodhill Why? When the EHCP child has it specified that that need 1:1 support?

The TA absolutely shouldn't be helping other children. They should be following the provision set in the EHCP.

Do you not think it would help with developing some independence. I mean occasional help btw

The TA absolutely shouldn't be helping other children. They should be following the provision set in the EHCP.

But they are being put in an intolerable situation. Either they break the law or ignore children in distress or needing help.

Of course they will help the other children.

Actually (to @PixiesFeet) the Statutory obligation is on the local authority, not the school. The school is expected to follow the EHCP but if the provision stated isn't being provided then the onus (in law) is on the LA to make the school do it.

There are no winners here. It's not the kids fault, it's not the parents fault, it's not the teachers and schools fault. The blame, if you like, lies firmly at the feet on the government.

@PixiesFeet

Why do you think that happens? Yes, it shouldn't. 1:1 staff should solely be used for the children they are assigned to. But what about all the other needs in the class, the children who have been refused an EHCP or those whose parent won't allow us to apply, the numerous other children with additional needs not considered severe enough even to apply, the behavioural issues which mean children are throwing tables and chairs at staff. It is inexcusable that 1:1 staff are used to deal with these incidents but it's understandable when funding is so poor that there is no other source of support in the class. I know that's not your problem and your only concern is your child- which is as it should be-
The school isn't making a choice, it has NO choice

@woodhill But they are not TA they are learning support assistants they are employed for different roles!

@noblegiraffe I should of been clearer I meant before multiple teachers admitted that this happens. But again like I said parents of SEN children mostly know it does.

Can I ask you why if schools are so angry at having to do this, do you not choose other ways of bringing it to the attention of parents? Why do schools lie it is not happening when it is? Surely telling parents when they question their child's provision not being delivered correctly it would make more sense to say what you have put in your OP.

When a child with SEN who does not have EHCP explain to their parents you can not meet their needs and encourage and support them to apply for one and explain what a EHCP is most schools SENCO actively discourage parents from doing so...

So when the 1:1 of the wheelchair and communication aid user isn't in, the 1:1 of the other child in the room should just ignore him and hope he can miraculously cope on his own whilst the teacher tries to manage the other 30 students, many of whom also have additional needs but have no support?

OF COURSE this should never happen. But it does. And that's a funding problem nationally.

Absolutely - unless completely unavoidable, a 'Velcro' situation isn't in the child's bests interests long term.

But the independence should be planned, carefully managed and in line with the EHCP child's development, progress and response. It should be for them. Not as a result of other children needing provision that technically they're not entitled to.

Would you openly admit you have broken the law?

Even once an application has gone in, EHCPs can take years. The child needs their needs meeting, in school, for that duration. We can't magic up a free TA.

I'm not in disagreement with you @MrsHamlet. It should not be happening, I think we all can agree on that too. It does, because the reality of the situation is so dreadful.

Can I ask you why if schools are so angry at having to do this, do you not choose other ways of bringing it to the attention of parents?

Because you're expecting a school to admit that it is breaking the law. Why would a school choose to do that?

When a child with SEN who does not have EHCP explain to their parents you can not meet their needs and encourage and support them to apply for one and explain what a EHCP is most schools SENCO actively discourage parents from doing so...

Because it's a shit tonne of work and as previously mentioned, schools are super short of staff? And the application will be rejected, resulting in a shit more tonne of work?

If it's a primary and the kid is in, say, Y5, then sitting tight and passing the buck to secondary is going to be less hassle than doing all the application work and not seeing any of the funding because by then the kid has left the school.

That's the situation we're in.

We had a student join us in year 7 who on year 6 taster day stabbed the TA we'd put with him through the hand with a pencil. Through... not in.
He's now in y9 and finally has an EHCP which specifies 1:1. We can't keep people who are willing to work with him.

As noblegiraffe says, the application process is onerous.
It takes a vast amount of resource to apply, and more often than not, applications are rejected.
And if they're not, we can't recruit the staff to provide the provision.

@MrsHamlet
Actually funny you should bring this up as that is exactly the situation we are in. Feel free to read my thread on the SEN board. My childs 1 to 1 has been off sick for a while and has had no cover AT ALL.

Obviously my childs plan has not been provided and my child has been in alot of distress because of this. I have had no choice but to currently keep my child at home. As I will not put her through this!

I then have had to take leave from work and have had so much time off work I have been given a final warning. And no I would not expect another childs 1 to 1 to be used for my child as this would be against the law to do so.

But instead of the school being honest about this they did not tell me and had to find out through my child.

I don't understand why more parents aren't made aware of the fact that they can apply for an EHCNA themselves.

I do them frequently for my parents - and they're always shocked to learn that we can!

One would almost assume that local authorise don't want parents armed with this knowledge....

Do you think the statement system was better in terms of paperwork etc

When a child with SEN who does not have EHCP explain to their parents you can not meet their needs and encourage and support them to apply for one and explain what a EHCP is most schools SENCO actively discourage parents from doing so...

I have never seen this happen. In my school (very deprived area) we have the opposite. Parents who don't understand the process and won't/can't make the necessary phone calls (no matter how much the SENCO tries to support them), parents who aren't interested so long as their child is out of their hair during the day, parents for whom a diagnosis and EHCP is a cultural stigma that they don't want. Often these kids won't have attended much nursery or pre-school, will not have taken their kids to health visitor clinics etc. The EHCP process then takes months/years if paperwork, all while these children have to be supported in school with no additional funding.

For those asking why the increase in SEN, I think there is more than one reason. Back in the 80s when I was at school, those who were non-verbal, violent or with any sort of visible disability would have been in special school no questions asked. Those with more high functioning ASD/ADHD/dyslexia etc would have been in the classroom or just labelled naughty or thick. I remember a boy at my school who was just referred to as "naughty Andrew". Looking back, it is clear he was on the autistic spectrum.

@ILoveAllRainbowsx maybe your madcap scheme is exclusively for England but in Scotland there are not TAs so I don't know who would do the supervising. There are PSAs who are not allowed to do this sort of work. And the army of teachers somewhere in the world who are going to provide help for pupils who don't understand 😂😂😂.
As a PP said, TAs are leaving in droves due to the shit pay and conditions and are better off in a supermarket.
Make the disruptive and badly behaved pupils leave - we have had PSAs, teachers and SLT told to fuck off, threatened with violence and intimidation and it isn't thought serious enough for them to be excluded so you're going to have to rethink that one.

If nothing else you're providing great entertainment on an otherwise boring Sunday.

@woodhill I think Statements were often better/easier for schools. EHCPs are (in theory!) better for the children.

Perhaps it would be better to provide more places at the specialist schools

Yes if there are enough staff to look after the dc but it doesn't seem to be working

Yes it would! Shout this from the bloody rooftops.

It would also be better, if the focus is to remain on 'Inclusion in Mainstream' if every state school has a 'hub' for the children who don't qualify for SS but also are unable to cope regardless of support in a mainstream classroom.

But that requires, guess what? Funding and staff. Something there is nothing of....

@PixiesFeet I'm sorry to hear that. I wish I could say it was unusual but it won't be.

Yes, this is one of the major issues- when you share classes with supply, or with someone not qualified in the subject, all the marking becomes your responsibility, all the long term planning becomes your responsibility. If you're the only teacher of your subject in the school, writing all the assessment etc is often your responsibility too- Even if you're an ECT. It's an issue some of my friends faced as physics NQTs, and it's just not doable. It's bad enough when you're experienced.

BTW the situation with your PPA sounds crap, and I would challenge that via your union.