Should teacher and TA get the same?

[Crunchymum]

Parents contributed for a class gift (vouchers) for teacher and TA.

Organiser decided to give £260 to teacher and £140 . Was SBU?

Every teacher I know would prefer it to be split 50/50 as they really value their TAs. Infact a couple of years ago there was a similar split to the OP and the teacher was so embarrassed she actually gave the TA some of hers to share it more equally. She felt the parents hadn't been fair to her TA.

The thing is that many parents really do think that all TAs are only there the same time as the children and only help out in class doing what the teacher asks, whereas for many this is far from the truth - the ones I know work way beyond their paid hours, take work home, plan and mark work especially for small groups, attend parent meetings, assist with report writing, etc. And much of it is unpaid.

@Crunchymum in my job if I was to accept a gift of that size be it cash, vouchers, goods or services, I would be sacked for gross misconduct. It’s against bribery and corruption policy. There are also potential tax implications.

The same amount was requested at my kid’s school. I declined to contribute as I don’t see the teacher having gone beyond her salaried job. I gave, a larger sum as it happens, to the school PTA instead. This sort of cash in the PTA kitty can make a big difference to the school environment for kids and teachers. I did however chip in for flowers for the class volunteer who has been in every day.

Lots of parents don’t actually understand what TAs do nowadays. It isn’t just sticking, laminating and nose wiping any more.

I’d be quite upset if my TAs got less than I did. They’re in a different but equally valuable role.

I think that is a fair split. The teacher should get more.

I think that's fair.

a TA just works school hours and then goes home. A teacher has to put in masses of extra hours for lesson planning etc and has a lot more individual responsibility.

Plus there could be half the kids, or more than half, who barely get any time with the TA, who will generally be focusing their time on those pupils who have the greatest need for extra support and rarely needs to interact with the pupils who thrive without extra help

a TA just works school hours and then goes home.

That’s just not correct.

That’s a fair split . The TA will walk out as soon as their hours are up . The teacher will be the one spending their own money on the classroom .

PurpleDaisies I don't know what generally happens but in DS's school his Y1 TA is at school 8-3:45 (I only happen to know that because I run into her dropping her DD in breakfast club and I see her driving home as me and DS are walking). So it's not school hours but not as much as the class teacher.

Although to be clear I totally agree they are enormously important, hard working and skilled - don't want to denigrate TAs at all! I would prefer to split gifts evenly.

Thanks to funding cuts our school is loosing TA’s and my god the cracks are showing. TAS do a hell of a lot more than people realise and they do not all get to go home five minutes after the kids! Some have marking to do, they cover lessons they know the kids so much more than the teachers. There was no point the teacher coming to my SEN child’s meetings and I always asked for the TA to be there but was refused! Most teachers can not cope with out a TA due to the mix of needs. I can see a lot more children being missed and struggling as the numbers of TA’s drop
I’d gift them the same but 1-1 Ta gets extra

I'm a teacher and I think it should be equal. Yes, teachers work more out of hours, but that is reflected in their pay. TAs work bloody hard and get paid peanuts.

I usually buy same for both. Both small token gift. I'm not keen on collections so don't join in with those.

I think it depends. My child is in nursery year at school, the class has a teacher and two TAs. The kids share a massive room
And are split into groups across the three teaching staff. I felt that TA in charge of my child's group has done so much for her and so I got her the same thank you gift as I brought for the teacher.

I do more for ta's. They dont get paid enough

At my kids school the teacher gets more. Probably 2/3 teacher, 1/3 TA

@FlippetyFlip maybe years ago. Or maybe for a few TAs. Certainly not like that in my school! 'just Tas' have a lot of responsibility and no I cannot just leave 5 mins after the kids (or I could but would be working /planning/assessing/recording/ most eve at home).

Laughing at some of the misconceptions on here.
I worked as a TA for many years.
I was always, without fail, given the low ability, underachieving , badly behaved children to work with. Every single day. I was also told that it was my job to ensure that these very hard to engage with and make progress with children made progress.
The teacher has to ask me what the children knew before parents evening as they hardly ever taught these chuldren!
It is so much easier to teach the bright, eager to learn children.
Of course not all low ability children are badly behaved, that isn't what I'm saying, as the sen children would often be in another group.
How I longed for a day when I could be with the easier children.

I have significant objections to an inequitable split,it’s mean spirited it reinforces hierarchy

Teacher and TA should be given same,both work hard,both are supporting the children

Should be equal. TA's often are the trained first aider amd their duty goes beyond mere dutiful assistance...they are the source of much pastoral care, emotional support, small group intervention, leading the class while teacher has ppa time, helping with board displays and taking on extra duties such as running the library or cooking club. They also get paid peanuts

Children don’t see the distinction, unfortunately some adults reinforce division & hierarchy
What matters is effort,and contribution,not job title.

Missing the point entirely, but are teachers even allowed to accept a gift of that amount?

Here the limit is £20 and it's supposed to be declined if above that. When I was in the NHS this would have been enforced as if it would happen but schools turn a blind eye as it turns out.

The same.

Anything different is mean spirited and rude. Teachers of course have more responsibility but are paid more.

Or should the teachers be bypassed and gifts only for the head? They have more responsibility after all.

I work in asn small classes maximum of 10. We rarely get gifts and if we do it's the same for all of us.
When doing gifts for my dd1 it's based on who she has had positive interactions with and who has supported her rather than a job title, some staff are great some not so.

I just give gifts but they all got exactly the same. As above - I am not paying them it is a token gesture of appreciation.

People also make good points that the lower hours the TA works are reflected in their lower pay. My DS definitely talks about his two teachers and doesn't make any distinction between them. Less so this year (not that she's bad) but last year his TA was just amazing even at dealing with the more difficult children (there were two with ASD who hadn't got a diagnosis at that point). Much like nursery workers actually I think it's a job that doesn't get the pay or respect it deserves.