To think there should be more adults in reception class??

[TellerTuesday4EVA]

I'm really not sure on this one so wondering if I can ask how many adults there are/were in your child's reception classroom?

DD has just started reception, she's the oldest having just turned 5 but on the whole it's a very 'young' year group with the majority being summer born so not turning 5 until Easter onwards.

There's 29 in the class (boys heavily outnumbering girls). The classroom is large, very much free play approach with an outdoor area that's accessible all day but gated from the main playground. Luckily the toilets are within the classroom so they don't have to leave for that but I just feel they could do with another adult, even if just a student or similar.

Currently there's one teacher & one Teaching assistant

I'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable because I'm comparing to my nephews class, he's in year one a another local school but there's 1 teacher & 4 TA's admittedly 3 of the TA's are each designated to a particular child with SEN but there's still extra sets of eyes & hands around the classroom.

How does that compare to your child's class?

That’s an awful lot of assumptions you’ve made there, funny that.

I replied perfectly civilly the first time. It is apparently you who is incapable but I see now that you’re very very bitter.

Not my problem.

Oh and my kids don’t have 1:1. None of them do. Never said they did. You were far too busy frothing with rage about whatever it is that you’re so bitter about to consider actual facts.

Do have a lovely day won’t you.

In my son’s school last year Reception was 36 children, rising to 40 by the end of the school year. There were two teachers and two TAs and a senior SENCO type person (can’t remember her job title 😬).

He has just moved up to year 1 and the class has been split. He is now in a class of 21. They have three teachers who work various days across the week (so one for two days, one for two days, one for one day. They also have a TA working alongside them.

I’m starting to realise it’s a very good class size by comparison to other schools.

Last year my LO's reception class had 1 teacher and three full time TA's and several other TAs coming and going as needed! (Class of 30 only one of the children required one to one)

one off derail

Thank you @MNHQ for your quick and unambiguous response to the horrid disablist posts. I’m quick enough to criticise when it’s not done or it’s not quick enough, so fair’s fair, you were on it this time and it’s appreciated.

Sorry OP I won’t derail any more.

Schools are funded for 1 teacher, 1 TA for a class of 30.

That is not true.

Our school has one teacher per 30 children. We have no TAs any more.

Well, fortunately, I can’t see the deleted posts, but 1-1 support is there as much for the other pupils as the child who receives the direct support. Otherwise the children with SEN would take up most of the teacher and TA’s time and nobody in the classroom would be making much progress at all!

Beetlegum exactly! It benefits everyone when a child with ASN gets the additional support, the child who needs it, the teachers/TAs (if there are any left) and the other children.

As others have said if a child has been assigned a 1 to 1 in reception- or at any age- then that will have been put in place through their ehcp. They aren’t meant to be an extra pair of hands!

My son aged 6 has autism and learning disabilities. He attends a complex needs school specifically for children with autism. There are 7 children in his class with one main lead teacher and 3 other teaching assistants. Reading threads like these makes me realise how incredibly lucky we are that he goes to this school. We fought tooth and nail to get him a place - there just aren’t enough special needs places for children that need them so many do end up in mainstream with a 1 to 1 which doesn’t suit every child (totally depends on the child and their needs). My son would not cope with the noise and busy nature of a class of 30ish other children .

When I was at school at the same age were 40 in our class with one teacher. None of us messed around and we all did ok. Seems 2 adults and 30 children is the norm now so I can't see a problem

Fairylea DS1s primary school was an ASN unit with small class sizes, absolutely wonderful. I’m glad your son got his place too.

Gosh our school sounds unusual in comparison to many schools...In years R to 6 there is one Teacher and 1 TA to each class (2 classes in each year group). Some classes have one- to- one TA's as well. In Nursery there is one Teacher two Nursery nurses and 2 TA's. Most of the schools in the area have similar staffing levels. Guess we are very lucky!

When ds was in reception his class had one teacher and one TA, at some points “floating” TAs would be in to help to.

Year 1 upwards in his school the classes only have TA support in the morning, but in the afternoons sometimes a TA will take individuals or groups for specifics tasks or interventions.

Ds is in a mixed year 3/4 class this year and has 3 TAs in the class in the morning and 2 in afternoons but 2 of those TAs aren’t there for the class they are there for ds and another child who both have EHCP provision. This means the other staff aren’t having to chase them around school, or sit and explain things, or deal with the meltdowns, or prepare the visual timetables, or so the interventions (I can carry on if you want!) so it’s safe to say that 1-1 provision is for the best for everyone!

48 in my class, 1 teacher. No talking, all in rows facing the blackboard.

YANBU to think it would be nice, and that it would be beneficial to the dc, however I have to agree with everyone else that the normal ration is 1 Teacher and 1 TA to 30dc. Some schools are pulling the TA for the odd half day a week now, as well, due to lack of TAs in other parts of the school.