To think Teaching Assistants are vastly underpaid for their role?

[altoran]

When the role of Teaching Assistant was created, the idea was that they would help with basic tasks like photocopying, wall displays, etc. It was a very basic role with no real responsibility.
Now Teaching Assistants have a lot of responsibility and are very involved in children's education, although under the supervision of a teacher. But they receive very little over minimim wage for this.
AIBU to think they are vastly underpaid?

Give over witchcraft. I wasn't trying to explain your job to you. I was asking about it! As others have taken issue with the fact you don't have QTS you've assumed I do by just asking questions.

That being said if you came to observe me teach and gave me feedback despite not actually being a teacher yourself I would raise an eyebrow. Especially if that informed my performance management outcomes. I think most would. However if you were doing a pastoral learning walk on tutor time i wouldn't think as much of it.

I'm going to assume that's not part of your role but I could be wrong as most performance management involves observing staff.

In my last year as an LSA in 2011, I took home £850 per month (37 hour week). In 2012, I got £1000 a month for GTP training. In 2013, I was on £1100 as an NQT. Left to go on mat leave last year on approx £2250 per month. So yes, it went up thank goodness. But that NQT salary was awful, even for 8 years ago! Unless people get something like London weighting on top, I don't think the starting salary is exactly a draw for new teachers coming in.

Anyway witchcraft I'm sure my last comment will be turned against me to suggest I think I'm superior to support staff 🙄

Problem is if you pay people badly the perception is their work is worthless.

I’ve worked for many years in schools doing wages, HR support, recruitment. The number of applications for support roles is crazy. So on this basis they have no need to pay more. I’ve seen amazing support staff be allowed to leave whilst they have done anything to hold onto crap teachers because they are hard to replace.

I actually had a HT try to put a complaint in because a part time TA (on £6k a year) was leaving on time because they thought they should be working extra hours for free because ‘they had to so everyone should’. HT was on £80k. There is a general lack of respect for them which is a pity as I have seen pastoral support turn a school around.

What qualifications does a TA need and what is their monthly take home pay please? From this thread it seems different wages for different levels? What college course would my dd need to enrol on to become a TA/Nursery Nurse or is there no formal qualifications required? Different posts say different things. I’m confused 🤔

@TeensArghh I only work in a group of secondary schools where all the TAs are all on the same grade, but they don’t need any qualifications.
From what I have seen they are required for primary school posts.

@TeensArghh

What qualifications does a TA need and what is their monthly take home pay please? From this thread it seems different wages for different levels? What college course would my dd need to enrol on to become a TA/Nursery Nurse or is there no formal qualifications required? Different posts say different things. I’m confused 🤔

None of the TAs at my school have any qualifications! They have all been parents of children at the school and started off volunteering.

ColinCaterpillar

Thank you for that. DD would like to work with younger children, after dropping out of her last college course. I think this would be a more appropriate course for her as she is really good with children and they seem to love her. She has had a quick look at courses available but there seems to be quite a few childcare courses. The college isn’t open now and there is nobody answering the phone. I’ll suggest she put her name down to enrol on one of the courses. Maybe she could change it as and when she gets to speak someone.

Could she look into an apprenticeship to work in a nursery?

I've been an SEN TA - one of the most stressful and under appreciated jobs I've ever had. Management structure in the school was appauling. No support, no resources, just getting attacked daily for £9 an hour (not to mention the unpaid hours I was expected to do before and after school) and then pulled up on a warning when I broke down and told the SENCO I was going home (then left without waiting for permission) after being headbutted by a child and having a huge black lump on my head.
The most thankless job ever. And I adored the kids. But ultimately I left as the school was a toxic work environment and it didn't even remotely pay the bills.

Could she look into an apprenticeship to work in a nursery

That’s a great idea. Thanks. Would that be advertised somewhere or could she call local nurseries?

I think this thread shows both teachers and TAs are underpaid. I also think nursery nurses and carers and underpaid. We have so little respect for people doing these vocational jobs, caring for, and educating those we love.

TA's are classed as unskilled. It's not in the essential requirements to have a qualification although a TA qualification does exist. It is however quite competitive with jobs round here getting an average of 70-100 applicants. Personally I have quite a lot of relevant qualifications and it took a a good while to get a job. Many TA's are actually highly qualified, some are even teachers or have degrees and plan to go on to do teaching. Lots are already allocated internally but they have to advertise. @TeensArghh if you look at my post re pay scales further down you'll see the salary vs teaching assistant and nursery nurse and the potential progression on the latter. Note that that does not apply to private nurseries thought. Our LA does a 2 year apprenticeship though for nursery nurse (early years practitioner we call it) where they are paid on a TA pay scale whilst training and on placement, then obviously move on the the EYP one once qualified. They can work up from there if keen.

@fantastaballs

I am a voluntary TA. I am disabled so struggle to hold time a full time job. But I've got a degree in a cute subject and a masters in something else that's related. I also have TA qualifications. I run literacy intervention groups for the SEN kids and have developed a creative writing programme. The head teacher told me what he washed from me and then had faith in me to create a suitable set of seasons for each kid. It works a treat. Since I've started 3 years ago I have worked closely with the library and have massively increased reading levels across all years and signed them all up to the audio book scheme run by our library so even the very poor readers and young readers can engage in literature. It's amazing to see what a difference an engaged and active member of staff can make, especially when they aren't up against a deadline like an overworked paid member of staff. I love what I do and am hoping to do my ITT next year if my health improves. I just love being in the class room and thinking of ways to get them all to engage.

Please don't take this the wrong way but I think one of the treasons TAs are badly paid is that people will volunteer to do their role. I get doing it as volunteering for a short amount of time for the experience in order to apply for a TA role but no longer!

I'm a secondary school teacher. I also have a special needs child. I think TAs are worth their weight in gold. They deserve a pay increase.

It really frustrates me that generally TAs are paid less than the school admin staff! Even when you take hours into it

There are a lot of children who would be unable to attend school if it weren't for TA's.
Over the years my children have been at school I've seen them cuddle children, wipe away tears, clean up vomit and pop, be physically attacked, support learning, help kids to read, solve friendship problems, help in the playground, build relationships with parents of kids with sen, as well as actually teaching classes for whole days if a teacher was absent. I definitely think they are underpaid, but I think teachers are too.

@Pixxie7 - yes, HCAs are so underpaid and so under trained for their role. Often they are the one taking the observations which are so critical to get right. Essentially HCAs take on many of the roles traditionally done by nurses but earning less. While nurses take on many of the roles traditionally done by junior doctors but earning less. In schools it seems TAs now take on roles traditionally done by teachers but earning less.

It really frustrates me that generally TAs are paid less than the school admin staff!

I don’t think we should pit one against the other. Our admin staff are excellent.

@TeensArghh tell her to look on the indeed website

Im school admin. Its a different job with different skills. TAs where i work are band 2, 3 or 4 depending in experience and qualifications. Administrators start at band 3 and the business manager could be a band 9 in a big school again its experience and skills needed.

Admin always has a poor name in any organisation but people just base their opinion seeing a letter sent out and someone answer the phone and think thats the full extent of the role. Just the same as people think a TA fills paint pots.

I think part of the issue with TAs, and admin staff, is that schools use them so differently so people end up with a view of what they do and their opinions of pay accordingly.

I worked in one school where I was essentially learning support. I worked individually with specific children to give 1-1 maths support. I devised the plans, monitored the progress and, in one particular class, advised the teacher on the progress and next step as I was more experienced. I was expected to be available on parents night and meetings after school were a regular thing.

However after leaving there and going to a different school I then spent half my time photocopying. I started on the bell, finished on the bell and the only time was asked to do anything later was the week of the school show and it was totally voluntary. It was a totally different job and quite bizarre to be on the exact same pay.

Admin staff are the same. I’ve worked in some schools where the admin staff have a very defined roll and others where they are so wide and varied the school simply wouldn’t function without them even for a morning.

JustLyra - thats so true. Schools are so individual.

Teachers are vastly overpaid but TA's earning around minimum wage seems right to me.