....to think my daughter's class has a right to a qualified teacher?

[pokemeinthemorning]

So we had a message tonight on the system to explain what is happening in my daughter's year 5 class. Apparently, their teacher will now be teaching another class because one teacher left two weeks ago and they have said they have 'dispensed of any supply staff'. Basically the TA will be teaching the class for the foreseeable future.
I know there are many dedicated and wonderful TA's who could make great teachers BUT we are not qualified to teach classes on a regular basis.
On questioning my daughter I found out that from the start of this year she has her teacher in class 2 days a week and the rest is taken on by the TA. We were not told about this.
As a TA myself, I know that they often cover classes but this is on a regular basis for a prolonged period of time.

I feel that this is very unfair and they should at least be employing supply teachers in the meantime.

There is a great imbalance in the salaries/wages and T&Cs of those employed in Education - many don't even teach - ie: the LEA employed staff who are paid just to administrate, share out the funding pie and take a very large slice of the pie before any services are delivered.

My ex-HOD DM got herself a mighty-fine appointment post-retirement in a small LEA SEN Unit to fend off any retirement 'blues'.

Apparently, "Gail" the Manager, felt it essential that all staff should take part in an Annual 3-day Bonding Event at The Grand Hotel in Brighton.

Surrey County Council around 2005.

“Some of the ta' who've posted on here are letting themselves be used by schools without even objecting.in fact, I get the impression some.of them.get a sense of importance because they are doing the job of a teacher.”
Seriously??
I didn’t feel a ‘sense of importance’ when managing a global department on a six figure salary, so I certainly don’t feel it now. What I do feel, is a sense of fulfilment and enthusiasm for what I do. Simple as that.
‘Teachers’ who feel this way…really need to get off their hilariously funny high horse…

@Homez

“Some of the ta' who've posted on here are letting themselves be used by schools without even objecting.in fact, I get the impression some.of them.get a sense of importance because they are doing the job of a teacher.” Seriously?? I didn’t feel a ‘sense of importance’ when managing a global department on a six figure salary, so I certainly don’t feel it now. What I do feel, is a sense of fulfilment and enthusiasm for what I do. Simple as that. ‘Teachers’ who feel this way…really need to get off their hilariously funny high horse…

I"m not a teacher. Couldn't think of anything worse than being around children all day tbh. I also have no children in the education system now, so I have no skin in the game, so to speak. I'm simply making the observation that schools are very obviously exploiting support staff and putting pressure on them to take classes and generally do stuff they are not employed to do, and more importantly not paid to do. I'm just astonished that they are so reluctant to stand up for themselves and are so ready to comply.

@Drumshambo - yes, and you are quite right. It does seem crazy. But I think this ridiculous scenario, has been a consequence of two halves. On the one hand, there are the TAs with minimal qualification, and little else they can do. We have a few - some like a previous poster said, have been there for years, and were more accustomed to washing pots and little more. And then there are those who are better educated, but desperately keen to gain an in-depth insight into life in the classroom…before they take the plunge to something more. Quite a few of our qualified teachers, worked as TAs before they trained. And they all agree, they are grossly underpaid, and often overused. But if you don’t comply..you might not get that reference..or a placement to train if being offered. There’s usually more at stake, than the peanuts being paid.

It's all pretty grim for sure. Which is, in part, why I left.
But in areas of limited employment opportunities, low parental involvement and generally poor educational outcomes its really not suprising schools get away with it.
Still miss the kids tho.

@RamsayBoltonsConscience

I don't know about other schools but whenever a HLTA has been asked to teach a class long term (as in with the roles and responsibilities of a teacher rather than just cover) in our school, they get unqualified teacher pay.

UQT pay is on a scale. When this happened to a colleague, it worked out at a little over a pound a lesson.

@MrsHamlet yes, this! I remember being horrified when I found out. We only had one HLTA at our school and when I looked at the huge extra responsibility and massively increased workload it was clearly not worth it.

@pokemeinthemorning

I have no idea if she is qualified. I am a L3 TA myself but wouldn't be happy teaching on a long term basis.

It's a LA maintained school not a free or an academy.

I'd guess she is a HLTA. I'd also guess there is no money left in this year's budget to hire supply teachers. Perhaps, you could discretely look her up on LinkedIn?

Some of the ta' who've posted on here are letting themselves be used by schools without even objecting.in fact, I get the impression some.of them.get a sense of importance because they are doing the job of a teacher. I find that a bit pathetic tbh. They are being paid .minimum wage and generally treated like shit! You'd get paid more and given more respect working in tesco.

I know that I teach much more than I technically ought to as a HLTA and that I do go over and above, by far. I know I could earn far more if I returned to teaching proper or even work in another sector.

However, I work because I choose to. I'm fortunate that I have a choice as to whether I work or not to an extent. I enjoy my job. I get a great sense of job satisfaction with my job and enjoy doing some of the extra stuff as it's an interest of mine.

It's nothing to do with having a sense of importance whatsoever. It's a choice and I only do what I choose generally. If I objected to teaching classes to the extent I do I would say something, but I choose to do it. Not because it makes me feel important, but because I enjoy it!

My school is incredibly supporting and we have a wonderful group of staff. Our staff room is a lovely place to be and we genuinely look out for one another. Our management team is fair and genuinely care and support staff.

I could give up working if I really wanted to, but at the moment I do it through choice and because I want to. I don't think that's a pathetic reason to do what I do.

@noblegiraffe

So TAs should be allowed to teach classes while working as a TA because some of them are qualified to do so?

If they’re qualified to teach and they’re teaching, then they are being a teacher not a TA and should be paid as such. If they’re not qualified to teach, then they shouldn’t be teaching but should stick to TAing.

The main reason I chose to teach as a hlta rather than a teacher is that I have less mandatory responsibilities. I don't have report writing and parents evenings for example. If I want to I can walk away at 3:30pm and do nothing all weekend or evening.

I've also developed my role into quite a unique one based on my interests and skills. I enjoy it.

I’m covering a sick teacher this week. I’m a HLTA. The teacher has planned the lesson so I’m only doing the tip of the iceberg so to speak, by delivering the lesson. The teacher has responsibility of planning, differentiating, marking and planning next steps. Plus subject leads. staff meetings, parent’s evenings, sports events etc.I go home at 3.30pm.

@Benjispruce5

I’m covering a sick teacher this week. I’m a HLTA. The teacher has planned the lesson so I’m only doing the tip of the iceberg so to speak, by delivering the lesson. The teacher has responsibility of planning, differentiating, marking and planning next steps. Plus subject leads. staff meetings, parent’s evenings, sports events etc.I go home at 3.30pm.

It might seem like a walk in the park compared to what the teacher would do but it's only the same as what supply would do but they would get double your daily rate! I understand some schools are living on air at the moment but there has got to be a middle ground between supply rates and taking the piss.

@Benjispruce5

I’m covering a sick teacher this week. I’m a HLTA. The teacher has planned the lesson so I’m only doing the tip of the iceberg so to speak, by delivering the lesson. The teacher has responsibility of planning, differentiating, marking and planning next steps. Plus subject leads. staff meetings, parent’s evenings, sports events etc.I go home at 3.30pm.

It's also very different from what the OP is talking about.

There will be no teacher to prepare the lessons and do the planning there (And I have to say I am not sure how you can expect a teacher who is ILL to have the planning and lessons ready either tbh... I hope no one is expecting said teacher to work during their sick leave!).

This will go on for months - not a week or so whilst the teacher is ill.

etc...

To be fair to the school, if there is literally no money left, what do they do? Turn off the heating? Our kids school has been crippled by sickness and cover during the pandemic. I think it's totally unacceptable and I'd guess the SLT probably think so too, but the complaint should really land at the government's door for the extreme, extreme real world budget cuts schools have faced.

Complain loudly to your MP! Schools are woefully underfunded.

They could close the class. Send the kids home and say "sorry, no teacher today."

That might concentrate the minds of the government a bit if it happened every time there wasn't a qualified teacher for a class. Parents would finally be in uproar.

Ex teacher married to a HT

There is difficulty in getting supply but that doesn't mean they shouldn't keep trying.
While the TA is in charge if the class who is supporting the kids they normally work with?
Is the TA being paid the teachers wage? Or are school picking up cash?
Who is quality marking the work? Not having a go at the TAs but the level/quality of marking my husband did as a teacger was immense. If the teacher, who wasn't in the class, is marking, they won't have the same insight to the TA who was in.

I understand for a day or 2 it's easier, might be necessary, but for much longer I see at teaching on the cheap!

@noblegiraffe

They could close the class. Send the kids home and say "sorry, no teacher today."

That might concentrate the minds of the government a bit if it happened every time there wasn't a qualified teacher for a class. Parents would finally be in uproar.

That's exactly what they should do, but they won't of course. Too frit!

It's not about frit, it's about trying to do right by the kids.

Which in an awful lot of cases involves trying to cover up for the inadequacies of the government by going above and beyond.

@noblegiraffe

They could close the class. Send the kids home and say "sorry, no teacher today."

That might concentrate the minds of the government a bit if it happened every time there wasn't a qualified teacher for a class. Parents would finally be in uproar.

This.

@noblegiraffe it’s frustrating.

@noblegiraffe

They could close the class. Send the kids home and say "sorry, no teacher today."

That might concentrate the minds of the government a bit if it happened every time there wasn't a qualified teacher for a class. Parents would finally be in uproar.

👏👏👏

I think it would be brilliant if they started asking parents to keep their kids at home because there was no cover for their absent teacher. Tell them to write to their MPs if they're unhappy about it ... make the government hear the wrath.

@PerfectlyUnsuitable no the teacher is not planning while ill, it’s their planning for this week, done before they phoned in sick.
I agree supply teachers are paid a high rate but some goes to the agency. Don’t get me wrong, I think my hourly rate is shocking for the responsibility and with less TA support than the QT gets but I don’t do the job for the money. It’s such a shame education is so poorly valued in this country.

@TheHateIsNotGood

There is a great imbalance in the salaries/wages and T&Cs of those employed in Education - many don't even teach - ie: the LEA employed staff who are paid just to administrate, share out the funding pie and take a very large slice of the pie before any services are delivered.

My ex-HOD DM got herself a mighty-fine appointment post-retirement in a small LEA SEN Unit to fend off any retirement 'blues'.

Apparently, "Gail" the Manager, felt it essential that all staff should take part in an Annual 3-day Bonding Event at The Grand Hotel in Brighton.

Surrey County Council around 2005.

Can certainly tell that reflects old news.

Budget cuts to LA's are huge, 'restructure' ( redundancy) after restructure process. LA team has reduced from 120 ten years ago, to 20 now.
Another Department of Education paper under consultation now suggests more cuts.

LA staff certainly earn less than their CEO academy counterparts - £120000 for an academy CEO with 10 schools, £68,000 for an LA head of school improvement with over 300 schools.
Senior Education advisory staff earn less than a headteacher in my LA.