....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.

Do back off beigebrownblue. I’m not the enemy (and a parent too)

@noblegiraffe

However it is not acceptable to be taught by unqualified teachers in the long term. Or for that matter supply teachers.

It isn't acceptable, no. But it's happening across the country. Teachers have been shouting about the critical shortage of teachers, and the teacher recruitment and retention crisis for years but apparently people only pay attention when its their kid directly affected.

Write to your MP, ask it to be forwarded to the Secretary of State for Education. No point in writing to the head, they already know.

Don't be patronising kid.

If you've home schooled in a bloody pandemic you are not fxxing stupid,

We know the structures.
Even though some of you bloddy school staff seem to think we are all a bit DIM!

@beigebrownblue You sound lovely.

You said heads should lobby, they already are. What else do you want? Lobbying doesn't magic up extra funding for a supply teacher right now. I understand OPs annoyance and frustration. I'm a teacher, I see the impact of lack of funding all day, every day.

Excuse the spelling .
Obviously could do with a few more lessons.

What makes me laugh is the way schools and colleges speak to people in amongst all this.

As if we knew fuck all about fuck all.

"And if they don't have the money heads should be lobbying the government to get it."
Yeah, in all that free time they get.
If you really are a school governor then you should be aware of the terrible situation many schools are in. Your attitude and lack of support stinks.

[quote Hercisback]@beigebrownblue You sound lovely.

You said heads should lobby, they already are. What else do you want? Lobbying doesn't magic up extra funding for a supply teacher right now. I understand OPs annoyance and frustration. I'm a teacher, I see the impact of lack of funding all day, every day.[/quote]
Sure you do.

I've just said. I volunteered as a school governor for several years.

Got funding for the school I volunteered for.

STOP talking down to people, thanks.

Not all parents do @beigebrownblue

Who the hell do you think sat in meetings for three bloody years to get the sodding funding for the teachers to operate in the first bloody place?

I have no idea what you are referring to here. You sat in 3 years of meetings so teachers can work?

@beigebrownblue

Excuse the spelling . Obviously could do with a few more lessons.

What makes me laugh is the way schools and colleges speak to people in amongst all this.

As if we knew fuck all about fuck all.

It’s not the way schools staff are speaking to people that’s the problem; it’s your posts that are getting deleted here.

What’s also not right is that a TA, on next to minimum wage, is being given the responsibility of a whole class to teach. Absolute exploitation.

@Hercisback

Who the hell do you think sat in meetings for three bloody years to get the sodding funding for the teachers to operate in the first bloody place?

I have no idea what you are referring to here. You sat in 3 years of meetings so teachers can work?

Oh God. What the hell do you think school governors do? Paint their nails all day?

Some of us are volunteers.
That means UNPAID.
Expertise offered unpaid.

Good god do you not even know how a school works?

I don't think I've talked anyone down. Thank you for volunteering and thank you for the ongoing lobby work.

However with more parent power lobbying, school funding would hopefully increase. I wasn't aware of your background (MN doesn't come with a CV) but you will be hyper aware of the struggles to get volunteers. Therefore, the more people we can persuade to put pressure on the government, the better.

@Hercisback

I don't think I've talked anyone down. Thank you for volunteering and thank you for the ongoing lobby work.

However with more parent power lobbying, school funding would hopefully increase. I wasn't aware of your background (MN doesn't come with a CV) but you will be hyper aware of the struggles to get volunteers. Therefore, the more people we can persuade to put pressure on the government, the better.

Oh my God.

You are not going to get far recruiting volunteers amongst parents with those patronising sentences.

No wonder you are on your own with your employment struggles.

I wouldn't like a governor on my governing body speaking like you @beigebrownblue

🥉 Here's your medal for VOLUNTEERING UNPAID @beigebrownblue.

Well said BBB - £110 per day is what I'vve been paid every 2 weeks for not only caring for my autistic son but educating him too when no one else would. As well as every other aspect of life.

I'm 59 and also have been a Parent Governor and undertaken many other voluntary roles, educated to PG level, etc so have a shit load of experience under my belt.

Currently assisting DS through an Ancient History A-level, apparently not available in any shape or form from the State in our LEA. That is the bigger question for me. Why isn't Ancient History GCSE or A-Level available to schoolchildren in all areas?

@beigebrownblue, You are extremely rude.

Happened in my daughter's school twice (pre-covid). The first it was her class and she was taught by a TA. They literally couldn't find a teacher for love nor money.. even supply. The 2nd time it was year 6 and the head taught the class in the end.

@Foolsrule

What’s also not right is that a TA, on next to minimum wage, is being given the responsibility of a whole class to teach. Absolute exploitation.

Yes, it is!

I worked with one amazing TA who did absolutely everything with the teacher coming in and out of class every so often. She finally got so stressed out with it all, she quit and many more will do so on that pay. You can't do the same job as a teacher on half the pay and this is my point.
Qualified or not, their title is still 'TA'.

If the school is an academy, then no, they don't have to have qualified teachers teaching the pupils. They can have whoever they want, meaning whoever is cheapest!

@FrippEnos

YANBU but there is a massive teacher retention crisis, covid has sucked the cover teacher budget dry and there is a limited supply of cover teachers as well.

What do you expect the school to do, especially when so many people are claiming that its all business as usual in schools?

If they have no money to employ a teacher and have tried all other avenues, I’d expect the Deputy and Headteacher to teach the class!

@Foolsrule

What’s also not right is that a TA, on next to minimum wage, is being given the responsibility of a whole class to teach. Absolute exploitation.

Great point.

@Soontobe60 Fine short term but the HTs job still needs doing.

I agree with you Soontobe60 but they might already be, in another class (as is the case in my DD’s primary currently and in my secondary, the DH and Head are doing so much cover but there’s just too much currently that it’s still not enough sadly)