One to one teaching at primary level

[justasking111]

School are unable to get more teaching assistants budget cuts. So they're pushing for more one to one staff to fill the gap. It's causing a bit of a kerfuffle with parents, but is it of benefit to all pupils if this happens??

YANBU it benefits the school no matter how it's achieved

YABU the school shouldn't have to resort to this for extra help

@PurpleDaisies

Just to address the original question: yes, if there’s a child who qualifies for a 1:1, it can benefit the entire class by virtue of having that child’s needs being met, therefore freeing the teacher to be able to teach the rest of the class.

The teacher should still be teaching the child with the 1:1. So many times I’ve seen the children with the greatest, most complicated needs being totally forgotten about and effectively exclusively taught by TAs, often in corridors.

Are you saying that they're excluded from the classroom setting?

Are you saying that they're excluded from the classroom setting?

Yes, that often happens.

I’d say a 1-2-1 benefits the whole class. Not necessarily because they are then used as a general TA, but because they offer support to a child who would otherwise take up a lot of the teacher time in terms of behaviour management or academic support. The teacher can spend the same amount of time on the child with a 1-2-1 as they would any other child, knowing they will get any extra support they need, and instead concentrate on the other children.
Does that make sense? It certainly is what happens in my school. The child with the 1-2-1 sits in on whole class explanations etc but then goes to her own place (her choice- she’s not sent out - she has options she can choose from including both inside and outside the classroom) with her one to one to do her work. The teacher can then spend time with another child who perhaps was away last week and doesn’t get it, or with the child who has dyslexia who doesn’t qualify for their own TA but needs a bit extra.
Before the 1-2-1 was in place, all that time, and usually a massive chunk of the general class discussion time, was given to the management of the one child, which severely impacted the support available to the rest of the class. Not her fault, not a blame, but a statement of fact, which is why the 1-2-1 was employed. Now, everyone gets the best in terms of adult support that we can manage.

Of course, if another child is sitting near the 1-2-1 they will ask a question and it will be answered - she offers help if she can. (“How do you spell…” or “are we doing the first page or both pages”… type questions). But it’s understood by all the kids it has to be an easy question that she can answer fairly readily without diverting too much attention, and that she will redirect to the teacher if either she can’t answer the question or if the circumstances require it.

Are you saying that they're excluded from the classroom setting?
DS had a workstation outside the classroom as he often got overwhelmed by the busyness of a large mainstream classroom.

@Soontobe60 I know there’s a range of support on them. My son has 1.

Ds 1-1 can tell when he is getting stressed and take him out either for a walk around school or to work in learning support instead.

The teacher still teaches him but his 1-1 helps him be able to access the curriculum which he can’t without the help

@Sirzy same here. My son would be lost without his, she is a god send.

@PurpleDaisies

Are you saying that they're excluded from the classroom setting?

Yes, that often happens.

Is the child happy with this? Do they not feel left out

@justasking111 some children can’t cope with being in a classroom of other children. Hopefully, they are not full-time in another room/corridor and can access normal classroom activities at some point in the day, but at other times they prefer their quiet space. However, this cannot be abused and used as a way of ostracising the child or appeasing other parents who don’t want ‘that’ child in the class

I’d say justasking that whether the child feels left out or not will depend on loads of things.
The child themselves- some find it highly stressful being in a busy classroom and actively want out. Some don’t of course.
The classroom itself - they might want to be in for some subjects and put for others - maybe depending on how noisy the classroom gets or whether they struggle more with a given subject.
The day - are they already slightly unregulated so the day is already a bad one for them, or are they having a good day
Their level of autonomy in it - can they choose or are they automatically sent out?

Ultimately the answer will vary depending on the child and the context. The job of the teachers and the 1-2-1 is to arrive at the right balance.

Can I add something slightly related here?
The reality is that children who need 1-2-1 but can’t get them are being let down but so is every other child in their class. Because (and I’m in classrooms with it happening) is that you have to spend masses of time with the child who needs a 1-2-1 but there is only a finite amount of time in the school day and inevitably other kids suffer.
The answer isn’t taking the children out, or barring them from school. It’s ensuring funding is in place to give every single child in that classroom the support they need, whether that is high levels of support provided by a 1-2-1 or much more minimal provided by a general class TA and teacher combo. A child with additional needs had the right to have them catered for, and all the other children have a right not to lose out.

This often doesn’t happen because there is simply no money. No money for glue sticks and pencils never mind multiple adults. The top up funding (“catch up money”) the get keep waffling on about works out to something like £22 per child. The ‘extra’ funding they prattle on about won’t even bring us back to pre-2010 levels. So if this is a matter that bothers you or affects you, tell your MP so. Make a bit of noise. Bear it in mind when you vote. And don’t skate teachers for striking - this was the kind of situation they were trying to protest about but it all gets painted as ‘greedy teachers wanting more and denying parents the ability to go to work because they hadn’t bargained for this extra day of child care…’

Schools aren’t perfect. Teachers aren’t perfect. Some are bloody awful. But most are doing the best they can for every child.

Rant over!

I need to proof read. Sorry.

“A child with additional needs had the right to have them catered for” should read has, not had

“the get keep waffling on about works out to something like £22 per child.” Should be gvt, not get

“ . And don’t skate teachers for striking - ” skate should be slate. I’m going to bed - I clearly need sleep!

On top of the lack of money from the LA because of covid the PTA haven't had an event or any type of fundraising for two covid ridden years. That's a blow to our local schools

DS has a 121, has done since nursery, now year 2. He technically needs her full time but doesn't need her for learning full time so I know she definitely supports other children with learning or behavioural needs as well as generally in the class. She's most beloved by several children who have zero needs so she must be doing something with the whole class. For us, I'm happy. She's there when DS needs her, I understand his year group is particularly complex and her helping out benefits everyone Inc my son. But that's based on his needs and our perspective. If he needed her beside him full time, I'd feel very differently. Similarly if, as you're suggesting, s hook were embellishing a child's needs to get a 121.

However, ARE they or are the parents in denial?

Op you seem ill informed as to what a 121 does . Yes they take them out of class if need be , yes they will teach them in corridors with small groups, they will have them in playgrounds for time out if they are overwhelmed in class . If you are worried about your child or local school volunteer to do reading or start fund raising

@justasking111

On top of the lack of money from the LA because of covid the PTA haven't had an event or any type of fundraising for two covid ridden years. That's a blow to our local schools

I'm not sure what you want from this thread really

@justasking111

On top of the lack of money from the LA because of covid the PTA haven't had an event or any type of fundraising for two covid ridden years. That's a blow to our local schools

That's on your PTA though? My DC's school have a very active PTA and have still done lots of fundraising throughout Covid. They just got creative and tried all sorts of new things.