To feel a bit used as a cheap teacher and think some jobs take advantage

[Onanotherdiet38]

Through an agency I have started as a Teaching Assistant for £85 per day at a primary school (including holiday pay)
It's 7 hours per day with 30 minutes unpaid break, I think the pay is reasonable, but it's not the issue.

It's myself and another lady who are in charge of 2 pupils at risk of exclusion/SEMH issues. We are alone with them all day. The teacher is meant to be with us but she's often out most of the day at meetings etc. Or in her usual classes.

She prints off the work for us but we deliver and mark it all. We don't get a morning break as the pupils will refuse to go back to their usual class so we must supervise them

I feel like the other TA (also new but here a week longer than me) is taking the piss a little. She doesn't seem to like going into the playground, I get that it's freezing cold, but she will often make excuses like 'Oh I'm just going to get a drink" then will just stay inside leaving me with the 2 pupils.

Yesterday I asked her if she could come out for a bit instead, she did then went back in after 5 minutes.

I just think it's wrong that we're alone with the pupils the majority of the day as TAs. We shouldn't be delivering and marking all of the work. If we were HLTAs ok but we aren't being paid as one.

I do like the role, and the pupils are great.
I resent that other TA and I do find it suffocating being with her all day every day, I have to go and sit alone at lunchtime.

Does this sound normal for a TA?
I was an LSA at a secondary school but I was providing whole class support, or small interventions of 30 minutes a time, not delivering the work all day.

As in my title i just feel a bit used like a cheap teacher, tell me if I am being unreasonable though as I've not done this role before .

Go and see your line manager about the other TA. They're probably not aware the other TA is taking the piss.

As for doing things beyond what your role should be, unfortunately this is the way things seem to be going in education. More and more cost cutting so more and more expectations piled onto fewer staff.

Yeah it's probably the case in many places like you say. It's sad really..

It's not clear if your main issue is with the school or the other TA. If it's the school then, sadly, yes, they do generally treat TAs as cheap teachers. If it's the other TA, take it up with your line manager. Say you expect a rota for the breaktime (although first confirm that 1 to 2 is allowed with the DC in question). If it's not, make it clear that's what's happening.

Not being able to get the DC back to class is also an issue. You may want to speak to the safeguarding lead (DSL).

Yeah, if the pupils decide they aren't in the mood that day or whatever then we lose our break and must stay here with them.
My main issue is with the role, a TA is not supposed to teach. A HLTA is different.
I will speak to my agency regarding a rota

No its normal for our school. Your not doing the planning etc as the teacher does. So you just giving printed bits to one child each. That's not a bad deal!

Why are you not in the class but sitting with your allocated pupil? Are they doing different work? Or do they have to be on their own for some reason?

It sounds pretty hard work to me without any break but I don’t work in a school so not sure if that’s normal or not.

I’m nhs and our assistants can do some of the simple jobs we do once they’ve been trained and signed competencies. It would always be under direct supervision of a qualified member of staff though except if a higher level.

Ours also are entitled to regular support and supervision, although lately due to workload that has not happened as often.

I would speak to the other ta initially and say that you should both be going outside in case there is any problem. I presume that is needed for health and safety. If it doesn’t improve, raise that point to your supervisor. I would also get clarity in writing what they want you to do, eg is it support while the child works independently, or are you teaching them.

Assuming you're in a state primary school, there is no way the school would have enough teachers (or money to pay more) to have a teacher with just 2 pupils all day. In my experience it's quite common for pupils who need to be out of class to work with a TA.

The teacher will have the rest of the class the supervise as well as planning, monitoring progress (and being accountable for that to the SLT) and usually other roles in school (eg. leading a subject area, dealing with parents/safeguarding etc).

I can see that you might feel it's not for you, and that the other TA is taking the piss, but it doesn't sound like you're doing a teacher role.

Are you teaching? Or giving them printed worksheets? I'm confused? As a 1:1 TA tou would be expected to teach in my school. (SEND)

Also, direct supervision doesn’t always mean the supervisor is in the same room as the assistant, just that they have access to a supervisor at all times when they are in work if needed (eg a more senior member of staff). An assistant wouldn’t be able to work late on her own doing patient facing activities for example .

We often find our assistants feel that they are doing similar work to the qualified staff in terms of the day to day stuff and feel their pay should be more equitable.

However, the responsibility lies with the qualified staff and also there are many other responsibilities which the senior staff have to juggle with the day to day role, such as management, health and safety, safeguarding etc which take up as much time.

The only issue is how you and the other TA split breaks - you should cover each other and go B one at a time.

Ignore the random B.

I don't understand why you think the teacher should be with you when she has a class to teach? Nor why you think that marking the work of one pupil you spend the whole day with is unreasonable - they need to know as they go along whether they've got it right.

TA pay is shit, it's always been shit. What did you think you were getting into in terms of pay?

Thanks for the replies, i suppose it is pretty normal