To think TAs/support staff should get a pay rise as well as teachers?

[Opensea]

Just read that teachers are getting a well earned 5% increase - okay it’s more likely a pay cut in real terms in the current climate.

But what really riles me is that TAs and support staff haven’t been given a mention.
I was a TA and a one to one for almost 10 years and I know what an increasingly difficult job it’s become, much more responsibility too.

I’m a HLTA and have not been told I’m getting a pay rise. I luuuurve my job but am finding it hard to justify the low pay. It’s becoming unsustainable.😐

The recent pay rises weren’t about TAs. It’s not the case that all jobs have their pay decided on the same day.

In my school it is almost certain that TAs will lose their jobs as a result of Tuesday’s announced pay rises for teachers.

We’ve had redundancies every year for last 3 years. We only have 1:1 TAs now as they are funded separately and me because I’m a cheap supply option for PPA and sickness.

Hoping TAs get a decent pay rise.
In my experience, the role has got tougher year on year. The pay is not enough and 1.75% just not touching the sides...

Of course.

Meaning of course you should get a payrise.

Everyone is facing the same increases, and will need proportionate help.

In Surrey schools, support staff have just had a 6% raise backdated to April 22. I thought this was a national thing?

I work in a pastoral role and I’ve not had any rise (and work about 50% more hours then I’m paid for).

I’ve contemplated moving (and was approached about another job paying significantly more) but I feel committed to my team.

In Scotland, we've been offered an insulting 2%. I love my job with all my heart but I cannot afford to do it when I'd get paid more working in a shop. I've trained in so much, and am experienced but unless we see a decent rise then there will be a mass exodus of good support staff. The jobs are getting harder to fill and retention is woeful due to the low money and being brutally honest - the abuse from children and parents alike. Getting sworn at, bitten, kicked, shouted at - all for £10 per hour in my local authority.
I'd be heartbroken to leave but I have to be realistic.

They should of course.

I don't know if teachers will get it either though. Apparently the teaching unions are against the pay rise. I didn't pay much attention as to why because I'm in a private school so we don't get it anyway but I definitely read that they were going to fight it - I assume because the schools can't actually afford to give it.

Of course they should. My school are struggling to recruit TA staff because pay is now so low compared to other employers. We will be 4 staff down in September.

IMO everyone in public sector should get a decent rise and they should increase top rate taxes to pay for it.

All school staff should be paid properly

I got 1.75% in April.

Me too @KarrotKake . Would love 6%.

I got a small pay rise in April, ended up actually taking home less than the month before due to national insurance changes.

TAs won't be worrying about a pay rise right now, they'll be worrying about redundancy and losing their jobs. Schools aren't being given extra money to fund the teachers pay rise so it will have to come from the current school budget. So iitts very likely TAs not. Working with children with.EHCPs will have to go through redudency in the next 12 months or so.

I'm a ta in a special school. Class consists of one teacher (zero special needs training) and five other ta We work harder than the teacher. Literally run off our feet all day and take a lot of bites kicks punches etc. We definitely should get a pay rise !

Ehcps applications prioritised and in my experience not all children who need an ehcp have them. Consequently, there are classes with no class TA where teachers struggle but are expected to get on with it where needs are high but no money attached to children that need support. Any TA allegedly with class run off their feet with complex 1:1s feeling they are letting down the rest of the class and the teacher as cannot support the way they would like to.

Redundancy is always over TAs heads. Unless there is a strategic change in approach, this situation is going to get worse in schools that have high, unmet, need.

The TA role, in my experience, has become tougher. If we face redundancy again some of us may simply jump ship and move on. Soul destroying.

TAs should be paid much better than they are, but they have different pay and conditions structures than teachers so their pay is not affected by this change.

Government have approved but not funded the pay increase for teachers, and this has been processed after schools have worked out their budgets for this financial year. With school budgets cut to the bone, it’s more likely that TAs will be made redundant to cut costs. Which is absolutely wrong, but people keep voting for a government which refuses to adequately fund education.

If the TA is employed by the school or agency then they will get a payrise too.

If employed by an agency then it is up to the agency.

*or Local Authority

School support staff including TAs are separate from teachers when it comes to pay rises because they come under the Local Government / NJC. The latest on the 2022-23 pay claim was published earlier this week and can be found Here

In summary they are offering:

with effect from 1 April 2022, an increase of £1,925 on all NJC pay points 1 and above
with effect from 1 April 2022, an increase of 4.04 per cent on all allowances (as listed in the 2021 NJC pay agreement circular dated 28 February 2022)

with effect from 1 April 2023, an increase of one day to all employees’ annual leave entitlement

with effect from 1 April 2023, the deletion of pay point 1 from the NJC pay spine.

This offer would achieve a bottom rate of pay of £10.50 with effect from 1 April 2022 (which equates to a pay increase of 10.50 per cent for employees on pay point 1); everyone on the NJC pay spine would receive a minimum 4.04 per cent pay increase; and the deletion of pay point 1 on 1 April 2023, would increase the bottom rate to £10.60 (providing 10p headroom above the current upper-end forecast for the NLW on that date), pending agreement being reached on a 2023 pay award.

This offer will be put to the unions who will go out to their members for feedback.

The main issue, in my opinion, is that unless the government increases spending on education, this places more pressure on school budgets many of which are already in deficit and may have to make cuts in order to meet (well deserved) pay rises for staff.

This tweet - explains the situation better than I can
https://twitter.com/BurkeRi/status/1552314517329149960

@Singleandproud hopefully you got a bit more pay today as the NI threshold has increased.

TA’s often do as much as teachers, particularly in primary schools but because they didn’t go to uni they earn half as much. It makes no sense to me. In my DC’s primary school the TA’s regularly take over the entire class for the day if the teacher has to be somewhere else such as a school trip with another class. Guessing they don’t get paid more for this responsibility, shocking.

@Sartre I’m a HLtTA and don’t do half of what teachers do. No planning, marking at home. No leadership roles or staff meetings. No reports to write or parent evenings.
I do think I deserve more pay when I’m covering PPA daily.