Teachers leaving and long term sickness

[Jennybeans401]

Middle moved school last year due to bullying. She settled well into the new school and things have been okay for her.

About 5 weeks ago the lovely, long term TA left the school. The TA worked in dds class, dd liked her a lot and she provided a lot of stability. The class has a lot of children with SEND requirements. The HT hasn't replaced the TA, dd said the class was difficult but she loves the class teacher so tried to get on with it.

The class teacher took sick leave 2 weeks ago, she seemed very stressed and now the class just have a TA from Reception teaching them (no other TAs to support this young lady). The class is very disruptive now, dd can't concentrate and doesn't understand the work anymore.

I spoke to the HT yesterday who said they don't have any other options but to continue like this until the teacher is back.

AIBU to think of moving dd again if the problem doesn't get resolved?

@Simonjt I think I'm a bit concerned the TA is out of her depth and struggling too. The children aren't learning, her youth isn't a problem but ithink she hasn't had much experience

I moved back into the private sector because of disruptive behaviour, zero respect and constant cover due to sickness with no TA support and classes of 30+.

I was on my fucking knees. On the brink of tears every day.

I felt guilty about the kids I was making a difference to, but I had to put my health first.

This government don't care as long as nepotism and elitism and classism exist.

@Lateliein it sounds awful,how can they expect teachers to stay when there's no support?

She probably is out of her depth and struggling. Welcome to education in 2023! The whole thing is a complete shit show.

it’s almost like there is an issue with retention and recruitment in teaching…

Probably find the TA will leave too. Can get paid better in a supermarket for much less stress

It really is bad, I can't believe I didn't know academies don't require you to be a teacher to teach. I had no idea

This is what the government wanted. I can only imagine they want everyone to grow up poorly educated for some reason. I'm not into conspiracy theories but this seems like a plot to keep people in the dark and not challenge the status quo.

Unfortunately on the teacher bashing threads and strike threads they don't see this. This thread us one of the many reasons teachers are fed up and people just don't hear that this is happening. The 2 local schools to me are great school, good ousted etc and they always seem to have a class in each year that is missing a teacher/being replaced etc. Teachers just are leaving in droves and there is no responsibility to have a trained teacher in the class anymore and there is no money to pay a new one...

As for moving schools I think this is most schools it's just luck of the draw which year/class it will effect so would be a lot of upheaval when it could happen easily again. I don't know the answers.

Teachers have been striking over the conditions and the damage done by the tory party. With very little support from anyone else. It isnt a secret.

@Jennybeans401 they don't care. As long as their Harrows, Etons and Dulwiches keep feeding into Oxbridge and the privileged minority, the rest of us are fucked.

Classism is alive and well. They only value those that can afford to pay through the nose for education as they're the only ones that seem to count.

I had this conversation after watching Oliver with my ds the other week.

I've not seen Oliver. But genuinely it feels like the government don't want the next generation to be educated unless they are rich and go private.

HLTAs can cover lessons in state maintained schools too, but it is meant to be only for short term, but I’m guessing it happens long term too.

Many schools are just relieved if they can find an adult to put in front of the class. Most parents are not aware of the crisis education is in until something like this happens to their child

@PaigeMatthews yes, I think it brings it home to you more when I you see how your child's school is struggling though

It’s up to the head to find cover. The TA shouldn’t be covering the gaps. It’s not unreasonable to expect your child to be taught by a teacher. The school could mix up the teachers they do have, so half days teacher/TA for example if they wanted to be creative. You can raise an official complaint following the process on the school website, so head and then governors. They need to bring in supply if the teacher is long term sick.

Yes, unfortunately. It's still illegal in maintained schools.

I'm a TA in a primary and can confirm this is just normal. I love my job but the conditions and the pay mean I'll be leaving at the end of this academic year. People wail about the NHS and rightly so, but education gets forgotten about because the problems exclusively affect those worse off.

@Cloud9Super what supply? They probably don’t have any budget left even if they could find supply

This is why more people need to engage with politics and vote them out, rather than thinking it doesn't affect them..it affects every one of us!

I think people do engage in politics - we just haven't had a general election for a while!

In academies a teacher doesn’t need to be qualified so it’s fine for a TA to teach.

It isn’t fair on the staff or the children but it’s very common, so moving school might not fare any better.

Flexi schooling would need the school to agree, it’s rare for them to agree post year 3 and they can withdrawal their support at any time. LAs don’t like it.

True, although it amazes me how little many seem to know or give af

There will be even more of a teacher crisis next year. Many leaving the profession, really good ones too.

Support the strikes - health and education at all levels - they really aren’t just about selfish staff wanting more money for themselves. They’re about providing the sort of education our children deserve.

Two of the best and well-loved teachers I've seen have left since Covid. One more is holding on because she can do pt thanks to her husband's wage, but even then she is doing ft hours most of the time for 3 days a week.