Teaching Assistants excluded from class Christmas present

[LyricalBoudicca]

Class representative organised the traditional Christmas whip-round to buy vouchers for the teacher with a % given to the rest of the school staff community to save teachers/staff being inundated with lots of gifts. This year they have announced that the 2 TAs in the class will not be included in the voucher gifting because they only work with 2 SEN children and not the rest of the class. AIBU in thinking this is a bit mean? Nobody has to take part of course but I feel rather uncomfortable about the whole situation.

@escapethemaze , apologies if you didn't mean your post to come across as "wow", but it does! Sorry but how on earth are TAs concentrated mainly on 2 children with SEN not remotely the same as other TAs?? They're playing just as important a part in a class of 30 or however many!

I think it’s disgraceful. My son has sen and the TAs over the years have been brilliant (mostly) his TA atm is amazing. Working with sen children is so bloody hard. They need to be recognised. Our current TA is keeping the new teacher afloat-said by teacher themselves.

No, you haven't been fair there, you've picked the highest paid to give the most money to and randomly left two out. Just split the vouchers by hours worked in that class, that's the fairest.

Who decided they wouldn't get the present/vouchers etc?

But it would be spread much thinner to include the TA’s who are only there for those children-really the parents of those children should buy for them. Maybe include a box of chocolates for everyone too?

But it would be spread much thinner to include the TA’s who are only there for those children-really the parents of those children should buy for them. Maybe include a box of chocolates for everyone too?

So those whose job it is to make education accessible and include SEN children are effectively excluded?

If only you knew who keeps classes running!

I would love the see how this would work if the teacher didn’t have a TA and had to take the time to look after sick children, ring parents, find the lunch boxes - because those TA’s are ensuring the teacher can teach and your child learns.

Totally undervalued. It’s why I left - parents didn’t value my input even though the children loved me and appreciated the support not offered by the teachers.

AND while I’m at it the SEN support role is to help those children access their education, means they will support them in group work, and take small groups to teach - they organise and plan lessons the same as the teachers - they don’t just take the 1-2-1 they include the 1-2-1 in maths groups, literacy groups, PE, science, school trips. They aren’t set to one side to deal with one child all day -

I really wish people knew how much work going into TAs

It’s wrong, gift vouchers should be shared fairly, if they are buying them. Thankfully this only just started being a thing when my children were at school, which I chose to ignore.

No, you haven't done the right thing and you need to rectify it.

Are all the families contributing or have some opted out? I suspect some families will still give a small gift (either instead of contributing or in addition) so I don't really see the point of the gift bags tbh, although you've probably got them now. At least you have got them for all 5 staff.

Assuming your budget for vouchers is £100, you should give £30 to the main teacher, £20 each to the TA and LSAs, and £10 to the teacher who only does 1 day.

To be honest though I think chocolates to share is perfect if you get a present (of course no obligation to do so anyway). It's fair, acknowledges all of the staff that support your child either directly or indirectly, and it's thoughtful. I'd much rather recieve something like this that can be shared and enjoyed by us all than vouchers that parents have felt obliged to contribute to whilst applying zero thought or effort to choose something- what's the point really? And often the TAs are left out which is harsh.

It’s not. It’s accurate.

But your funding is for the SEN child. They're entitled to you 1:1 so you shouldn't be using your time supporting others. That's not fair on the SEN child and that's why the class will still have a general TA.

They aren’t only there for those children. That’s the point. They support the teacher to ensure that all are able to access learning. No TA is not supporting the teacher and class.

I recognise that the class TA is there for the whole class but the ones who are employed as a 1:1 are surely there to meet the needs of that one child? Without that need there’d just be the class TA.

No general ta just me

I think you’ve misunderstood me. I totally value our class TA’s and they are included fairly in gifts. It’s the one’s employed as a 1:1 who I hope are focusing on one child that I’m referring to. If my child had a 1:1 I know I would but them a huge gift but not expect other parents to also.

really bad form. And surely without the TAs the teachers would have far less time for the kids with no SENs? So they all benefit.

They don’t though. That’s the point. Very very few children actually have a specified 1:1 and even those who do don’t actually need the 1:1 at all times.

We have a student who needs 1:1 for medical needs - her lesson based needs are none so the TA supports the rest of the class.

Another has one for behavioural needs but again that’s sporadic throughout lessons so TA will support whole class.

student with learning needs, vast majority of support is small group based.

What actually happens with the vast majority of 1:1’s is they are used to support all children who need extra help. The average school, 1/5 have SEN. If there is a TA in your class it means those with needs are supported - all of them - and the class teacher is supported to support all children. I guarantee you your child benefits whether it’s directly or indirectly. Our classes that thrive are those fortunate enough to have a child with a TA.

For 2 years I was a TA for a disabled child. I never got any christmas presents or cards. The teachers got them all. I did think it was a bit unfair. But I suppose the parents viewed me as x's support and nothing to do with their child. The child I supported came from a low income family, so I didn't expect anything anyway. When my children went to school, I made sure to get equal presents for the TA and teachers. Not only are they underpaid, they work really hard.

Honestly it’s so gross. And so exclusionary.

The child is part of the class. If the gifts are from the whole class, then they should recognise the contribution for that child. The same way a whole class party should include that child. As others have said, there will also be benefits to other children such as small group work, but even if there was no benefit to any other child the TA is part of one team looking after that class and deserves a bloody card and gift just the same as the others. This othering is really very disturbing to me. Do you really not see after all these comments that TAs are just humans, with feelings, so it is nice to say happy Christmas alongside their colleagues?

As a previous poster said, some children genuinely need a shadowing one to one. In our school there is a child who has such support and there is no class TA either. Without a one to one TA this class could not function. Teacher and TA are on their toes all day every day. A juggling act all day. Lunch times hard as simply not budget for child to have one to one then. TA incredibly committed.

I think there's a lot of ignorance around this to be honest. A child requiring 1:1 TA support doesn't just sit segregated from the rest of the class all day, locked away with zero integration at all. For some children interactions with the rest of the class is limited, but for others even on 1:1 part of the support they recieve is support in joining in with small groups or with whole class activities. The 1:1 TA will also no doubt be helping around the classroom after school hours as other school staff do to help put up displays, assist with admin stuff and tonnes of other invisible duties- even if they don't (which they shouldn't tbh as its not fair on them), if the child is off school they'll help where needed across the classroom or wider school. Their presence also benefits the other children in the class indirectly by meaning the teacher and other support staff aren't having to give a disproportionate amount of support to children who need it at expense of the others. Most importantly imo is that it's good for children to see them as an equal part of the classroom, they bring value to all of the children and I hate the othering and exclusion it promotes, not just for the TA but to the children and their family.

I think this is a really good point!

@User2346 · Yesterday 22:48

"So SEND parents are far more likely to be living in poverty? Jesus Christ what a thing to say and inaccurate to say the least and very offensive."

It's actually true. I've worked with disabled children/young adults in education for 10 years. Most of them, come from low income backgrounds.