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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teaching Assistants excluded from class Christmas present

341 replies

LyricalBoudicca · 15/12/2023 16:35

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.

OP posts:
Shopper727 · 15/12/2023 19:35

That’s so petty. The sla in my sons class last year was shocking however I still gave to the gifts at Christmas and end of term for both teacher and sla

Blinkin · 15/12/2023 19:40

Ihatemondaymorning · 15/12/2023 19:31

The assumption that every school use a child’s dedicated 1-1 as classroom help etc is so wrong.
not every school goes against what a child EHCP says. If a child here needs a 1-1 for 32.5 hours a week that is exactly what they get.

Exactly. As before, absolutely include them in a present for all the reasons mentioned above but I completely disagree that all TAs are essentially general TAs for some of their hours. There are children in mainstream who could be in special schools if their parents chose. Sometimes their needs are such that they don't do group work or other activities with the rest of the class.

Changeinschoolperhaps · 15/12/2023 19:49

As above…. The 121s I know are often only funded for say 15 hours but the school have to top up and use them full time as the needs of the child are so severe they are needed for 30 hours.
They might occasionally help another child but they are in no way ‘class TAs’.

The assumption that they are all helping other children and benefiting them is untrue…. In fact having them there full
time dedicated to one child is taking resource away from the other children (but that’s a whole other thread and not the fault of the 121, school or the SEN child).

They are sometimes included in class collections, sometimes not. I can see how they would feel if not included so I think I’ll push for them to always be included in future. I hadn’t really given it much thought and haven’t organised myself! But equally, if I was buying individual gifts I wouldn’t buy them one myself if they are not ever supporting my child.

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 15/12/2023 19:53

That's awful.

I would remove myself from that.

Ihatemondaymorning · 15/12/2023 19:53

@Changeinschoolperhaps could you explain a bit more about that
how is said child having a 1-1 taking recourses away from other children ?

rosyglowcondition · 15/12/2023 19:54

If a child has a one to one, of course the parent should gift the TA.

Notmetoo · 15/12/2023 19:54

That's horrible. TAs get paid a pittance and they are the ones that provide the care and support to the children

stayathomer · 15/12/2023 19:56

Yanbu but unfortunately I’ve never seen people give presents to the tas that didn’t have direct and constant contact with them. Tbh my first and best gift generally goes to the school secretary as she deals with more crap than anyone!!

TurquoiseDress · 15/12/2023 19:58

Er no I don't think that one set of parents/single parent should pay £72.50 or whatever, how ridiculous...can't tag the poster who wrote that

I'm talking about a gift eg big box of chocolates or something from the parents whose child has a 1 to 1 TA

Look I contributed to our class whip round, presents were bought for the teacher and TA

The other class I have no idea what was contributed/exact amount...and equally no idea what gifts were bought.

All I know is parent(s) of child with 1 to 1 TA bought an individual gift which they apparently really wanted to do and were happy with this. They didn't contribute to the main class collection...which is fair enough (although I'm sure I'll be told otherwise!)

This

GRex · 15/12/2023 20:09

TurquoiseDress · 15/12/2023 19:58

Er no I don't think that one set of parents/single parent should pay £72.50 or whatever, how ridiculous...can't tag the poster who wrote that

I'm talking about a gift eg big box of chocolates or something from the parents whose child has a 1 to 1 TA

Look I contributed to our class whip round, presents were bought for the teacher and TA

The other class I have no idea what was contributed/exact amount...and equally no idea what gifts were bought.

All I know is parent(s) of child with 1 to 1 TA bought an individual gift which they apparently really wanted to do and were happy with this. They didn't contribute to the main class collection...which is fair enough (although I'm sure I'll be told otherwise!)

This

Ah, you couldn't follow logic. What a shame.

TheHeadOfTheHouse · 15/12/2023 20:13

My son has a 1-1 for half of the day (the TA doesn’t work afternoons) and there is another child with a full time 1-1.

in the class collection, we both said no to the 1-1s being included in the standard pot.

we buy our 1-1 a present separate from the pot (but we both still contribute to the pot) as we don’t expect them to be included in the main pot when they only deal with our child.

its concerned me that so many 1-1 teachers are being used for other children when they aren’t funded for them.

Changeinschoolperhaps · 15/12/2023 20:20

@Ihatemondaymorning
EHCP states that 15 hours 121 are funded but child actually needs 30 hours 121.
Funding therefore has to be found from elsewhere….. so usually means fewer ‘class TAs’ or other resources that benefit all children are cut.

I'm not blaming the child or the school… the system is fucked.

I’d say majority of EHCPs do not fund sufficient hours for the needs of children.
Sadly, the SEN children are taking resource away from others. But if the hours are not provided, the consequences or disruption is worse.
And people wonder why schools are crumbling and there is no money. But this is why schools are not jumping at the chance to accept more SEN children.
And this is also why schools with low levels of SEN often get higher ofsted ratings as they have more money and more resource.

UrsulaBelle · 15/12/2023 20:21

In my case as a 1:1, the child needed to be integrated with the class for his developmental needs. He was supported by me and he was my first priority but if I’d stuck by him like glue he wouldn’t have been able to join in with the rest of the class, socially and in group work. So I could have sat separately and refused to work with any other children 🤷🏼‍♀️when he didn’t need me, but that would have been weird.

greengreengrass25 · 15/12/2023 20:24

TheHeadOfTheHouse · 15/12/2023 20:13

My son has a 1-1 for half of the day (the TA doesn’t work afternoons) and there is another child with a full time 1-1.

in the class collection, we both said no to the 1-1s being included in the standard pot.

we buy our 1-1 a present separate from the pot (but we both still contribute to the pot) as we don’t expect them to be included in the main pot when they only deal with our child.

its concerned me that so many 1-1 teachers are being used for other children when they aren’t funded for them.

To be fair though you are not paying for the TA out your own pocket

PicaK · 15/12/2023 20:26

Hsng on. The main block funding contains a certain amount to support SEN children. So the SEN kids don't take away resource. Then there are Higher Level Need payments depending whether child is E1 E2 E3 or E4.
Lots of TAs with 1:1s have an additional SEN payment but my god its minimal.

TheHeadOfTheHouse · 15/12/2023 20:27

greengreengrass25 · 15/12/2023 20:24

To be fair though you are not paying for the TA out your own pocket

Show quote history

Yes I bloody well am!

ive had to pay the school for her due to ‘no funding’ and being refused the EHCP.

i had no bloody choice but to cough up the many thousands of pounds for her.

Blinkin · 15/12/2023 20:28

PicaK · 15/12/2023 20:26

Hsng on. The main block funding contains a certain amount to support SEN children. So the SEN kids don't take away resource. Then there are Higher Level Need payments depending whether child is E1 E2 E3 or E4.
Lots of TAs with 1:1s have an additional SEN payment but my god its minimal.

That money is the same though even if you take on several new children with SEND within an academic year. It's not ring fenced money. I'm not saying that's a bad thing / problem / money is taken away from others but there isn't £6k allocated per child on the SEND register.

PicaK · 15/12/2023 20:31

No but decent Finance Managers will be budgeting for it. Everyone knows their usual % of SEN kids.

Blinkin · 15/12/2023 20:35

PicaK · 15/12/2023 20:31

No but decent Finance Managers will be budgeting for it. Everyone knows their usual % of SEN kids.

That's impossible in many small and tiny primary schools where each child with SEND makes up a big percentage of the roll and which already have far less flex in their budgets. We don't even have a finance manager! There's a lady in the office for a couple of hours a day, that's it.

Yolo12345 · 15/12/2023 20:36

This is one of the worst things I've ever heard.

greengreengrass25 · 15/12/2023 20:37

@TheHeadOfTheHouse

That's shocking you have to pay yourself

Usually it's the LA

greengreengrass25 · 15/12/2023 20:38

But she doesn't have an EHCP so how does that work?

Locallady2 · 15/12/2023 20:41

I just wouldn't take part in the 'whip round.' It's not a thing at my child's school thank god, and both the teacher and TA got a chocolate orange and a card from me today.

NameChange30 · 15/12/2023 20:45

Locallady2 · 15/12/2023 20:41

I just wouldn't take part in the 'whip round.' It's not a thing at my child's school thank god, and both the teacher and TA got a chocolate orange and a card from me today.

Why "thank god"?

It's so difficult to find a decent but inexpensive present for someone you don't know. I prefer not to buy things when I'm not sure whether people will like them (for example my colleague only likes posh chocolate so a Terry's chocolate orange would not be appropriate).

So much easier to just pay a fiver per teacher/TA and then the money all combined pays for a voucher they can use for something they actually want.

greengreengrass25 · 15/12/2023 20:50

Locallady2 · 15/12/2023 20:41

I just wouldn't take part in the 'whip round.' It's not a thing at my child's school thank god, and both the teacher and TA got a chocolate orange and a card from me today.

It's lovely that you showed some appreciation to the staff