To say no! Twilight sessions (unpaid)

[LorlieS]

Can't sleep I'm so stressed!!
I'm working as a HLTA - paid hours 8.30 until 3.30.
Just picked up an email sent today telling me I need to attend two twilight sessions from after school until 6pm. Needless to say these will not be paid for and the first one is this week!
AIBU to say no?
Oh, and I also have a 3 yo and her childcare only runs until 4.30.

But planing and delivering cover is the job of HLTAs - otherwise you’re working as a TA . Pay isn’t great but is not much less that a first year teacher. I’m not sure why this has caused you so much stress…why did you just not explain to your HT that, due to the short notice you weren’t able to get childcare so can’t attend the training.

Two things..
Firstly I am always a bit surprised you seem shocked at how schools work given that you have 20 years experience in education.

Secondly you are a qualified teacher. Even if you worked part time you could afford more than you do now. They already make you teach so it's seems counterproductive to stay as a hlta. You wouldn't phone in sick on your other thread regardless of covid and I am not sure why you would tolerate it?

I'm not getting the angst either. It's entirely unreasonable for the school not have the dates for such sessions published for the academic year as there is a "budget" of directed time to draw on.

I say this with something of a hollow laugh as the kind of SLT that make such unreasonable demands on staff are just the kind to pressure the staff to magic up childcare.

@LorlieS , just email to say you can't make it due to, etc. but you look forward to getting the the notes of the session so that you can catch up later. Putting it in writing is very important.

Just say no , I was abused by a well paid head for years

Check your contract. If its 38 week you are not paid for them and so they must pay you the extra if you attend the twilight (but you are also not obliged to attend either). If its 39 weeks then technically the inset are included. However, insets should ordinarily be within normal working times and twilight sessions are not. I too am a HLTA and my school has done twilight sessions in the past, but we have had notice of these at the start of the academic year so there is tine to sort things like childcare if needed, they have been in lieu of a full day inset (not on top of, they cant do that). I would say, if they haven't given sufficient notice and it's (obviously) outside normal inset hours then they need to be flexible and provide another route for you to pick up the training delivered.

@stomachameleon They won't employ me as a teacher because I'm too expensive. Schools are usually looking for ECT's, especially with current budgets.

It’s about time this myth died. ECTs aren’t cheap any more. They cost a minimum of £30k plus on-costs, can’t be given full timetables, have to be given mentor support for two years and have to be released for ECT sessions.

@LorlieS that's a shame with all your experience. Schools don't think things through do they? I know it's money but education is going to pot.

@ThanksItHasPockets They're still a lot cheaper than I am as a teacher!

Average HLTA salary is £24,700 - £20,500 hardly minimum wage?

Average HLTA is £ 24,700 - £29,500 so hardly minimum wage ?

@LorlieS I suppose thought the way things are now... what do you teach with a psychology degree? You could work two days a week and earn similar? Give your mum a rest and earn the same.

@Owl55 Your figures don't make sense?!!
Remember we don't get paid for holidays (salary spread out across year) and only work school hours.

@stomachameleon Not sure what you mean about "what do you teach with a psychology degree?"

Not going to help your situation right now but possibly for future it might be worth asking any of the workers at your daughter's pre-school if they do out of ours babysitting for some extra income? They won't be strangers to your daughter with added security of being DAB checked and safeguarding trained etc.

@Owl55 Average £12-something p/h. Paid for 5.5 hours a day (27.5 hrs). 39 weeks in a school year.

This is very tough. I’m sorry you’re in this situation and have been brilliant to manage it so far.

We finally have our answer! So you are contracted for 195 days?!

@LorlieS you said that you had a psychology degree and I am sure on another thread you said you taught in a secondary for a while so I wondered what you taught? Or have you always taught primary?

It’s about time this myth died. ECTs aren’t cheap any more. They cost a minimum of £30k plus on-costs, can’t be given full timetables, have to be given mentor support for two years and have to be released for ECT sessions.
Agree with this, plus pay portability was scrapped years ago. Some jobs are advertised as only paying M1-6 or in some cases I've seen M1-4. If OP wanted to take a teaching position part time they would be paid more than an HLTA and could be more attractive than an ECT who doesn't require cost in extra cover, mentor time and ECT sessions.

Do you have QTS?

Absolutely. Max UPS 3 on 0.6 would be £27,915 pa, plus (crucially) access to the TPS.

@Zonder Yes. Qualified in 2003!! Taught for many years. Definitely don't want to go back into teaching, hence why I'm looking to leave education and do my MSc part-time.
Of course I will need to be working at the same time as doing that, so thinking about what I can do...

But your children never have to worry about reciprocal arrangements because they have you to do weekly childcare plus babysitting! Don't you see the irony of telling someone to get reciprocal arrangements when they don't see other parents because they are working? Whilst you are doing everything for your own children so they never have to worry about finding someone to help out at short notice with their children! They would never need a reciprocal arrangement. It's hard to meet other parents if you are working full-time like OP, but easier if you are a SAHM or a grandparent.

They could be still working at 4pm and not able to do it. Everyone I could ask is working then or doesn't want to do it