Teaching assistants not thought about

[Putyourcoaton]

Although there are teaching assistants out there who are lazy and don’t add any value, many ta’s do. There are many hard working ta’s getting used and abused by children and teachers and SLT. So, AIBU to expect a member of SLT or teachers to ask if we are ok after we have been hurt by a child. I’m not talking about a hit or a scratch, but injuries leaving significant marks and bruising? Do teaching assistants really not count as people, unless they threaten taken action?

I would expect a caring manager to check up on you, but many don't. It is no different if a teacher is hurt. Some managers will care, some won't. But a teacher isn't responsible for a TA, so it isn't a managerial responsibility to see about your welfare, any more than it is the TSs responsibility to see about the teacher. A friendly thing to do, but not part of the job.

It may say more about your school. When TAs report an incident to me regarding my pupils I make sure I follow it up and then let the TA know what the outcome was. TAs are too valuable to treat poorly!

Our SLT will always seek out a member of staff who has intervened in a fight let alone been hurt.
I have previously been called into the head's office after she watched the CCTV of myself splitting two year 10 boys knocking seven bells out of each other. She asked me both if I was okay and did I need support.

Think it could well be the school you are at 🤔

I'm not a TA but do work in a technical support role.

I’d at least expect the teacher, as in the line manager, to be concerned if their assistant had been seriously hurt at work.

It all depends on the school. Staff are regularly hurt at my school (it’s a special one) and we just get on with it without a fuss, but we also really go out of our way to look after each other and know that when anything more serious does happen we are well supported. No one would last more than five minutes otherwise.

Not directly related to your post but wanted to add that I think TAs are absolutely amazing and have my respect for the work they do and role they play in children’s lives. x

Swashbucklecheer - Are there any jobs going at your school ! I feel very down about it because I do go in and just get on with it, and I don’t make or expect a fuss. Just more of a quick human response such as - heard what happened, are you ok? This would take a member of SLT one minute and just make ta’s feel a little less shit, and a little bit like we do count. It is not the children’s behaviour that is upsetting me, it is the adult’s. We (ta’s) just do not seem to matter. Unless you go off sick and refuse to work with a child. Which is something that I just cannot do.

Mazuslongtoenail - Thank you, that really means a lot, thank you.

We have this at our school. If SLT are hit or injured by a child they get sent home. If they hit a TA it's considered part of the job. I'm so fed up of it. In our school TAs are right at the bottom of the pile and we know it too.

Absolutely! A TA can be punched, kicked, spat at, subjected to all sorts of verbal abuse, and we're just expected to get on with it.

Thankfully we now have a new ALNCo, who seems to actually give a crap unlike the last one

Of course they count! Your local authority will have a violence at work policy, this should be used after each incident. You should have a debrief with the head teacher that follows an agreed protocol. Speak to your union about this ASAP.

In Scotland the class teacher in most definitely NOT the support for learning assistants line manager or the would be paid at a higher rate.

Wow.

Wow what?

What is not to understand?

A teacher is not responsible for the TA, a TA is not responsible for the teacher. Each will have their own managers.

If a colleague is hurt, you might or might not want to go and check up on them. It depends largely on how well you know them, how much you work together, how many other people are checking up on them, whether or not you think they would want checking up on, etc. You don't necessarily go and but in where it isn't your business, but you might if you think a friendly gesture might be welcomed.

Being a teacher does not make you responsible for TAs, and does not mean that it would be appropriate or welcomed for you to check up on them if they get hurt. Similarly, it may or may not be appropriate or welcomed for a TA to go and check up on a teacher if they are hurt.

I didn’t say anything about not understanding.

the TAs who deal with my son (and other kids with SEN) are amazing.

Dogknowsbest - We must work at the same school ! The same happens at ours. We do have very good policies and procesures for reporting incidents of behaviour. I guess what I’m missing is the human connection between adults working together. I must report incidents for the good of the school, (so that they can show Ofsted), following school policies and procedures ( which I do professionally). I guess I’m a bit old fashioned and expect to work with humans who give a shit and care about their fellow work colleagues, whether they are their line manager or not.

wow what then?

Sorry, this is your experience. I’ve worked in two schools over the last 13 years and had the opposite of this. Definitely should be asking how you are at the very least!

Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound off like that. But that’s how I am left feeling. I feel worthless, and when I get hurt and I am expected to work with all the children the others refuse to work with.

You could refuse too?

Like I said before, it is not the children’s behaviour that is the most upsetting, but the adults (SLT ). A ta works with children with behaviour that challenges and that is part of the job. Not being supported by SLT should not be part of the job.

Some of the worst behaviour towards ta’s in school is not from the children but from SLT.

have you complained?

Really? From my experience of working in primary schools, the teacher is literally the backbone of the TA