In SCOTLAND can a teaching assistant teach a class alone?

[Swollenandgrouchy]

posting here for traffic as not many responses in the education board.

my kids are at a rural primary school in Scotland. One class is being split across two rooms, and they are still calling it one composite class… but the teacher will only spend half of her time in each class room (I am told).

I believe the rules in Scotland are different to England in that they pupils must have a qualified teacher at all times… but I cannot find any formal guidance on this.

I would be very grateful if someone in the know could share a link to the guidance/legislation please?

Thank you!

Teaching across P1-P4 is hard because the younger ones will still be having a play based curriculum whereas the older ones will be doing more table work.
Makes sense to split them so the teacher can focus the teaching input on each group separately and the classroom assistant can supervise independent work/activities.

I'd much prefer that set up for my own children than having 5 year olds playing in the same room that the teacher is trying to do a lesson with 8 year olds.

I do think that you're mistaken that the PSA will be teaching anything, they will be supervising small group/ independent learning. They will be present, but not teaching, just supporting. It seems a smart set up, as I've said up thread, so that instead of a curriculum that tries to engage P1-4, the P1&2 can be set up with an activity by the teacher, then when they are doing it, after the teaching component has occurred, the same can happen with the P3&4. As a parent I would much prefer this kind of setup, than a curriculum that was trying to engage P1-4 together, which inevitably means that it will have a bent towards the younger ones to try and maintain engagement.

The PSA won't be teaching. They'll be supporting work done by the teacher just as they would with small groups from bigger classes.

There will be a reason they've decided to do it rather than keep the small class together with two adults.

No

Classroom assistants should not take a class by themselves. Technically they will be taking 2 composite classes on their own for the whole day and whole week and they are being timetabled to do this. Teacher is responsible for teaching, safety and behaviour. A composite class can have a maximum of 25 children in Scotland so this is definitely 2 composite classes & should have 2 teachers. Classroom assistants role can be to support teachers.

There are teaching assistants in Scotland. We have they in our school. Different counties call them different names. They would not be in charge of a class but can take groups in a different room. I suspect this is what is happening.

I once worked in a year two class that was split into two. They did it because there were so many problems with behaviour and so many dc that could not be in the same room as one another.

I'm a PSA. Shouldn't happen but absolutely does. However, we can barely do the job as described on the EIS link due to the massive increase in SEN kids after the loss of enhanced provision spaces. It's too much - I'm looking for an out as I'm regularly left in charge of the class and I've had enough.
I love my kids dearly, but loving them like my own doesn't pay the bills.

What have you heard them being called in Scotland?

Differs from county to county. Classroom Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Pupil Support Workers, Support Assistants..

And Learning Support Assistants.

If you can’t find any rules to say a qualified teacher must be with the whole class at all times it’s probably because no such rule exists. Scotland does not allow unqualified teachers (unlike England) but that isn’t the same as requiring a qualified teacher to be with the class at all times. If the entire class is only 20 pupils then the teacher could reasonably be overseeing the education of the entire class, the fact that this class of 20 is split into two groups and that the classroom assistant will be supporting each group half of the time is unlikely to matter as the teacher is still overseeing the education of all children. It’s quite common for classroom assistants to lead groups of children, following lessons which have been devised by the teacher. The teacher needs to take responsibility for planning and assessing sessions but that doesn't mean a qualified teacher has to deliver 100% of all taught sessions. If both groups are getting time with the teacher and the teacher is responsible for the learning and outcomes of each group and the size of both groups put together isn’t greater than the maximum class size then I don’t think the fact the class is split into two groups is an issue.

If the class covers P1-P4 then there is likely to be a big difference between the needs and levels of the youngest and oldest learners and so it makes sense to split so that teaching can be differentiated and delivered appropriately. Teaching will likely be more effective this way than the qualified teacher being present and available to all 20 pupils 100% of the time, but having to try and teach lessons which suit all of the learners within such a broad age range. Realistically the teacher would just end up teaching to the middle and the most and least able children would get left behind or would fail to be challenged, at least by splitting into groups the learning will be better catered to each child’s level, a session planned by a teacher but delivered by a classroom assistant that is at the right level for a child’s attainment is going to be more effective than a session planned and delivered by the teacher but that is too hard or too easy for the child.

Teachers have classes divided into groups to suit ability of children.

If classroom assistant is delivering the lesson which was planned by the teacher this is

actually doing the teachers role not being the support
classroom assistant.

Classroom assistants are different to teaching assistants. Classroom assistants in Scotland should not teach, they should only support children with reinforcement of work they have been taught by their teacher. Teaching assistants are trained to actually teach and receive a better salary because of that.