To expect my reception child to have a qualified teacher?

[MaryBeardy]

DS is in reception. I was told by another mum his teacher has been off for a few days. I asked DS who was teaching him and he said the two teaching assistants that help across reception and occasionally a teacher from a different class. Should there not be a qualified teacher present at all times (or at the very least one in training that has some supervision)? I’m feeling a bit annoyed this hasn’t been communicated by the school but don’t know if I’m being unreasonable. TIA

It's not great. Fingers crossed it's short term for all involved. I'm a TA in year 4. I covered my class teacher's absence twice this week. This has included a PE lesson (for which I was given zero lesson plan), teaching maths, English and RE plus marking. I also have to make sure the children went home safely at the end of the day with the correct adult. Our class has 3 EAL children, 5 with EHCPs and 2 children with ADHD traits (undiagnosed).

For doing this I will have earned less than £10 extra in my next pay slip.

I'm the cheap option because the supply budget has already been spent.

Some classes are taught permanently by non qualified teachers. I'd not be moaning about it for a few days

I was a TA for 8 years, this is one reason I quit, I was constantly expected to cover lessons, sometimes for weeks at a time (including a smaller class without any teacher for the whole of the covid lockdown) on £11.40 an hour. The head argued it was better for the pupils to have an adult that knew them well, and knew how the class worked, than constant substitute teachers. In actuality it was a cost cutting measure because schools have zero money.

Worth noting that the qualified teacher would normally have a TA to support them, but if the TA is now teaching the class, who is supporting them?

Excellent point. A TA will be pulled from elsewhere thus passing the problem down the line.

My last school couldn't afford this insurance so didn't have it.

For a few days a familiar TA is probably better than an unfamiliar supply teacher. Also at DD's school they have a TA who is a qualified teacher who does a lot of covering classes ( I have no idea how she is happy with this or if she gets paid extra).

@MaryBeardy

Ok thank you. I’ll rein in my annoyance. It’s an eye-opener.

Have you not heard that there is a teacher retention issue? You only need to look on here to see how little people think of teachers & this is probably indicative of society as a whole. Add into that long hours & moderate pay.

They are actually better off I imagine with TAs they know than a random supply. Plus it saves the school money which they can spend on something else.

Thank you. The first post to bring up that the TA is being exploited.

TAs are generally as good as class teachers in primary. Especially in key stage 1.

If TAs wanted to be teachers then they would train to be teachers.

I've heard pretty often on here that TAs are being increasingly used to teach full classes with no support when that is not their job.

Wonder why we are also struggling to recruit TAs when they can earn more at Aldi?

In what way? Did teachers not get sick in the old days?

@Porcuporpoise there would be supply teachers available and schools could afford them!

We don't have any HLTAs, many schools don't. We have TAs who cover classes when a class teacher is absent.

I don't know how any of this addresses what I've said or OP's specific scenario.

TA's working as a team to cover a the teacher they regularly TA for over a few days of illness (what this thread is about) is not remotely the same as "TA's being used to teach full classes with no support." The latter is an actual problem in our education system right now, but conflating it with what OP is asking about is silly and not productive.

Most likely this will be a Level 3 Higher Level TA who can teach a class in the teachers absence, it will be absolutely fine!

That's nothing. I did work experience in a primary school in 1997, the teacher called in sick and I took care of the class for 2 days on my own. Granted the head would pop his head in with worksheets.

I was 14/15.

Have you ever thought of training as a teacher to get better pay?

Soon it will be commonplace for unqualified teachers to be teaching classes ft - it's been going that way for some time. And also long-term cover by TAs. They're incredibly cheap.
But most parents seem happy with this?

@LilacBroccoli

Lots of TA’s don’t want to be teachers. Honestly, the pay really isn’t good for what they do. I was a TA until a few years ago and every single one of my teacher friends have left the profession.

There’s zero work life balance and a total lack of support. Some have become supply teachers and find it’s much easier and less stressful, but others have the left the profession all together.

I'd revise your attitude towards TAs, if I were you.
The TAs that have worked with my daughters - both AuDHD - in their mainstream primary school have been absolutely amazing.
Twin 2 has 1-1 with a mainstream TA and, in all her years (she's in Year 2), it's been available TAs and LSAs who have taught her the curriculum and bridged any gaps.
I may be out of turn in assuming this, but sounds like you don-t have much visibility around your child's teaching staff, if another parent had to tell you the teacher was off.

God, talk about women being taken advantage of in the workplace!
You can guarantee their wage for this period won't reflect the change in responsibility.

Have to say though, this must be an English thing. Classes in Scotland are only ever taken by qualified teachers, not Pupil Support Assistants as they are known here.

@Porcuporpoise do you seriously have no idea ??

Genuinely not. The occurrence of physical illness may not have changed, but lots of teachers end up taking time off with stress these days.