To say I can't handle this class

[Daisychain97]

I'm a trainee teacher working as a teaching assistant. I'm doing a subject specialism in maths and hope to teach year 6.

This term, I've been moved from my usual year 6 class to year 1 because the year 1 TA has left at short notice. I've gone from targeted maths 1-1s and SATs preparation to spending the entire just trying to keep the class quiet enough for the teacher to speak. It is the teacher's first year teaching and I've only been a TA for a year before this.

I can't handle the class. There are multiple children who aren't toilet trained and have accidents. Out of a class of 25, only 8 of them are actually capable of sitting quietly, listening and putting their hand up. The rest just shout out at you constantly, roll and crawl all over the floor. Some will cry and scream if they're told off and others will throw things if they're told no. It's chaotic. We have a huge amount of SEN boys in the class, but I think it's a step further than that. It seems some of these children have never been told no in their lives. I have to repeat a simple instruction 5 times for anyone to listen even when I'm speaking directly to a child. For example 'please put your pencils down'
Turns into at least 15 children shouting 'BUT IM NOT DONE,' refusing, some straight up crying at the instruction, others running around or throwing their pencil. It's unbelievable.

It was my second day in the class today and I was on the edge of tears I was so overwhelmed. I have ADHD so a lot of constant screaming and sudden noises really gets to me and every single shout and scream and thrown toy felt like a dagger in my ears. I eventually just zoned out and asked the teacher how I should be dealing with the behaviour. She was just as stuck as I am.

So what am I meant to do? Just continue being miserable? I earn basically less than minimum wage and not sure it's worth it to be honest. It's day 2 and I'm already dreading to go back tomorrow.

I can't exactly talk to the headteacher and asked to be moved because they need a TA in that class...

Bit of a rant but I'm so upset. I loved my job, I loved working with year 6. Now I'm just so overwhelmed and upset. Last year I worked with year 2,3, and 5 and loved every second. I know that a teacher should be able to handle all classes but as a TA I don't have much control or say in how this class is run so I can't change things like how I would if it was my class...

Is it a one class entry or is there another year 1 class? It does sound like a very challenging class. It can be like whack a mole with some of our students but the teacher stops it immediately. Is there a behaviour system for poor behaviour? We had to implement one for our class this year due to so many issues (so in that sense you are not alone). They get warnings and after 3 they have to stay in at breaktime.

I do think you need to talk to the headteacher or someone senior about this class. If they don't get into a routine now it is going to continue to cause problems into the following year where the year 2 teacher is going to struggle. The teacher needs to see good practice and have help in developing this in their own classroom.

@Daisychain97 all the chaos you describe makes me wonder if this classroom is safe. That might be the opener for your conversation with the head.

Also, I remember the most difficult child I ever had in my class had SEN and would scream for an hour if you told him no. He would have a complete meltdown. And that was one child! I have no idea how I'd have coped with multiple hildren doing the same.

They sound awful.

Any advice from the SenCo?

But there should be organised play as they're so dreadful

Trying to get them to sit and listen is a non-starter.

Has the teacher gone to head of EYFS for advice? Or the HT?

Absolutely echoing PP here that year 1 is hard. I taught year 1 for years and the jump is huge for some children. It really does require a strong teacher with a strong knowledge of both EYFS and KS1 curriculums and a good toolkit of strategies to get everyone upto KS1 behaviour and learning expectations. That September - October half term transition is key and when all the groundwork for behavior for learning is laid. For some cohorts it's a September - December transition. It is a rare case that you are still dealing with the behavior of that level at this time of year without some serious conversations with Senior management to have occured.

I feel for you OP, it is so hard to watch the wheels come off and as you say as a TA you are a bit powerless to change and overhaul any routines. Your job is largely to support.

I do think there is a case for more adults needed in this class due to the level of need. Again, there should be something happening regarding the toilet training as 6 is very late for children not been toilet trained- referrals to school nurse/ ECHPs and intimate care plans ect. As a result there should be more staff in the class just to facilitate the intimate care needs.

I do think you need to have a chat with the head, as one TA has left it is likely the head is aware of issues. It is hard as you will be going over the teacher's head but with the levels of behavior it risks entering dangerous territory. I have to say they are a poor mentor if they are not supporting your teacher with techniques. From the way the teacher is controlling behavior and giving in it sounds like they are getting burnt out and completely overwhelmed. This is where their mentor needs to be actively demonstrating techniques and allowing them chance to observe other teachers using behavior techniques. They need encouragement to keep consistent.

It is likely that because you are firm and consistent you have been moved to show the teacher how to be firm and consistent but it is very hard as a TA to do that when it is not your class.

I started an almost identical thread recently except I'm the teacher. This year I was moved to a much younger class and it is exactly as the OP says, and I don't currently have a TA. I've been off sick with flu for the last 2 weeks and it's been absolute bliss! I really don't want to go back, at this point I can't see myself making it to easter, let alone finishing the school year. No words of advice OP, but just know you are not alone

I wonder why the original TA left so suddenly.....! Sorry OP this sounds utterly horrendous and whilst I'm not an educator so don't have any knowledgeable advice I just wanted to send a hug as it sounds like you've been to hell and back 🫂
I don't know the procedures etc but I think you need to escalate this, hopefully the TA that left told them exactly why and you then going to them with the same issues will lend towards some much needed support within the classroom. Are any of the SEN children statemented? It sounds like some may need 1-1 which would then be more adults in the room to try and contain the chaos

Sorry if this has been asked already but if you are a trainee teacher, why are you working as a TA? If you're on an ITT programme, you should be teaching (with varying levels of support /other staff presence), depending on the route you are on.

I’m not blaming the teacher, I’m blaming the experience of the teacher. A teacher in their first year shouldn’t be with a year 1 class in my opinion. It is too tricky a year. I feel the same way about a year 6 class. When kids are in transition there are nearly always issues.

To be honest, the box situation is an example of where there shouldn't have been opportunities 3 and 4 to go to the box. First time - put the box down please. Second time, box down. Box is removed from reach.

I'm not on an ITT I'm doing a primary teaching degree which requires me to work full time as a TA throughout. I'm doing my ITT next year :)

Beats me! We're the least experienced members of staff in the school by a long shot yet have the most challenging class. All the other teachers have been there years and definitely wouldn't be prepared to move classes. Every teacher has a TA and they buddy up and stay in the same class every year, there's little movement. The year 1 teacher left last year so we got this ECT. Now that the year 1 TA has left, I've been sent over there full time as that's where the most need is. Multiple children in the class need 1-1s desperately but there's not enough funding apparently.

I'm going to talk to the teacher tomorrow and ask her if I can be quite strict with the class and see if she'll support me and do that too.
We spoke today about how we were both struggling with the class so it won't come as a surprise.
I'm quite consistent and think I'm going to end up being a no-nonsense teacher. I've observed all of our teachers and one of the best teachers in our school (year 2) has a habit of absolutely transforming classes of children within weeks, it's amazing. She told me that you can either choose to be the children's teacher or their friend, not both.
The school in itself is quite softy softy with its approach. There's continual repeated violence from certain individuals and I see them sat in the head's office only to later come out with a smile on their face as if nothings happened. A reception child attempted to stab another child in the neck with a rusty nail they pulled out of a fence, no suspension or punishment, just a meeting. They've continued to be violent but no more attempted stabbings thank god.
So yeah tomorrow I'm gonna approach being strict with her and hopefully we can change things around.

But can your child use the toilet by themselves? Because this seems to be a massive issue now alongside various other ones of 'lockdown babies'. The problem is that there's a school year out there who have been reliant on their parents teaching them vs handing them over to the teachers to do it, and some of those parents have wildly failed in doing so. Hence the kids now massively struggling in school as they're nowhere near where they should be. Isolation is one thing, being unable to wipe their own bums and being out of nappies, plus knowing their basic learning age appropriate skills is another.

It sounds poorly managed and like the teacher is out of her depth. You say there's a lot of Sen, what support/funding is in place? Should they be having additional support?

I'd try to find strategies and if you are miserable ask to be moved after Easter.

Parents using this excuse is a huge part of the problem. Lockdown will have had an effect but not to the extent that they scream and smear shit everywhere. That is either SEN or poor parenting.

@Poppyseeds79
he doesn’t have toileting issues no.. but he does have SEN and 1-1. Any child that’s not using the toilet themselves at 6 is likely to have SEN, not parental laziness. The issue here is that OP’s school haven’t allocated enough TA’s to year 1 and haven’t put in proper support for the children with SEN.

Sadly the early years is where we are regularly seeing needs and behaviour like you describe. Nobody is going to want to teach early years as there is a significant increase in need and a lack of support. Our assistants used to be able to do targeted interventions for literacy/numeracy- now they are basically ensuring safety and supporting highly dysregulated children. The job has changed- children seem to have changed too. If this is how it was when I started over 20 years ago, I’d have left a long time ago.

Try and look for something else, because in my experience it doesn't get better. I was a TA for three years and was absolutely shocked at the behaviour. We had 5 year olds flipping tables because they were asked to write their name! I ended up leaving education entirely, because I'd lost the passion for it. Now getting paid exactly the same to do a far less stressful job.

It’s not the teachers fault that children can’t follow basic instructions and do as they are told. There are obviously SEN issues and probably poor parenting in not teaching their children how to behave, listen and understand what no means.

I cannot tell you how often Covid is used as an excuse.
Covid was 2020/2021, there might have been some restrictions after that but not many. We're now in 2025, them
Not understanding no, not sitting, not behaving can't be blamed on Covid. They've had toddlerhood, nursery, reception and now year 1 back to normal.

I feel for the older children in covid, not the ones just born in it who haven't missed out on their early years.

Speak to your university tutors.

I think you are in quite a difficult position here as the TA
It seems unlikely the Head teacher is not well aware of what is happening,and it is primarily the class teacher’s responsibility

In your position I would ask to be moved from this class and if not I would look for another job
However I see you have to be employed as a TA as part of your course,so you might have to stick it out for this year

Why blame the teacher? Sheis as lost as OP and might possible be hunting for a new job too.
No staff should handle children like this without support. Teachers and TAs are failed on daily basis.

Sounds like hell on earth, I'd speak to the head and say you can't cope.

This is proof that the rise in gentle parenting is failing kids miserably.