Is this normal in primary schools?

[RapidlyApproachingEndOfMyTether]

My child has been without a teacher this term at times. First it was during a week of staff sickness. They had a hodge-podge of different TAs in the morning and in the afternoons they were split into small groups & sent into different year group classes to do workbooks. Another day 1 teacher was teaching 2 classes across the hall from one another.

This was all really unsettling for my child & he was tearful all week. He got told off for not completing his workbook by the TA but told me he couldn't concentrate on the other classroom - hardly surprising with approx 40 kids in there.

Today my child tells me they're back in the other year group class tomorrow, child isn't sure where their class teacher is going, she was in today & obviously isn't planning ahead for sickness tomorrow!

I can just about understand it for covering unexpected sickness but now it seems to be being planned in this way. No communication from school about it.

Also to add my child overheard one teacher talking to another teacher to say they weren't going to have any supply as there's no money in the budget! This may well be true I suppose but they shouldn't have been saying that in front of the kids really.

Is this normal? He's my only child so nothing to compare to! I'm really supportive of teachers generally but this just doesn't seem right and it's upsetting my child. But maybe it's like this everywhere? This is a junior school (yrs 3-6)for context.

It's unfortunately very common with how decimated school budgets are, and also with the shortage of teachers

Unfortunately it is normal and likely to become more frequent with the pressure on school budgets.

I would it is not normal - rather, abnormal but increasingly common place, sadly and to the detriment of the children.

Yes, common. Friend who is a TA is sick to the back teeth of being asked to take on the teacher role but not being paid for it. There is no money to pay for a supply teacher any more.

Also to add my child overheard one teacher talking to another teacher to say they weren't going to have any supply as there's no money in the budget! This may well be true I suppose but they shouldn't have been saying that in front of the kids really. I can't imagine most children being remotely interested in this or even understanding it but don't particularly think it is a problem they overheard. All the rest of it sounds pretty rubbish and the children must feel all over the place.

They must be doing something right if your child is able to pick up part of a conversation and understand the concept of budgets and supply teachers

Not at my kid's school it's not! We're fortunate enough to have very low staff turnover. I wouldn't be happy with that at all.

Very common. School budgets are too tight for getting supply teachers in for only short term cover.

The teacher tomorrow may have a hospital appointment.

It is SATs week so a lot of staff within school will be involved with overseeing it. Not buying in supply is also pretty standard, with TAs or HLTAs having to cover.
I don't know how old your child is though to have listened to a conversation about all this and taken on board what it means, as this is quite an adult conversation and your description of your child seems quite young.

That's a good point about the hospital appointment. You never know what's going on for people, of course.
I wouldn't mind so much about the use of the TAs to cover the lessons in the short term though it's rubbish for the TAs. The splitting the children into other year group classes all afternoon with worksheets feels much less ok though.
This pre dates the SATS week but I take on board it may be having an extra impact this week.

I'm not sure my description of my child is young? I think lots of primary aged children would be unsettled by this and it's also very understandable for them to be frustrated if they can't do their work due to a difficult classroom environment. More so if they're being unjustly reprimanded for this. Some children would breeze over it of course but they're not all the same.
Re: the overheard conversation, I've just typed out verbatim what he told me! I think most kids ages 7-11 can understand the general concept of a budget. I'm not having deep conversations with him about school management or anything.

Thanks to all those giving their experience in schools - sounds really tough for staff & pupils

Not common in my school. We have insurance that kicks in after 3 days of absence that pays for supply. The first few days we either cover internally if we can or pay supply

Unfortunately supply teachers are now hard to find - our school rang 3 agencies this morning as a teacher was ill and were told by all there were none available 🤷‍♂️ we had to use a TA to cover the class. When TAs cover they can claim cover supervisor rate at our school but it's still not much. I would say that if it was happening regularly I would be looking at other schools.