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Original poster

‘Flexible use of support staff in keeping lessons face to face’

261 replies

Skinnyfrappewithmilk · 03/01/2022 09:08

One of the points made by the education sec for return to school this week.

Are they planning on paying a decent wage for support staff then?! I’m a TA and having to claim UC as my wage is so poor, quite frankly it’s an insult.
I’m so angry reading that…our pay and conditions are already awful, I can’t quite believe the cheek of it.

OP posts:
BlueBloodedBlue · 03/01/2022 20:10

@cassgate

It was a previous poster that mentioned qualifications. I have a level 3 diploma in supporting teaching and learning which I funded out of my own money some years ago. I am now at the top of the level 3 pay scale so haven’t had any pay rises in 3 years. My school won’t pay me level 4 unless I complete HLTA training. Problem with that is that I would then be covering teacher’s PPA instead and would be expected to plan, mark and assess some subject areas for the classes I cover. The difference in pay of about £30 per month just isn’t worth it.
I'm also a TA and could have written this exact post - I did cover PPA about a dozen times in the last month before the holidays due to teacher sickness. I was told I would be paid at the HLTA level for these hours. On the last day of term, I was told actually the extra money isn't there and was given a cheap bottle of wine instead!

And yes, I'm damn sure they'll ask me to cover again.

kickupafuss · 03/01/2022 20:21

To me this just shows how little the government know about schools. In my last school there were no general TAs - they were all assigned as 1:1s working with children with an EHCP. With the best will in the world, they would not be able to teach a class and at the same time manage a child who could have complex medical or learning difficulties.

ChiefStockingStuffer · 03/01/2022 21:09

BlueBloodedBlue I would have handed the bottle back and told them they'd need to sort it as promised or you'd file a grievance. Beyond ridiculous and unfair.

peridito · 03/01/2022 21:43

I've only read half the thread so apologies if this is repetition but what worries me is the accident waiting to happen .

Large groups of children babysat by people who don't know them and /or aren't teachers - on lots of occasions this won't be safe .Volatile teenagers ,primary school children with special needs .There will be trouble .

liveforsummer · 03/01/2022 21:56

@peridito

I've only read half the thread so apologies if this is repetition but what worries me is the accident waiting to happen .

Large groups of children babysat by people who don't know them and /or aren't teachers - on lots of occasions this won't be safe .Volatile teenagers ,primary school children with special needs .There will be trouble .

To be fair there's probably no one better than me to 'babysit' my class. I've been with them ever since they started primary school and some respect me more than they do the teacher. I can't mind them and teach them at the same time though. The teacher can't even do that. If babysitting is all that's required I could manage - until one needs a movement break or quiet time away from the class - then what?
mrshoho · 03/01/2022 22:02

And the band carried on playing! I'm seriously imaging thousands of schools up and down the country sinking while the caretakers, TAs, dinner ladies etc hold the line! But the schools will be open. So The government can give themselves a pat on the back for keeping schools open true to their word. They don't need to be bothered about the minor details such as ensuring the children actually get the best education possible.

noblegiraffe · 03/01/2022 22:08

Or any education.

Sunshinedreaming2022 · 03/01/2022 22:09

@BlueBloodedBlue autumn 2020 support staff were asked if we would be prepared to do cover and would be paid £10 per hour lesson. In the December I was used as emergency cover twice - did I ever see the money? Ha you can bet I didn’t.
The cover lessons, the running of the keyworker provision with zero support in January, carrying out the 3000+ lateral flow tests in March, running the summer school in august, the endless helping out, supporting, trying your best for the students but then returning in September 2021 and finding the students are so behind that your intervention provision has to triple to accommodate them all but the social skills are so behind that the kids are just.so.rude…., I LOVED my job, thought I was so lucky to have such an amazing role but I walked out in December as a broken shell of myself. And for just a few pence above minimum wage, my mental health just wasn’t worth the sacrifice.

CarrieBlue · 03/01/2022 22:22

@Sunshinedreaming2022 - extra payment usually comes a month later so should be in your January pay rather than December. At least that’s how it works if I do a supply lesson as a pt teacher and then only if I fill in the supply claim form and submit it before the cutoff (which for December was the 16th).

CarrieBlue · 03/01/2022 22:22

@Sunshinedreaming2022 - sorry, just clocked this was December 2020, apologies.

Twinklingstarface · 03/01/2022 22:23

Well I don’t think it will just be teachers that get Covid @mrshoho so I’m sure some of those dinner ladies and TAs etc might well be the ones off isolating. I think parents are so desperate to keep their jobs that they would rather their kids be “ looked after”/ not home alone and for the parents to keep a roof over their families’ heads, than the alternative

peridito · 03/01/2022 22:25

@liveforsummer To be fair there's probably no one better than me to 'babysit' my class

Yes I completely accept that and I'm sure it would be the same with other TAs. But my son is a TA and works with autistic children who cannot be left unsupervised and this will obviously be the case elsewhere . And having been a TA myself I know I could not have managed crowd control of merged classes in the hall ,there would have been children taking themselves off supposedly to the loo and skirmishes breaking out .

noblegiraffe · 03/01/2022 22:26

We had issues with catering staff being off before Xmas and it totally fucked up lunchtime. Massive queues.

Too many off and I guess they wouldn't be able to provide food. That could close a school.

mrshoho · 03/01/2022 22:28

So I guess, unless there will be a sudden u turn we are all about to experience what 'living with covid' feels like warts and all. At least those who were protesting against lockdowns back in March 2020 and again in January 2021 will get to experience what they wished for. Well not quite as our saving grace at this time is that so far, the large scale deaths and hospital admissions have been reduced thanks to vaccinations. Just stop for a minute and imagine this but without the vaccine protection!

Twinklingstarface · 03/01/2022 23:25

@noblegiraffe

We had issues with catering staff being off before Xmas and it totally fucked up lunchtime. Massive queues.

Too many off and I guess they wouldn't be able to provide food. That could close a school.

Our kids’ schools changed to packed lunches when this happened. No need to close the school re lunches.
noblegiraffe · 04/01/2022 00:18

Depends on the notice.

Scarby9 · 04/01/2022 00:54

Yes. A school had to close for a major power outtage - lunches half cooked but couldn't provide packed lunches for 2000 at an hour's notice.
Lack of kitchen staff on the morning, perhaps with one more starting with symptoms, could cause a problem on that day.

Twinklingstarface · 04/01/2022 00:56

Well anything could happen really to close a school temporarily if you look at it that way. I’m sure if it did it would be brief. Let’s just hope for the best

Sirzy · 04/01/2022 05:23

@Twinklingstarface

Well anything could happen really to close a school temporarily if you look at it that way. I’m sure if it did it would be brief. Let’s just hope for the best
But each time it does even if brief it’s disruptive. Until now it’s been it’s pretty rare for it to happen but now we are looking at a lot more “short term” disruption and the impact of that will add up
motherrunner · 04/01/2022 06:11

We had to close my school in December 2020 as the site staff tested positive.

rrhuth · 04/01/2022 06:24

@Twinklingstarface

Well anything could happen really to close a school temporarily if you look at it that way. I’m sure if it did it would be brief. Let’s just hope for the best
'Let's just hope for the best' is fine if that's how you personally approach life but it isn't really a an acceptable strategy from government.
Sirzy · 04/01/2022 06:26

rrhuth someone needs to tell Boris Johnson that!

rrhuth · 04/01/2022 06:43

@Sirzy

rrhuth someone needs to tell Boris Johnson that!
I'm really concerned that we don't have a functioning government. It isn't about disagreeing with them, I'm used to that, it is that Johnson is not in charge.

Clearly no one has a plan, so we are blindly staggering on.

itsgettingweird · 04/01/2022 07:30

Idiot ex ofsted inspector now on itv saying creative and good HT with a positive attitude will keep schools open.

Basically setting the narrative that those who can't it's because they won't and don't want to and aren't good at their jobs.

Absolutely nothing about educating them. Or safety.

Sirzy · 04/01/2022 07:33

He was just showing how out of touch he is! If only positive attitudes could stop the spread.

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