1:1 teaching assistant role not enjoyble

[potterland31]

I have been in my current role a few years now, I initially was expecting to be a class TA, this was the case for my first 6 months. However after that I've constantly been put with extremely difficult children, one or two that have caused me severe stress. This year I've been put with 4 different children all 1:1 at varied times, there are still issues. However, my main problem is how I'm not enjoying being a 1;1, I know this how schools can work now with budgets. But when you see other staff not being made to and almost being able to dictate who they work with, it makes me so angry. My only motivation is the holidays and hours. I don't want to give the job up because I would miss that and it motivates me somewhat. I'm feeling bored because the class teacher doesn't really help much, no SLT. For me it's teaching assistants who make the progress not the teachers, yet we get no recognition so it is demoralising. I've come back this week and I'm counting down until the summer holidays, I've just had enough. But I honestly wouldn't know what else to do.

Have you spoke to anyone about it? Or could you apply for a different TA role in another school? I also TA and my day is so varied everyday

You make the progress not the teachers? 🤔

With the Sen kid specifically the op means. And yes that’s my experience of my son’s education.

i couldnt do it op.

I agree with you op, good TAs are worth their weight in gold and don’t get anywhere near enough appreciation!

At the moment TAs are very much in demand and in short supply so you would probably find another school easily. It doesn’t sound like your current school are treating you well…why not have a look around?

I also work in a school. Discuss how you're feeling with someone in SLT. Have you already expressed to them thst you would like to be moved to a position as a class TA? Do this ASAP if you haven't already, before the timetables for September are finalised. You need to voice how you feel, "I would really like a varied role from September onwards - I need a change from being a 1:1 after doing this for the last X years."

In my last school, the TAs who were vocal got what they wanted, the TAs who didn't want to cause a fuss were given the difficult 1:1 roles that everybody else wanted to swerve.

At least if you express your wishes, and these are ignored, you might have time to apply for a role in another school for a September start.

Hi OP, I also work in a school doing 1:1 work. I used to be a teacher and I do know what you mean about feeling like you're on your own with it. I'm 1:1 at the moment and my child is out of class all the time so his actual teacher isnt involved at all and this is the case for several high needs children in our school. It is hard, i know. I think with budget constraints the general TA jobs are harder to come by and often the 1:1 TAs are both 1:1 and assisting the teacher.
If you do have general class TAs at your school, definitely speak to the head about September. They wouldn't put you with high needs, challenging children if they didn't think you were very capable so I think if you are vocal they will listen because they won't want to lose you.

Definitely speak to SLT soon before they start thinking about TA allocations for next year. Also look at other schools, but you could also look at term-time only contracts in your Local Authority

The Blatchford Report was written for these situations. It identified that children with 1:1 TAs did less well than equivalent children with lower amounts of 1:1 - not because of the TA but because of the teacher. Those children spent large amounts of time outside class with no teacher interaction, and also had fewer interactions with the teacher overall. There was too much emphasis on 1:1 TAs helping children do their work, work that was not properly accessible . The recommendation was that teachers are still in charge of SEND children and should still be setting appropriate differentiated work. TAs were more effective when delivering interventions or for things like prompting distracted children and early behavioural intervention ; they should not be velcroed beside a child. They also said regular meetings to feedback from TA to teacher about how the child had accessed bits of work and from teacher to TA regarding the plan for the next day would be helpful.

Armed with this info could you discuss with your teacher or the senco?

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/news/eef-blog-the-impact-of-teaching-assistants-a-holistic-picture#:~:text=A%20key%20study%20on%20the,pupils%20receiving%20less%20TA%20support.

Depending where you are, TAs are not in short supply - I am inundated daily with emails from agencies but we don't have general TAs anymore and all those who were previously are redeployed as LSAs other than HLTAs.
OP I know the job is hard, my LSAs are worth their weight in gold, but this is the reality of the job now. It doesn't sound like you are managed well within that though, so it's both the role and line management that are the issue. If management is poor, that won't change in a hurry, so better to look elsewhere.

At the moment TAs are very much in demand and in short supply so you would probably find another school easily.

That is absolutely not the case where I am. Most schools have restructured and got rid of virtually all class TAs due to budget constraints.

We just have high need pupils with EHCP funding who have been allocated specific support for them. This isn't funding that can be used for generic group interventions but is absolutely needed to keep that-often non verbal- child safe...changing nappies, hoisting them, PECS, doing 1:1 intensive interaction etc

I've just looked on the local jobs website-there are hundreds of support staff jobs but they are all 1:1s.

My only motivation is the holidays and hours

It's teaching assistants who make the progress not the teachers

Maybe be careful with views like that, it might show.

Their never with the teacher, so I do all the work with them.

They don't listen we're all being made to work 1:1, yet one person who has never had to yet again gets the easiest year group and it's out of order.

I hear you Op! You have my sympathies, schools are an absolute sh!t show atm. From what I’m seeing is all the qualified TAs are leaving the profession and as nice as lovely as they are the jobs are being given to unqualified school mums who are nice people but don’t have a clue about teaching or the curriculum, these people are being given the classroom jobs and the qualified TAs being given the job of 1:1

I stand corrected then, they’re like gold dust here although in fairness the old style general TA has pretty much gone and all TAs support SEND needs.
Our schools try to avoid attached 1-1s if at all possible and adults rotate around the support. Otherwise it’s incredibly draining.

Op would you consider working in a special school?
Although it’s still very much SEND support you do tend to work much more as a team.