Can a school do this? HLTA covering class issue.

[hope84]

DD (PFB) is in year 2. Her current teacher is obviously following a teacher training programme as she is going to be spending 2 weeks at another school. We have been advised that a HLTA is covering for 6 of the 10 days.
Is this acceptable?
Also posted in education.

They shouldn't really - should only be small groups. However, it is becoming more and more common. In secondary they have cover supervisors who other than a CRB check need no qualifications. At least in this case the HLTA knows the group.

When my daughter was in y2 they had a HLTA every Friday for a year as their teacher was part-time only. I was told that the HLTA could have a class so long as the work was set and prepared by the teacher. Still, I'm pretty certain the rules were being flaunted at our school !

HLTA's can plan and prepare their own work. In theory they should not be used to cover planned long term absences but there are no rules as to what is considered long term, each school will have it's own ideas!

According to the NUT

HLTAs will provide short-term cover where a Supply/cover teacher cannot be secured
.
The 3 day limit applies to an individual teachers? absence. An HLTA may cover for longer than this for a number of different teachers.