No class teacher one day a week - is this reasonable?

[DizzyMum]

My dd is in Y2 at a state school. Her class teacher does not work one day a week and this day is covered by another teacher. The class has two classroom assistants, one of whom is to support a child with SEN.

Now the teacher who provides the cover one day a week has gone on maternity leave and the two classroom assistants are to take the class on this day for the summer term. As one of these assistants is to support the child with SEN this effectively means a class of 31 is being taught by a classroom assistant one full day a week. Do you think this is an OK arrangement?

no I don't think its fine. I would raise with the school.

No it is not an OK arrangement. it is a money saving scheme thought up by headteacher. If enough parents make a fuss then he or she will think again and get a supply in. Alternatively they could always cover it themselves and take the class for that day?

Half a day? Yes. A whole day? No.

A different supply every week would be far more unsettling for the class than a good TA/HLTA who knows the children and what they've been working on all week. They are far more likely to have continuity with the TA than a supply who will most likely just 'fill-in' for the day. This assumes of course that the TA/HLTA is capable.

But surely it's possible to find one supply to cover maternity leave (as has happened for my DDs class for the summer term - or maybe they are just very lucky)

It's not so much the ability of the TA I'm questioning...more that the TA won't have a TA!

Of course it's not reasonable.
The TA who is employed to support the child(ren) with SEN is discounted, as she is there to do that specific role.
The fully qualified teachers normally have a TA to assist them - I can't believe that the school can then think it's reasonable for a TA (ie, not a qualified teacher), not only to teacher the class every week, but also to do it under much more difficult circumstances (ie - no assistant) than the teacher normally does.
Maternity leave is hardly a sudden/surprise leave - the school will have had plenty of time to find one person to cover these days for a term, if they had wanted to.

From the point of view of the parents, providing the teacher is doing 100% of the planning (as opposed to 4/5ths jobshare) I think the TAs are a much better option. From the point of view of the TA, she's being taken advantage of - paid peanuts and without the in-class support that the teacher gets.

When I say the parents' point of view I meant parents and children of course!

Legally a TA isn't allowed to teach the class.

The law says an infants class must be taught by a qualified teacher and
?School teachers? do not include teaching assistants, higher level teaching assistants or other support staff. However, support staff may carry out ?specified work?, such as delivering lessons to pupils, within infant classes in certain circumstances1. In each case:
?
the headteacher must be satisfied of the support staff?s skills, expertise and experience to carry out such work;
?
the work carried out must be in order to assist or support the work of a ?school teacher?; and
?
s/he must be subject to the direction and supervision of a ?school teacher?.

as she is replacing a teacher the TA isn't under the direct supervision

This is not allowed in Scotland. Only a registered teacher can take a class. Complain, complain, complain.

Not unless the head teacher is planning the lesson and supervising the TA which is a bit of a waste of the head's time (they may as well teach the class themself)

My ds's class is without the teacher for a day a week - afternoon of PPA as well as her SENCO afternoon.

He does ICT with a HLTA one afternoon as well as a small amount of time with the head, sports with an outside company contracted in for another.

Works fine for us.

Are you sure the TA isn't a qualified teacher? A lot of TAs at my DCs school are (they have small children and prefer not to have the responsibility of a class).

No the teacher doesn't have to be with them but the head doesn't count.

I think it is exploitation unless as mummytime says the TA is a teacher and the school pays them teacher's wages for the day instead of a third of the cost of supply.

I have been perfectly happy for our HLTA to take the class in a pinch with anpother TA known to the childrne from another class assisting. No problem. A HLTA with support from another TA who already has a job is not fair on anyone on a weekly basis for a whole term.

It's perfectly fine for a HLTA to do short term cover for absenteeism but maternity cover is planned absence and has clear rules who can cover.

The TA might be (often is) a qualified teacher.

(Sorry I see that point has already been made)

I wouldnt like it, but in these economic times, chances are the school isnt being funded for a backfill for the maternity cover, and if they bring in an agency person - then something else will have to not be spent/bought.

Its a simple case of economics, and you need to decide what you are happy for the school to give up if you complain.

Is the regular teacher returning in September?

And there is a possibility the TA doesnt see it as explotation, but as an excellent opportunity?

Really? Doing the work for a fraction of the pay ... excellent opportunity

I am a class TA and my HT covered for the class teacher once and said that I could teach and she would be my TA . I was not impressed!