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?

I wouldn't care what the TA thought of it - 20% of your childs time in school for the rest of the year will (in all likelihood unless TA is actually a teacher - though none are at our school) be "taught" by someone who isn't trained to do so.

Yes an excellent opportunity, its a very tough job market out there, and to get promotion, this would provide excellent evidence of acting in a more senior capacity.

There is a possibility the TA may be studying/thinking of retraining or looking to the long term.

My DH is busy for example covering as many people as possible in work, including more senior staff, just in case there is talk of redundancies.

This for the TA may be a stepping stone to a higher graded post.

Said TA would have to be 'teaching' Literacy and Numeracy too......without a TA, as someone else has also pointed out.

The teacher should not be doing the planning if they are on maternity & the TA shouldn't have to! The school is giving the TA extra work to do so they can save money.

no tiggy, I was responding to the suggestions the TA is being exploited.

As I understand the posts, allthese, the other teacher who is covering the 4 days will be doing the planning, not the teacher on mat leave.

Its all well and good saying the school need to fund the day, but it will be hard to find someone to cover 1 day a week, unless they get someone agency who takes it then buggers off as soon as they get more hours.

Also as I already said, their budget is fixed, so the money will have to come from somewhere. I dont think 1 day a week, until September, this would bother me, thats why I asked when the teacher is coming back,

The teacher who is working 4 days doesn't have to plan for the fifth day doihavetonamechange it's in the workforce agreement.

Schools normally have "insurance" which covers the cost of employing someone during long term absence and maternity leave so it costs nothing.

Lots of TA's are very qualified - they choose to be TA's because it fits with their lifestyle choices. Lessons are not just thought up at the last minute. They are intricately planned by teachers and every day TA's "teach" what has been planned by their teachers. The clue is in the name - Teaching Assistant. TA's are not clueless, a danger to kids education, or in any way letting the kids they "teach" suffer a disadvantage, and many teachers would be stuffed without them. A good TA is such an asset - please don't jump to conclusions about his/her suitability. Many TA's I know can hold a class's attention and deliver a lesson better than qualified teacher. Remember the teachers have to lay out detailed plans of what is going to be taught and how it is to be taught - that is what they get payed for. TA's assist.

No one is suggesting they are clueless but it is against the law for a school to use them in this way pure and simple. The teacher isn't going to be there to lay out detailed plans she is going to be on maternity leave.

No way is that acceptable. It is not fair on the children, highly insulting to qualified teachers and frankly the TAs in question are fools if they have agreed to it. Kick up a big fuss!

Andnot true to say it would be difficult to get a qualified teacher for one day a week. Lots of my friends do supply and are more than happy to be offered a regularone day a week for a term, picking up other ad hoc work on other days. Anf the maternity pay will be being covered by insurance.
This would be acceptable if the fifth day was covered by other qualified tutors in other areas, eg. sports, music, etc supported by TA.

I work in public sector finance - albeit not education - that "insurance" - are you talking the. % added to cover mat/sick/ etc - it used to be 15% - it's been slashed to nothing where I am as part of cutbacks.

Mat leave just isn't backfilled now in our organisation.

Although I understand the not wanting a TA instead if a teacher - although I personally wouldn't mind - I don't get the objection to the school saving money - HT isn't going to spend it on himself is he - it's only going to go on the children.

kitkat but would they then take up a post with more hours if it became av.?

But would they be as eager to do supply if they had to plan? It sounds as if Op's teacher is a job-share.

No, actual insurance that schools take out to cover long term absence - triggered usually after 3 days.

Plans are not made on the 5th teacher less day.vThe teacher plans in advance.

If the TA holds the right qualifications it is not illegal. E.g HLTA.

It is quite an assumption that is being made that they will not be paid because the school is penny pinching....

I'm not a teacher BTW!

Interesting - do schools have to take it? Because I assume it's expensive.

It's essential, I would say - I worked with a Head who cancelled the insurance to save money, without telling the governors. The Y3 teacher broke her leg very badly, and the school had to cover the class for two terms, which is obviously very expensive. The Head very nearly lost his job over it.

I would be more concerned that the SEN TA is the only other adult in the class and should be supporting her child, not being a TA to the covering TA

Also, I'm a TA (HLTA) and believe you me, TA's won't cover classes if they don't think they can handle it.

It's expensive not to! We pay around £3000 per year for illness insurance for the teachers and Headteacher. As teachers are entitled to up to 6 months full and six months half pay in any year, this can be soon cost effective. Not that many teachers are off sick a lot, it just seems to be that if they are , it can be for lengthy periods! ( which is why the first few days aren't normally covered!) Plus as the majority of the workforce (especially in primary schools) are female, maternity leave is a possibility

Of course they wouldn't if they'd agree to cover for a set half term or full term. If it was a permanent post there would a term's notice of being appointed. Lots of teacher Mums like to have just one or two days' work and are not always on the look out for more hours other than on a temporary basis.

I can understand sickness insurance - because long term sick is unusual - and with robust sickness processes in place - minimal.

But maternity leave seems to be highly likely - I'm surprised it's covered by sickness insurance - you learn something new every day.

Nope-that wouldn't be acceptable to me.

I would be ringing my union if I taught that class Monday-Thursdays and they were expecting me to plan for Fridays as well!

The thing is, my child has a statement and is meant to have a TA for 17.5 hours a week, however it doesn't work like that so the TA in this situation meant for the SN child wouldn't be with just him for the allocated time....she would go to him/her when needed so in theory there are two TA's available. My kids school does what you have stated and it pisses me off tbh xx