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?

Many TA's I know can hold a class's attention and deliver a lesson better than qualified teacher.

If you are going to take that ridiculous view then what's the point of having any qualified teachers at all!?

There are an awful lot of "cheap" NQT teachers who haven't got a job who would jump at the chance to get a toe in the door so finding someone willing to do the job isn't a problem.

It's TAs - not TA's.

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.

Agreed-it is getting a 'teacher' on the cheap. Lots of qualified teachers, who don't want full time, would like the job. Raise it with the school. I wouldn't be happy.

It's a money saving scheme and it's shameful. And for the record, where I work none of the TA's are qualified teachers. They are totally different roles.

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

I fail to see how doing a teacher's job for a small fraction of the pay is 'an opportunity'-more someone who is being taken for a ride!

Threaten to tell the union - that'll make them think!

A full day every week is too much imo.

I am a TA (incidently also a qualified teacher). I get paid a TA wage and no more. My job is not to teach the full class full lessons regularly. I don't get paid enough to do that. Yes, it can be useful for gaining experience - but it is still taking advantage.

Now many TAs are very well qualified and are more than capable of doing this. But they shouldn't be doing it!

Whether or not they can legally is still very much a grey area. It depends on what level they are and how it is all worked out, who is doing the planning, if the TA is teaching or just delivering a pre-planned lesson, etc.

I am due to start my new role as a HLTA shortly and will cover PPA time for teachers throughout the school, but this will still not be a full day for one class every week, more like a couple of hours- half a day. Even this is a little borderline on the true role of a TA.

It really doesn't matter if the TA is a qualified teacher in the sense that if they are doing a teacher's role they should be paid a teacher's pay - even if it is just for one day a week.

Thanks to everyone who responded. I have now found out that the cover is being provided by an HLTA. Can anyone tell me if this is legal? My understanding is that HLTAs are supposed to support teachers and not replace them.

Can it be called "support" if you are teaching a class by yourself for a whole day a week for an entire term?

I am not questioning the ability of the HLTA, I am questioning whether providing this type of long term cover can be in her job description.

Thanks SchoolsNightmare. Very useful links

Legally I think it is still a grey area. I think it is legal but not recommended.

The statutory requirements are

The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (Sections 1- 4) provided that all schools with infant pupils must organise their Key Stage 1 classes to ensure that they contain no more than 30 pupils for all ordinary teaching sessions taught by a single qualified teacher

Ordinary teaching sessions - The only occasions where more than 30 pupils are permitted are music, drama and PE/games. Assemblies are also excluded from the class size limit.

I think the school would be breaking the law because the TA is teaching as a permanent arrangement rather than as an emergency measure

If a school was to use support staff instead of teachers to lead its infant groups, either as a permanent arrangement or for the majority of the school week on a regular basis, it would be in default of the statutory limit on infant class size.

Sorry this is a bit of a thread hijack, so mrz, my DS1 class, which is 31 pupils, with a TA alone every Monday afternoon (Yr1) is outwith the framework? Actually, if TA is not a qualified teacher, or not employed as such, then the class of 31 is a problem all week?

Were there 31 children in reception year who continued into Y1?
Is the TA covering the teachers PPA time?

Teacher is an NQT so i think it's her training time (not sure what it's actually called). There were 31 in his class last year, a different 31 this year (2 class intake,both classes have 31)

Then they are in breach of Infant Class Size limits