Classroom assistants - or lack of!

[Babygirlsmum01]

Could anyone tell me whether their local authority has done away with classroom assistants and instead, have streamed the class into 4 groups, with the most able group of children supporting or coaching the less able groups? There is word that our local authority in Scotland will be encouraging our local primary school to use this method to support the class teachers after the support staff are made redundant. I just want to know where else such a scheme is in operation and what the results have been. Many thanks

I've heard of needing to save money, but having the children teaching each other is going a bit far! I hope NHS managers aren't reading this list. If you see a patient heading towards your bed with a face mask and a scalpel, run for it!

In England a school is free to spend their budget however they choose.

They could spend it on 3 teachers and 3 TAs, or 4 teachers and no TAs, or any other combination they wanted to.

Certainly in England it's not something the local authority would have any control over.

(Although I think Scottish local authorities do get more say on how Scottish schools are run, then English schools do)