Seriously, teaching assistants don't get paid enough

[BelleTheBeatnik]

Disclaimer: I think this is true for lots of professions and unfortunetly there's pretty much nowt all we can do about it for now, but...

Before my DC started school, I assumed TAs were the nursery nurses who pottered about the classroom, tidying books and overseeing the little one's colouring-in sessions. I now have three DC in primary school and realise just how underestimated they are. It's just dawned on me that the reason my DC get the support they do when they a) find some difficult and need extra help or b) excel in something and need a little 'push' to get them working at the next level, is because there is another adult in the room who can focus on either end of the academic spectrum when the teacher has to teach for the middle ones. I can't believe primary schools ever managed to provide challenging work for thirty children of varying abilities with just one teacher!

Teachers and TAs deserve a particularly good present this summer, I think.

Anyway, that's my soppy post done for the night.

And to cap it all, I only get 45 mins lunch, (which in reality is more like 20 minutes).

Im there every morning from 8:30 helping with a club ( unpaid) and rarely leave before 4pm. Plus all sorts of other things that I give my time for unpaid!

As I said...I love it!!!!!

Hi just to update this thread 2700 TAs and HLTAs are being sacked by Durham County Council on 31/12/2016 so they can change our contracts. We are at present paid for the days we work divided over 12 months but the council are stating we are paid fir 52 weeks and only work 44 weeks. Oh and are giving us 10% compensation upto £5000. I can assure everyone no one earns £50000. We work as hard as the teachers we do teach classes and small groups as well as working with SEN children. We work long after we are suppose to go home, we do discos, residentials, performances nativity the list is endless and we don't get paid overtime!
DerbyTAs are also suffering a similar fate.

We are expected to work on a contract that cuts our pay by 23% and expects us to work atleast 4 more hours a week.

Muzy
Is this on top of Single Status or are you the last county in the country to go through Single Status?

It is about single status which has taken a very long time to get sorted out by Durham CC. It should have been done years ago.
As with other LAs the reality is that you are paid for the hours worked under single status rules. All the jobs should have been re-evaluated as their grade and in many LAs some TAs have found the increase in pay for less hours matches the previous pay. You have also lost out in that many LAs put in a level of protection over 3 years at a time when the pay scales were going up annually. You will also not have been seeing much in the way of an annual pay rise, so have doubly lost out.
Can I suggest that you look very carefully at the grading scales and check that you are on the right scale for the work that you are doing. Ask for a re-appraisal of the work you carry out. Also you are paid for the hours worked - so if you are working more hours (overtime etc) then the school must paid that to you. This deal breaks both ways.

Isn't the point that there is a surplus supply of stay at home mums who are happy to take school hours jobs. Since no particular qualifications are required it is a low skilled job. If there was low supply the wage rate would be forced up - it is a supply demand curve.

"Isn't the point that there is a surplus supply of stay at home mums who are happy to take school hours jobs. Since no particular qualifications are required it is a low skilled job. If there was low supply the wage rate would be forced up "

I think this is a trend that's crept in across the country but it isn't true in schools in Durham. We wouldn't employ anyone below level 3 but that means we can't afford as many TAs as a school that is happy to employ someone regardless of qualifications and experience.
While parents are impressed by the number of adults in a classroom rather than question whether those people are trained or have the skills needed schools will continue to opt for quantity rather than quality and pay accordingly and unfortunately this is going to have a knock on effect for the qualified highly professional TAs like those in Durham. More bodies doesn't mean better education.

We work long after we are suppose to go home, we do discos, residentials, performances nativity the list is endless and we don't get paid overtime!

You do not have to do any unpaid hours OP. If you choose to (and many do) that is fine but if you are asked to do extra hours, you most certainly should be claiming overtime.

Also, you do not have to accept extra hours if asked, you are only obliged to work your contracted hours. So, for example, you do not have to go on a residential trip outside your contracted hours if you don't want to. Why are you working after you are supposed to go home?

I wish there are a like button. My children have had some excellent TAs who have really helped their confidence.

32.5 hours is full time in our county and they are wanting to increase that to 37 hours, with no extra pay may I add :(

Sorry I am new to this. I was trying to reply to someone and ended up posting here, so it may appear like a unconnected random post from the one above!