TA teaching class, is this ok?

[Misssss]

I'm a teacher but not sure about this. Can't find a conclusive answer so asking here.

My goddaughter's excellent teacher left yesterday to go to a new school. A teacher is returning from mat leave and will teach the class in the mornings. The class has outside people to teach on one afternoon, and the head has stated that she will work with a TA to teach on the remaining afternoons. We were concerned about this as after being questioned the head stated that she would plan the lessons but she would not always be there so the TA would be delivering the lessons.

The TA in question does not have QTS nor is she a HLTA. Is she allowed to deliver lessons? The class is very challenging and we are concerned that it will fall into carnage. Any clarification will be greatly appreciated.

well if the TA is doing a good job then fine by me as a parent
I would rather good teaching from any quarter than poor teaching from qualified teachers
but am not a teacher, just a parent
having said that I have seen some TAs who make we wonder whether they should be delivering instruction

My mum is a HLTA and I know at the school she works at only HLTAs are able to take classes.
TAs would not be allowed to do so!

I have had the pleasure of working with two or three very talented TAs...2 went on to do the gtp and the other is now a hlta and is doing a very long winded route into teaching. If these people had been teaching they would have been better than some teachers I know! However, realistically there are some TAs that shouldn't be teaching whole class.

I wouldn't be happy with this with my daughter and it wouldn't happen in most schools.

I think her parents can write to the chair of governors if they have concerns about the standards of teaching, behaviour/classroom management etc. It sounds like the week will be quite disrupted with the class teacher only being there in the mornings. I would advise her parents to monitor their daughter's response to this change in staffing, noting any changes in her attitude to school as well as things like reading books not being changed etc if that happens. Not an ideal situation at all.

Also- just thinking about it from the TAs point of view. Will they be paid more? Are they accountable for children's progress in the same way teachers are? To be honest- it's a big job for a TA and they're not paid enough to take on this level of responsibility, whether they're able or not. You have to ask yourself why the school isn't finding a qualified teacher and I fear the answer would be financial :(

GW
does writing to the chair of governors really work for anything?

teachersaspirations - I think it depends on the chair. In some schools keeping the parents happy and the parents views are paramount. It's got to be better than doing nothing I feel!

I hate it when schools do this - it is a money saving exercise (obviously) but it is not fair on anyone. It is not fair on the children, or on the TA (who is paid to be a TA, and not a teacher).

In this particular scenario it is even worse, because it sounds like the children's education will be very fragmented. And with the best will in the world, no matter how excellent the TA is, they rarely have the background knowledge of the curriculum and children's learning to make them effective teachers.

As a parent I would be very cross if this is intended to be anything but a very temporary solution.

GW
I agree in principle, but it sometimes has the adverse affect/effect
Oak
Quality of the teaching is the most important I think
where my dcs go, one of the TAs is brilliant and could swap with the teacher no probs, and is better than some of the teachers
One of the TAs is appalling......................

I do think that schools are using them as a backdoor for cheaper teaching
In NZ they would not stand for it all

The trouble with the TA taking the class is that there isn't a TA to support her! Someone else might be drafted in but they won't necessarily know the class. This is why it's doubly difficult for a TA to cover a class. Also parents will just be waiting for her to slip up so they can go in and moan. By all means express your concerns to the HT but do it now before the new setup begins.