Headteacher won't disclose qualifications of TA

[AStreetcarNamedBob]

My son starts reception in January and it's a long story but the "teacher" is actually a TA

I've emailed the head master and asked to know what Mrs Xs qualifications are (ie QTS or NVQ level 3 or whatever)

He has refused to disclose saying that he won't discuss his staff without a good reason. Apparently the fact that my son is going to be entrusted to this women for 6 hours a day is not a good enough reason to be told her qualifications.

Would this surprise you? Does it seem an unreasonable question. The head is acting as shocked as if I were asking something personal like what colour pants she wears.

All I wanted was a response saying Mrs X holds a level X in early years studies or something.

Next time I visit my bank I'm going to ask the cashier what she got in her maths GCSE.

See what reaction I get....

You counteract a cashier's miscalculation by doing the sums yourself and counting the cash. How do you counteract your child's first year in school turning out to be a horrible experience? Mind you, qualifications are no guarantee either.

Don't be ridiculous, that isn't remotely the same.

Since the OP has good reason to believe the teacher doesn't hold the qualification she should have, it's quite reasonable to ask if she's qualified. It's a simple question with a simple answer. It isn't like the OP is asking what degree classification she has.

I've had confirmation after taking it higher up that she is employed as a teaching assistant. They said there were "crossed wires" which is why I was repeatedly told they couldn't tell me this

In my opinion she therefore shouldn't be the sole adult in the reception class

Obviously a lot of people on this thread disagree with me

Sorry it was clarified that she is the lower class of teaching assistant with a requirement of NVQ level 2, and not a HLTA which the school has verbally told parents in the past (which would require a NVQ level 5)

I think it's fair, the Head makes the decision about who is suitable to teach and you need to trust that, unless there's an actual problem. If you're unhappy with her performance then, yeah, complain, but just based on her qualifications? That's nothing to do with you

I am a teacher and do see that parents should not generally have an influence on a staffing decision- that is the managements job.

However in this case the teacher is not a qualified teacher- not even close. Would you be happy for a dental hygienist to do your filling? Or a theatre nurse to operate on you? If not you shouldn't be happy with this either. No matter how good they are at the job they are qualified for, they are not qualified for this one. It is also pure exploitation of the TA who is being paid a pittance to do a job which is rightly remunerated at a much higher level due to the extra responsibilities and duties it entails.

There is no legal requirement that a cashier have a maths GCSE though it is likely they have. On the other hand the mortgage advisor, who is required to have a qualification, displays it prominently, and if someone unqualified at the bank tried to give me mortgage advice I'd be well within my rights to complain.

I would want to know too OP and the answer would aid my decision as to whether to send DC there or not.

Or to request to see a qualified person instead, which in effect is what OP wants to do isn't it?

That's basically it - your only choice is whether to send the child to that school or not. You have no say in the management, running or recruitment policy of a school.

I'd question also whether a headteacher can release details of a member of staff's qualifications under data protection.

If I were head I'd tell her to do one......

Difficult to make that decision if you don't have the information though.

I don't see the ICO having any issue with releasing the level of a professional's qualification.

I thought level 2 have to be supervised by at least a level 3 worker.
They do in the nurseries round here.
You can't manage a room with less than level 3 unless this has changed.
Surely, you can't be responsible for a class with just a level 2 qualification.

Why should a teachers qualifications be a secret? Without wanting to sound out of order but no doubt I will It's a service at the end of the day. In theory we are entrusting our Dc's future in the hands of these people, why should it be a secret if they have enough training to do the job? This information would be freely available from most services to help you decide if it's the right one, so what's so different with a school?

I was often asked what my qualifications were. As a SENCo, parents were often concerned that their children with additional needs would be in the care of someone with knowledge and experience in the area.

My response was always, that I have QTS, with post graduate qualifications in SpLD and other specialisms. I don't think that was unreasonable, but I wouldn't feel it necessary to be more specific. I don't think that they enquired about the qualifications of maths, English, science etc teachers.

I would hope that any TA with a level 2 qualification, had extensive experience at the very least. I wouldn't be happy though, that even an experienced practitioner had the underlying knowledge and pedagogy to support it. HLTA qualification requires a certain amount of classroom teaching in order to achieve it, so would be preferable IMO.

I can see why management would prefer not to publish the qualifications of the staff. It could be used against them e.g a history teacher teaching something other than their first subject, but in general terms, I wouldn't mind anyone knowing that I am qualified, but not the specifics.

However, when schools are academised, there will be no question that schools will be able to employ many more unqualified staff. That's not to say they will be ineffective, just that QTS means that you have studied theory and practice in depth and have achieved the appropriate level. And before I get flamed, I know that TAs may well have studied theory and practice too, but not necessarily in the way that QTS requires.

So is it really just the heads discretion? You don't have to be qualified?

Could the head put the dinner lady in to run a class if he was happy that she was a great women?

Genuine question - I assumed (dangerous to assume I know!) that there were policies and legislation on who could have sole charge of a class.

There are in state run schools but not in academies or private schools. Unfortunately with all schools becoming academies this is one of the things we are bound to see increasing

It's a state run school

onelasttry it's not that it's a secret! It's that it's the school's responsibility to employ the best person for the job and that is what they will do. Why wouldn't they?! If the only person they can get is not as well-qualified as you would like, then what do you expect them to do about it? Marching up to the school and demanding to know the teacher's qualifications is utterly pointless and implies that you know better than the headteacher how to recruit teachers! Schools would love to employ loads of vastly experienced staff with excellent qualifications. Sadly, many of us are quitting the profession in disgust, and jobs (even in good schools) are not attracting many applicants.

All part of the privatisation of education. One way of saving money on the education budget is to make state schools so crap that anyone who can possibly afford it sends their children to private education. Mexico' (where I live) has been employing that policy for over thirty years, the same with healthcare.

you are a nightmare your kids are probably really embarressed by you

are teachers in the UK not required to have gov approved qualifications?My dd did a post degree teaching training year at the Uni of London. Is this not what is required?

At the moment teachers in state maintained schools are expected to have qualified teacher status and schools should employ enough qualified teachers to ensure every child is taught by a teacher not by a teaching assistant.
I think parents have the right to question whether their child is being taught by a teacher. Yes there are some excellent TAs out there but they aren't paid to teach and are being exploited by some heads.

I thought an nvq level 3 in childcare meant you could be a teacher in early years. I have also been told (no idea if its true) that only a senco needs to be a qualified teacher. Everyone else doesnt need to be a qualified teacher

An EY teacher needs a level 6 qualification