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.

bakingaddict Sat 19-Mar-16 08:49:19 It's right and proper that individual personal information that organisations hold about employees is not disclosed to all and sundry

Odd then that some schools do provide this sensitive, personal information on the school web site then:

www.york-house.com/info/50/staff-list/

callitdelta - only if you're in a controlled profession where you need registration and can be "struck off" for not meeting standards. Doctor, lawyers, nurses, and teachers are just a few that spring to mind.

If they were relevant to your role maybe? A nurse? Or a lawyer? Where a professional qualification and registration is expected.

I think the OP is just trying to establish if the TA is also a qualified teacher which is reasonable surely? It's not like she's asked for all exam results going back to her GCSEs.

In our school (secondary) we have TAs who are highly qualified as TAs, others who are educated to degree standard but we also have several with very poor qualifications who struggle to help pupils in the older year groups as they have few GCSEs themselves and are related to someone on SLT You certainly wouldn't want one of the latter responsible for teaching the class.

No

callitdelta7 Sat 19-Mar-16 08:53:58 I work with the public. I am good at my job. Would a client I interact with have the right to request the details of my qualifications?

When I was working my professional qualifications were always given after my name (BA Hons etc.) in all written communication. I think there are lots of professionals that do this.

I worked for a consultancy business, Bios. listing professional qualifications/experience for consultants were posted on the company web site. These were also sent out to all press contacts.

My DDs tutor has listed all their qualifications on the PATOSS web site.

I would say the head is right in so much that he doesnt hand out their qualifications to anyone, especially a person who's child isn't actually at the school.

I think a request for a meeting with the head and express your concerns and then listen to what he says. With ds school, I put a certain amount of trust into the head to make the right decisions for the school and then if i have a concern i will discuss it with the head.

IMO a head has too much riding on making the school a sucess to put someone who can't manage a class in charge of a class.

I would absolutely want to know if the person teaching my child was a qualified teacher, just as I'd want to know if the GP is a qualified doctor.

Unfortunately callit I wouldn't assume that. Some heads do not fill TA jobs as they would a teachers.
If this head is recruiting a TA for a teachers job he/ she may be

• employing someone with QTS who wants to get back into a teaching role
• employing someone on the cheap (and exploiting the TA)
• struggling to recruit in the current recruitment crisis

And if I had any doubts that the person about to stitch a gaping wound was qualified to do so I would definitely ask and expect to be given an immediate yes or no answer.

I don't quite know what you expect to do about it whether she has the qualifications you require of her or not. Clearly the head is happy with her.

I wouldn't want to be treated by an unqualified "doctor".
I wouldn't want to be represented by an unqualified "lawyer".
I wouldn't want my children taught by an unqualified "teacher".

I put the professions in quote marks as, obviously, if someone is not qualified as a doctor, they are not a doctor etc.

I would certainly expect to be told that people in professions such as these have qualifications. in fact, these are all disclosed on the relevant websites so I can see for myself.

OP does have the right to know if the TA holds any teaching qualifications or not. It isn't personal information- it is a professional qualification relevant to the profession she/he is doing. I would suspect that as the HT won't let you, the TA has no teaching qualifications. I would look for another school, even with the new legislation being brought in, you might as well try and find a school where the HT thinks teaching qualifications are important.

YANBU. I think its a perfectly reasonable question. I would also be concerned that the HT was reluctant to disclose basic info.

YANBU. I think its a perfectly reasonable question. I would also be concerned that the HT was reluctant to disclose basic info

I totally agree!

I would say it is relevant now so she can look for another school.

Is Mrs Smith a qualified teacher? Is a perfectly reasonable question that the headteacher should be able to answer immediately.