We scrapped the name TA and use LSA - learning support assistant. It was to move away from the use of TAs to just be doing sticking in, filing, sorting, photocopying, etc. Instead it was to focus more on the roles they are best at doing (for our school) - supporting learning (of the pupils.)
In a morning for our school this is supporting in class for English, Maths, Phonics and Handwriting primarily, though my include other things. The LSA works with various groups - try not to be just the same group every time, or the same child/ren (unless a specific 1:1) so they all work with a teacher, an LSA or independently throughout the week.
Our LSAs obviously do still do some photocopying and sorting roles, but so do the teachers.
In an afternoon our LSAs tend to do interventions across the key stage, for individuals or small groups, sometimes in class and sometimes outside of class. Our LSAs are usually trained in specific interventions so will often focus on those. This is continuous CPD though so varies.
All of our LSAs run a lunch time club once a week, and they all do between 1 and 3 playtime duties (am and pm, not lunch time) as do the teachers.
We do have some flexibility in the roles to fit in with our school day to day needs. We have a mix of level 1 to level 3 LSAs (plus two level 4 HLTAs but their roles are distinctly different) and each class in school has a named LSA attached to their class.
Re the questions in the OP:
Do you lead low attaining groups on a daily basis?
- can be differing abilities, in different subjects. Some in class, some small group or 1:1 interventions
If so, how many?
- again varies; in class support every morning for most of our LSAs, between 1-4 interventions in an afternoon
Do you get lesson plans for you to deliver to groups?
- our LSAs tend to follow specific interventions that have often be bought in or developed my local agencies working with children with differing needs. These are then followed by LSAs, following training. It would be unusual for them to have to develop their own but it sometimes happens if there is a need. They are given time to develop them.
Do you prep outside class?
- All of LSAs can some time out of class to plan, prep and sort resources and interventions. This is timetabled but they are all fairly flexible. However, some also do some work outside of paid hours too. This is not expected or demanded of them however.
Do you mark books?
- usually if an LSA has worked with a group then they will mark that piece of work, using the schools marking policy. They don't tend to do the deep marking however, and also the class teacher will normally have a look over the work anyway ready for them to plan follow up lessons. The LSA and teacher will usually have a chat about progress after a session anyway.
Our HLTAs have different roles entirely so that would be very different.