Teacher sickness covered by a TA

[Dinnertime22]

The TA has covered the class for the last three days while the teacher has been off sick. Has this changed as I recall a cover teacher was normally drafted in? Is the common practice?

Many of the schools I’ve known down the years won’t use supply agencies simply because some very poor “teachers” are on their books. They much prefer to cover from SLT (no moans I’ve seen) because these staff are known to the children and provide better continuity. Random supply teachers are just not used much. It’s also better for the budget if insurance kicks in later and SLT are aware of this. SLT might also cover for NQTs as well.

It is only academies and private schools who can employ unqualified teachers. However years ago I do know a school where there were overseas teachers who technically were not qualified, but were excellent. Exceptionally they could be employed. They were better than other applicants so they got the job.

Also, low budgets in the Shire counties were problematic way before 2010. You are lucky indeed if this is when your budget issues started!

Well, if that’s the case why does the UK even bother to train and hire teachers??!! You all seem to think that TA’s are good enough and more capable

We’re not saying they are more capable. We’re saying they’re perfectly capable of taking a class for a day if the normal teacher is ill.

Definitely not more capable. I’m able to deliver a lesson prepared by the teacher. I’m able to safely engage and supervise a class of 30 children and deal with their needs calmly and professionally. Teachers direct us. Teachers put in so much work, I walk away at 3.30. My teacher is fabulous and I do my best to support her.

For the 3 data before Christmas break this really wouldn't bother me at all at primary. I'm not sure my kids have had normal lessons last 3 days so not missing out

remember when teachers said that this would happen and posters, papers, MPs etc. told them to shut up and stop being work shy leftist whinging arseholes?

Welcome to exactly what you were told would happen.

@lilgreen you see my point is as a teacher in Ireland (where things are clearly very different I know!) I am able to safely engage and supervise a class of 30 children and deal with their needs calmly and professionally And I put in so much work, but I also on most days walk away at 3.30! Our planning/marking and “red tape” here in the Republic of Ireland is not as extensive and as demanding as it is in the U.K.!! Therefore we can be TEACHERS, we can actually do the job we signed up for and we don’t need another adult in the room to aid us or the students in any way! (Unless it is an SNA who is assigned to a certain child and the are only to assist that child with their work.

We are also extremely well paid (starting salary of 36k! And very well respected, I do feel sorry for U.K. teachers, and I’m not saying that TA’s are not good at their jobs (I’m sure most of them are!) but I also think that teacher in the U.K. get a raw deal and the TA’s come out with all the glory so to say.

Many schools including the one where I work have their own pool of teachers they can call on rather than use agencies.
For those saying TAs are capable of covering a class, that may be the case but if it's a maintained school they shouldn't be doing more than supervising the class (no teaching allowed) and do you really think they should be exploited ?

I have no glory. People think I wash paint pots all day.
My DD has a fantastic Irish teacher and she was working here because there were no jobs in Ireland for her. Guess people don’t leave as they have it so good.

I wouldn't say it's a new thing and a result of Tory Britain. It was happening when I was still teaching, and that's 12 years ago, under a labour government.
It's also been the run up to Christmas and they don't really do much work in the last two weeks, the kiddies are allowed to enjoy themselves in the festivities.
I'm happier with my children having somebody look after them who knows them. Why do a lot of you think TA's are second class citizens?

I’m a teacher and my HLTA is more than capable of covering if I am absent. She’s great. BUT if she’s being used in place of me then her usual jobs are not being done so children are given reduced support in lessons. It’s not like my TA is sitting twiddling her thumbs waiting for me to be off so that she can cover the class! If she covers then the readers are not heard, the phonics interventions don’t take place, the support in maths lessons doesn’t happen etc. So using her to cover me is all good in that she’s more than capable but no one is covering her.

and the TA gets paid a fraction of a teacher's wage ...exploitation!

Yep HLTA level 4 starts at £10.31ph in my county. TA is £9.55 so 76p extra to take responsibility for the whole class! If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t be doing it!

Why do a lot of you think TA's are second class citizens?

I’m not sure people think this, most just want their kids to be taught by a qualified teacher

I do supply. Often get offered TA work when the TA is used to cover a teacher because that's cheaper. Or get offered HLTA work which is exactly the same as s teacher but for half the pay. (I realise an employed HLTA might do different things day to day but as supply I notice no difference).

TA’s are not necessary though @TildaTurnip I have been teaching for 12 years and I have never had a TA

That is fairly unusual but even so, you’re obviously geared up not to have a TA. In classes that do RWI or have interventions planned or the TA is trained with specific knowledge to deal with a particular medical issue etc will be affected.

Letseatgrandma
I agree.
What I would say is there is a difference between being taught by a qualified teacher long term and a day or so absence where an existing competent and experienced member of the school team, who knows the class covers using material planned by a qualified teacher.

I think having TAs cover without the appropriate pay is morally wrong, but I'm not thinking in terms of pay, more in terms of what works best

We have a team of cover supervisors (common in many secondary schools) that we use rather than agency staff. For short term illness or courses they cover lessons planned by qualified staff. They know the students, they know the school, they know the systems and there's dialogue between the cover team and staff so any nonsense gets picked up. Students don't misbehave or act up for them because they know them. The result is that on the whole more work gets done with the cover supervisors than a qualified supply teacher who is in for the day (who may be a qualified teacher but not always a subject specialist anyway).

If I'm unwell for a day then in my experience I'd be more confident that my cover work is done properly done by our internal cover team than external supply, who can vary from the excellent to the 'not very good, decided to walk away from teaching in one school due to not wanting the pressure (understandably), but really only interested in being a warm body in the room for a day'.

If I'm unwell for a day then in my experience I'd be more confident that my cover work is done properly done by our internal cover team than external supply, who can vary from the excellent to the 'not very good, decided to walk away from teaching in one school due to not wanting the pressure (understandably), but really only interested in being a warm body in the room for a day'

Yes, I can see how that would work well in secondary.

In the primaries I’ve worked in recently, the HLTAs are not the experienced highly skilled, ex-teachers that people sometimes mention on here. They haven’t had any HLTA training and often haven’t worked at the school long-it’s just choosing someone who’s prepared to say yes and generally because they want the extra money (£1 an hour more?) as the TA basic salary is so abysmal.

I don’t think the quality of provision from these HLTAs (I’m talking about the ones I know) is a patch on a qualified teacher, but the school has a deficit budget and we can’t afford supply teachers!

What is cover supervision?
Cover supervision is needed for a teacher’s short-term absence from the classroom where the absence was not known about in advance. Pupils in these classes will carry out a pre-prepared exercise under supervision; no active teaching takes place. The duties of a cover supervisor can be summarised as:
• Supervising the work that has been set on the lesson plan provided, using the necessary resources that have also been provided.
• Managing the behaviour of pupils in line with the school’s behaviour policy.
• Responding to any questions that pupils might have about the process.
• Dealing with any immediate problems or emergencies in line with school policy and procedures.
• Collecting any completed work at the end of the lesson and returning it to the teacher.
• Reporting back as appropriate on any issues that arose during the lesson.

Nore a cover supervisor covers staff absence so there is no additional cost of supply. A much cheaper alternative

Oh and they teach

fedup21 It works well in secondary. We've had experienced TAs, HLTAs (when we actually had them in secondary usually for intervention in core departments), graduates seeking work experience to get into teaching, qualified teachers who don't want the stress of a teaching job etc be cover supervisors.
There's a lot of benefit in having people who know the school, are established, who are familiar with a lot of the topics taught etc. Within our cover team they try to play to their strengths too so usually if there's a maths/science cover then admin tend to put one person and another is brilliant at English/humanities cover so they tend to do more cover in those subjects.

I wouldn't want them to be used for long term cover, although that does happen in some schools, but it's why I'm wary of going down the route that for a day or two cover the qualified supply teacher is always the better option.

I'm a HLTA, I have no teaching or HLTA qualifications, in fact nothing to do with educating or childcare at all. I do have a degree, but not related. I am left solely in charge of a class one afternoon a week, plus any other time a teacher is off for any reason. Fortunately I feel that I and my fellow equally unqualified HLTAs are more than capable, but that is pure luck.
In the 7 years I have worked in schools I have seen funding cut more and more, the diffrence between now and just 7 years ago is huge. This influences everything from how may glue sticks and pencils you can order to how the school can afford to cover teaching staff. It's appalling.
When I tell people I'm a TA they presume for my £10ph I'm listening to readers, cleaning the classroom etc. not doing the work of a qualified teacher for a third of the pay.

Piece "cover supervision" is exactly what a TA (HLTA or supply teacher) is doing when a teacher is unexpectedly absent.

"All schools must have an effective cover policy that establishes a strategy for dealing with planned and unplanned absences of teachers, as well as defining the roles and responsibilities of support staff members who may be asked to provide cover. This will ensure that cover can be arranged in a speedy and appropriate way.
In addition, schools should ensure that cover is only undertaken by those support staff with appropriate levels of skills, status and experience, that any necessary training is provided, and that the staff concerned are appropriately remunerated."

"Oh and they teach" oh then they are breaking the workforce agreement because they shouldn't be