Primary class with no class teacher

[PansyIvy]

My daughter is in Year 1. Her class teacher left the school with little notice this term. The plan is for a TA to cover the class for the last two weeks of term and recruit a new teacher for January. I don’t know how easy the role will be to fill (or difficult).

Should the class not have a teacher for these two weeks? Are there statutory requirements for primary classes to have teachers? My daughter missed half of her Reception year due to school closures, and it has been difficult enough to settle her back in, and now we have further disruption to deal with...

I’m not sure what to do, how much impact this will have, and whether we should try to move her to another school. What would you do in these circumstances?

If an academy, teachers don’t have to be qualified.
We use our TAs to cover wherever possible. They know the children and the routines of the school and class and do an amazing job.

Oh OP, laughing at your innocence! Bless you.

As a former primary teacher who mostly did supply, I can tell you every school I've been in, the kids do next to no work for the week or two before Christmas anyway. It's mostly craft, colouring and DVDs, while the adults get the classroom and cupboards sorted.

Your DC will be fine. Depending on the size of the school, there are probably parallel classes in the same year group and their teachers will share planning and resources and advise where needed.

The people talking about not much work happening in the last couple of weeks before Christmas are right to an extent, but I know that most of that, in previous years, may be due to Christmas plays which take up huge swathes of time in rehearsals. They won't be happening this year, so I would assume that maths and English will be carrying on a usual with maybe more Christmassy activities in the afternoons. It is all learning. Doing arts and crafts is still learning!

The fact that schools can't afford supply teachers is the real scandal. It's a scandal for the children, for the TAs, who would be teachers if that's what they really wanted to be, and for the thousands of supply teachers, who are ready and willing and getting no work coming their way.

This is the result of underfunding in schools, which has been going on for years and which people need to be more aware of and campaigning about.

Your DC will be fine. Nearly every TA I have ever worked with has been utterly tremendous. They know the school and the children and have heaps of experience. They will have seen hundreds of teachers - good, bad and indifferent - and will have learned so much about how to get the best out of the pupils. The school will have thought hard about how competent that particular TA is and I have no doubt they will manage brilliantly.

It is not fair on the TA, though. It is a different job with different pressures. I am going to hope that all of the extra assessments and paperwork that are required at the end of a term are not going to land on them, but wouldn't be at al surprised if they were suddenly expected to do all of the extra admin too. It isn't their job. It's not fair.

Everyone is having to be flexible at the moment - including parents. Try to support the school and your own DC. They will be fine, though. They will not stop learning.

@Motherhubbardinthecellar

Well their job title is still a TA. So it would be the TA teaching the class.
Don't be so pedantic.

Lots of schools do illness insurance and that covers for supply after two weeks. A teacher leaving at a non standard time is different and lots of schools use the head/deputy and TAs.

I’m so glad my DDs went to schools where teachers taught before Christmas as well as doing fun things in the afternoon. Perhaps that’s why DC around here do well in national
league tables? High expectations go a long way! My DDs never ever spent weeks doing little or no learning. I applaud their teachers for that.

For the last 2 weeks of term (and in general) it is less disruptive for the children to have a known TA for 2 weeks than a new supply teacher and then another new teacher in the new year. That's not knocking supply teachers, Ive worked as supply, the class teacher and now a TA.

As long as the TA is grade 3 or 4 then they can't cover short term absences.

TA responsibility and pay is another kettle of fish and the majority are overworked and underpaid.

@itispersonal

For the last 2 weeks of term (and in general) it is less disruptive for the children to have a known TA for 2 weeks than a new supply teacher and then another new teacher in the new year. That's not knocking supply teachers, Ive worked as supply, the class teacher and now a TA.

As long as the TA is grade 3 or 4 then they can't cover short term absences.

TA responsibility and pay is another kettle of fish and the majority are overworked and underpaid.

Can not can't!

Teacher here.
Yes they should have a teacher - it is statutory. There are many supply teachers out there looking for work, the school should be getting one in. To not do so is purely a cost saving exercise. its irrelevant that its the last 2 weeks before the end of term.
I would email the head and cc in the chair of govs, and ask for their justification for not having a supply teacher in. No doubt they will give you some waffle about supply staff not knowing the kids.

@itispersonal

For the last 2 weeks of term (and in general) it is less disruptive for the children to have a known TA for 2 weeks than a new supply teacher and then another new teacher in the new year. That's not knocking supply teachers, Ive worked as supply, the class teacher and now a TA.

As long as the TA is grade 3 or 4 then they can't cover short term absences.

TA responsibility and pay is another kettle of fish and the majority are overworked and underpaid.

That is only for unexpected absences ie 1 day, not 2 weeks.

We would be expected to cover for a few weeks if necessary.

@annie987

If an academy, teachers don’t have to be qualified. We use our TAs to cover wherever possible. They know the children and the routines of the school and class and do an amazing job.

This is just typical of schools finding the loophole that was never meant to be. Allowing unqualified teachers to teach was so experts in their field could teach without having to gain QTS eg scientists, artists etc and surely aimed at secondary level not primary level. Makes me so mad for TAs everywhere. National framework of standards, terms and pay are desperately needed and was what some of us fought for several years ago to be told at the last minute it was not needed. Aaargh! Sorry for slight derail.

Yes, the school can do it. Should they? Probably not, but they are saving money. They could get a supply teacher but they are choosing not to. The reality is that the TA could do a decent job, but a TA is generally someone who works on specific tasks with a small group of children. They might cover the odd lesson while the teacher takes their prep time. This would usually be while the class does art or music or something other than maths and English. I suppose the advantage is that the TA knows the class well. Getting a new teacher in time for January is going to be challenging. I would wait and see. If they don't put someone in place in Jan, I would be asking why they haven't found a supply teacher.

Are you sure the TA doesn't hold qualified teacher status? Quite a few at my school do, and have stepped in in the past to cover classes where teachers have left/had extended time off work. They have chosen to be employed as support staff due to family circumstances mostly, and are perfectly able to plan, assess, and manage the class.

I'm a teacher and would prefer my LSA to take over if I was indisposed. She knows the children, their needs, levels and our routines.

The LSA won't be left. She'll have support and should have someone else in the classroom with her.

I have worked alongside some awful supply teachers and as a school this is our last resort at the moment since our regular supply retired.