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Original poster

HLTA as the class teacher

67 replies

ChristmasTreeRock · 12/12/2021 14:48

My junior aged child will not have a teacher with QTS for at least a term, due to school apparently being unable to replace a retiring teacher. A HLTA is going to take the class. Now I know nothing of their own qualifications, but is this legal? School is not an academy. Quite concerned after two years without being in school full-time.

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TizerorFizz · 12/12/2021 15:08

Personally I would be very unhappy. Do you have a teaching deputy? Or non teaching? However sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t though. Any teacher who isn’t wanted elsewhere isn’t good for your school and the school clearly isn’t confident in who might be available. They also presumably don’t want a supply teacher and don’t even have a teacher who works supply for them who could step in until they find a teacher. That’s poor planning when you know a teacher is retiring.

If there is a non teaching deputy I would expect them to teach.

LethargicActress · 12/12/2021 18:17

It’s not ideal, and it’s very exploitative on the HLTA, but it doesn’t have to be the worst thing that could happen. The problem is that you have no idea about this persons experience, but it is likely that they will be competent enough to do a good job at delivering decent lessons. Especially considering even teachers are often following prescribed schemes anyway. It’s all the other stuff that goes along with teaching where their experience will be lacking, but it’s likely they will get a lot of support from other staff and SLT.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 12/12/2021 18:21

Hopefully the HLTA will be getting paid a teachers wage!

TizerorFizz · 12/12/2021 18:34

If a HTLA can do this job why do we need teachers? The training teachers get should be above and beyond. The school management are at fault in this.

Original poster
ChristmasTreeRock · 12/12/2021 23:08

Yes it is true I know nothing about the HOTA except they do not have qualified teacher status, nor are they under a training programme to qualify as a teacher. However, the other classes in the year group will all have qualified teachers and frankly after two disturbed years I am disappointed that they have not secured a teacher in this school ( a good Ofsted for many years).

It appears acceptable to many ( unless it is your own child) it seems.

Now off to search for private tutors, sigh, to make sure my child is taught what is necessary. As no, after some contact with this HLTA, I have little confidence in their ability. Well, their marking is not to a standard I would accept ( hard when one is in the same profession!)

I am sure a private tutor for literacy will solve any gaps and I can cover the maths and science myself. I would just rather not have to.

I suppose if the teacher didn’t inform the school of their retirement in good time it is an issue.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChristmasTreeRock · 12/12/2021 23:09

@TizerorFizz sadly the deputy teaches part-time.

OP posts:
PeachesPumpkin · 12/12/2021 23:11

Trouble is no one wants to be a teacher at the moment - massive stress, very long working hours, lots of negative press and unsafe working conditions,

Veryverycalmnow · 12/12/2021 23:12

As a HLTA with years of teaching experience and training I'd rather my DS had a HLTA than a NQT. I would question it with management if you're bothered, but don't assume this is a bad thing

Veryverycalmnow · 12/12/2021 23:14

As long as it is for just a term...

Notwithittoday · 12/12/2021 23:15

They should be able to fill that role. There’s thousands of primary nqts with no jobs. They train too many of them for the amount of jobs around. Have they even advertised? I would ask.

TizerorFizz · 12/12/2021 23:23

I’d rather be a teacher than a nurse!

If there are several classes in the year group then the teachers could team teach so no class had the HLTA all day, every day. The teachers that are there should teach all the classes and a total be devised. The deputy or even the Head should step up.

Teachers have resignation dates. When retiring a teacher needs to give notice to trigger their pension. The school, if managing staff, should know who is likely to retire and when. If the teacher has walked out, that is different. Every head should know when staff are retiring or what does that say about their relationship?

It is not easy to recruit at short notice at this time of year. So the Head should have known about the retirement and planned. Request team teaching to be organised for the year group.

Mocara · 13/12/2021 00:02

One would imagine when one is the same profession one might have a more open and supportive mind ! sigh ........
Your right you know nothing about HLTA status ,how do you know she doesnt have the qualifications to do the job either ?.
I know many teachers that have taken HLTA roles so that they can enjoy teaching with out the stress. I also know HLTA's who are working towards QTS.
As one who works in the profession partly as a HLTA I am more qualified in my specialist subject than the teachers are. Attend all teacher training/meeting/planning for all subjects for consistancy of quality and assessed at the same level . Have many years of experiance across primary schools plus currently DSL, Governer , Attendance and Pastoral Lead and a member of the leadership team.We all were many many hats .
Maybe if you had paused before you looked down your nose at her , and considered supporting her you might not be looking for tutors for your poor child. Had you also considered your childs well being you might have realised that in most cases a HLTA known to the children is the least disruptive , most consistant and positive step a school can take.
Home schooling sounds like a perfect fit for you.

Skeumorph · 13/12/2021 00:20

*You’re

*wear

*without

*HLTAs - plural has no apostrophe.

*experience

*consistent

*child’s

*an ellipsis consists of three dots (or periods), not as many as you think is needed to get your dramatic point across.

No point in using as many big professional words as possible without getting the detail right. It creates the opposite impression to the one intended.

You may have your specialist experience, but I wouldn’t want you teaching my child with that level of literacy. And no, it’s not all autocorrect or ‘fast typing’.

Apologies for the narky post, but your homeschooling comment - in the context of your error-ridden word salad - was laughable.

TeddyBeans · 13/12/2021 06:19

Our HLTAs do our PPA cover and you wouldn't notice the difference. Basically the only difference between a TA and a teacher is the wages and having to do the planning/assessment.

You'll probably find the other teacher(s) in the yeargroup has done the planning and the HLTA just has to apply the lessons which is very much in the remit of their job

FallonCarringtonWannabe · 13/12/2021 06:23

@Skeumorph

*You’re

*wear

*without

*HLTAs - plural has no apostrophe.

*experience

*consistent

*child’s

*an ellipsis consists of three dots (or periods), not as many as you think is needed to get your dramatic point across.

No point in using as many big professional words as possible without getting the detail right. It creates the opposite impression to the one intended.

You may have your specialist experience, but I wouldn’t want you teaching my child with that level of literacy. And no, it’s not all autocorrect or ‘fast typing’.

Apologies for the narky post, but your homeschooling comment - in the context of your error-ridden word salad - was laughable.

I thought the same. It really made me cringe reading that.
MyOtherProfile · 13/12/2021 06:26

The school will have had plenty of notice of the retirement. The notice period is long enough to recruit. Are you in a particularly tough area?

I wouldn't be too worried about the HLTA if they're part of a year group team doing the planning and discussing it all together - if it was very short term. I think I'd want to know why they haven't recruited.

MyOtherProfile · 13/12/2021 06:26

It may well be a money saver.

Cattitudes · 13/12/2021 06:34

after some contact with this HLTA, I have little confidence in their ability. Well, their marking is not to a standard I would accept

I think this is more pertinent than their qualification status. My dc have had some really good HLTAs and some poor NQTs, there has been the occasional poor more experienced teacher, but rarer. Some dc just seem to be unlucky with teachers. One of mine only had five teachers throughout primary another one had that by the end of yr1.

Iamnotthe1 · 13/12/2021 06:50

I used to work in a school that did this. A teacher left at Christmas and was replaced with a HLTA. She was paid as an unqualified teacher and that seemed to make it above board as far as SLT and the governing body were concerned. In reality, it meant that the remaining teachers in the phase had to plan and resource her lessons, review her assessments, etc. adding significant pressure to their workloads.

The kids also missed out, which was clear to see once the children moved on to the following year group and there were noticeable differences between children who came from each class.

A strong HLTA or TA is worth their weight in gold but it's not the same as having a qualified and experienced teacher in the room: the roles are too different.

TizerorFizz · 13/12/2021 06:51

@ChristmasTreeRock
Ignore the grammar criticisms. We all make phone errors!

I don’t see why teachers are not allowed to say someone else in charge of a class nay not be good enough. I think generalising about all these highly qualified HLTAs out there is just that - a generalisation. I’ve never met a teacher doing this job. I’ve heard a few do but if that’s not the case for your DC it’s a pointless comment!

The points made also completely ignore the fact that planning must be based on assessment. Who is doing the assessment? Who will change the teaching plans if necessary? Or will teaching plough on without any assessment at all? This is why I strongly think the teachers in the other classes should organise the timetable to ensure they also teach your class. Plus the DH for some lessons. It takes work to do this but it depends if the teaching profession values itself. I would like to think there was a professionalism that meant no class was not taught effectively.

Mumdiva99 · 13/12/2021 06:51

@Notwithittoday

They should be able to fill that role. There’s thousands of primary nqts with no jobs. They train too many of them for the amount of jobs around. Have they even advertised? I would ask.
Sorry where I your evidence for this?

It is incredibly difficult to fill primary vacancies at the moment both permanent and temporary. The supply teachers are in massive demand because of covid - we can't get a supply for love nor money. Some supply have gone to be tutor's for the covid catch up because they are earning more. And there is just a general lack of applicants for some permanent roles....because some of those are choosing supply.....

Please have some sympathy for the HT. At least the HLTA knows the kids already rather than a random person. As long as they are actively trying to recruit hopefully the vacancy will be filled soon. (Not having the HLTA do her regular work of PPA cover etc will also cause the school massive headaches so won't very their fist choice.)

RobinPenguins · 13/12/2021 06:57

I wouldn’t be at all happy about this, although I’m not sure what the alternative is for the school if they’ve tried and failed to secure a new teacher. I’d want a concrete assurance that it will be for one term at the absolute most.

I’d also want to know what is happening behind the scenes. Who will be planning lessons, assessing progress, differentiating? Who will be dealing with any pastoral issues?

zaffa · 13/12/2021 07:03

I'm assuming a teacher is lined up but can't start for a term as it sounds as though they have provided a definite date?
If your school is not an academy, the governors (including parent governors and reps from the local council) should have discussed and agreed this approach. There is a lot you don't know about the HLTA - I am surprised you even know whether they are working towards qualifications or not. Either way, if the new candidate is not yet available and substitute teachers are not available (and debatable whether a stream of subs is better than one person providing continuity who no doubt will be closely supervised by qualified and experienced teachers) then there isn't a lot the school can do. Covid has drained the school budgets and most schools are operating on a shoe string - but believe it or not schools and their governors really do want the absolute best for each child and to provide the highest quality education they can.
I don't know how academies operate so can't comment, but I would be confident to say they too are keen to provide the highest level they can with what is available at the time.

Redlocks28 · 13/12/2021 07:05

Basically the only difference between a TA and a teacher is the wages and having to do the planning/assessment

There is a world of difference between the two roles in practice.

This is purely a money-saving exercise, but I wouldn’t like it either. Heads no longer have to send TAs on any courses to become an HLTA either, they can just use their own discretion who they decide to appoint, which is a concern.

mummymathsteacher · 13/12/2021 07:14

As a parent, I completely understand your frustration. Everyone wants their child to have a fully qualified teacher.

However, most parents don't seem to understand the landscape at the moment. Supply agencies have no one left due to providing Covid cover. Recruitment is also difficult at the moment for a variety of reasons. I follow a number of teacher recruitment pages and the same jobs are being advertised three or four times. Being a "good" school makes no odds to teachers on the whole, since we don't hold much faith in OFSTED.

It is not a good situation for anyone, but the school may have no choice at the moment.