Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

How does your primary school cover teacher's non-contact time?

51 replies

Hathor · 13/03/2008 21:02

Interested to know other state primary schools cover the half-day the class teacher is out of the class for non-contact time.
Ours is covered by a classroom assistant looking after the class as they do work set by the teacher. Is this usual, or should we expect more?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

pinkbubble · 13/03/2008 22:18

Our school tends to have a qualified teacher opposite the class that is having the non contact time.

I love it, I get paid well for it, I have a TA to help and I have help at hand if I need it - so far never had to ask for it but at least I know its there.

Original poster

Hathor · 13/03/2008 22:18

Thanks to the TAs answering my OP. Do you think it is providing adequate education to be delivering the teacher's lessons for half a day? I mean what is your own take on it?

OP posts:

Heated · 13/03/2008 22:19

Primaries are short of money - funding this must be an issue, as money has to come out of the existing budget. The local primary dress it up as Golden Time where the children do learning through play (lego etc) supervised by the TAs. Don't think it's great but not much else they can do.

luckylady74 · 13/03/2008 22:23

Spainish teacher and YMCA sports teacher, permanent supply teacher when it wasn't.

pinkbubble · 13/03/2008 22:25

I think I do ok! But then most of my lesson planning is PHSE and golden time and then for 25 mins they go for assembly.

mollymawk · 13/03/2008 22:25

I only know about Reception in my DS1's school but he seems to have another teacher (not one of the TAs) who is apparently very lovely and does music, and then sometimes another teacher who does Spanish (yes, really!).

kid · 13/03/2008 22:25

I personally think TAs can do a better job at covering the class than some of the supply teachers that come in. Some supply teachers are fantastic, I have worked with loads over the years. I know they have a tough job going to different schools though.

But, a TA can do a great job as they know the children, where everything is kept, the routines and what work the class have been doing.

At some schools, classes are split when their teacher is off. I think that is a complete waste of their learning time and I really hate hearing that has been done.

joblerone1 · 13/03/2008 22:31

But PPA time is a regular, year-round weekly event, and can be covered by trusted, reliable supply teachers, not casual it's-a-lottery-who-we'll-get-today type people.

kid · 13/03/2008 22:45

Ideally it would be covered by the same supply teacher, but that isn't always the case.
We do have some lovely regular supply teachers, they are usually called on to cover a whole day absence.

AlexanderPandasmum · 13/03/2008 22:45

I agree that it isn't good. I wondered about whether the funding had run out. There's always a thread near the top somewhere on the TES (Times Ed) forums about this as it is a bone of contention for many teachers and also many TAs are feeling that they must agree to cover whole classes or else they will be in the head's 'bad books'.

FluffyMummy123 · 13/03/2008 22:46

Message withdrawn

FluffyMummy123 · 13/03/2008 22:47

Message withdrawn

pinkbubble · 13/03/2008 22:51

We honestly do not have to do cover if we do not want to, it is not forced on us or held against us if we say no.

I actually really enjoy it and look forward to that afternoon.

The children know me well, I know the children, very rarely get bad behaviour, but if I do, I know the way my Teacher would deal with it so the class has continuity. Great fun is had by all!

FluffyMummy123 · 13/03/2008 22:53

Message withdrawn

mollymawk · 13/03/2008 23:00

Music and PE and drama are proper lessons

bundle · 13/03/2008 23:01

supply teachers do ours

RustyBear · 13/03/2008 23:11

At our school, both classes in the year have PPA together, so they can plan together. We have a regular specialist music teacher and a specialist PE coach for the class PPA, and management time for the senior management is done by another teacher who does 2 days a week - she used to be a class teacher & came back part-time after her maternity leave.

prettybird · 13/03/2008 23:17

Another Scot: our school has a "McCrone" teacher to cover the non contact time (McCrone was the guy who produced the Scottosh deal which gave the teachers the non-contact time).

Not sure if she also happens to be the ICT teacher - so gives the ICT classes when the relevant class teacher are getting their non contact time.

cat64 · 13/03/2008 23:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

RosaIsRed · 14/03/2008 00:21

Our school employs two part time teachers specifically to cover PPA time. I am vice chair of governors and on the finance committee and so I know that providing qualified teachers as cover should be financially viable for most primary schools - we get less money per pupil than many other schools do and we can manage it.

FluffyMummy123 · 14/03/2008 09:54

Message withdrawn

Ceolas · 14/03/2008 10:30

FluffyMummy123 · 14/03/2008 10:30

Message withdrawn

wannaBe · 14/03/2008 10:33

we have a floating teacher to cover.

Ceolas · 14/03/2008 10:33

Good luck!

It's a bad idea for both professions really. The lines are becoming too blurry and there will be a TA uprising soon over their pay.

Flip

1 2 3