Supervision by teaching assistants

[moodywren]

Does anyone know if there are any rules about the amount of time a teaching assistant can look after a class while the teacher is away?
My daughter seems to spend an large amount of time with teaching assistants.

I am a level 3 TA (PT) and my terms and conditions mean that I do first day of unplanned absence if the class teacher is away; planned days or additional unplanned days are covered by supply teachers. I also cover the ICT session for my class teacher (she is on PPA at that time) for an hour or so eachweek - a regular session each week. I cover snack time sometimes too to give the teacher her break if she is on playtime duty.

I am also a qualified teacher with QTS and 10 years classroom experience, so I am def qualified enough to be in charge.

At that time I am following the teacher's planning, although I able to sdo some of my own for ICT sometimes (qualified ICT teacher).

TBH sometimes the children are better having me supervising them than a supply teacher they don't know. We are luckily that ost of our supply is regular and well known and good, but the odd one is not great.

Are there any rules to say that planned days away should be covered by a supply teacher or can a teaching assistant take a class or children for indefinate periods.

Do you have to be a level 3 to take the class?

Thanks for your reply Hulababy.

I think whether TAs can take lessons depends on what level they are and what there terms and conditions/contract says.

A high level TA (level 4) would possibly be expected to do a lot more cover, as would a cover supervisor.

I don't think level 1 TAs are supposed to do cover, not sure on the legal side though.

Hi I am a Level4/5 Higher Level Teaching Assistant and I support within class in the mornings but cover teachers PPA time every afternoon. I am also available to teach a class if the teacher is off sick or on a course. I have a degree in Childhood Studies and had to have at lots of experience to prove I could meet the assessed standards to become an HLTA. Level 1 TA's are not allowed to cover and Level 2's shouldn't really but are sometimes used in emergencies. Hope this helps.

I am a level 3 TA and I have the class at times for example my teacher went home early Friday I had the children, got them ready for home and dismissed them. If the teacher is held up I set them off on activities ect.
In Wales you must be level 3 to be left with a group of children unsupervised.