1:1 teaching assistant hours??

[littlemissblue]

Hi there

I have just accepted a job offer of being a 1:1 teaching assistant for a reception child who has SEN, and have been told it will be for 20 hours. When I questioned days/ times I was told it would be 830-1215 mon-fri as well as 2 afternoons a week, but I will be able to leave at 230pm (they know I need to pick my own children up from a different school) but that adds up to more than 20 hours even with lunch break taken out?

Anyone who is a 1:1 TA shed any light?? I've asked the head but she hasn't got back to me.

I think you can only ask the HT (or whoever is drawing the contract up).

Presumably if you finish at 12.15, there won't be a lunch break so that is 18 3/4 hours you will have worked across the mornings, or even 18 1/4 if they want to take 10mins a day morning break off you, which only leaves the capacity for one afternoon until 2.30, presuming a 1pm start, according to my maths.

Thanks for replying! I'm a bit worried they want me to start at 830 but won't pay me til 9am - over 5 days that's 2.5 hours they have added on which they will use to make up the 2 afternoons.

I just think you have to be clear from the outset.

Because teachers work unlimited hours, I think sometimes some HTs forget that there is a huge discrepancy in contract between Teachers and TAs. If you are being paid on a contract that stipulates the hours, then you need to establish from the outset what hours they are paying you for. Yes, it makes total sense for you to be in before the dc each day, so you can plan with / set up with the teacher, but, having done that, you have worked those hours and therefore you don't have enough hours to do two afternoons a week, unless they want to pay you for those too.

I agree with you, i actually applied for a 15 hour position (they want 2 people one for 15 hours and one for 20 hours) and when they phoned me after the interview they said they felt i would be perfect fit for 20 hour post, and said not that if I say no they wouldn't give the 15 hours but...and it threw me! I didn't want to do too many as have 3 children of my own. I obviously hesitated and she said it would be 5 morns and 2 afternoons but I would def be out of there by 230pm. If she comes back and it's actually later than that or ends up more than 20 I will feel like I accepted the offer under false pretences, and now it's too late most likely to say I would prefer the 15 as they did all the interviews in one day.

The school website says the children line up with the teacher at 830am and register is at 845am so I def need to be paid from 830am. The kids have a playtime at 235am so I guess that's where she got 230pm end from.

I'm going in on Monday to drop dbs forms so will have to ask then I guess