Reception with no TA.

[TequilaTequilaGin]

I can barely word my horror. Is anyone else facing this?

I have this year. Never again

How many children? I'm hoping less than 15!

I'm hoping less than 15!

Yes, during the annual chicken pox outbreak. No. Approx 25.

@u123 Are you in one piece? Are you still doing continuous provision?

I know one, but intake is 4-6.

I'm a supply teacher and I did reception last week with no TA as they are striking.

It was impossible. Impossible. Someone wets themselves, you have to stop teaching, corral 24 children, and deal with pants.

You need 25 sheep hats for assembly, you are making 25 sheep hats. Not helping anyone write their name. Or count the dinosaurs. Or pedal a bike.

I'm a bit out of touch but I thought it had to be a ratio of 1:15 in reception. Or is that just a guideline and not actually enforceable?

I thought it was a 1:13 ratio in reception. Or has that changed?

Cross post

I just don't know how it would even be possible without whole class teaching. How can I say that they are counting the dinosaurs when I'm not watching them?

And the noise. And the mess.

think this is the only way you'll get through it

Ratio is 1:13 in nursery class, 1:30 in reception class.

Are the toilets in your classroom?

I think it is different once it is school age (rising 5s) than nursery age. Sure the ratio is higher, though there are calls from unions for it to be lowered.

What are the statutory staffing requirements for children in reception classes in maintained schools?

If the majority of children in the class reach the age of five, six, or seven during the course of the school year, the class is subject to the existing infant class size legislation, rather than to the EYFS statutory guidance, that is, an infant class must not contain more than 30 pupils while an ordinary teaching session is conducted by a single school teacher. The presence of support staff should not be used as a factor in determining whether a reception class complies with statutory infant class size limits.

Ratio is 1-30.

No. The toilets are visible from the classroom door, in the cloakroom area.

We do free flow but we have no outside space, also toilets are down the corridor.

I have trained them now but it's still hard hard work.

I'm leaving in the summer...

How come you have no TA

Goodness, I've struggled with this year's cohort with a TA, I can't imagine if I'd had to cope without her!

Cuts cuts cuts.

God help us if we get any with additional SEN.

I appreciate budgets are tight but
Cutting TAs in reception is not the way to go....

I had to do 1 day a week for 6 weeks with no TA as she was on an ELSA course and it was so hard! Someone needs changing in the toilets... need another adult. Someone needs an ice pack... need another adult. Someone needs to go and open the gate for home time... need another adult. Not to mention that it's hard to do any actual teaching/hear readers whilst also finding the end of the sellotape/sorting arguments/finding missing shoes etc. I survived but basically didn't do another other than continuous provision for those days!

Is there a nursery nurse?

No nursery nurse AFAIK.

I am really worried about the quality of continuous provision without a TA.

that's rubbish, I think you might have to do a more formal approach or not at all and do all continuous provision/planning in the moment. Are you going to be expected to deliver interventions?

It would be nigh on impossible to offer (quality) interventions. I'd permanently have one eye on the other children. I am so worried about the noise and the mess of running continuous provision.

What's your environment like? Is it all in one room? Maybe start taking some "This is what tidy looks like" photos. Also, have you been to the Early Excellence centre at all, they do a less is more approach and have shadows of where things go to help children tidy up independently which I imagine would be best with regards to mess.

That will be dire.

We are keeping our class TAs (mornings only) but losing all SEN TAs, provision is going to be awful :(