Does anyone buy the paid for resources on Tes?

[SkafaceClaw]

Hello,

Just that really - I used to use Tes a fair bit for resources and find it really useful a lot of the time. I must admit though I find it hard to believe anyone would spend money on some of these resources.

Does your school budget cover it?
Would you pay out of your own pocket?

Just intrigued as my dept were debating this Today.

I've bought a couple in the past when TES were giving out codes for a few pounds free. I've also shelled out for an expensive one for Maths Sats, which was well worth it. That came out of my money.

The problem with them is lots aren't reviewed, so you don't know what you're getting. Also I've seen resources that some people are charging for freely available on Primary Resources. I'm pretty sure that unscrupulous people must list the free resources, upload to TES and charge for them.

No, I think it's morally wrong to sell resources aimed at teachers spending money out of their own pocket. It just adds to the concept we shouldn't be provided with the resources to help us teach and have to pay out with our own money. I share lots of resources for free on twitter and on TES.

Thank you - I think that was our consensus too.

I find it really irritating that they are trying to get people to use codes to start purchasing them.

I am newish to twitter but find it very useful and know some handy blogs or subject specific websites I can turn to. So been surprised to see some of our previous pgce students spending money on them.

It enrages me and is completely against the spirit of teaching. I've had (and shared) loads of resources from TES in the past. Rarely bother going on now.

Teachers have traditionally been generous with their time and resources. We are not a business - and lets face it, much of the stuff we've all produced has been adapted from other people's resources and ideas originally. Teaching is hard enough, without other people trying to make money out of you, I think. I'm part of a couple of FB groups where we share resources for GCSE/A level - but it makes me sad that anyone (particularly PGCE/NQTs) who needs help would be buying unknown resources out of their own pocket.

No.

Anything on there can be found elsewhere for free, or reproduced with a few hours work.

Some of it is frankly appalling in terms of accuracy and quality.

I hardly use TES now.

I have, in fact, stumped up £10 or so a month of my own money for websites that produce high quality worksheets and resources that are relevant and reliable.

No. It makes me really cross! I would never pay for anything on tes. I would rather go without. Selling resources is greedy and goes against everything that is good about teaching. I have shared a lot on there myself (for free).
I am also on some FB groups where we share resources for free and 'teach it' has some good stuff.
Also why should we have to pay our own money for things? It's all wrong.

I've used a few free resources, quality has been variable. I have paid for TPT resources as they are of a better quality and save me a lot of time. I paid for a back to school pack 3 years ago and have used it every year.

I have paid membership to twinkl and we have a departmental teachit one. I think those are value for money. Paying a lot for a resource I can't actually see properly till I buy it isn't happening.

I share anything with anyone I wouldn't dream of charging like that! They are so overpriced as well!

No, I wouldn't pay for resources on TES.Twinkl on the other hand is well worth the money.

There was a time, certainly in my ed authority, that if you produced resources for your own use in class, the school officially owned them, not you as you were employed by them when you made them.

I used to think it was bonkers. Looks like it's not applicable these days with teachers adding their resources to primaryresources/tes etc.

Considering taking out Twinkl. If you email them telling them that the full £50 for the year is too high in one hit, they will let you buy 6 months for £25 instead.

I remember that, DrMadeline, in two different authorities I worked in. Seemed an unethical rule, especially as the resources were usually created out of directed time.
No, I don't pay four resources now. Used to subscribe to teach it and Hamilton when I wasn't on supply.

No partly because it enrages me for the same reasons that others have already stated and partly because you have no clue how relevant/good the resource is going to be.

Last week I needed something in a hurry - some exam style questions on a particular text and I had been sent a code for a certain amount so I used it to buy the resource I needed. It was a set of the relevant exam questions so that was good. However, the questions were all from the first half of the book - luckily the chapter I needed was represented, but I had no way of knowing that before I 'bought' the resource. Also, it was just the exam question - if I had actually spent real money on this then I would have at least expected a mark scheme or sample answer or top tip type suggestions to go with it.

Complete rip off.

I think it's an absolute disgrace that they are charging for often very poor quality resources. I have even seen people selling worksheets on there from bought in packages. Surely breaking copyright laws? Unbelievable!
I upload my own resources for free in the hope that others will do the same.
Unfortunately, it's a sign of the times. People cashing in on time poor teachers. I saw someone charging £120 for a whole set of year 10 resources. Who on earth would pay that?!

I would never buy any resources from TES. The quality and accuracy of the resources can be terrible and just the fact that you can't see them until you buy is enough to put me off. I pay for Twinkl and think it is well worth the money.

During my training year working full time (19hrs teaching), in a dept that had no bank of resources at all, yes I was prepared to pay my own money to make my workload surmountable.

I agree it's a disgrace that people charge for resources.
I have, in the past, bought two sets of resources for a couple of pounds. They turned out to be just what I needed but as PP has said I couldn't have known that fully before purchasing.
At that time I needed resources and it was worth £2 rather than hours of my time.
I am now part of an online resource bank for my subject and the sharing that goes on
is amazing.