Volunteers in secondary school

[IssuesWithTheTree]

I have been volunteering in a primary school for years and I have a cache level 2s in both supporting teaching and learning in schools and SEND.

I have experience with intervention work sometimes working 1 to 1 or with a group to improve literacy or numeracy skills.

Both my children are in secondary school and I am thinking of volunteering in a secondary as I imagine they are not over-run with volunteers like primaries are.

I have a degree in English Literature from the stone age and wondered what the general consensus was from teachers as to where a volunteer might best help in a secondary. Hence why I posted in this section. I don't work due to disability but am able to "work" one or two mornings a week without drastically affecting my health.

Is this a good idea?

Apply to be a one to one English tutor. It's 25 pounds an hour!

We don’t do volunteers in my secondary school - I think it just becomes a job for someone to organise.
If there is an accelerated reading programme in the library you could possibly listen to readers as you would in primary or mento after school but apart from that I’m not sure what you’d do.

I also think anything you would do in a secondary school is something someone should be getting paid to do so you might get a great reception from other staff unless you are doing something as straightforward as listening to readers.

That should say ‘might not get’ in my last para. No harm in asking if course and maybe some schools do require secondary volunteers but I doubt think it’s common

Thank you for your replies.

I wouldn't want to tutor because I want to be here for my own children after school, Dh often has weird hours hence why I became a SAHM.

I suppose I thought I would be like any LSA probably in a class with more SEN or lower ability year 7s or the like.

In the primary where I do volunteer, I am technically the LSA for that day as the usual LSA doesn't work that day. I mark work, work with middle or higher ability students in the class whilst the teacher concentrates on the lower ability ones. Previously I have worked with the lower ability whilst the teachers pushes the higher ability. There are no sets so differentiated work is the norm.

With regard to it being paid, it depends if there is funding for it. The primary will not fund a casual LSA to cover core hours in the morning I work. Lots of classes don't even have an LSA in the afternoon as they are mostly cover supervisors covering PPA. The only ones who stay in class are there to manage the behaviour of children with SEMH issues or to provide SEND support.

The school are grateful for the volunteers. They are seen as LSAs and not parents just helping out because 99% of them have either a cache or NVQ level 2.

There is a person who oversees the volunteers but that is mainly working out where to put them so they are spread around the school and not near their own children. With regard to direction, the teacher provides the lesson plan to me, we have a 2 minute chat and we just get on with it. I think as I have been doing it for many years they know my capabilities.

Sorry this has become long winded. I just meant with all the budget cuts at schools I thought secondaries would see less money and maybe want a willing volunteer

The most useful volunteer I’ve had was someone who came in to help the yr 10s prepare for their speaking and listening assessments - it was frankly BRILLIANT to be able to allow students the time to go through their speech and practice. I would love that again this year.

There are definitely other specific interventions that would add to my dept.

But...

It has to be 100% reliable and it has to fit around what we need.

I think the problem is if you're offering all that for free the school May replace a paid member of staff with you...I personally don't think volunteers should be used to lead groups or cover for an LSA - I'm amazed that you're marking work as a volunteer. If the school trust you enough with all those responsibilities they should be prepared to pay you. Sounds like you've got plenty of experience can you not apply for a paid role ?

I am very surprised by that arrangement in the school your currently in - I’m sure the school is grateful for what you do but that should be a paid position. I would be making a fuss if someone came and did all that for free in my school! It would devalue what I do as a TA if the school were taking the attitude - we’ll just get a random woman in to do it for free. (That’s not a slight at you but rather how it would appear to me if my school did this.) It sounds like your well qualified and have a lot of experience - there are definitely part time paid TA roles out there.

Thank you, I don't need to work financially and the school know that I am not looking for paid work.

I know how much schools are under pressure financially. This school is complicated re staff as they will not recruit LSAs as part timers or job share and the only jobs available within school part time are 1 to 1 higher needs children such as those with physical disabilities like cerebral palsy where there is an element of personal care too.

This means they have a pool of casual LSAs to pull from (lots of them my friends) who they know only want to work certain days or only 4 days maximum. They cover long term sick LSAs or on days where they do tech where you need more than one adult in the class.

Having been at the school a long time, I am aware of when they consider it necessary to call in a casual LSA. On the days some of the very long term staff don't work (before the enforced 5 day week,) they will not hire or pay a casual LSA. The LSAs that work a full 5 day week and are not cover supervisors are specifically placed in the classes with children on the Thrive program or who are part of the Nurture group. That way they have an LSA all day with no cover supervisor duties.

So I am categorically not stepping on anyone's toes nor preventing someone being paid. I have already spoken with several LSAs who have no issue with me being in school for a day. And yes, they would tell me straight to my face if it was an issue. In fact when I was asked to do an extra thing I checked with the LSA first.

Marking wise, it is maths or simple literacy where they insert an adverb into a sentence, or underline the noun. I am not assessing their levels. I have no experience how it works in other schools but this one is different judging by the comments on here and the student teachers we have in. The staff help each other out, it isn't an each look after their own mentality. If I am asked to photocopy a sheet for extension work mid-lesson I go and do it. It is for the good of the child/children.

I bring in cakes and biscuits and make everyone drinks and wash up. It is a large primary and lots of volunteers want nursery or reception experience. I like both KS1 and KS2 and have worked in both.

I just didn't know how it worked in secondaries because I have no friends who are teachers or LSAs/TAs in a secondary. But it is probably best that I stick with the primary then.

Thank you to everyone who replied.