TAs: What time do you leave school? Do you claim overtime?

[cucumbercarrot]

I’m currently a teaching assistant in reception. I get paid to work 8:30-3:30 but often end up staying until 4:30 most days (and 5pm when we have meetings). It seems like TA’s don’t claim overtime for this and some get paid until 4pm. What I’m wondering is... is it okay for me to leave at 3:30? I try to get most jobs I’ve been asked completed before 3:30 but often I’m asked to do jobs once the children have left. I feel like it’s expected of me to stay until they’re done (around 4:30) but I’m not getting paid for any of it.

What can I do going forward?

I know this might come across as though I don’t care about the class, which I really do. It’s just that I moved from being a teacher to a TA purely because TAs work less hours and at the moment, I’m still working more than I anticipated (and not getting paid for a lot of it!)

Also, just to add. Reception meetings are “optional” but you’re still expected to attend.

Yes it is absolutely ok for you to put your coat on and go home at 3.30. As a teacher, would you have expected your support staff to work for free? Me neither. If meetings are essential for the smooth running of the class or school then they should be held in directed hours. Do the other TAs in your school all work unpaid overtime too? Honestly, you know what you need to do. You don’t need permission. Just go home.

Thank you so much for your message. You’re completely right. It feels wrong doing it as other TAs in the class do stay later but one of them is also paid to stay later than I am!

It depends on whether you’re being asked to stay later, or you’re choosing to. If it’s to attend meetings then you absolutely are entitled to over-time. Similarly, if you asked to do something after 3:30, you should claim. Is the teacher aware that you’re only paid until then? Perhaps they’re only asking you because they assume it’s ok? Sounds like you need to talk it through with your line manager for clarification so that everyone is clear.

I’m paid from 8.35-3.35 pm and leave at that exact time, except for meetings but those are paid.

I get to school at about 8.30am. I’m the second ta in that class and the other arrives at about 7.45 and leaves at 4ish. I told the teacher my paid hours and no more was said. It does mean the other ta does more as the teacher gives her stuff she wanted me to do.

The other TA has done these hours for years and it’s madness as she’s paid the same hours as I am. I’ve asked her why she does it and she just doesn’t want to let the teacher down. The teacher tries to get us to work during our dinner too, so I used to leave site for dinner too.It might make me sound harsh but it was taking the piss.

@RabbitBeaver

I’m paid from 8.35-3.35 pm and leave at that exact time, except for meetings but those are paid.

I get to school at about 8.30am. I’m the second ta in that class and the other arrives at about 7.45 and leaves at 4ish. I told the teacher my paid hours and no more was said. It does mean the other ta does more as the teacher gives her stuff she wanted me to do.

The other TA has done these hours for years and it’s madness as she’s paid the same hours as I am. I’ve asked her why she does it and she just doesn’t want to let the teacher down. The teacher tries to get us to work during our dinner too, so I used to leave site for dinner too.It might make me sound harsh but it was taking the piss.

I’m honestly shocked. I’ve been teaching for years and would never expect support staff to ever stay after hours. Some are contracted to work for longer but it’s understood that I stay as I bear the brunt of the accountability and am obviously paid commensurately.

Occasionally my TA and nursery nurses will stay longer if we’re putting up a display or something but that’s their choice. I’d never ask them to.

Our TAs mainly arrive with the children and leave as soon as the children are released because that is the hours they are paid for. A few will stay later, but they tend to be older TAs without children at home, and they're happy to spend a bit of time sorting things and prepping but that is totally their own choice. I would love it if our TAs were paid for an extra 15 mins at the start and end of day, just so we could have the myriad of important conversations we need to have, and there's always so much to do, but we simply don't have the budget. Our TAs are worth their weight in gold, but are paid such a paltry amount for the work they do that I completely agree with them just working their hours. There should be NO expectation that you stay after hours, and you absolutely should not. Get your coat on and go!

God no. Absolutely not. I left on the dot as a TA. You need to put a boundary in now and make it clear you are leaving on time. Just be assertive. It sounds like a cultural pattern in your school if all the TAs are staying later but seriously that’s the joy of being a TA. You don’t have the accountability.

I leave after the children have gone. I may stay for another 5 or 10 minutes till finish a job I’ve started but that’s my choice. Once in a while, I’ll stay to help put up a display or blitz a cupboard but that’s not something that’s expected of me. I’d do it as a goodwill gesture, on the basis that sometimes I may have to duck out if school for a dentist/gp/hospital appointment that can’t be made in my own time, TAs in our school are sometimes invited to meetings or training after hours but we all claim overtime in this case.

I'm in early but always leave on time, partly because I have my own children to collect. Other colleagues arrive on time and no earlier, which I totally understand and respect - I'm just not the sort of person who can arrive and be ready for work mode immediately.

Absolutely only stay for your contracted hours.

I wish my TA had your hours at least, though. My TA arrives with the children and leaves 15 mins before they do. It means I have to do all the prep myself, sharpen all the pencils, tidy the class...it's exhausting.

I used to stay later as a TA. My TA now leaves before 3:30 some days and for the wage I don’t bloody blame her.

I help tuck the chairs under and tidy the classroom but that's never more than ten or fifteen minutes beyond my contracted hours. And during those we have a nice chit chat about the day and our evening plans etc. I couldn't imagine any of the teachers I work with asking me to stay later than contracted.

What can I do going forward?

Remind your teacher you are paid for set hours.
Tell them what your annual salary is, compared to theirs.

I speak as a teacher. Good TAs (which is the overwhelming majority I've ever worked with) are vastly underpaid. I mean, I know pay varies hugely school from school and LA from LA, but there is no way I would expect a TA to stay over the hours they are paid from.

the more you do it however, the more it becomes 'expected'