I can't support all of the needs in my classroom on my own. So demoralised.

[PuffyFluffyCushion]

Middle primary class and I feel so tired tonight.

I can't support everyone on my own. That's basically it. Every single TA in the school is 1-1.

Ability groups are the only way I can actually teach almost the majority of the class, but SLT don't like them. Bloody chilli challenges aren't a replacement of that.

I shouldn't really complain because bless them, their behaviour is good, but it's gutting to realise.

Maybe your SLT should come and show you how to do it.
I'm not joking. Ask them how they would support x, y and z. Then ask them to come and model it for you.

I would, but I know exactly what they'd set up and do, and it still would come down to that the spread of abilities in the class is like a chasm.

Individually, I know myself what I'd like to do, and what I could do, but I am just stretched so thin.

But then they'd see that it didn't work and maybe just maybe something would have to be done

This sounds so defeatist, but there's nothing that can be done. Every single TA is supporting as a 1-1. No one could come and help me because it would leave someone else short, and my class are placid.

It's so shit.

If an SLT member struggles, there is always something that can be done.

If you're doing mixed ability groups for each lesson and the kids aren't used to it, it will take a while to bed down and it will probably feel like you are wading through treacle for most of the first half term. Big up the teamwork skills, praise people who ask peers for help, no ones finished until the table's all finished, doing it without teaching it yourself means you're only halfway there, etc.

You describe your class as placid, what are the nature of the needs? It sometimes works better with a mix of top / shaky bottom middle and happy middle / considerably less able rather than spreading the more able around one on each table, and it looks "mixed ability" enough that SLT won't question it.

But at the end of the day, you have to go with the pedagogy that works for the dynamics and staff you have. If that means ability groups to help progress, that's what you need to do.

'Top' (not really on top, more like just about right)- 3 children. All 3 are quite superficially good but struggle with writing and problem solving. One is a terrible daydreamer, two are sloppy.

Top-middle- (so just below where they should be, IMO can catch up) another 5/6 children, better writers, not independent at all but catch onto new concepts quite quickly, distract everyone around them with chatting, to complete tasks had to be split up. I have suspicions of dyslexia with at least two of them.

Happy-middle- 8 children- will plod along, quite solid workers and with good support could really come on. Need a lot of reading support.

Low- middle- another 5. Includes a child with ASD, 2 with low levels of English, 3 just poor. Since we've come back to school they have settled in and are now attempting tasks but lack stamina and concentration.

Then I have 5 individuals. They're at varying levels from SATPIN to beginning to blend, one can have a go at reading/writing sentences with support, one is brighter but has terrible attendance.

They struggle massively with retention of instructions, but do at least do what they get up to quietly! If you walked in and only scanned the room you'd think they were relatively all on-task, but when you look at the work they're doing.......

Big up the teamwork skills, praise people who ask peers for help, no ones finished until the table's all finished, doing it without teaching it yourself means you're only halfway there, etc.

Both as a SEND teacher and a parent of a reasonably able child I bloody hate this approach.
The bright kids are pressured into helping everybody else instead of getting on with their own work and being stretched and the SEND kids who can't grasp it, piss off off their table by making them continually finish last. Which often ends up with frustrated classmates being quite nasty to them.
I know it's trendy right now but I think we'll look back on it and say "what the hell were we thinking?"

Use their placid to your advantage. Have a scratch table at the front of the room. Put a focus group on there each lesson and give them the majority of your time for that lesson. You might not meet every child's need in every lesson but every child will get some proper attention from you a couple of times each week and you can feel good about that rather than ending each day feeling like you have just been firefighting and getting nowhere. Focus yourself on the fact they get good quality input some of the time and try not to stress. Good luck!

I've been teaching for 23 years.

Not once have I met all the needs in my class. Do what you realistically can then go home and forget about it.

I also dislike the 'teach each other' idea, which is partly why I'm not going to SLT.

Squashed that's more or less what I'm doing. I am also going to try and use more technology to help. An old fashioned listening unit is really what I'm after.

I feel calmer today. I have had far harder classes! I think because they are so placid I feel I should be able to do more.

Big up the teamwork skills, praise people who ask peers for help, no ones finished until the table's all finished, doing it without teaching it yourself means you're only halfway there, etc.

This is not a replacement for providing appropriately stretching work for the more able. all children deserve to progress.

Op - this is a long game but do any of the strugglers have additional needs that would require an ECHP that might provide some extra support? Even if it simply forces the school to revisit the budgets etc.

If all your TAs are on 1 to1 it sounds like there is either a big big budget problem or there are some very poor ECHPs that are not specifying appropriate support, forcing the school to make up the difference.

Also does your school allow parent helpers?

Can you appeal to your PTA - explain that some parent volunteers would be especially welcome. I know its not trained support but an extra person to help rein chatty kids, hear readers etc could help a lot.

Same. I am an RQT and have a ridiculous level of need (pastoral and SEN) and one 1:1 TA who is new to working in schools and not even slightly proactive. I have to remind her to do absolutely everything and I don’t have the headspace for that. It’s mental! No advice just… I empathise xx

I am long in the tooth and exasperated Sparkly, that will be so hard as a NQT.

Some of them have ECHPs but they have been so carefully worded that I am technically doing or able to do everything. It's a combination of things throughout the school. There are a few children waiting on specialist provision places opening up and that will really, really help.

I am focusing on the positive that they are so well behaved. I could have a lot, lot worse.

My personal development target this year is to have a go at using "centres". (Basically like the rotations in guided reading years ago...) It means I have 4 groups set up and they rotate around the various activities. Some are basic skills practice. Some are application-based. (I can also make an activity harder or easier for a particular group without having to change it completely.) One is with me explicitly teaching a group. It seems to be working quite well for my little ones at the moment but my range isn't that wide. Mine are also incredibly well-behaved and because it's their first year at school, this is what they know so far. They are getting used to working together with a partner or in a small group without needing an adult to constantly intervene. They aren't expecting to constantly have me there and are excited to be able to do different things in the lesson.
I could teach them all the same thing but I'd lose several of them, while about 7 of them would be bored out of their minds.

We do Guided Maths - 6 groups, 3 activities of 20 mins each (work with adult, independent task based on work with adult, Times Tables Rockstars or investigation). Could you do something like this for Maths with 3 or even 4 groups?