Teaching assistants supporting learning

[Wheredidyoulastlook]

There was a time when teaching assistants were used to support children with their learning. Now it seems they are being used to take the class, do lunchtime supervision, and work with children who cannot be in class due to their behaviour. Will teaching assistants get the chance to work with children in class and facilitate with their learning ever again? Many ta’s must have skills and experience in supporting with learning difficulties that they are no longer getting to use in their job?

Supporting children with complex needs seems new norm in our school and TAs are linked to children with ehcps. Some TAs can offer support in class and take interventions, etc but many are not utilising all their skills. Teachers usually left to manage whole class and differentiate whilst TA manages a child who perhaps should be in more specialist provision (primary school). Class TAs are rare. Expectations on TAs huge and behaviours they are expected to manage and tolerate, in my view, often unacceptable. Everyone being let down in this situation.

DinkyDaisy everything you say is so true. How Ta’s are being used these days lets down everyone - the pupils, the teachers, the parents and of course the ta’s.