Supporting as a teaching assistant?

[Avocadont77]

Evening all,

I’m a secondary school teacher, I’ve been teaching for nearly seven years now.

Recently, I’ve found myself being timetabled to act as a teaching assistant in other subjects for students with EHCP’s.

If the teacher is absent, I’m also expected to cover the lesson.

Is this common practice now? Do you think it’s a reasonable expectation?

For context I am under my loading because the decision was made not to run my subject at A level this year.

If you’re under allocation you can be directed to cover ( your contract probably has a section saying something like “and any other duties the head directs you to do)

Yes I think cover is reasonable, or doing extra lunch duties etc, but acting as an LSA is not...

Are you still being paid as a teacher? Then yes, I think it is reasonable. Why would they pay you and then need to pay someone else to come in and act as a TA or cover supervisor?

Actually it isn't. Lunch is not directed time so that's not acceptable at all.

Sorry, I realise at most school's it's not ok - at my school we have 2 separate lunch breaks so if you are under timetabled you tend to be put on a lunch duty once you've had your lunch break.