EYPs May have to retrain?

[catma]

This really interests me!

I am a Nursery Teaching Assistant in a maintained nursery and am currently paid ( as are all our LA Nursery TAs) at Level 2 of the TA scale, despite it being the only TA job in school where a L3 qualification is essential. I am also a HLTA and cover PPA time, for which I earn about £1.60 an hour more than at TA rate. A colleague who is also a TA and HLTA in KS1 and 2 suggested the other day that she thought she should be paid as an 'unqualified teacher' as she 'actively teaches'!!! :angry: Clearly I sit in a comfy chair with my feet up for 3 hours at a time

 

I don't think you'd win on that front - the HLTA standards cover that!

"Teaching and learning activities must take place under the direction and supervision of an assigned teacher and in accordance with arrangements made by the headteacher of the school."

 

Cx

[Ratatat]

I don't think you'd win on that front - the HLTA standards cover that!

"Teaching and learning activities must take place under the direction and supervision of an assigned teacher and in accordance with arrangements made by the headteacher of the school."

 

Cx

 

 

I wonder how many HLTAs, EYPs, TAs, etc. are actively teaching from their own planning and carrying out assessment and review of children's achievements.

I know that in some settings Level 1 and 2 TAs (who have to be qualified to at least Level 2, preferably level 3) are encouraged to do their own planning and assessment because 'it is good for their personal skill development'.

 

I have heard some TAs complain that they are ill-prepared for this responsibility and that they have had to ask for additional training. The settings have responded that the TAs planning and assessment is only used to provide 'supplementary activities' and as 'supplementary assessment' of the children and does not have to be 'perfect'. TAs who do their own planning and assessment are not receiving any additional financial reward.

I am unsure how to respond to this idea for 'CPD'. I suppose Ofsted may think it looks like good CPD to encourage greater professional responsibility from all practitioners but I am sure there are other perspectives that should be considered.

 

I wonder what the TAs assessments are being used for! Do the assessments get used to inform future planning? Does anyone reflect on the efficacy of the planning and ensure suitable differentiation? Are parents aware that TAs may have these additional unpaid responsibilities and that the TAs may not be clear about what they are doing?

What do other Forum Trawlers think?

[Madmum]

The issue I have with it is that at TA or HLTA rate you are only paid the hours you work with the children, plus 10% PPA time of your own if you plan and assess. For me, for a nursery session that amounts to 18mins, and reception 12mins, which frankly is neither use nor ornament. Effectively in reception I don't finish at 3pm as at least 1 parent is always late and you cant just abandon ship! I work off the reception teachers' planning but still spend time out of school writing up my scribbles on the planning and ensuring I have the resources I need. IN nursery I do get my 18mins paid, but work over that unpaid every day anyway. I assess and write notes and observations, but the teacher maintains the grids etc as I have no paid time to do it.

 

In our school only the HLTAs plan and assess independently, other TAs 'feed into' teachers' planning and assessment. This seems to work OK, but never the less it doesn't reflect the fact that teachers are paid to undertake some work out of lesson time besides PPA - I know the teacher I work with will spend at least 2 full days of her half term on planning and assessment.

[Guest]

Wonder what the EYT course include/ involve.....?

[catma]

I wonder how many HLTAs, EYPs, TAs, etc. are actively teaching from their own planning and carrying out assessment and review of children's achievements.

I know that in some settings Level 1 and 2 TAs (who have to be qualified to at least Level 2, preferably level 3) are encouraged to do their own planning and assessment because 'it is good for their personal skill

I wonder what the TAs assessments are being used for! Do the assessments get used to inform future planning? Does anyone reflect on the efficacy of the planning and ensure suitable differentiation?

 

I would say that is primarily the responsibilty of the QT who would be directing the work of any other person working with the children in their class. It may also be the SENCo or any other teacher/leader in the school as the HT directs, given that TAs are frequently working as additional support for SEND children and may have differing line management. Equally performance management systems in the school would involve observations of the TA/HLTA undertaking any role they have. As an HLTA the standards make it fairly clear that that is part of the role anyway. EYPs, wouldn't that be part of their JD ?

 

Cx

[Ratatat]

I think that a point that I am attempting to make (perhaps not very succinctly) is how do the many EYPs and HLTAs that are currently employed and paid as level 1 or level 2 TAs feel about being encouraged to carry out their own planning and assessment and other additional duties.

 

I am aware that there are great many overly qualified level 1 and level 2 TAs who are perfectly capable of and deliver excellent planning and assessment for both children with SEND and those without additional needs, who may also be carrying out the duties of SENCOs - but who are not actually receiving the acknowledgement for these skills in their pay-cheques!

 

I am very concerned that many within the Early Years workforce are being put under increasing pressure to perform tasks for which they may well be trained and skilled but do not get paid!

 

I remain worried that in some settings, TAs are not being suitably guided to deliver planning for engaging activities and to make arrangements for appropriate differentiaition.