Today at 3:54 AM. This section is about the key issues affecting people employed in education services. Find out more about cookies and how we use them. UNISON has long argued that teaching assistants () play a vital role in boosting quality and standards. Education members include employees from schools and academies, further education colleges, universities, early years and children’s services, career services and more. Constantly dealing with sometimes extreme pupil behaviour proved to be very stressful for many. A survey from the union has seen 4,460 teaching assistants respond, with 25% saying they had been asked to lead classes and 27% saying they’d been asked to provide cover supervision. Each key issue explains the facts behind the issue, what UNISON is doing and how you can get involved. Posted on 1 April 2020. The government has asked schools and childcare providers to provide care for children who are vulnerable, and children whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 response and cannot be safely cared for at home. Your contract and job description has not changed UNISON Shop. Constantly dealing with sometimes extreme pupil behaviour proved to be very stressful for many. UNISON is the UK's largest trade union representing public service workers. Classroom Assistants – A Class Act. Subscribe to learn about your rights at work and the benefits of being a part of UNISON. Join today and you’ll receive our support – with membership costing less than you might think. Jayne, a teaching assistant from Newcastle explains: “When I was working supporting an individual child 1 to1 all day it actually made me ill. By continuing to use our website you are consenting to their use. Find out more about cookies and how we use them. Earlier this month, the National Education Union teaching union was reported in TES as saying that schools were less inclined to employ supply teachers during the pandemic due to fears about visitors to the premises, as well as concerns over funding. Offers actions for parents, school staff and the public to campaign against cuts to their local school, and to ask the government for the funding our schools deserve. The new courses developed for primary and secondary school workers will provide material and guided discussions over four weeks to help teaching assistants and support workers to work with pupils more effectively. Teaching assistants covering twice as many lessons in the pandemic, Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2019. Unison says the role of assistants has increased in recent years but they have different pay and conditions depending where they work, unlike teachers. A model teaching assistant. 16-page A4 booklet with accessible, practical advice for all those working in education settings. UNISON members tell their stories from the first months of the COVID crisis Handle with care. Home; Publications; Diaries 2021; Merchandise; My account; Publications; Browse; My account; Checkout £ 0.00 0 items; Home / Schools / Classroom Assistants – A Class Act. teaching assistant Share. Leaflet for school learning support staff in Wales setting out the benefits of UNISON following on from compulsory registration with the EWC. Unison says the role of assistants has increased in recent years but they have different pay and conditions depending where they work, unlike teachers. Many teaching assistants have been recruited on, or downgraded to, the lowest teaching assistant pay level while carrying out duties well above this level. From a Teaching Assistant Firstly, I think It’s important that we all extend our thanks to the Branch Management Group for all their hard work during this difficult time. “The COVID pandemic has exacerbated the problem, as some teaching assistants are asked to do the full role of the teacher, but on a TA’s pay. This guide has been drawn up by the NUT with contributions and guidance from UNISON. Of particular use to UNISON members working with young people in schools, colleges, careers services, youth services, leisure centres and through social services. “Austerity saw higher-grade jobs cut and increasing numbers of TAs asked to cover the work of their missing colleagues – often without the training or support they need. The document is aimed at branches/reps, and seeks to give them advice on how to deal with student complaints – of recruiting/organising around the issue, and working co-operatively with students’ unions. We represent more teachers and support staff working in independent schools than any other union. At the end of 2012, UNISON carried out a survey of school leaders to assess the value of teaching assistants. Teaching assistants in Durham will take strike action on 8 and 9 November in the long-running dispute over cuts to their pay, their union UNISON has announced today (Monday). UNISON has today (Monday) authorised a national hardship fund to ensure that no teaching assistants on strike in Durham suffer financial hardship. This was in response to public debate on their role and at a time of focus on pupil attainment and resource utilisation. UNISON, UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY. Duties can differ dramatically from school to school, though the underlying tasks often remain the same. Available as a download PDF only, The Living Wage: Briefing and implementation plan for Catholic schools. She is a TA in a primary school and has been asked to go in to work which is understandable however all the teachers are working at home. School Classroom Assistants Please remember when if at work during lockdown your role is not to cover all key workers children alone. Before you … Search for: Skip to navigation Skip to content. Professional standards for teaching assistants. Tina started as a teaching assistant in a mainstream classroom, where she gave one-to-one support to deaf children by signing instructions from the teacher to them. The improved offer, put forward last month, is the result of lengthy negotiations with the Council, which involved teaching assistants themselves. The overwhelming majority of the school leaders who replied ‘justified their use of TAs’. It is significantly different from the initial … You will also find news articles, useful resources and events. Teaching, Childcare & Education. More than twice as many teaching assistants are standing in for teachers and covering lessons because of the coronavirus pandemic, Tes can reveal. UNISON has discovered that twice as many teaching assistants (TAs) are standing in for teachers and giving lessons than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Updated Government Advice for School Support Staff. Important: advice for school staff this January, Latest advice for school & early years staff, COVID-19 advice for school & early years staff, Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2019. Jayne, a teaching assistant from Newcastle explains: “When I was working supporting an individual child 1 … Save job. 8% cuts to schools. How it should and should not be used. Minimum order 10. A4 branch guidance which sets out to highlight the key aspects of shared services and sets out actions that branches should take. What can you do about it? A briefing for UNISON activists and organisers. This is a extremely low paid job and doesn’t have paid holidays like many think. UNISON is the UK's largest trade union representing public service workers. Teaching assistants in Durham represented by UNISON, have today (Monday) overwhelmingly voted to accept the final offer made by the County Council to end the long-running dispute. Create an account to read this article £ 5.83 + VAT. Back then, the DfE were extremely upbeat about the need for teaching assistant (TA) standards to complement those for teachers, saying “it is timely to establish new standards for all TAs in schools that reflect the diversity of the existing schools landscape and encompass wide-ranging responsibilities in a self-improving system”. Get Free Course Advice and Support Please provide your details and one of our specialist course advisors will contact you shortly Ever since Durham County Council announced the move to term-time contracts earlier this year, UNISON has been … Our members in local government, including Teaching Assistants, Scho... ol cleaning and catering staff, social workers and many others across Local Government have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, often at direct risk to their own health. Rhondda Cynon Taf becomes sixth Welsh council to pay registration fees for teaching assistants being introduced in April. Unison, which represents the bulk of teaching assistants , will now move to a vote on strike action and will begin sending ballot papers to 1,686 of the classroom support workers early next week. Owning a home has become virtually impossible for many public sector workers in Wales, according to research published today (Sunday) by UNISON. BILINGUAL. Unison Belfast Education Branch. Teaching, Childcare & Education. Many are in schools several days a week with Critical keyworker children. Just trying to get some advice for my sister. UNISON education works hard to improve terms and conditions, highlighting issues that affect staff, ensuring workplaces are safe and making sure our members’ voices are heard. Teaching assistants in Durham represented by UNISON, have today (Monday) overwhelmingly voted to accept the final offer made by the County Council to end the long-running dispute. It has been written for the school leadership team and we would recommend that this is brought to their attention by the trade union health and safety stewards. Teaching assistants in Durham represented by UNISON, have today (Monday) overwhelmingly voted to accept the final offer made by the County Council to end the long-running dispute. Teaching Assistants Print / Translate Print page Translate page. Covid-19: latest advice for school staff UNISON is the largest union in schools, representing over 250,000 members in support staff roles across the UK. According to Unison research, amongst local authorities the vast majority of TAs are on term-time or casual contracts. “From there, I went to work in a specialist deaf provision before then becoming a deaf instructor. Updated November 2009. Minimum order 10. A4 12 pages. Facebook Twitter Email More options. Stars in our Schools celebrates the support staff striving to provide the best possible education The bigger picture. © Copyright 2021 Privacy policy Join UNISON and get essential cover wherever you work. Guidance on lesson observations of teaching assistants. Telephone check-ins. PDF download only, General advice in line with the NHS and Public Health England’s guidance. The improved offer, put forward last month, is the result of lengthy negotiations with the Council, which involved teaching assistants themselves. Glamorgan decision on learning support registration fees welcomed. They deserve a pay rise, not another pay freeze. UNISON has discovered that twice as many teaching assistants (TAs) are standing in for teachers and giving lessons than before the COVID-19 pandemic. © Copyright 2021 Privacy policy Max 50 or email [email protected] Although the Department of Education have specified teaching assistants will not be phased out ( the media have reported otherwise ), funding has most definitely been reduced, leaving many TAs with little pay and long working hours. Recent research by the Education Endowment Foundation and ongoing projects such as the Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants (MITA) make it clear that well deployed TAs with high-quality support and training can make a significant positive impact on pupil learning. This could see school support staff lose up to 23% of their wages. Unions representing support staff have issued these teaching assistant standards for all stakeholders to promote and adopt. By continuing to use our website you are consenting to their use. Find out more about cookies and how we use them. Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions UNISON speaking up for teaching assistants. These teaching assistant standards are non-mandatory and non-statutory, but they sit alongside the statutory standards for teachers and headteachers and help to define the role and purpose of teaching assistants to ensure that schools can maximise the educational value and contribution of employees working directly with pupils. From branch secretaries, stewards, equality reps and regional organisers, This factsheet explains how part-time youth and community workers have the same statutory employment rights as any other employee. TEACHING ASSISTANTS ROLE DURING LOCKDOWN A whole number of TAs attending an on-line Regional UNISON meeting raised concerns that they were being required to attend school by their Headteacher (TA role can't be done from home) while teachers were providing on-line Teaching … Available as a download PDF only. Get Free Course Advice and Support Please provide your details and one of our specialist course advisors will contact you shortly A4 12 pages. This follows a ballot over Durham County Council plans to move teaching assistants to term-time pay. Facebook Twitter Email More options. Home ownership little more than a pipe dream for public sector workers in Wales, says UNISON. UNISON, UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London NW1 2AY. Unison regional secretary Clare Williams said: "Teaching assistants are essential in the classroom and to devalue them in this way is unacceptable. A designated teacher must also be available, your role is to ASSIST the teacher. Teaching assistants in Durham represented by UNISON, have today (Monday) overwhelmingly voted to accept the final offer made by the County Council to end the long-running dispute. More UNISON. Posted in activists' learning East Midlands learning reps stars in our schools teaching assistants UNISON Learning Rep. Posted on February 6, 2017 December 13, 2018 by Amanda Kendal. Career Framework and Continuing Professional Development for Teaching Assistants. Offers action for parents, school staff and the public to campaign against cuts to their local school and to ask the government for the funding our school deserves. The union said its findings also indicated that schools were providing emergency supplies of groceries, with many running food banks for families. Sian05 Tue 24-Mar-20 16:09:14. Poster setting out all the specialist and generic benefits to school support staff of belonging to UNISON. 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