Teachers may replace assistants in move to improve pupils' progress
A PRIMARY school is hoping to boost achievement by getting rid of its teaching assistants and replacing them with teachers.
">Grampian Primary School wants to employ two teachers in every classroom.
But Unison has warned that children will miss out on valuable support and has lodged a formal grievance on behalf of the teaching assistants at the school.
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The union claims that the teaching assistants are not being made redundant genuinely because the Sinfin school does not need to cut staff because of financial problems.
Branch secretary Gloria Glasby said: "To replace those made redundant with teaching staff will automatically trigger claims from us for unfair dismissal to our members."
Mrs Glasby said teaching assistants offered the extra support to those children in most need.
She said: "By withdrawing this support, these children will not maintain standards set and may not achieve their potential.
"This reactionary and misguided approach to the education of some of our most vulnerable children is unsound and unprecedented.
"We will not accept these proposals and will take action to halt the process."
Head teacher Chris Perkins defended the Grampian Way school's plans and said they were being drawn up to improve pupils' progress in literacy and numeracy.
He said: "The governing body is currently consulting on a staffing restructure proposal.
"The proposal is also intended to increase pupils' enjoyment of school and to improve their thinking, problem solving and independent learning skills.
"This would be achieved by employing two teachers in every class and would envisage significant reduction in the school's support staff in order to finance the new staffing model.
"At this point in time, consultation is still ongoing and no final decisions have been taken."
The school has already been trialling the use of two teachers in the classroom and it claims that pupil progress is "significantly more rapid" in classes where two teachers have been teaching together.
Mr Perkins said: "Using two teachers means we can have more one-to-one tuition in the afternoons, consolidating what has been taught by both of them in the morning."
Teaching unions were against the creation of 20,000 teaching assistants announced by the former labour Government in 1999.
They worried that they would be employed to take the place of teachers and would provide a cheap alternative in the classroom.
Dave Wilkinson, Derby branch secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, said: "I would regret the redundancy of any school employees, but our priority has to be to safeguard the jobs of teachers."
Comments
by parent, sinfin
Sunday, March 27 2011, 11:28PM
“we are been given the chance to have a say at the meeting with the Headteacher and hopefully governors of the school on Tuesday at 2.30pm. hope all the parents will attend as this is a 1st and last chance that our views will be heard hope the message will get out to the parents in a letter otherwise how will everybody get to know and no show will mean WE ARE NOT "INTRESTED" as Elaine kindly states.this needs to be stopped before the Governor's decide to move forward without a care for our children Oh can this be done legally???”
by Grandmother, Sinfin
Sunday, March 27 2011, 1:25PM
“My grandchildren have all attended this school, and all of them left with a good level of education. The TAs were always there for them, and when they see them out of school they are still greeted with a hug and make time for a chat. I understand that most of the teachers are not local to the area, so how can they understand the children, the TAs bridge this gap.”
by Elaine Marie Clemo, Sinfin, Derby
Saturday, March 26 2011, 2:40PM
“The parents were informed last week that restructuring was taking place, however rumours abound that this has been going on for several weeks now. There is a meeting for all 'interested' parents to meet with the Headteacher on Tuesday at 2.30pm at Grampian Primary School, where hopefully we will be able to put our views forward.”
by concerned, derby
Saturday, March 26 2011, 11:02AM
“I have read all of the comments, i dont agree with this move. I have had children at the school, and i have to say had it not been for the TAs they would not have stayed. Dont get me wrong the teachers do a good job. However are we forgetting that TAs are qualified, to do this role. Most of them have NVQS 1, 2 or 3 and those that don't have many years of experience behind them. Who's children are these yours or the school? This is why you have as much as say about your childrens future as the headteacher does. I think you Sifin parents have a fight on your hands go get em xx. Good luck to you all xx.”
by parent, sinfin
Saturday, March 26 2011, 9:07AM
“All 3 of my children attend the school and all of them have excelled in their education whilst there. All this with 1 teacher and 1 Lsa. if it ain't broke don't fix it because you could make it worse.”
by parent, sinfin
Friday, March 25 2011, 10:52PM
“I agree we should contact Ofsted, authority , unions and the govenors to a meeting before any decision is taken parents should have a say on the future of their children at Grampian School not to be told what is happening our say should count for everything about the school.”
by parent, sinfin
Friday, March 25 2011, 10:47PM
“Can I ask when the school had two teachers working together in class at present was there not a TA in the class???
I am also looking at moving my children out of the school if these proposals go ahead as I couldnt trust what they will do next this is not a school that involves all parties. we went through a stage where the Mid supervisors was made redundant now it the TAs turn what will be next??? I am prepared to stand out the school and protest against this and demand a parents meeting with the govenors.”
by concerned, sinfin
Friday, March 25 2011, 10:31PM
“I agree with the parent its the decision of the gov ONLY when they have looked at this at all angles being in control of the school budget and makin the right choices for the school and the children within the school. the govenors at Grampian School with its Headeacher has tunnel vision how can they afford to put 2 teachers in a class is it a wish list that they are trying and then finding 6 months down the line that they cannot afford to do this is the school a new building that dont need any money spent on it??they are playing with people lives they need to really look at this proposals long and hard as I said earlier the goveners should be responsible and held accountable.”
by Elaine Marie Clemo, Sinfin, Derby
Friday, March 25 2011, 10:16PM
“Well, if consultations are still ongoing, then no actual decision have been made yet, so everybody should have a say in it, surely that's how a decision is reached (politically)”
by parent, sinfin
Friday, March 25 2011, 9:54PM
“are we forgetting somthing here Govenors are there to run the school and to ensure the building is sound and the curriculum is delivered within the reach of the budget.
parent govenors and the chair who is also a parent govenor is there to represent the parents have the met wit the parents before they imposed this on to the TA?? i am very concerned where this is going this school could lose all its excellent supporting staff because the govenors did not look at the big picture what will happen with the new staff when parents remove there children to another and the budget goes down they will then make the new teachers redundant parents need to work together and challenge the govenors on this.”