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TrueBlue

SJP Taxi & Private Hire ⭐️
Joined
Oct 26, 2003
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Hockley now on loan to Rayleigh
Apparently Teaching assistants are a waste of time and teaching on the cheap!

Teaching assistants 'do not help improve grades', report into Pupil Premium spending finds



Teaching assistants have 'no effect' on improving grades, an influential report has suggested.

A study into how best to spend the new Pupil Premium dismisses many of the methods favoured by teachers to improve performance.

School uniforms have little impact, cutting class sizes is over-rated and homework has only a 'moderate impact', according to an education guide published by the Sutton Trust.
Not needed: Classroom assistants have little or no impact on better grades according to a new teaching guide by the Sutton Trust

Not needed: Classroom assistants have little or no impact on better grades according to a new teaching guide by the Sutton Trust

The document, compiled by researchers at Durham University, looked at different measures schools could consider introducing when allocating the Government's new Pupil Premium.

Under the scheme, poor pupils are allocated extra funding - £430 each for 2011/12 - which follows them from school to school. Schools can choose how to spend this money.



* School 'selection by mortgage' will stop: Poorer pupils to get priority over those living nearby

The ways forward favoured by the report are 'peer tutoring' - letting children learn from each other - and providing more feedback to pupils more quickly.

These measures can increase a child's performance by an extra eight or nine months, at little cost, according to the research.
Peter Lampl, of the Sutton Trust, hopes the guide will be a 'useful tool' for teachers

Peter Lampl, of the Sutton Trust, hopes the guide will be a 'useful tool'

It analysed evidence gathered from thousands of studies involving millions of pupils across the world.

The findings show that the benefits of reducing class sizes are 'not particularly large or clear' until they are cut to less than 20 or even 15 pupils.

However separate research by the Sutton Trust found that, when it comes to spending the Pupil Premium, almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of teachers see cutting class sizes as one of their top three priorities.

But perhaps more stark is the finding that hiring more classroom assistants has only a 'very small or no effect' on attainment.

While they can have a 'positive effect' on pupils' attitudes to work, they negatively impact on standards when used as a replacement for teachers.

The number of teaching assistants rocketed under Labour and their rise has continued under the Coalition government, with around 214,000 hired this year so far.

However, the findings again contradict the opinions of teachers with 44 per cent of those surveyed stating hiring more teaching assistants as one of their top priorities.
Peer tutoring: ' Letting children learn from each other is an effective and cost-effective way to improve performance

Peer tutoring: ' Letting children learn from each other is an effective and cost-effective way to improve performance

The new document also found that homework can have a moderate impact for low cost, but is more effective for secondary than primary school pupils, while there is 'no robust evidence' that introducing a school uniform boosts performance.

The benefits of 'peer tutoring', where pupils learn from each other, are clear and are low cost, as are measures to get pupils to think about their own learning.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: 'The key to improving the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is not necessarily how much money is spent in schools, but how much is spent on what is proven to work in the classroom.

'I hope this guide will be a useful tool for teachers to make informed decisions based on the educational evidence available.'

 
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Kay, what is the difference between the two positions ?
Ken, simply put the TA is there as a general assistant to the teacher within the class, paid for out of the school's immediate budget and works with whichever children they are targetted to, but an LSA (Learning Support Assistant) is employed for the support of an individual child, who usually has a statement for any combination of behavioural, social, cultural or educational needs, and is funded by the local authority which has authorised the statement of needs, through the school. For example, a child with English as a 2nd language might have a statement for support for the key subject lessons - English and Maths - and have an LSA for 15 hours (5 x 3 hour mornings) or a child with severe ADHD or Autism might have a full statement of 5 x 5 hours.

I know Scott is on a massive fishing trip, but I don't know of many teachers who would prefer to deal with a class on their own. Most value the support of their TAs or LSAs, and we're certainly useful for the menial stuff like sorting out class supplies, making breaktime teas or coffees or miraculously helping children to "find" their lost PE kits! In all seriousness though, TAs are often asked to give support to children struggling in particular areas, so for instance, if a Maths lesson, you're doing work on fractions, they might be asked to work with a small number who are having difficulty grasping the basics. Or alternatively, the teacher might choose to do that and leave the TA to give support to the rest of the class - we're pretty adaptable as a rule!
 
I love having an extra pair of hands, and eyes, in the room.

Also good to have someone to laugh with when a kid says something outrageous.
 
Ken, simply put the TA is there as a general assistant to the teacher within the class, paid for out of the school's immediate budget and works with whichever children they are targetted to, but an LSA (Learning Support Assistant) is employed for the support of an individual child, who usually has a statement for any combination of behavioural, social, cultural or educational needs, and is funded by the local authority which has authorised the statement of needs, through the school. For example, a child with English as a 2nd language might have a statement for support for the key subject lessons - English and Maths - and have an LSA for 15 hours (5 x 3 hour mornings) or a child with severe ADHD or Autism might have a full statement of 5 x 5 hours.

I know Scott is on a massive fishing trip, but I don't know of many teachers who would prefer to deal with a class on their own. Most value the support of their TAs or LSAs, and we're certainly useful for the menial stuff like sorting out class supplies, making breaktime teas or coffees or miraculously helping children to "find" their lost PE kits! In all seriousness though, TAs are often asked to give support to children struggling in particular areas, so for instance, if a Maths lesson, you're doing work on fractions, they might be asked to work with a small number who are having difficulty grasping the basics. Or alternatively, the teacher might choose to do that and leave the TA to give support to the rest of the class - we're pretty adaptable as a rule!

Not on a fishing trip at all here when I was at school TA's and LSA's were very help full I am in full support of them but not the over use.

Never really worked with an LSA as I was quite bright but certainly the TA's were always useful to ask a question or too
 
How many LSA'S does a normal school have?
Define "normal"? A statement of needs is not an easy process, it's certainly not something given out at the drop of a hat. There are years of assessments, doctors and psychologists' reports before you get anywhere near one. I have no idea why there seem so be so many more children with ADHD and autism around these days but there you go, there are, and they will usually be given a statement for some LSA support.

Not on a fishing trip at all here when I was at school TA's and LSA's were very help full I am in full support of them but not the over use.

Never really worked with an LSA as I was quite bright but certainly the TA's were always useful to ask a question or too
Glad to hear it, I'm not suggesting for one minute I literally ONLY support the one child, he quite often decides he wants to work on his own and if he is "in the learning zone", then I do back away and give him the space, and help other children that may need support. He understands though, that the minute he starts calling out inappropriately or misbehaving in other ways, I will be there and he'll then have to earn that space back next time. It's about enforcing the correct behaviour, positive praise and good role models.

Those who can't do - teach
Those who can't teach - become teaching assistants.

I shall refrain from replying with the answer that comment deserves but speak as if to a very dense child....the vast majority of people who become TAs or LSAs do so because they have given up whatever career they used to have to raise their children, and are now ready to go back to work, but are conscientious (and fortunate) enough to want to be there for their kids during holidays.
 
A school that isn't specialist as in st christopher's or the renown.
Impossible to generalise, I know St Christophers has very small class sizes and about 4 LSAs to a class of 12 or so children plus a teacher, but you said NOT them. All I can tell you is in our school, which is approx 350 pupils, we have 12 TAs who do a mix of hours (some do just mornings, some do 2,3 or 4 days a week) and 4 LSAs. In a similarly sized school in Southend you might well find a completely different workforce.
 
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