EXCLUSIVE: A UNISON report found almost 39% of school support staff covered classes in place of teachers as part of their role, including staff in welfare and technical roles
Support staff are being asked to cover lessons instead(Image: PA)
Pupils are “losing out” because support staff are being asked to cover lessons instead, new research has shown.
A UNISON report found almost 39% of school support staff covered classes in place of teachers as part of their role, including staff in welfare and technical roles.
For teaching assistants (TAs), the figure was as high as 67%, with 38% of these saying it meant pupils missed a scheduled support session with them.
More than a third (36%) said providing cover meant pupils they would normally support missed out on essential classroom help, while 29% said pupils with an education, health and care plan missed one-to-one support.
It also found 73% believed specialist sessions such as therapy were either unlikely or impossible to be rescheduled.
Led by University of Greenwich researcher Rob Webster, the data is based on a survey of more than 8,000 school support staff in England.
UNISON warned most support staff received no additional pay for covering classes, and the union is now calling for ministers to review the role of support staff.
UNISON head of education Mike Short said: “Support staff are showing up for pupils every day, but they’re also being used to plug classroom staffing gaps. Children and young people are losing out as a result.
“When teaching assistants and others are pulled into covering lessons, children can miss out on vital classroom support, interventions and one-to-one help. This is especially concerning for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
“Staff are being asked to take on extra responsibility without enough resources or, in many cases, additional pay.”
University of Greenwich lead researcher Rob Webster said: “The findings suggest that cover by teaching assistants and other support staff is masking wider workforce pressures.
“Schools cannot keep compensating for teacher shortages by diverting these staff from the vital work pupils and schools depend on them to do.
“The growing reliance on support staff to cover lessons is another sign that the government needs a comprehensive response to the ongoing teacher recruitment and retention crisis.”
Responding, a Department for Education spokesperson said: “School support staff do an incredible job supporting our brilliant teachers and we’re determined to make sure that the dedication of the schools workforce is rewarded and supported.
“The number of teaching assistants has increased and we’re establishing the School Support Staff Negotiating Body to recognise the vital role that support staff play. Alongside this we’re backing our teachers and we are seeing more remain in the classroom or rejoin the profession.
“There’s more to do but we’re determined that school staff thrive.”
