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.
A survey in 2018 revealed that 12% of teaching assistants had
been asked to undertake tasks from a higher grade, including
standing in for teachers.
UNISON head of education Jon Richards said that teaching
assistants were being asked to cover for teachers who were
falling ill or having to self-isolate due to lack of testing
in the pandemic.
“UNISON has been raising concerns with the government about
the exploitation of teaching assistants for years,” he said.
“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 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.
“We put this directly to the Schools Minster recently and
asked for extra guidance for schools.”
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.
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