Split roles for HLTAs

Only one in three people with HLTA status are working exclusively as HLTAs.

A survey by the Training and Development Agency for Schools found that only 36 % of teaching assistants with HLTA status were in full or part- time HLTA jobs.

Another third were working as HLTAs part of the time, and in non-HLTA roles the rest of the time. Most of these (65%) were paid at two different rates for the different roles.

The most positive finding was the impact on people’s self confidence. The study found that three quarters of people with HLTA status thought it had improved their confidence and self esteem.

Two out of three said HLTA status had increased their work load. Just over half said it had increased their job satisfaction and pay. supporting learning with individuals and small groups made the biggest impact on pupils, according to HLTAs, and the biggest impact on schools was having someone to provide lesson cover at short notice, managing TAs, and providing continuity for pupils when teachers were absent.

The biggest obstacles to HLTAs effectiveness was the lack of posts for them, and the lack of lesson planning time – both for themselves and with teachers.

Lack of planning time was causing high stress and low job satisfaction for some HLTAs.

Most HLTAs are paid for term time only, though their pay is spread throughout the year. One in five is paid throughout the year, as teachers are.

Research into the deployment and impact of support staff who have achieved HLTA status
National Foundation for Educational Research

Survey reveals TAs' unpaid work

School support staff are still doing regular unpaid work outside of their hours, researchers have found.

The government-funded survey is based on information from nearly 3,000 support staff who returned questionnaires last year, and follows a similar survey in 2004.

It found that two thirds regularly work more hours than their contract says, and only half of these are paid for the extra time.

Most of the overtime is voluntary but a quarter of respondents said they worked extra hours because they were told to.

"The results reveal the extent to which staff can feel obliged to work extra hours to their contracts," says the report.

More support staff now have job descriptions, and they are more likely to be appraised, than two years ago, but one in three said they were not being supervised by anyone.

More schools now ask for qualifications and previous experience before they employ support staff, especially teaching assistants. But there was little sign that they were offering more training to their staff. Special school staff were more likely to have a job description, and had more training.

When teachers were questioned about the impact of support staff on them, three quarters said teaching assistants made their own jobs more satisfying. Teaching assistants were also more satisfied than most other support staff with their jobs.

Deployment and impact of support staff in schools
Department for Children, Schools and Families