UK schools rely on teaching assistants for cover due to funding crisis

Teaching assistants across England and Wales are increasingly being used to cover teacher absences, often without proper lesson plans or additional support, according to a new report from UNISON.

The report, “Teaching on the Cheap?”, based on a survey of nearly 6,000 teaching assistants, highlights a growing reliance on support staff to manage whole classes, a role for which they are not typically trained or compensated.

The research indicates that 45% of teaching assistants are covering more classes than in the previous year, with 75% reporting that they end up teaching rather than just supervising. This practice contradicts national guidelines which state that school support staff should not actively teach classes.

UNISON’s findings reveal that 51% of support staff in secondary and special schools are used for class coverage due to teacher shortages, with this figure at 24% in primary schools. As a result, many teaching assistants are unable to perform their normal duties, affecting the quality of education and support, particularly for pupils with special educational needs.

Mike Short, UNISON’s head of education, criticised the government’s role in the funding shortfall that has led to this situation, stating, “The strain imposed on teaching assistants is both unacceptable and exploitative. Schools’ budgets are so tight that, instead of getting in supply teachers to cover classes, heads are having to use teaching assistants on the cheap. Ministers are entirely responsible for the funding crisis that’s putting schools in this impossible position.”

The report calls for a review of the role of teaching assistants and suggests that their pay and conditions should be re-evaluated by a new, independent body to reflect the critical work they perform.

Rob Webster, the researcher behind the study, noted, “This study reveals the hidden costs of deploying teaching assistants to plug gaps in the teacher workforce. It disrupts support for pupils who need it and prevents teaching assistants from doing their essential work.”

The current over-reliance on teaching assistants for classroom coverage is not only putting additional stress on the staff but also compromising the quality of education for students, particularly those with additional needs, potentially exacerbating the recruitment and retention crisis in education.