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Teaching Assistant’s Handbook Level 2 Summary – part 1

Posted on November 10, 2013 By Joy Judge

The Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 2, written by Teena Kamen, is a 2010 publication supporting the development and learning of students. The book is suitable for students studying the following teaching assistant courses and qualifications:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools
Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
Level 2 Certificate in Supporting the Wider Curriculum in Schools

The book is divided into 14 chapters (the first 6 are detailed below):

1 Supporting child and young person development

A guide for the QCF unit ‘Child and Young Person Development’.This chapter focuses on the importance of observation relating to child behaviour, skills, development sequence and activity planning based on individual needs. Teaching assistants will routinely be making observations and various principles need to be taken into consideration (such as objectiveness and confidentiality). Observation best practise methods are discussed and examples given with suggested formats. Suggested activities are given to help emphasise the importance of observation and how developmental progress is on an individual basis. Planning activities based on individual student’s progress is discussed and the formats a teaching assistant can use to prepare, review and evaluate. A detailed sequence of children’s development is provided from 0 to 16 years, divided into subsections of development:

Social – the way in which children’s social development can be supported are discussed, including behavioural patterns and self awareness.
Physical – gross motor skills and fine motor skills
Intellectual – how information is stored and recalled
Communication & Language – shared language, relating to others and expressing feelings
Emotional – focus on personality and temperament

Recognising and supporting children’s transitions are noted for age groups i.e. age 3 to 11 years will require reassurance and explanations or age 11 to 16 will require open days/evenings and career advice when going through transitions.

2 Safeguarding the welfare of children and young people

A guide for the QCF unit ‘Safeguarding the welfare of children and young

Teaching Assistant Handbook level 2

people’ This chapter details the importance of health and safety (a legal understanding is required to ensure the the safety of the teaching assistant and pupil). For example, tools or other equipment will need to be maintained and accidents/injuries will need to be logged. Common childhood illnesses are detailed – the symptoms and how to deal with each illness. Identifying abuse in the following forms:

Physical
Emotional
Sexual
Neglect

This chapter also discussed the law regarding safeguarding children according to the Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004. The referral process is explained and how teaching assistants can identify signs of abuse. Helping pupils to protect themselves against abuse or being bullied is also detailed.

3 Maintaining and supporting professional relationships

A guide for the QCF unit ‘Communication and professional relationships with children, young people and adults’ and ‘Maintain and support relationships with children and young people’. This chapter details the importance of creating positive, professional relationships with pupils and the types of positive interactions. Communicating in a positive and clear manner is essential, so notes are provided on how best to communicate, including how to actively listen. The importance of praise, encouragement and support is highlighted, along with ways in which behavioural problems are tackled i.e. meeting the standards of the school. A common problem tackled by many teaching assistants is the emotional outburst, which this chapter covers and details the way these outbursts should be handled. Helping pupils deal with conflicts such as jealousy or disagreements is noted and examples given. Good communication with adults is essential as teaching assistants will be regularly reporting back to colleagues, carers and parents. Best practise for confidentiality and the Data Protection Act 1998 are detailed.

4 Supporting equality, diversity and inclusion

A guide for the QCF unit ‘Equality, diversity and inclusion in work with children and young people’. This chapter details the rights and needs of children and how these rights have changed over the years to now include rights to express views and engage in play. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are detailed along with legislation. Cultural diversity, disabilities and gender are discussed with regards to promoting a positive attitude and the ways teaching assistants should approach these issues.

5 Understanding schools as organisations

A guide for QCF unit ‘Schools as organisations’. This chapter details the UK education system and how it works, from pre-school to further education. Alongside this is the description of the school workforce and the roles/responsibilities. The teaching assistant role is covered in detail regarding the role and how it supports those within the workforce and the pupils. Examples of job descriptions are included and also the procedures for grievances and staff code of conduct.

6 Supporting children and young people’s health and safety

A guide for QCF unit ‘Support children and young people’s health and safety’. This chapter covers the maintenance of health and safety during learning – i.e. how risk assessments are carried out and how equipment must be stored (an example of a risk assessment form is shown). Play areas are required to be safe and clean so tips on how to maintain play areas are given. School evacuations and procedures for missing pupils are also documented, along with procedures for accidents (administering first aid and completing accident/injury forms).

Part 2 Summary

How I became a Learning Support Assistant

Posted on November 1, 2013 By Joy Judge

April Gibson is a Learning Support Assistant studying for her Level 3. She has written a guest post detailing the challenges she faced finding a work placement and the diversity of the tasks within her role.

First hand experiences working as a Learning Support Assistant

I am a 23 year old female, living and working in Surrey. I work in a main stream, mixed gender, high school, supporting the Special Educational Needs department (SEN), as a Learning Support Assistant (LSA). I am writing this to share my experiences of working in this industry, as I am hoping it will encourage others to go into the same profession.

It took me a long time to secure myself an LSA role, however don’t let this put you off, perseverance is the key. I was told, after a few unsuccessful interviews, that whilst I had good GCSE and A-Level results and the experience of working with children (as a qualified swimming teacher), I did not have a specialised qualification, which other candidates did have – making them more employable than me.

Therefore I decided that I was going to go to college in order to obtain a Teaching Assistant qualification. I sourced guidance from a local college on my situation and they explained that because I already had experience of working with children that I could enter the NVQ Teaching Assistants course at level 3. However, I would need to have a work placement in order to qualify for entry onto the course, as I would be regularly assessed by an examiner. I then wrote to all the local schools asking if I could spend a few days a week working as a voluntary Teaching Assistant to help support my college course. To my disappointment, no school replied to my request, therefore preventing me from going to college.

In the mean time I had spent many hours looking and applying for jobs – just like many application forms, they were long, detailed and difficult to complete, they also required me to write a person specification. Eventually to my delight I was invited to an interview at a high school, for the position of a ‘Learning Support Assistant’. I spent the majority of the day at the school and had two different interviews, one with a board of senior members of staff, and one with the head of SEN. I also had to attend a lesson and support the students, so that they were able to observe me in a teaching environment. Lastly, I had to write a report on the lesson I had been in to show that I was able to record information accurately. I had been to a few interviews before this one, however this one seemed to be more thorough and professional; I had a really good feel about the school. At the end of the week I was offered the job, and gladly accepted it.

Working as an LSA in a high school differs from being a Teaching Assistant in a primary school. Firstly, as an LSA I attend a variety of lessons, which are located in different classrooms and I usually support a different pupil each lesson; whereas a Teaching Assistant in a primary school tends to support the same teacher and class all year. The primary job of an LSA is to support any children who have a statement. (A statement is a formal document detailing a child’s learning difficulties and the help that will be given. This ensures that children receive the right help to support their education). Each academic year I receive a timetable, with each lesson that I have to attend and with the child I am supporting. As an LSA I am responsible to support any child who has a statement as these are my priority, however I still need to be available to help other students in the class. I have a duty to help pupils to understand and access lessons in order for them to learn, therefore enabling them to follow the National Curriculum set by the government. This support may be given in a number of ways depending on the pupil’s statement and how they need and prefer to be supported in lessons. Not all children like the presence of an adult with them in a lesson as it can make them feel embarrassed and inadequate, therefore as an LSA you have to be aware of this and support the pupil in the most beneficial way for them.

For every lesson I attend, I have to complete a report sheet for the statemented pupils that I have supported. This is to record what the child has achieved during the lesson, for example: have they worked independently, did they participate in class discussion or volunteer answers to the teacher. In addition to this, I also have to record anything that the pupil really struggled with and what measures I put in place to differentiate the work for them. Throughout the year, each child’s statement is reviewed. When this happens I am requested to write a detailed report for every subject I support them in, detailing what they are capable of doing independently or what they find difficult. Whilst writing these reviews I refer back to the repost sheets that I have previously written to ensure that I am providing an accurate reflection of the pupil’s ability.

As part of my job description I have to attend playground duties, these can be before school – when the children arrive in the morning, at break or at lunchtimes. During these times it is my responsibility to ensure that all children are being sensible, safe and obeying the school rules.

In addition to this, some evenings after school I also have to assist in setting up and running homework club, along with other members of the LSA team. Homework club provides the children with the opportunity to complete their homework at school, where they have the support of the LSA’s.

This academic year I have had the opportunity to work one to one with a pupil who has Down syndrome, and although this is a rewarding position it comes with new challenges. Working as a one to one means that I support this pupil in each lesson instead of supporting different pupils in each lesson, which has allowed me to build a good working relationship with her. In order to fulfil my job successfully I have had to learn a lot about Down Syndrome, and had to find other techniques to integrate this pupil into lessons, make more resources and differentiating all classwork. Not only do I support the pupil academically, but due to her disability, I also assist her with everyday tasks, for example: tying her hair back, putting in her hearing aids and taking her to the toilet.

As part of my performance management target, I have begun to complete the Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification, through the Cambridge open college (who provide you with an online tutor that can assist you if required). The college sends me all of the assignments, which I complete at home and submit back to the college; this is all done online and in your own time, therefore there are no set deadlines; however the course must be completed within the year. I have found this course structure to be very convenient for me as I am able to fit the assignments around my work.

To help me complete this qualification I have referred to several Teaching Assistant books. Although they all cover similar ideas, information and topics, I have recently acquired the latest edition of the ‘Teaching Assistant’s Handbook Level 3’. This has been a very interesting read and contains lot of relevant information that will support me in the completion of my course. In addition to this, it also contains the most up to date information about policies and legislations, which can be difficult to find.

Even though being a Learning Support Assistant can be challenging, I find it to be an extremely rewarding and enjoyable job, where each day is different to the previous one. There are always new challenges to face and I am consistently learning new things. This job gives me the opportunity to make a real difference to someone else’s life – you could to this too!

Toddlers and the iPad addiction

Posted on October 31, 2013 By Joy Judge

Jane Fletcher runs a business from home and is a part time teaching assistant. She has written a guest post demonstrating how she used detailed observation to discover how the iPad is affecting her son’s activities.

“My 3 year old son is playing happily with his cars and trucks, making vocal noises as they crash into each other and tip over the edge of the card box he’s using as a makeshift city. I’m getting on with some paperwork but glancing over at the imaginative events. He skips over to me and politely offers me a car, hoping I’ll join in. I welcome the break from the tediousness of my work and allow him to delicately take me by the hand to have some fun.

Last week wasn’t as blissful. Tuesday afternoon was filled with tearful tantrums, physical violence and a disinterest in all things normal to my son. You see, he had been using my iPad for a few hours. Like thousands of parents out there, I have allowed my son to use my iPad once or twice a week when I’ve needed to get on with the washing up, ironing or other tasks around our house. This has been the norm for about 10 months, after we discovered his amazing ability to interact with the apps, photos, games and YouTube videos. He would navigate through screens and buttons as easily as his ability to breathe. He would intuitively open new apps and work through puzzles and other activities without needing our help.

And so I would leave him to browse through the mass of YouTube children’s videos and listen to him chuckling happily, peeking in every now and then to vet the content he watched. I was comfortable with him becoming computer literate as early as possible to give him the best start, unlike his mother (I still can’t set up emails and Facebook accounts without help from my husband!). I had also read recently that a local secondary school head teacher had been promoting the use of iPads throughout lessons, so decided my son would benefit from getting used to tablets at an early age. The usage was never daily, he only really used it once or twice a week, but gradually the separation from the tablet was becoming too much for him to cope with.

Last week he had been watching a YouTube clip for a matter of minutes when I realised I had an appointment to keep, which meant we had to leave the house sharpish. Interrupting his interaction with the iPad led to an almost agonising wail followed by the first violent behaviour I had seen from him. He lashed out, screaming and kicking, leaving me shocked and worried. My son was acting like a crazed, addicted animal!

I’m a part time teaching assistant, so I’ve learnt to be observant around children in order to pick up on signs that others are unlikely to see. I decided to keep a record of my son’s behaviour after using the iPad and compare it to his normal behaviour. The results were astounding and has led me to believe that many children are now in danger of long term psychological damage, unbeknown to their parents (toddlers requiring therapy – The Telegraph). I allowed him to use the iPad for an hour one day during the morning, then monitor his behaviour in the afternoon. The next day I monitored his afternoon behaviour without the use of the iPad in the morning. I repeated this series a few times and these were the main results after using the iPad in the morning:

His concentration deteriorated when performing simple tasks such as stacking blocks to build a tower. Normally he would happily build for around 10 – 15 minutes without being distracted. This was reduced to a few minutes before becoming bored and restless.
His imagination became limited. Normally he can draw using multiple colouring pens and can create imaginative pictures. After using the iPad, he would become agitated at being left to perform a task on his own and would require intervention from me in order to think of what next to draw.
His activities became fickle. He changed his mind frequently about what he wanted to do – starting to play with his cars, then running over to play with his bricks and then back again in a matter of minutes. I’ve seen this behaviour with the iPad – my son flits from one app to another and very rarely lets a video play in its entirety before being distracted with a new video in the menu.
He became less interactive with his surroundings, almost in a trance. Calling his name didn’t always get a response!

My son’s behaviour really demonstrates that although digital technology is innovative, advanced and can be a perfect educational tool (my son HAS learnt loads from using it), toddlers shouldn’t be encouraged to use devices on their own, no matter how adept they are. It’s so tempting to leave them to discover iPad wonders such as interactive cats and dogs, digital jigsaw puzzles and CBeebies on BBC iPlayer, but it’s best to leave them to their own imagination without any restrictions. Let them build Lego houses and drive their toy cars along makeshift roads. We don’t know the long term effects of young children using iPads, simply because they’ve not been around long enough. I’ve seen the effects of excessive use of televisions in households and I suspect the introduction of tablets and smartphones at an early age will be far worse in the long term.”

Early Years, Primary and Secondary Schools

Posted on October 30, 2013 By Joy Judge

EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage)

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the standards that must be met by providers and practitioners in the UK for children up to age 5. It provides children with the necessary skills and knowledge to see them through their education, promoting teaching and learning within a safe and healthy environment. Since September 2012, the framework has been simplified (eg. fewer goals, a strong emphasis on communication and emotional development and a developmental check for 2 year olds).

Click here to download the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile Handbook 2013/2014

Primary school

The teaching assistant (TA) role within a primary or secondary school setting is very similar in terms of how they support the children, but the main difference is the involvement with specific subjects. The curriculum for primary schools is very basic, so specialist knowledge of subjects is not required (although good English and maths is a must). Although primary schools set their own daily structure, they must incorporate a ‘Literacy Hour’ and ‘Numeracy Hour’.

Secondary school

The secondary school curriculum involves more detail in specific subjects, so TAs with specialist knowledge in subjects can help students immensely. If there is a requirement for TA, the school will appoint a SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator), who deals with daily SEN operations. The needs of each student differs and the TA will spend as little or as much time as required.

Win Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 2 and 3

Posted on October 26, 2013 By Joy Judge

40 Comments

This competition has now ended.

Teaching Assistant's Handbook To coincide with UNISON’s celebratory day for teaching assistants on 29th November 2013, we’re offering TWO winners the chance to win QCF teaching assistant study books. Hodder Education have generously provided Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 2 and Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 3, worth £22.99 each, for each lucky winner.

Please comment below, answering the following question – ‘what makes a good teaching assistant?’

This competition has now ended.

We will notify the winner via email or Facebook.

About the Teaching Assistant’s Handbook

If you are thinking of completing a teaching assistant course, there are some very good companions to help with theory and practical tasks, mainly written by experienced teachers or teaching assistants. Two fantastic books are Teena Kamen’s Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 2 and Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 3 which are geared towards the QCF Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools qualifications level 2 and 3. Both are packed with brilliant insights into child development, the importance of observation and how TAs can provide support. These books are aimed at students taking the course, but will also support tutors and assessors. Each book details the background knowledge and practical exercises for each unit within the qualification.

Teena Kamen has written many books on child development, having spent many years as a primary school teacher.

Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 2

teaching_assistants-handbook-level-2

Author: Teena Kamen

Suitable for those studying for the following qualifications:

Level 2 Award in Support Work in Schools
Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
Level 2 Certificate in Supporting the Wider Curriculum in Schools

Support the development of children and young people in a variety of educational settings, including primary, secondary, special and extended schools.

Includes tasks that will develop personal and professional skills as well as key tasks which will contribute to assessment.
Covers the new QCF qualifications fully and follows the exact unit structure.
Includes key terms and case studies for additional student support

9781444121315 • 238pp • 2010 • RRP £22.99 • Paperback

This title is also available as an eBook through selected online retailers.

Buy direct from Hodder Education

Teaching Assistant’s Handbook for Level 3

Author: Teena Kamen

Suitable for those studying for the following qualifications:

Level 3 Award in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
Level 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
Level 3 Diploma in Specialist support for teaching and learning in schools
Level 3 Certificate in Cover Supervision

Get practical guidance on how to support the development of children and young people in a variety of educational settings with this widely respected book.

Helps learners to meaningfully apply theory to assignments and tasks with topical case studies
Develops and reinforces key concepts with activities for individual and group work
Links key tasks to the National Occupational Standards to develop students’ personal and professional skills and contribute to their assessment portfolio

9781444121322 • 340pp • 2011 • £22.99 • Paperback

This title is also available as an eBook through selected online retailers.

Buy direct from Hodder Education

About Hodder Education

Hodder Education publishes resources by Carolyn Meggitt, Jennie Lindon and other trusted Childcare & Early Years authors. In addition to being CACHE’s exclusive publishing partner, Hodder Education provides quality print and digital resources for teaching assistants as well as for GCSE students, undergraduates and practitioners to help students and practitioners achieve their best. Visit www.hoddereducation.co.uk to learn more.

Competition Terms

The competition will end on 29th November 2013.
Entrants must be at least 16 years of age and a UK resident.
The winning comment will be selected by the TA Focus team on or after the closing date.
Winners will be notified by email within 14 days of the winning comment being chosen.
There is no cash alternative to the prize.
TA Focus’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Open to UK residents only.

UNISON – speaking up for TAs

Posted on October 25, 2013 By Joy Judge

UNISON TA day A date for your diary – 29th November 2013. This is the date UNISON, one of the largest education unions, has set aside for the celebration of teaching assistants. Although the Department of Education have specified teaching assistants will not be phased out (the media have reported otherwise), funding has most definitely been reduced, leaving many TAs with little pay and long working hours.

UNISON recognise the hard work many TAs contribute and are encouraging all TAs and members of the public to come together to celebrate.

More information about why UNISON are fighting for TAs

Campaign briefing for 29th November

>> TA Focus’ competition to win two Teaching Assistant’s Handbooks <<

The Evident Value of Teaching Assistants

At the end of 2012, UNISON carried out a survey of school leaders to assess the value of teaching assistants. The overwhelming majority of the school leaders who replied ‘justified their use of TAs’. The range of help TAs provide is astonishing, from IT support and administration to covering teachers’ PPA time and behaviour management.

The report (including the responses to the survey) can be found below. It’s well worth a read as the content details how TA roles have evolved over the years and the importance of these roles within education today.

UNISON TA survey results – January 2013

Qualifications and Learning Centres

Posted on October 25, 2013 By Joy Judge

3 Comments

We’re all familiar with GCSEs and A Levels from our education, which formed part of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) until 2010. After this time, the NQF was replaced with the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF), which uses a set of rules to enable students to build up units resulting in qualifications.

Upon completion of each unit, the student obtains credits which subsequently build up to qualifications. NVQs are being phased out and replaced with the QCF equivalent. More information on QCF and teaching assistant qualifications.

QCF and NQF equivalent

Comparative qualifications

Within the QCF, there are levels of qualifications which correspond to the NQF levels – QCF level 2 is usually the minimum required by schools for teaching assistants and is equivalent to the phased out *NVQ level 2 and GCSEs grade C and above. QCF level 3 is more advanced and equivalent to NVQ level 3 (also being phased out) and AS or A Level standard.
*Some Local Education Authorities still request an NVQ as their preferred qualification, so check their requirements.

Awarding Bodies for TA qualifications

The main Awarding Bodies for teaching assistant qualifications are NCFE, CACHE, EDEXCEL and City & Guilds. Each will take the guidelines and units set out by the QCF and create qualifications for each level.

Learning centres and teaching assistant courses

Learning centres are the study colleges/centres which create the course set out by the Awarding Body, enabling students to qualify. Many provide home study packages, allowing students to complete coursework and other requirements from home, usually over the course of a year. Others will require college attendance for lessons and, depending on the course, some will ask for work placements.

Local Education Authorities and Statementing

Posted on October 21, 2013 By Joy Judge

1 Comment

Local Education Authorities (LEAs) are generally responsible for the teaching assistant recruitment for schools within the borough. The teaching assistant (TA) title covers many roles within the school, but is usually those that assist the teacher during classes. Some experienced TAs can even manage a whole class, depending on their experience (which the government has been uncomfortable with in recent months).

Some LEAs have seen their TA government funding cut, which has had a huge impact, but many LEAs are still recruiting much needed TAs due to class sizes and teacher workloads.

Teaching assistant jobs are advertised either in local newspapers, local authority school bulletins or job websites. Once recruited, many TAs are encouraged to study for additional qualifications to enhance their knowledge and skills via third party learning centres. Some TAs can find themselves going on to study for teaching qualifications.

Many LEAs will request a qualification, usually an NVQ Level 2 Teaching Assistant or QCF Level 2 STL, whilst others will see these qualifications as ‘desirable’. It all depends on the demand of TAs within the borough.

All LEAs will require experience working with children, with special needs experience as a bonus. DBS (formerly CBR) checks will also be a requirement.

If you are considering becoming a teaching assistant, please contact your LEA to check their requirements.

SEN and the Process of Statementing

Children can sometimes have disabilities or needs that can have an impact on their ability to learn. These areas include:

physical needs and impairments
reading and writing
social or behaviour
comprehension
the ability to concentrate (i.e. ADHD)

Statemented students are those who are educated in mainstream schools with the help of a teaching assistant, covering their specific needs. The formal account of the special needs required for the student is the ‘statement of special needs’ and is only required if the school is unable to support the student via other means. Not all special needs students will need a ‘statement’. For example, dyslexic students are unlikely to be statemented.

The process of statementing a student can be a long process (many months!) and not all applications with Local Education Authorities are a success. With the application, evidence is required to demonstrate the student’s difficulties. All schools will typically have what is known as a SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator), who deals with daily SEN operations. Usually a teacher will be appointed for the role.

The first stage is the ‘statutory assessment’ which assesses the student’s needs – either at the request of the school or parent – and is carried out by the LEA. The assessment usually takes 6 weeks to make the decision whether to carry out the assessment. The LEA will contact some or all of the following:

– the parents
– the school
– an educational psychologist (EP)
– social services, if applicable
– a doctor
– speech language therapist

After the assessment, the LEA will take up to 12 weeks to make a decision.

Working as a TA – videos

Posted on October 16, 2013 By Joy Judge

Hands on experience as a teaching assistant can be invaluable when ascertaining whether a TA role is suited. The following interviews give some insight into the world of SEN teaching assistants.

Engagement

Teaching assistants in secondary schools. How TAs can question students at the right level and drawing on their own experiences. Assessing how much input to give the students and when to back away.

Preparation of classroom

Discusses preparing the classroom for SEN students. All resources within the class should be accessible to the SEN students. The role is rewarding, but low paid and sometimes challenging.

SEN student application process

Alastair Coomes discusses how the process of assisting special needs students takes place and explains some of the jargon used within the industry. Aimed at parents, but includes some fantastic explanations to help those unfamiliar with TAs.

SEN Teaching Assistant – (click to view on YouTube)

Describes how teaching assistants and SEN students are coordinated around the school on a daily basis to ensure students have adequate care according to their timetables. Teachers and assistants work together to assess the requirements for each student, also offering an open door policy for students.

Rob Webster’s Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants

Further details about Rob Webster’s presentation below

Maximising the Impact of Teaching Assistants chapter summaries

Teacher Cherryl Drabble’s Petition

Posted on October 13, 2013 By Joy Judge

Save TAs After the news of the Government culling teaching assistants across the UK, petitions were started to encourage parents, teachers, other teaching assistants and, well, everyone to sign up and fight against the decision. Cherryl Drabble, a teacher, who set up the ‘SAY NO TO REMOVAL OF TEACHING ASSISTANTS’ petition would really like as many numbers as possible. Therefore, please visit her petition and sign. If you wish to spread the word, she has put together the following email to use:

Dear Friends,

I just signed the petition “Say no to removal of Teaching Assistants” and wanted to ask if you could add your name too.

This campaign means a lot to me and the more support we can get behind it, the better chance we have of succeeding. You can read more and sign the petition here:

http://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/say-no-to-removal-of-teaching-assistants

Thank you!

P.S. Can you also take a moment to share the petition with others? It’s really easy – all you need to do is forward this email or share this link on Facebook or Twitter