Teaching Assistants and Support Staff 2024-11-04
2024-11-04
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
School support staff face poor pay and limited career progression leading to high turnover rates. Three quarters of the profession are considering leaving or actively looking for other jobs with one in five teaching assistant posts vacant.
Low pay and limited career progression drive many teaching support staff out of classrooms. With three-quarters of the profession considering leaving or actively seeking new roles, what steps will Labour take to address this recruitment and retention crisis by ensuring valued employees receive fair wages and conditions?
The school support staff negotiating body will establish a national terms and conditions handbook, training programs, career progression routes, and fair pay rates for support staff to ensure we can recruit and retain essential personnel including teaching assistants and catering staff.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
Teaching assistants need training to help children with special educational needs, particularly those struggling with speech and language skills.
How will the Secretary of State ensure that all school support staff receive relevant training in speech and language development to better assist children requiring extra help?
Additional funding has been committed this year to roll out the Nuffield early language intervention program, which provides extra early speech and language support for children struggling with these skills.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
Schools and colleges face indirect costs as a result of the national insurance hike.
What is the cost impact on schools and colleges from the national insurance rate rise? How much compensation will be provided, and will it cover all indirect expenses such as supplier charges and staff salary adjustments?
Schools and colleges will receive national-level compensation. The new Government honoured the teachers' pay review body award of 5.5%, which was previously ignored by the last administration.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific amount of indirect costs compensation is not addressed, instead focusing on teacher's pay and recruitment efforts
Welcome The Hon. Gentleman To His Place
Honouring The Previous Government'S Pay Award
Response accuracy