Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Teaching Assistants and Support Staff

Monday 4 November 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Labour will establish a national terms and conditions handbook, training programs, career progression routes, and fair pay rates for support staff including teaching assistants and catering staff.
  • Additional funding has been committed to roll out the Nuffield early language intervention program for extra early speech and language support for children.
  • Schools and colleges will receive national-level compensation for the national insurance rate rise, honouring the teachers' pay review body award of 5.5%.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Ian Lavery Lab Blyth and Ashington
Education Employment
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.

Question

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?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

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.

Answered
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Q2 Ian Lavery Lab Blyth and Ashington
Education
Context

Teaching assistants need training to help children with special educational needs, particularly those struggling with speech and language skills.

Question

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?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

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.

Answered
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Q3 Caroline Voaden Lib Dem South Devon
Education Economy
Context

Schools and colleges face indirect costs as a result of the national insurance hike.

Question

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?

Answer from Bridget Phillipson

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.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific amount of indirect costs compensation is not addressed, instead focusing on teacher's pay and recruitment efforts

How: Welcome The Hon. Gentleman To His Place, Honouring The Previous Government'S Pay Award

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