The Association of Teachers and Lecturers unveiled the Support Staff Charter at its annual conference in Liverpool.
The Charter covers issues such as pay, working hours, training, and violent and abusive behaviour and was published as delegates at the conference raised concerns about poor practice in schools.
A motion before delegates called on the ATL to investigate the number of support staff in schools who are being used to cover classes and to campaign for a statutory right to training and development.
The motion stated: "Conference deplores the misuse of support staff in schools to cover for teachers at short notice and for protracted periods.
"Conference notes that increasingly support staff employed to support the learning in class, with groups or with individuals, are being withdrawn from this valuable work to cover absences for several days, thus depriving one group of the support they deserve and depriving another class of a qualified teacher."
Register now, read forever
Thank you for visiting Headteacher Update and reading some of our content for professionals in primary education. Register now for free to get unlimited access to all content.
What's included:
-
Unlimited access to news, best practice articles and podcasts
-
New content and e-bulletins delivered straight to your inbox every Monday
Already have an account? Sign in here