There should be a “fundamental rethink" in the way teaching assistants are used in schools including ending the practice of asking them to concentrate on lower performing students or those with SEN.
The claim comes from professors at the Institute of Education (IoE) in London who have hit out at the way teaching assistants spend their time in the classroom in a new book.
The three professors – Peter Blatchford, Anthony Russell and Rob Webster – have released the findings of a five-year study which measured the impact teaching assistants had on 8,200 students.
It found that students receiving the most support from teaching assistants consistently made less progress than those who receive less support, partly because such pupils become separated from the teacher and the curriculum. They are now recommending that teaching assistants should not routinely support lower attaining students or those with SEN.
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