I thought a teacher was supposed to teach a class. Is that true?
Actually, no! It is a little known fact that there has never been a legal requirement for a school to ensure that a class is being taught by a qualified teacher. Indeed, in secondary schools especially, the notion of a member of the support staff (usually a teaching assistant) acting as a ‘cover supervisor’ for a class is a well practised approach.
In the last few years this has become increasingly prevalent in Primary schools too, particularly since the advent of 10% Planning, Preparation and Assessment (PPA) time being allocated to all teachers by the Government! Supply teachers are expensive, support staff are much better trained than was the case in days gone by and actually in many cases are equally able to deliver effective lessons.
If you have concerns about the specific provision for your child though, you need to contact the Headteacher about that, or email me here and tell me what your specific worries are.
