Records & resources

It may sound simplistic but teachers need to know what their pupils have achieved so far, where they should go next and what resources need to be available to help them get there. Resource management is important and ranges from what the member of support staff as a human resource does, to how the furniture is arranged for specific lessons. Record-keeping, whether of statutory national tests or weekly spelling test results, is vital for plotting progress and measuring standards. Support staff need to be able to help teachers by taking on the recording and maintenance of assessment data. This may involve significant ICT skills, especially if the school runs programs such as Assessment Manager.

Another issue is the moving, storage and maintenance of resources. These can include anything from expensive electrical equipment to simple things such as pencils and paints. Shared planning between teachers and support staff is vital for the smooth running of any classroom. Every teaching assistant needs to know when it is Art & Design, when it is English/Numeracy or Design and Technology, or what equipment certain pupils might need for Chemistry, Physics or Biology lessons. If this planning doesn’t take place, lessons will start haphazardly and be ineffective.

It is also true that planning effectively, especially in such lessons as Design and Technology, means greater safety. Support staff have to be aware of specific issues, such as the implications of using scissors, saws or pairs of compasses, as well as more general health and safety across the school. The training sessions in this area are an ideal starting point for support staff.