Working as an HLTA

Cassiobury Infants School

School No: 742

Terri Adcock

Terri works alternately with the two Reception classes, spending 0.7 of her time as a Nursery Nurse and providing PPA time for the remaining 0.3. This results in a seamless and effective teaching and learning team, with the pupils used to working with a variety of staff throughout the week. Terri is also the ICT Co-ordinator in the school.

Background

Terri is well qualified, holding an HNC in Early Childhood Studies as well as NNEB. Prior to joining Cassiobury Infants she worked in Social Services, in a pre-school setting and also for an ICT company, evaluating software for children and building computers! She was originally employed as a teaching assistant but was then up-graded to a nursery nurse. The headteacher needed an ICT Co-ordinator so advertised in the staffroom, making clear that the post was open to all staff. Terri applied and after interview was given the role, the head making clear that she was ”the best person for the job”.

Terri had done a lot of work in ICT prior to becoming the co-ordinator, so other staff knew that she was competent. The staff were relieved that someone else was taking on the responsibility. Terri is refreshingly matter of fact about ICT, believing that it is “not a difficult subject to master if you’re confident enough to give it a go”.  Teachers will approach Terri for advice, and she knows what they are planning to cover so will give them ideas for relevant websites and will advise on their schemes of work. Terri has one morning a month for ICT work, though inevitably this spills over into other time.

Terri writes the 3 year ICT Plan, and is currently working to increase the ratio of computers to pupils. She negotiates with the Finance Secretary about how quickly the school can afford to do this. Recently Terri conducted interviews with pupils about their attitudes to ICT, and she will observe pupils working in ICT. At present teacher observation is undertaken by the head and deputy, though the head has plans to do some joint observations with Terri as she believes this will bring a useful additional perspective. Terri also manages the school’s website.

The headteacher, Caroline Daniels, has worked in lots of different settings in many authorities, and recognises that “being too narrow is not the way forward”. She is very keen to allow her support staff to develop, and recognised that there were some teaching assistants who were “showing potential to take on more responsibility. I’m a great believer in supporting people to move forward – someone believed in me and now I’m in a position to help others develop. Support staff know that anything is possible; if they have the skills and enthusiasm and it fits in with the School Plan, I will support them. I also have a teaching assistant who is responsible for the school library and an NNEB who has just started as the Inclusion Manager’s assistant. As a full-time, dedicated SEN TA she has already had a positive impact.”

How it Works in Practice

On her PPA afternoon Terri collected the pupils from the playground, bending low to talk to them as they asked her questions or told her about their lunch-time. Once in the classroom, pupils settled quickly to ERiC (Everyone Reading in Class) while Terri took the register. Any lack of focus on the part of individual pupils was effectively addressed by quiet observations, for example “I can hear your voice, James.” A few children were then selected to share their book individually with Terri, who was enthusiastic and appreciative of the pupils’ efforts. Groups of children – chosen by who had hardback or softback books, or colours in the cover picture, not by gender – replaced their books quickly and without fuss.

Terri was supported during this time by the other NNEB, so was able to ask him to work in the outside classroom with two groups. Other groups were assigned to independent work before Terri worked intensively with a group on their writing. Sentences were discussed and improved before being committed to paper, with proper attention to punctuation, part of their targets for this term. Pupils from other tables who faced difficulties or who were off-task were supported quietly and without fuss. Written worked was marked and discussed with the pupil concerned, and positive comments added.

The two Reception classes then joined together for Activity Learning, with a range of options using both inside and outside classrooms. Pupils played and worked co-operatively, any issues being quickly and skilfully defused and resolved by a member of staff. Always calm, positive and lively, Terri made the classroom a pleasant place to be in. Unco-operative behaviour from one challenging child was ignored at first then addressed in a firm but non-threatening manner. A mark of Terri’s work throughout the afternoon was the quality of her relationships with pupils.

The Last Word

“Having HLTA status validates my work with the whole class – since getting the status I have been given the responsibility of working with the whole class in a planned way. I am valued more, and I now work across the school as well as in Reception. For me, HLTA is also a useful step towards deciding whether to become a teacher or not. I love the ICT role, but also working with whole groups. It’s great when the pupils sit wide-eyed, enthusiastic about learning”