[senco-forum] I could do with your advice (long I'm afraid)

I have a BIG problem.
I fight continuously for more TA hours but the Head won't give me more than the 66 hours which I got the governors to guarantee about 2 years ago. He won't find any extra money from the budget. Every other teacher in the school (except most of SLT) want more TAs as they desperately need and appreciate the help.
I have two full time and one whose hours have been cut this year from 22 to 6.
All very experienced and excellent.
We have 3 cover supervisors.
One of my TAS is doing the HLTA maths training (£1000 comes into school to help fund it).
The Head of Science thought it would be a good idea if a cover supervisor who has a science degree and has been a TA somewhere or other in the past, did the HLTA science training.
I do not see how you can do HLTA when you are not working as a TA and have said so - the people at the LEA agree and say she must do at least 5 hours in the classroom, supporting etc in order to fulfil the requirements of HLTA. They also say she will need 'considerable input' from me.
If the Head somehow allows her to do 5 hours a week as a TA that is a slap in the face for my department - especially the one TA whose hours have been drastically cut. If there are TA hours going, they should be given to my department.Now the Head of Science has come to me and said don't be cross, don't hate me etc and if I am giving any training my TA who is doing HLTA can I include the cover supervisor too, can I let her come to my department meetings every week, can I let her have information about how to support in class etc, can I advise him on SEN issues pertaining to HLTA etc.
I am a nice person - I want to help out - anyone - but I think this is mad.
I said I hadn't thought about any of this and would let him know when I'd had a think.
What would you do - train this person even though she is not in your department and has nothing to do with you - include her in the department meetings etc - my TAs will go ballistic.
I really don't know which way to go
Any ideas ?
JaniceJanice Wray Secondary SENCO, Herts

> Date: Sun, 2 Sep 2007 19:38:53 +0100> From: amandavh at btinternet.com> Subject: Re: [senco-forum] New Term> To: chris19251 at blueyonder.co.uk; senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk> CC: > > Hi Chris> I think I'd do something like this:> Give them a timetable.> Walk round school showing them where all the classrooms are and discussing any problem areas such as extra narrow bits etc.> Look at the IEPs for pupils they will be working with.> Make sure they have a 'buddy' among the TAs who they see regularly.> > We do at least two, sometimes more, induction days where new TAs go with my most experienced TAs into lessons to see how we do things and they also have a 'buddy' from Team. I know it means leaving one or two pupils without TA support for the first couple of days but it does mean that new TAs learn how to work in our school effectively much more quickly.> > Amanda> Secondary SENCO> Cornwall> > chris white <chris19251 at blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:> > > School tomorrow. Can't wait!> Anyway--- having looked at the agenda for the training day tomorrow I find> I've got > :An hour and a half in the morning with most of the TAs and an hour with the> whole department in the afternoon.> > Out of this time I've allocated an hour for an initial induction for 3 new> TAs. One is experienced in primary and so new to secondary. One is a Gap> Year Student, (appointed by the Head I haven't met her yet!) and the third> is a graduate with some experience with working with looked after children> and children with emotional social difficulties.> > If anyone else was in my position how would they allocate this time, given> that 2 of the three are ex pupils?> > Chris> Secondary SENCO> > > > > > > Amanda> Secondary SENCO> Cornwall
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