As part of the planning for a “full return” from September, school leaders will be thinking carefully about the best ways to deploy their staff to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum whilst managing the current risks resulting from Covid-19. A key consideration will be how to continue offering pupils with special educational needs and disabilities appropriate learning support, within the parameters of the national guidance.

But what might this look like?

The Department for Education guidance published last week states that where support staff capacity is available, schools may consider using this to support catch-up provision or targeted interventions, or to provide lesson cover (under the direction of a teacher).

However, it is also clear that where teaching assistants (TAs) are used in different ways, this “should not be at the expense of supporting pupils with SEND”.

So, how can schools get the balance right? There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to deploying support staff in the current situation (or indeed ever!) and leaders will need to make decisions based on a secure understanding of their school context, staffing situation and, most importantly, the needs of their pupils.

Coronavirus: Options for using teaching assistants

Here is a range of possible scenarios to consider:

Assign TAs to one ‘bubble group’

Whether schools opt for class, year group or key stage “bubble groups”, having TAs remain within one designated bubble will help to minimise movement and contact.

Where TAs work with groups of pupils, this could be done inside the classroom or “bubble space”.

The principles of effective TA deployment developed from research in this area remain completely relevant in the current situation.

Building on the work of Rob Webster and colleagues from the Institute of Education at UCL, the Education Endowment Foundation report Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants provides a number of recommendations to school leaders on effectively deploying TAs. These include ensuring TAs are fully prepared for their role in the classroom.

In September, if TAs are working in bubbles with unfamiliar pupils or within new subject areas, ongoing training and support will be an essential part of their preparation.

Effective partnerships between teachers and TAs also remain key. Teachers and leaders can provide guidance to TAs on effective ways of supporting within the class whilst maintaining social distancing, such as by providing examples of high-quality questions to ask pupils or ways to scaffold learning.

The EEF report provides further practical strategies for supporting scaffolding to enable pupils to become independent learners - a skill which has now become more relevant and important than ever.

Assign TAs to work across two bubbles

The DfE guidance states that, if necessary, staff can move between different classes and year groups in order to facilitate the delivery of the curriculum. This means that (with appropriate protective measures in place), TAs could work across two bubbles, for example, to deliver specialist provisions or interventions.  

The EEF report recommends using TAs to deliver high-quality support using structured, evidence-based interventions - an important consideration as school leaders plan how they will organise and deliver “catch-up” from September.

Staffing capacity for catch-up will have to be balanced with the need to continue providing support for pupils with SEND. For pupils with complex needs, the DfE is encouraging schools to use the catch-up funding to “address their individual needs”.

This suggests that there will be an element of flexibility for schools to focus support beyond literacy and maths.

TAs working across bubbles could therefore potentially provide catch-up within any of the four broad areas of need in the SEND Code of Practice, where appropriate.

Where catch-up or any other additional intervention is to be delivered to pupils from different classes or bubbles, schools may want to consider developing a dedicated, zoned “breakout space”. This can be set up to enable appropriate distancing and include dedicated resources, such as whiteboards, that can be thoroughly cleaned after use.

Assign TAs to work across more than two bubbles remotely

As schools continue to develop their use of technology and blended learning approaches, it may be possible for TAs to deliver some interventions online. This could involve live sessions to a group of pupils from different bubbles (all remaining in their own space), and also include any pupils who need to remain at home in September.

For pupils who are remaining at home, or whose SEND provision will consist of a blended approach, TAs could also support the development and delivery of home learning resources. This should be done under the direction of the teacher or Sendco to ensure that TAs are not just used as an informal teaching resource for low-attaining or SEND pupils, but are used to add value to, and not replace, teachers.

Assign TAs as key workers for individual pupils

For pupils with complex needs, having dedicated key-worker support from one TA may be the best approach. This could be particularly useful for pupils with increased social, emotional or mental health needs or pupils who find self-regulation a challenge and need support to keep safe. Having one consistent person to link with will also help pupils to rebuild relationships when they return to school.  

Providing one-to-one support will be a practical challenge for most schools, and leaders will need to prioritise. Asking TAs to support initial assessment of pupils when they return will help to determine exactly what the needs of pupils are and inform leaders’ decisions about levels of support required and subsequent staff deployment.

In schools where there is sufficient staff capacity, an appropriate solution to effective TA deployment may be a combination of two or more of the above approaches.

As school leaders are making their plans for September, it’s worth remembering that the key principles of effective TA deployment are just as relevant in the current situation as they ever have been. TAs are an important resource, and with careful and creative deployment from leaders, they will play a key part in ensuring a safe and successful return to school for all our pupils.

Natalie Packer is a former Sendco and primary headteacher, who now supports schools with the leadership and development of SEND