Remodelling the Workforce is well established in many schools and in others the basics are now laid down. The whole school review of staffing responsibilities and pay scales has caused much turbulence amongst staff, especially those whose management points have not been transferred to a TLR.
Added to this is the requirement to introduce safer recruitment systems, for which guidelines are being provided (you can find out more about this at
Every Child Matters). Extended schools will also impact on staffing. More staff with diverse expertise will be recruited and these staff will need to understand the culture and ethos of schools and to be aware of at least the basics of positive behaviour management strategies.
It is my experience that teaching assistants and higher level teaching assistants are growing in confidence as they see their career path mapped out. They are being increasingly accepted by teachers as an important part of the curriculum delivery rather than as a threat to teachers’ professionalism. In contrast many admin staff are becoming increasingly de-motivated as there workload has increased and their role has become blurred with extra tasks which may not relate directly to their job title. The single-status pay deals have, in many areas added to this demoralisation.
It is generally accepted that staff who are encouraged to participate in CPD become higher performers. But CPD can be expensive and therefore it needs to be targeted to ensure that it benefits both the individual and the organisation. Performance development reviews are an excellent way to improve staff motivation and to identify CPD needs. Support staff can be particularly resistant to the introduction of PDR, because they feel it is either a threat or a waste of time. One of my specialisms is in the introduction of PDR and the training of staff to carry out effective PDR interviews.
The
Training and Development Agency (TDA) is committed to providing career progression for support staff to ensure that schools have motivated and trained experts in all areas of educational organisations.
Learn Direct and
Skills4schools
provide details of useful support staff qualifications. Other sites provide
information for Science technicians,
IT technicians,
IT skills for support staff,
teaching assistants,
cover supervisors,
exam officers and
School Business Manager, Bursars & Finance Officers.
I have experience of managing and advising on recruitment and human resource management, and a particular interest in the effective use of support staff
