Just over half of teaching assistants in schools stepped-up to manage classes on their own during the winter lockdown ensuring vulnerable and key worker children could attend lessons, according to a new study by UCL Institute of Education (IOE) researchers. The study, published by the IOE and funded by UNISON, analysed data from 9,055 teaching and classroom assistants. It gives a broad picture of how TAs contributed to the running of UK schools, what this meant for them and makes key recommendations for the future. The researchers found that 88% of TAs supported vulnerable and key worker children in school and 51% managed a whole class or bubble on their own, while class teachers prepared and delivered remote learning to children from home.
Teaching assistants unsung heroes of pandemic, study shows theguardian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theguardian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MUSICIANS and gig goers fighting to save Oxford city centre’s last remaining real gig venue from being turned into student flats have launched a bid to preserve the building as a community asset. Owners of The Wheatsheaf, off High Street, have submitted an application to Oxford City Council for permission to close its first floor concert venue and convert it into apartments. The venue has hosted rock, pop, jazz, metal, dance, acoustic and folk shows for 20 years in its current form, and as a performance space for many years before that. It has played host to many of the city’s bands including Supergrass, Stornoway and Foals – who played their first show there.