Don't do us down
Wednesday, January 30, 2002
I am a qualified nursery nurse and I feel strongly that our job in schools should not be downgraded to that of a classroom assistant. I worked hard to gain my qualification and have since gained further qualifications at my own expense and in my own time. I feel there is a place for teachers' aides in schools, but they should be employed as well as nursery nurses, not instead of. But I am aware of qualified nursery nurses who are working as teachers' aides as they are unable to get nursery nurse posts, due to the fact there is not enough money to pay for qualified staff.
I worked hard to gain my qualification and have since gained further qualifications at my own expense and in my own time. I feel there is a place for teachers' aides in schools, but they should be employed as well as nursery nurses, not instead of. But I am aware of qualified nursery nurses who are working as teachers' aides as they are unable to get nursery nurse posts, due to the fact there is not enough money to pay for qualified staff.
Recently my local education authority's job circular advertised a post for a teachers' aide in a special school on teachers' aides' pay (30 hours a week, term-time only). However, the advertisement said that candidates should ideally possess an appropriate childcare qualification and said that experience would be an advantage.
Helen Davies, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
