Nursery World - Assistants foresee career structure

A clearer career structure for classroom assistants that recognises their increasing responsibilities could emerge from guidelines being drawn up by unions representing school support staff and local education authorities, despite opposition from the National Union of Teachers (NUT). The new career structure being drawn up by the GMB union, Unison and LEAs will divide classroom assistants into grades. Proposals include creating three levels of classroom assistants and the creation of a higher-level classroom assistant job.

The new career structure being drawn up by the GMB union, Unison and LEAs will divide classroom assistants into grades. Proposals include creating three levels of classroom assistants and the creation of a higher-level classroom assistant job.

Avril Chambers of the GMB, who helped to draw up the guidance, said that in London the re-evaluation of classroom assist-ants in Tower Hamlets last year had led to an 18.5 per cent pay rise. She said that there may be slight variations in job title in each local education authority, but there would be recognised entry points and qualifications to allow career progression.

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