Class struggle: classroom assistants

Are things getting better for classroom assistants? Asks Alison Mercer

This year will see the recruitment of up to 15,000 new classroom assistants in England, as the Government seeks to expand what education and employment secretary David Blunkett has called 'this key group of people who really make a difference where it matters'.

A total of 130m has been made available for this massive expansion, with 200m to follow in 2001/02. The Government clearly believes classroom assistants have a key role to play in helping it to reach literacy and numeracy targets. But will they be rewarded accordingly - or will they continue to be underpaid, undervalued and undeveloped?
 
Surveys have repeatedly highlighted the two key problems classroom assistants experience, which they share with many other early years workers: low pay and lack of opportunities for professional development. The Department for Education and Employment's own research found that classroom assistants 'undertake a variety of complex and challenging tasks and are often extremely enthusiastic and committed', but added the majority can work for several years 'with little or no prospect of promotion or significant rise in salary'. The report, The Management, Role and Training of Learning Support Assistants, published last year, found that while they valued training it had no impact on pay or career development.