29 November is the day to celebrate teaching and classroom assistants – and UNISON branches around the UK have been busy organising events to raise the profile of teaching assistants and the important work that they do.
Latest update on activities across the UK
Here are just a few examples from across the country.
In Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, all schools were contacted to ask if they wanted to participate in the day. There are currently 22 schools participating and UNISON is sending them a ‘celebration in a box’ – tea, coffee, a cake and some of the teaching assistants day materials.
In Chelmsford, UNISON will have a stall in the middle of the market to engage with the public about teaching assistants.
In Haringey in London, general secretary Dave Prentis will be meeting teaching assistants at Coldfall School in the morning.
Stephenson Memorial Primary School on Tyne and Wear is celebrating the day by giving all teaching assistants and non-teaching staff a word cloud certificate that the children have designed with all of the words that best describe them. And they are to be given out in a celebration assembly.
In Derry, the mayor and city councillors will be going out to thank classroom assistants and nursery nurses for the great job that they do.
Ryde Academy on the Isle of Wight is another school that is awarding teaching assistants certificates on the day to highlight how valued they are by the school.
In Swindon, activities focus around a teaching assistant question card, which has been sent to all 82 schools in the area.
All school staff are asked to fill in the card where they detail the biggest benefit that teaching assistants bring to their school. All entries will go into a prize draw where the winner will receive £25 Love to Shop vouchers.
And staff at Harlescott Junior School in Shrewsbury will go to work in fancy dress – dressed as their favourite super heroes in order to celebrate teaching assistants as unsung heroes in our education system.
A celebration assembly will be held, and the school has been given UNISON stickers for pupils and staff to wear. This is just a tiny selection – so check out what’s going on in your region and see if you too can find a way to celebrate teaching assistants.
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