Classroom assistants say they are ‘treated as dogsbodies’

While about a third of CAs provided support to one pupil with a statement of SEN, special school CAs said they typically supported four or more statemented pupils.

Pupils were given support for a wide range of needs including social and behavioural difficulties, emotional difficulties, moderate learning difficulties and severe challenging behaviour.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorder were among the most common conditions among pupils supported by CAs.

Some CAs said that they were facing an increase in “challenging behaviour” by pupils.

“The lockdown caused a lot of mental health issues,” one said, “anxiousness, nervousness and behavioural problems.”

Some classroom assistants said they sometimes delivered lessons to pupils.

The research was based on questionnaire responses from almost 1,500 classroom assistants

The researchers also held seven focus groups with 26 classroom assistants from primary, secondary, grammar and special schools.

Although the majority felt they were valued by pupils and parents, many felt that “their efforts were not recognised within schools” and not reflected in their pay.

Classroom assistants were among school support staff who took industrial action in 2024 over pay.

A recent review of Northern Ireland’s education system recommended the eventual replacement of classroom assistants with fully trained and qualified teachers, other professionals or upskilled classroom assistants.