New materials are available to order for a day celebrating teaching assistants on 29 November.
You can order from our online catalogue:
- Leaflet for teaching assistants (stock number 3299)
- Leaflet for the public (available Tuesday 5 November) (stock number 3335)
- Poster (stock number 3330)
- A sticker for pupils saying ‘my teacher is a star’ (stock number 3332)
- A sticker saying ‘UNISON speaking up for teaching assistants’ (stock number 3331)
Friday 29 November is a date for your diary, when you can celebrate teaching assistants as unsung heroes of education.
Head teachers tell UNISON they couldn’t run their schools without teaching assistants, so the union will be showing its appreciation of the difference those staff make to the education and support of children in our schools.
“Parents, governors, teachers and head teachers know that schools would crumble without the hard work and dedication of teaching assistants,” said Jon Richards, national secretary education and children’s services.
“On 29 November, let’s show our support and respect for the important work they do.”
Activities and events will be held all over the UK to celebrate teaching assistants, from features in local papers, through high street stalls, to celebratory assemblies in schools.
The day has been organised as part of UNISON’s campaign to speak up for teaching assistants, following newspaper stories that some people in the government and right-wing pressure groups have been looking at cutting their jobs.
General secretary Dave Prentis pledged to every teaching assistant in the union: “You have our full support and respect for the essential jobs you do.”
As Diana Wright of Sunderland said in support of the union campaign: “To say teaching assistants are worth their weight in gold is an underestimation of their value and the contribution they make to pupils’ education.”
