News

Date: 03.08.08

Comment to Daily Telegraph about scheme for Apprenticeships to be offered to 16-year-olds to train as teaching assistants.

"Apprenticeships will be offered to 16-year-olds to train as teaching assistants".

 

Commenting on reports of the scheme, General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "At 16-years-old the vast majority of young people are simply not mature enough to work in a classroom.

 

"In many ways their behaviour may not be a lot different from some of the children they will be teaching. Schools should not be a dumping ground for youngsters that can’t get a job elsewhere; we need high standards of literacy and numeracy to drive up quality.

 

"There’s also a question mark over whether schools will have the financial capacity to support the help with development these teenagers will need."

 

ends