Hellesdon parish councillors Ian Duckett and Andrew Lock have sharply criticized the Wensum Trust’s decision to eliminate 27 out of 75 teaching assistant (TA) positions. They argue that the cuts will significantly impact children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Five schools affected by the job losses—Kinsale, Firside, Heather Avenue, Hellesdon High, and Hellesdon Sixth Form Centre—are within the councillors’ parish. Cllr Duckett expressed concern about the extensive financial and emotional repercussions for individual TAs and criticized the Trust for not being transparent about the potential effects on primary and SEND students.
“This decision not only affects individual TAs but also raises broader issues regarding SEND support across the country,” Duckett said. “With rising student absences and concerns about literacy, can we accept proposals that might worsen educational outcomes for our children?”
The cuts were announced in May by Daniel Thrower, Chief Executive of the Wensum Trust. The decision faced immediate backlash, with over 1,000 people signing a petition against the layoffs. Thrower stated that the restructuring is necessary to balance the Trust’s budget, with TAs being the primary target of the reductions.
Under the new plan, 75 TAs will be replaced by 48 new pastoral and learning support (PAL) roles. Cllr Duckett, who has a background in teaching and as a school governor, is troubled by the potential impact of these cuts.
“It’s challenging to fully grasp the effect these reductions will have on SEND students,” Duckett said. “The support is already stretched thin, and reducing the number of TAs will only exacerbate the situation. Additionally, while many TAs work closely with individual students, many others support multiple pupils in a class, so the impact will be substantial.”
Duckett hopes that some experienced TAs might transition into the new roles, but he remains concerned about the overall effect on students.