A significant proportion of school support staff in England are being asked to cover classes amid ongoing teacher shortages, a new report indicates, raising concerns about the impact on students’ education. According to research conducted by the University of Greenwich and published by the union Unison, nearly 39% of support staff—including those in welfare and technical roles—have taken on teaching duties in place of absent teachers.

The situation is particularly pronounced among teaching assistants, with 67% reporting that covering lessons forms part of their responsibilities. Of these teaching assistants, 38% said that their involvement in class cover led to pupils missing scheduled support sessions. This disruption to their core roles may affect the individual attention and specialized assistance that students, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities, require.

Rob Webster, the lead researcher from the University of Greenwich, emphasized that schools cannot continue to compensate for teacher shortages by reallocating support staff away from their primary functions. He called for a comprehensive governmental strategy to address the recruitment and retention challenges facing the teaching profession.

Unison’s head of education, Mike Short, highlighted the dual pressures faced by support staff. “Support staff are showing up for pupils every day. But they’re also being used to plug classroom staffing gaps. Children and young people are losing out as a result,” he said. Short pointed out that when teaching assistants and other support staff cover lessons, students may forgo essential support, interventions, and one-on-one help. He also noted that staff frequently undertake additional responsibilities without corresponding resources or pay increases.

The findings underscore growing concerns about the strain on England’s education system caused by shortages of qualified teachers, and the potential implications for pupil outcomes and staff workloads.