TORFAEN council has announced they will pay a fee to avoid teaching assistants' pay being deducted.

Unions and teaching assistants in Torfaen have welcomed the news that the council will pay the new Education Workforce Council registration fee for teaching assistants working in the area.

The £15 fee, which is being introduced in Wales from April, would have been deducted from the pay of all teaching assistants.

But Torfaen council has approved payment of the fee, enabling the scheme to continue without staff in local schools losing money.

Torfaen’s deputy leader, Cllr Anthony Hunt said: "We employ nearly 1,000 teaching assistants, who play a vital role in the classroom and in the education of our children. Yet they are some of the lowest paid staff in our schools.

"The council didn’t think it was right to have this new fee deducted from their wages, so we have agreed to pay the fee in recognition of the work of these very modestly paid staff."

The executive member for education, Cllr David Yeowell said: "We are always working to improve standards in our schools and we recognise that our teaching assistants very often go beyond the call of duty to help educate our young people."

Unison and the GMB welcomed the council’s decision and said: "Joint Trade Unions are delighted that by Torfaen's decision to support our claim for the fee to be met. The council are helping lowly paid staff and at the same time recognising this important professional development for school support staff."

Teaching Assistant Sophia Tomkins, who works as a level 2 teaching assistant at Crownbridge school said: "I'm really pleased the council have agreed to pay the registration fees for all learning support workers in April. I feel valued for my part in advancing the learning of pupils in my school."