More assistants are needed to help out in the classrooms of Oxford schools.
The plea has come from the schools in the city's education action zone which covers Blackbird Leys, Littlemore, Barton and Rose Hill.
The aim is to have one classroom assistant on hand for every literacy hour and numeracy hour at each of the schools.
Duties include listening to children read, doing sums and helping with activities and trips. There are currently 100 parents helping out at schools in the action zone and another 12 are needed. Classroom assistants are paid 5.96 a hour and they do not need special qualifications just basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Action zone director Gloria Walker said: "Gone are the days when classroom assistants were washing paint pots.
"Now they are very much the teacher's right-hand person.
"Some work one-to-one with children with special educational needs and others work with groups."
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