Salary for TA in private school

[Brenda21]

I've been volunteering in a small private school and have heard whisperings there may be a paid job coming up. I'm really excited about it but wonder do private schools set their own salaries or are there pay scales? I just don't know what the pay should be and obviously don't want to be taken for a ride. I don't know any of the other TAs well enough to ask what they're paid, only know state school TAs who I could ask but don't know whether the pay is comparable. I've only ever worked in areas before where pay is very standard ( NHS, state education)
Anyone able to help?

[Mike8791]

No idea from the side of the school, but what I can tell you is that my son has a personal LSA (basically dedicated TA for him to read and scribe etc) it is billed at £5k extra per term (on top with f school fees). Try the staff room area on mumsnet, you might get more relevant info.

[Brenda21]

Thank you. I'll have a look over there

[trinity0097]

No standard scales in independent schools.

My experience of teaching in them is that you will be paid the minimum that they can get away with, for any role, whether it be headteacher or cleaner!

[nightswimming1]

I think the GDST schools publicise their pay scales

[Brenda21]

trinity that's what I'm concerned about. I don't want to be taken for a fool so just wondered if there was a rough guide. Thanks for confirming what I thought could happen.

[hertsandessex]

I think it tends to be more flexible in private schools for better or worse. I do know of a TA in a private school who was basically working as a normal teacher taking lessons on her own who was paid just the minimum hourly wage (i.e. taken advantage of) way below what equivalent would earn in a state school.

[derektheladyhamster]

I earn £16k a year, term time only. I am support staff, not a TA though. So I would expect a TA to earn the same if not more.

[SilenceOfThePrams]

I would anticipate minimum wage for the hours worked, but then spread out into 12 equal payments so actually lower than that month to month.

And then if it happened to be any more than that, I'd be delighted.

[hertsandessex]

Well should be more than minimum wage and indeed it is in the state schools of which i have knowledge.

[bumblebeader]

I was a TA in a private school, unfortunately it's less than what you'd make in a state school. Pay increases were only a couple hundred pounds a year. You have to do it because you love the job, not to support a family!

[queensmere]

Some private schools pay better and some worse; you can't generalise from one position and salary.

[BackforGood]

When the advert comes out, it will say what the pay is, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask one or two of the TAs at the school, "What's better and what's worse about working here, rather than in a state school?". They might volunteer information about salary, but even if they don't, they may well tell you some things you hadn't even considered.