Talk

Flip

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Work

Anyone on here an NCT antenatal techer?

11 replies

AmeliePoulain · 17/07/2007 14:36

I am considering training for this but just curious as to what kind of hours I might work and kind of salary to expect. I can't seem to find much info on the web apart from training stuff.

OP posts:

Report

AmeliePoulain · 17/07/2007 14:38

techer? Of course I mean teacher!

OP posts:

Report

AmeliePoulain · 17/07/2007 14:43

someone must be!

OP posts:

Report

rosmerta · 17/07/2007 15:34

Hi Amelie, I've just started my training , so far I'm enjoying it! Have you got the pack from the NCT, that pretty much tells you everything.

You would be considered self-employed and I think you have to do a minimum of 30hrs per year, so if you started one course in January then you would have to start another one by December. Also, when you start teaching, you'd be paid around £15 per hour.

But I do know from my tutor that lots of changes are being made atm and new contracts brought out so this could all change.

hth & good luck!

Report

SueW · 17/07/2007 16:02

I'm just finishing training but rosmerta has said most of the essential info, tbh.

Happy to answer any questions you have though.

Report

AmeliePoulain · 17/07/2007 16:05

Great - thank you very much. How much 'spare' time would I realistically need for the training do you think?

OP posts:

Report

SueW · 17/07/2007 18:26

It's taken me five years to train. Partly because of personal things that have happened along the way; partly because I am a procrastinator. Some people do it in 2.5 years; most about 3.

Tutorials are one day per month. You will need to allow one whole day for this - most people have to travel quite some way to a tutor; I've had two and each has involved a journey almost two hours each way.

If you can put aside another 1-2 days per month for essay writing and preparation for teaching practice/presentations at tutorial that will help enormously.

There is a lot of reading which you can pick up as and when. It's a good idea to subscribe to a midwifery journal such as Practising Midwife.

You have to observe two sets of antenatal classes as part of your training so if they aren't local you will have to factor in travelling to see those as well as the course itself. They may be 8 evening sessions, a weekend course, two Saturdays/Sundays or 4 x 4hour sessions.

You also have to attend study days - three one day sessions on Obstetrics/Labour and two others as a minimum.

There's a weekend residential workshop as an intro to the programme and another 'pre-teaching' weekend residential workshop. Before you qualify, there's a one day workshop.

It's also useful to attend the NCT's annual conference (usually two days in June/July) at osme stage during your training and a Specilist Worker Forum (one day, usually in March/April).

Finally.... you have to be familiar with your local branch and build up relationships with local health professionals. This all takes up more time. You might choose to take a role such a lay rep on your local maternity user forum or help out at your branch's nearly new sale or be a co-ordinator who arranges the first get together for parents who have finished an antenatal class, for example.

Please feel free to ask for more info!

Report

SueW · 17/07/2007 18:27

'Scuse typos

Report

AmeliePoulain · 17/07/2007 18:33

Sue - really useful information. Thank you very much!

OP posts:

Report

rosmerta · 17/07/2007 18:35

Sue's pretty much said it all now!

Like I said, I've only just started (had 2 tutorials) and atm am trying to do at least 2hrs per week reading. Once I start my essays etc, then no doubt I'll be doing that every night!

One other thing I've just thought of, you have to go to your branch for them to agree to fund you. The order of applying the pack tells you is to contact a tutor and see if they have space on a course, then once you have an interview arranged, contact the chair of your branch. A couple of us were told by our tutor to just come along and start the tutorials straight away but this upset the branch a little. Fortunately, I'd agreed to be part of the newsletter team so it could be smoothed over quickly but I really recommend you do it in the order the pack says.

Sorry that's a bit long really!

Report

puppydavies · 17/07/2007 18:37

there are national pay bands but branches have discretion where to place their teachers within a band. in our area student teachers get paid around £7.50/hr, newly qualified around £10/hr, it takes 3 years' experience to get up to £15/hr.

how much work depends on the size of your branch. we're very busy and could run more classes. some of our teachers have a class (2.25 hrs) every week, others only run 1 or 2 courses in a year.