Anyone qualified to be a TA?

[bignutbrownhare]

Need to pick your brains. Have always been a journalist, always been employed and earned good money. Always defined myself as a bloody journalist. But now. Am now am unemployed (or self-employed, the same difference currently) lone parent on benefits, having to sell my car and home to avoid bankrupcy, and having to rethink everything. That bit doesn't bother me, dd is 14 months, was an unexpected gift at 40, and I need to secure her future. Want to start training to be a TA now, so that when she starts school I can go fully qualified. I know courses start in September but I haven't a clue where to start looking. Is it possible to get funding for training if you're on benefits? Have I left it too late? Does anyone have any advice on this? Should I be posting elsewhere?

[youcannotbeserious]

BBNH - Hi!

Contact LearnDirect.

I contacted them as I want to train as a teacher (Chemistry) and wanted to look at what options there were to train. (very similar to you: DS was an unexpected gift and I need a career which is child friendly)
They were really helpful and sent me an e-mail with all of the stuff we'd discussed plus they'd listed all the places I could do my PGCE - phone numbers, who to contact etc.,

I have everything I need now and an action plan to start studying in September 09 (when DS will be 16 months old)

As I'm looking at secondary school science, I'm eligible for £16K. Without knowing what you are looking to do, I don't know what grants etc., you would be eligible but the short answer is yes, there is help to train.

Hope that helps!

[Slouchy]

You do know it is v badly paid, don't you?
I'm one at the mo (teacher by profession, filler job while dd2 is still small) and my take-home pay is under £600 p/m for 22 hours p/w. Hardly a living wage. And it is a great job, but damned hard work and lots of responsibility for such poor wage.

Do you have a degree? Is proper teaching a possibility?

[mummyhill]

It is paid just above minimum wage then. There are worse jobs with worse holidays for that money.

[Leslaki]

I'm a TA in my chi;dren's primary school and althought he pay is very low - I get under £600 for 25 hrs pw too but I also do 5 hours in the university library so I qualify for extra WFTC as I work 30 hrs pw. TBH I am far better off financially atm than ever before. ATM exh pays the mortgage instead of maintenance but hopefully I'll be able to buy him out then the maintenance payments will cover the mortgage anyway. Anyway ... I nring in about £600 as a TA, then £125 CB (about £150 - £200 pm on a good month for the uni job) and about £500- £600 from the Government!!! Now it's me and the dv our outgoing s have been reduced and we're doing OK. School hours and no pressure mean it's a fab job and the holidasy are great - no childcare costs! You don't need training - best thing is experience. Voluntee4r in a local school (hopefully the one you want to send your dd too. Then apply fo jobs when she goes there. One day a week would be really appreciated. You could do courses in childcare or early years education. I'm now a HLTA (higher level TA) which is the only recognised training I've done but I have a degree and am hoping to train as a teacher when the dcs are older. Go for it!

[MUMDONEGOOD]

Call learndirect immediately. I worked in Insurance and found the times didn't fit in so have just yesterday signed on a course to become a TA. Learndirect pointed me in the right direct. Good luck.

[pippibluestocking]

Can I just clarify - is that £600 before or after tax - DH is considering it when youngest starts school (I am main breadwinner, he is SAHD). Fingers crossed it's after!

[possiblymaybe]

I'd imagine it's after a tax.. I work as a TA at the moment and get a bit more than that after tax but I'm in London.

And to answer OP I really think that all of this TA courses are a waste of time and money. You need to have a little bit of experience (volunteer is a best way to get it) and like to work with children.. The rest you learn on job

[littlemiss28]

I'm a teacher and most of the TAs at my school have been taken on when unqualified and the school has paid for all their training. They got the TA jobs by volunteering initially. The TA in my class started in April this year and had no TA related qualifications to speak of. She was previously a librarian. Look on the local authority website for vacancies. Good luck!

[rabbit3]

HI i am doing home study courses with the ou to become a ta and you can study in your own time and if you are on benifits you get the course payed for

[pippibluestocking]

My DH volunteers but we have been told that the school he volunteers at (DD's one) won't take TA's without the qualification. Get the feeling it's the same in all the local schools (SE London).

[frogosaurus]

I found that I couldnt get a job at the schools I were volunteering at as I was unqualified. I did a level 3 NVQ teaching assistant course at college, qualified and then I got the first job I applied for. I was on benefits at the time and I got the course paid for me.