Head teachers or TA's please help.

[iamamickey]

I'm a mother of special needs boy and the staff in his school have inspired me to make a career change. I'm going to retrain to be a Teaching assistant.

I want to offer to volunteer on schools while doing the level 3 diploma distance learning. I just need help to draft the letter offering to volunteer and pay for my own in depth police check.

All advice very very gratefully accepted.

[queenofthebucket]

Hello
I work in SEND and want to say how amazing it is for staff to hear this from parents, as the work they do is dedicated, passionate, stressful and highly skilled.

I would just write to the appropriate person saying roughly what you outlined in your post. If you're not sure who to write to ask at the reception.

I might advise trying volunteering for a bit before you burn any bridges on your current career role, as it can be quite a tough environment.

[iamamickey]

Oh Queen,
The staff are amazing. My little boy started in his Sld school non verbal and non communicative. In two short years he is beginning to talk and read the progress is beyond our wildest dreams and the staff have been utterly outstanding. Each and everyone, from his teachers TA's admin staff and housekeeping staff who are all so supportive and understanding. A totally inspirational bunch.

[Fairyliz]

Just to let you know that if you are volunteering you may be able to get your DBS done for free. ( Thats how it works in my authority anyway).

[iamamickey]

FairyLiz,
Is that by being sponsored by the school or the EA?

[Fairyliz]

I work in a school office and complete the DBS checks. Its an on-line form and for volunteers I select the post e.g. classroom assistant and then there is a box to tick if they are a volunteer. When I do this the school doesn't get charged for the cost of the check.
Not quite sure who does pay whether its the LA or govt!