Any tips for a Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship application?

[MaryBoBary]

I want to apply but have been out of the working world due to a sprog for 3 years and I feel utterly bamboozled by an apprenticeship application! I've had quite a good corporate job previously, as well as management roles and I have a irrelevant criminology degree

Teachers - what are some key things you would look for in an application?

TAs - anything you would recommend?

Any help much appreciated!

Think about the skills you need to be a TA
( ie inclusivity, creativity, patience, supportive nature etc) and think about when you've used those skills. Maybe start there.

If you dig down, why do you really want to be a TA?
In my experience, interviews and applications flow much better if I can tap into my true enthusiasm for the role.

Thank you Figure, I'll make some notes tomorrow before filling in the application.

I feel like this is the first job that I am passionate about, and think I will truly enjoy for the job, and not the pay or a bonus! All my other jobs I have fallen into and for the first time in my life at nearly 30 I feel like I know what I want to do with my career - this!

Have you volunteered in school at all?
The reality can be (IS) very different from what one might imagine.
Being a TA is often a thankless task.. these days in mainstream the TA's are usually taking out small groups of struggling learners, or dealing with children who would really benefit from being in Special Needs schooling, often dealing with very challenging behaviour without a lot of support .
I've been a TA for 15 years... started in Mainstream and moved to Special School and while there are many things I enjoy; seeing children make progress, building relationships with them, doing fun stuff.... but education is being ground down by the government, the pay is truly awful and the responsibility is high.... even as a TA.

Having said all of that.. because it's true... what can you bring to a school? Can you show enthusiasm, resilience (essential).. can you manage behaviour without being cross. If tasked with supporting a child with communication difficulties, how would you approach this? If Jonny is hiding under a table refusing to come out, let alone work, how might you approach that?
Are you good with vomit? (I'm not... I can do any amount of poo but not vomit!)

Just a few things to think about.

Oh and you definitely need a good sense of humour :D

Do you really need to do an apprenticeship to get a TA job in your area? I got one straight out of uni with some experience with kids with SEN but no relevant qualifications. TA pay is low enough as it is without giving then an excuse to pay you even less. Where I am many schools advertise for graduates to fill TA posts.

For the application - is it primary or secondary and is there any sort of specialism (often Maths or English support, 1:1, Autism or VI unit etc)? Or are you applying to a training provider who will then find you a school?

As you've got a degree why not look at teaching? Budget cuts are meaning less and less TA jobs.

To be honest I have looked at PGCE but can't see a course near me. All of the TA vacancies near me ask for relevant qualifications which I don't have - just a desire to do the job!

Roughly where are you in the country ? Most universities do the PGCE or there is school direct.

I'm in Gloucestershire. I did a search on the UCAS website and for a primary PGCE I couldn't see any options that were commutable.