Career change - TA?

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Hi all

I'm relatively well paid in a corporate job for a big UK company. I'm on mat leave at the moment and I feel absolutely sick at the thought of returning. I really hated my job, the office politics and personality driven culture, it to mention the 2+ hours unpaid overtime we would all work most days. The thought of returning to anything like that makes me want to vomit.

I know I am going to have to go back for at least a year, maybe 18 months; we need to save some money as we're desperate to buy our first house and the pay is too good to lose. But I would love to retrain and have had six long months to think about it and I've narrowed it down to a few jobs. I'd love to hear from any teaching assistants on here, about fundamentals of the job. I've looked at training schemes but it seems there are several and I wouldn't know which ones to start with. What's the pay like? The pay I've seen on job sites seems way more than I thought TA's got. What are the hours like, really and truly? How are you treated by the teachers? (I've been a people manager for 15 years and to be honest I would really struggle if I was seen as a lesser entity because I'm not a teacher). Not that I at all think TA's are - from what I've heard, read an seen they are absolutely invaluable in the classroom.

Any advice, info or insight is welcome! Thanks!

The pay is shit. It's often advertised as £18-20k around here (northwest) for a level 2 but that's full time equivalent, TAs are only paid for 39weeks of the year, so around £14k a year.

HLTAs can get more (actually 18-20k pa), but it involves more responsibility, sometimes whole classes for lessons.

Yes the pay is terrible! I think even 14k for a level 2 TA is pushing it. And that’s if you can even get ‘full time’ hours, a lot of posts are 20 hours or even less. Some might want to to do lunch time duty too, so you have to consider whether you would want that.

You’d be very unlikely to get a level 3 or HLTA job straight away and you will almost certainly need a related degree.

All teachers are different and some do treat you as a minion, but some treat you as an almost equal professional. At the end of the day though, you will have to do what they ask you to do.

That said, it’s an awesome job and very rewarding. I’m a HLTA and I wouldn’t do anything else!

Also depends on where you are.

If Scotland, TAs don't really exist here. Classroom assistant is closest equivalent (although similar responsibilities) and £12k salary with absolutely no upwards progression.

(the above is via best friend who is a teaching assistant).

Other things to consider:

• few breaks, more than teachers but certainly difficulties with attending children's nativities, appointments in school time etc and making/ taking personal phone calls (I currently work very autonomously and would find the level of control quite suffocating).

Some teachers value TAs immensely, some treat them appallingly, it's similar to bosses! There's also the ones who aren't assigned to a specific class etc.

The role is very varied, sometimes you are a whole class assistant (becoming rate these days), often you are attached to a particular child due to their SEN.

Overall my friend lives the role, it's much more child focused than bring a teacher but they are having to leave it due to the poor pay.

Thank you all, that's been really helpful. I need to decide whether the significant pay cut would be feasible in the long term for my family.

I was on a level 3 TA pay and took home £1100 per month, no pension. There was no progression except HLTA and those roles are like hens teeth round here, I have a teaching degree and was still told I'd need to do the HLTA training course.

If you want to do it for a few years for the holidays, you won't be the only one. Typically you'll still need wrap around care but at least you'll get most of the holidays.

I am a level 3 TA, I work 32.25 hrs pw and my net monthly pay is £1290.
I love my job, we are valued at my school and referred to as teaching practitioners to the parents and teacher to the children, although I’m sure they know who is in charge!
My day starts at 8.30 although I am usually in before 8.15 and leave anytime between 4-4.30 depending on what needs doing.
I’m never bored but the job (reception) does involve being outside a lot of the time, not so great in the cold and rain.

Varies hugely, but a lot depends on if you want primary or secondary?

With primary lots of TAs are 1:1 and on temp contracts for the term of that child's funding only, as well as pay being shit.

I was a secondary school TA for a year and found it very frustrating, eg in one lesson with very awful teacher saying questionable things, and then in another lesson hearing a teacher telling the class things that were factually incorrect. In my case I was a recent graduate and they really took the piss with the extra responsibility they gave me which they really shouldn't have done.

I am a Pupil Support Assistant (as the role is called here in Scotland), and am an ex teacher. The pay here is monumentally shit; minimum wage, with unpaid break and lunch.
The teachers treat us very respectfully, as their classrooms wouldn't function as smoothly without us.
Please don't think that the role will be all art displays, sticking things in books and listening to small groups of children read. In the 90s maybe, but no longer!
My entire timetable consists of being 1:1 with some very challenging children. That's the reality of the role these days.
I mean this very respectfully, but please don't assume that you'll get the job either. My school - a mainstream primary in an affluent area - wouldn't even consider applications from those without experience of working with additional needs children. This is irrespective of former career or salary.
On the plus side, it's the most rewarding job I've ever had.
Best of luck

TA in special school here. 15 years experience (and a degree). 30 hours a week = take home just over 1k.. our is slightly enhanced for being Special School !
Within my role I (obviously) assist the teacher with actual teaching, but am also responsible for personal care, meds, tube feeding, physio etc etc. I get bitten and kicked etc very regularly.

BUT... I am never bored, the days fly by, and I work with some of the most interesting and wonderful children. Classes of 9 max so we really know the children inside and out. And at the ed of the day I come home and rarely worry have to do anything to prep for the next day. I have to lead now and again but that's it.

No-one does it for the pay!! But the rewards are..the holiday time with your own children, and actually, seeing children make progress, develop skills, makes it worth it.just about!!

I'm also a TA in a special school. Today I have restrained a child, been scratched, kicked, called a whore, slag, cunt etc. I have a degree, some teachers look down on you but I don't entertain them. We are teaching assistants not teacher's assistants. I will support learning, manage behaviour and emotions and plug the gap in the child's home life with care and consistency (most pupils at my school are in care/foster care).

I do love the kids. The politics of the school and fellow staff can be shit.....I won't be there forever.

Level 3 TA here, primary school. I work 32.5hrs a week, take home pay just over £1k a month.

Arrive at work at 8:20am, set up the class for the day. Do several focus based tasks with groups of children throughout the day. I do daily interventions with children with various learning issues/needs as well as the initial assessments. I'm wholey responsible for this (I feel the pressure!). I've got a lot of additional needs children under my wing and frankly find the intervention work a job in itself without being a full time TA too!

30 min for lunch which is usually shaved short due to being needed somewhere and getting pulled aside while I make my way to the staffroom! Yard duty for breaks and lunch time. Major crowd control skills needed here!

I also cover my teacher's PPA session so I'm left alone in class for one morning/afternoon each week. I have to participate in the weekly planning meetings with teaching staff. Forever being pushed to do additional training and courses. We must be constantly working to improve and better ourselves and this has to be evidence based and it's pulled up during staff appraisals if we fail to provide evidence.

Most of our additional need children don't have statements. It can be really tough (on everyone) especially for those who would benefit greatly from 1:1 support. Sadly lack of funding just won't allow it.

Blanket rule that no staff has time off unless medically needed (and this must be evidence based), so school shows, Christmas plays etc is a big fat no.

My workplace certainly feels 'understaffed'. Often feel like we are just chasing our tails and rushing in a desperate attempt to get everything done. Every TA in my school feels stressed out and overworked on a daily basis pretty much.

I arrive home every single day and collapse on my sofa in a drained and exhausted mess.

I'll end on a positive note Our teachers worship us, truly. I'm told often how valuable we are and how much they depend on us to keep the place going. Seeing children progress is brilliant. Other than the odd cutting out/laminating/preparing I leave my work in the workplace. Evenings and weekends are my own. The holidays are ace!

It's a rewarding job, but it's tough. Really fucking tough.

I've just started as a TA. Yes, the pay is terrible, but I get to school around 8.30 and leave at 3.30. And have all school holidays off. All my colleagues in my class are lovely, the children are funny and sweet (reception class).

I'm a 1:1 so contracted for a year. The position cropped up at the perfect time for me and has given me the opportunity to see if I enjoy working with children as much as I thought I would, and I will see where it leads.

Previously I ran our family business, no school background. But I spent a few years, when my DC were tiny, volunteering at toddler groups and listening to reading at schools, so that helped.

Thank you all so much, this has been so helpful. It would mean a significant pay cut but having managed on maternity pay for the last few months I don't know that I'm too worried about the money side. Depends on how quickly we can save up!

I'm a 1:1 ta I work 9.15-3.30 every day with one 15 minute unpaid break. I take home just over £900 a month. I love the job it's hard at times I'm only employed while the child is in the school hes in year 6 now so I need to look for another job at the end of the year. But I love seeing children grow and progress. I get the school holidays off. I work in the same school my youngest goes to I get to see his class worships, sports day anything like that which I wouldnt see if I worked somewhere else. Everyone is under pressure, over worked and under paid but I still love it.