Not called for interview as teaching assistant

[BlueJellycat]

I applied for a job as a teaching assistant but wasn't called for interview. I have applied twice before in my dd infant school but first I was picked at the post by a qualified teacher, the second time I was in hospital during the interview stage. Now dd has gone up to juniors so I applied at her new school. First I was the only applicant so the interviews was delayed. I didn't get interview on the second round and I don't expect they was flooded with applicants going on the first rounds applicants.

I have been a governor in a sen school for 5 years, I have weekly experience of going in the help children read for a year. I have done sen training. I have a degree. I had a corporate job with a global brand in a senior position but that was 6 years ago. I have worked in my profession during those 6 years as ad hoc contracting. Said on my application I want to do a pgce ( I do).

So if I didn't even make the sift can I presume I don't have a good skill set? Reason given was that I don't have the desired skills. I know that experienced TAs could have applied but deep down I just think I was a weak candidate, which is disheartening. I have so much experience from being a governor and helping out reading, i dont feel i can get much more experience without being at school more than once a week as a volunteer. I would like to do my teacher training but after this, if I don't even cut the TA standards I would be a shit teacher? The school im a governor at can't even recruit enough TAs ( but money wise being a TA would be better at my child's school).

You can teach with dyslexia and dyscalculia. However, your application must be error free to get through the initial sifting process. This means having someone check it thoroughly before sending it in.

At my school we have no issues with recruiting TAs at various levels. We prefer not to be employing people with children in the school where possible.

Our TAs are well qualified and/or have a good deal of relevant experience. We have qualified, experienced teachers working as TAs, we have TAs with various degrees, all have some form of qualification and/or training in working with children, various intervention methods, etc. and/or or they have a good amount of very relevant experience of working with children in educational/childcare settings. We are fortunate enough to still be in a position to be choosy at the moment.

Whilst some TAs we've employed do intend to move in to do a teaching degree it isn't something they'd write in their application. Schools don't want to invest time and money into training you up for their school for you to move in within a year or two!

You need to make sure that your application meets the jib specification with examples where/how, what skills you have and how they will aid the school and the children's learning, and why you want to work at that specific school - look at their website and find key information to refer to and include, for example.

Maybe not, but the post said it's statutory, which it's not.

Also who's training all these TAs if trusts will only employ those already qualified? It might have been the case until recently, but these jobs are hard to fill now IME. We've taken on quite a few on apprenticeships and they're by far the best we have. Really good quality training. You're missing out on good candidates if you'll only take people who've been trained and want to leave elsewhere.

We d had people who are training but that's a requirement!

Not just having people with no qualifications!

All of this

I’m a school governor and also go into school fairly frequently. I don’t think this adds to my ability to be a TA (or teacher), even if I wanted to be one. Being a Governor is a strategic role. By going into school and spending time with the children and teachers I am understanding the school environment and specific challenges etc. but not in a teaching staff capacity.

I think you need to completely reframe this part for an application.

Apply for LSA roles in secondary schools. They are always recruiting and with your degree and SEN school experience, I'm sure they'd snap you up

I worked as an LSA before I was qualified btw. I was studying towards a level 3 qualification but had only just started it.

I know a few teachers who are dyslexic, they are amazing.
Not only are they very good at their job but they are incredible role models.

I applied for a TA position but I was told I was too over qualified and they were worried I wouldn’t last long.

They also avoid parents with children in the school.

There is also massive competition with many parents needing these hours.

I’ve also heard that they don’t take someone who volunteers - as hiring them means they lose the free labour.
When they could hire someone else and keep the free labour and have the best of both worlds.

The biggest red flag here and what would definitely put me off is that you keep applying for your DDs schools.

It’s not fair on your DD and it’s a bit odd.

Why not just apply for a different school instead?

Your problem may well be that you are applying for a role in your childrens' school. Apply elsewhere, maybe at a secondary.

I thought this too.
We was/they was etc is just wrong and if you are teaching children, you have to set a good example. Would totally put me off a candidate for that role sadly.

Hardly. Many schools near us employ English as a second language candidates. We had Spanish, Polish and Turkish. Whilst hardworking and lovely their English spoken and written wasn’t great.
Apply for a different school.

I have three kids with ehcps so wondered if I could take on a sen role or work in a sen school teaching stem.

If your DD at this school has an EHCP with 121 support that may complicate things for the school, especially if it's not a big primary. TAs are relied upon to provide SEND support and interventions, and it wouldn't be appropriate for you to be supporting your own child, or someone in her class (or potentially even her year group). Even if the role wasn't within her year group flexibility is important, covering absence etc.

SEND provision in general is chronically underfunded at the moment so it's possible the idea of a parent coming in and seeing what support their EHCP child gets day to day may not be appealing to the school either.

I have three kids with ehcps so wondered if I could take on a sen role or work in a sen school teaching stem.

Please don't put things about your own kids on applications. Lots of people do, but why would a "complex" home life make you an attractive candidate?Maybe it shouldn't influence anyone negatively, but it will.

Plus you're applying to a teacher with many years of training experience (the head). If she doesn't have kids you've insulted her by suggesting you know it all because you do, if she does have kids she knows that managing your own and managing other people's is not the same thing at all.

It will depend on the school, maybe a second language is a priority, it will also depend on other candidates available.

You don't answer why you only want to work in your DC's school? That's very limiting as far as job opportunities go

Maybe stop applying for the school your child goes to and broaden your applications?

With an SEN interest I would look at doing TA qualifications (we wouldn't recruit a TA without at least level 2 where I have worked previously) and get a job as a TA in an SEN school, that in turn will help any PGCE application as will give a hugely valuable layer of experience even if you want to work in secondary mainstream, ultimately.

Just as an aside, bear in mind that teaching is not generally family friendly (I say this as a non-teacher member of school staff) in term time but obviously it does make the holidays much more straightforward.

I'm a teacher. I've worked in many schools attended by the children of teaching and support staff. But I agree that you're limiting your options if these are the only jobs you apply for.

I have to say that the SPaG errors jumped out at me too. One of the main roles of TAs nowadays is supporting children with literacy and using standard English. Yes, there are staff at all levels who say, "We was..." etc but they know how to teach it correctly. Any non standard English in application forms is likely to result in rejection.

I didn't understand what you mean by "a town boarding London" until I read it again and realised you meant bordering. So definitely get someone reserved to proof read your application forms for errors.

And I agree with leaving out any mention of doing a PGCE. It's one thing to employ a qualified teacher in a TA role, or employ someone who later states they want to progress into teaching but for someone to admit at the application stage that they are already looking yo leave makes it look like you're using them as a stepping stone.

Try volunteering in a school first for experience, look at LSA/technical support roles at secondary and make enquiries into agency work are all good suggestions.

Well I didn't say on the application that I wanted to teach in secondary. So I don't think that was a factor in sending any mixed messages. Ideally i was hoping to get experience in infant, junior secondary and private. I have a year 6 with sen so i cant do full time to far from my home until i know his transport arrangementsin year 7.

Yes degree is biology. I have worked in science too. No English isn't my second language. I spell checked and proof read the application but i cant get spell check on MN. Just because im free typing here, doesnt mean i always free type, for example I wrote technical specs in IT and never disclosed my dyslexia because I was scared too. but tbh if my spelling is really bad that it comes across that I don't have a gcse grade C in it, then it looks like teaching or working with children in education isn't a realistic aspiration. I think I possibly do come across as not very bright on paper which I'm going to have to take harder into consideration. I was planning on using assisted tech to mark work ( dictation then copying, but that's not possibly not enought to compensate). Also wondering if I shouldn't have disclosed dyslexia before interview. Hmm, lot's to think about. However it just comes down to being a weak candidate after sleeping on it, and that's doesn't bode well for applying for a post grad as a teacher.

Lots of dyslexic teachers - more at secondary than primary

When I was an EFL teacher, I had a Director of Studies who is dyslexic and he was an excellent teacher/manager. I wouldn’t let dyslexia put you off, you’d be a perfect example for children in our school’s with dyslexia and be able to support them in a way that I, as a non dyslexic person, can’t.

Your errors remind me of my sister’s errors, she is dyslexic too. I think it was best to disclose your dyslexia, my sister finds letting people know is a help rather than a hindrance. It may help to use your dyslexia to your advantage if you have an interest in SEN in applications as simply put, you ‘get it’.

Skills tests were abolished a couple of years ago. He may be doing a test mandated by the provider themselves, or the information you have may just be old.

This is exactly what I picked up too. I thought do I say something or just let it go? Incorrect words used such as "picked at the post" and "boarding London". Within a teaching assistant role where you are supporting writing and reading it is possible that of your application contained such errors it wouldn't make the cut. The fact that as a sole applicant they felt the need to readvertise suggests the application wasn't up to scratch.

Spell check wouldn't pick up those incorrect words used but spelled correctly and on proof reading you may not see your own errors so it could be you wouldn't pick up on children's errors too?

My husband is dyslexic (corporate lawyer) and 2 of 3 children are. There are plenty of roles where adjustments can be made and possibly there are other teachers on here who are dyslexic who can suggest how to approach applications.

My FIL is a science teacher and we suspect an undiagnosed dyslexic (of a generation where he would not have been diagnosed)

Thanks @elenacampana that's kind. About 50 of my fellow programmers was dyslexic. We do tend to be good problem solvers.