Teacher to Ta -anyone done this?

[wishing3]

I’m considering switching from a part time primary teacher to a full time TA-maybe level 3 or HLTA position. I am finding teaching stressful but do enjoy many aspects of it and the holidays will fit in well once my two young children reach school age. I feel I might prefer to have to work more hours in school but then not have to think about work so much outside of school hours. Has anyone done this? Any TAs out there-do you enjoy the job add do you find you can switch off and live your life once you leave work? How are your stress levels? Thanks.

Zero stress levels and I can completely switch off when I finish work. I don't have to stay after my paid hours and have never taken any work home with me. I get to lead the class when the teacher is on courses or ill but don't have to do any of the planning. It's great!

Following!

I never want to go back to full time teaching, but adore the kids, school life and the holidays/time with my family

You sell it well-thanks!

But would full time TA be better than part time teacher? Hmmm.

I think when a TA is at school they work ridiculously hard. The pay can end up under minimum wage as they are paid set hours but end up working more.

They still have some responsibilities such as phonics groups.

A one to one TA is a completely different job from a class TA,

I went to uni alongside working in a school with the view of becoming a teacher. I never did the "top up" because I couldn't see that the extra money would outweigh the extra stress!
I did go into a senior role within early years (which is the area I first started my working life in) but am now back in a TA role. I ĺove it!
However a lot of TAs are being used for 1:1 support. An HLTA or cover supervisor type role might be better if that isn't where your interest lies.

I think there was a lady very recently seeking advice here because she had done just that.
She then had a problem in that the head of subject was tasking her with teaching actual classes.
I really felt for her.

I did this for many years, it was fantastic, like being on holiday. And I was paid more per hour as a TA than as a teacher. But sadly I was made redundant twice, and ended up back in teaching, as the competition for TA jobs was ridiculous (mostly from ex teachers) and of course there were endless vacancies for actual teachers, and I ended up reluctantly returning to teaching

A friend of mine did this when stress got too much for her in teaching. She loved it but was only about 5 years from retirement so was happy to coast

I always think I'd rather just teach 1 or 2 days a week...

The drop in pay would be huge - have you worked it out?
I've just quit teaching after 10 years for a WFH job, 30 hours a week. I have 2 kids under 3 and I my life is amazing now! Wish I'd quit earlier.
If you can afford it, do it!

I’m a TA in an FE colllege and I love it. I love the mix of classes I’m in as there is lots of variety throughout the week, but still plenty of time to get to know the students I support. The only downside is longer days than in a school as I do 9-5pm most days. This doesn’t bother me, but I assume in a school you finish by 3:30? We do get a longer summer break though. Usually beginning of July up until the beginning of September.

I have thought about doing the opposite to you and completing teacher training but the teachers all tell me not to and to stick with a job I actually enjoy. So I’ll stick with it for a bit longer.

My friend did this but the head ended up using her as last-minute illness cover which was really shit and really stressful. No planning, any class in the school and marking as well. The pay ended up being less than she’d earn teaching 2 days a week as well.

Much as I hate teaching now, I’d rather do the 2 days than end up teaching everyday anyway, but being paid peanuts.

As a part time teacher do you end up using your days off for planning? Depends on if you want the flexibility of working from home as a teacher when it fits in with you (and school runs) on your days off, or doing all your hours at school as a TA in school hours ( most of the time!)

As a TA you may need to pay before and after school care for your children as most schools finish around the same time.

TA pay is very low - make sure you do your sums. Some are term time only pro rater - it’s about £800/£900 a month take home for 9-3 (at least) every day.

It is more per hour than teaching though

I was a primary class teacher for 24 years and have now been an HLTA for 6 years.

I do miss having my own class. I do NOT miss filling in endless spreadsheets of data, parents' evenings, staff meetings, report writing, pupil progress meetings, staying late at school marking and spending most of Sundays planning.
I still get to work with children, I do quite a lot of teaching classes (which I generally enjoy) but I work to others' planning. At other times I take groups for interventions or act as TA. I run a school club. My experience/skills are generally valued.
I can walk out the door at 3.30 and take no work home.

Obviously I am towards the end of my career. I no longer have a mortgage to pay, am financially secure so can afford the drop in salary.

Generally I think it was a good move. I could go back to class teaching (there's a shortage in my area) but frankly I don't need the stress.

I've done it. Moved from high school teacher to sen ta. I absolutely love it. Pay is a big drop but I get £1300 pm for 4 days a week. I work my socks off at work but once I'm home I am done and I don't have to do parents evening etc too.

I left secondary teaching to be a primary TA. The drop in money is obviously huge, but my pension will wait for me and the stress is zero and I totally finish when my hours are done. In teaching I was never 'off duty', my brain was constantly whizzing. Everything was rush rush rush and ticking boxes. I love my TA job as I can slow down and really spend proper time with my groups. I don't feel as challenged or stimulated as I did when teaching my subject, but I am very happy and it's so nice to have an actual work-life balance. I feel appreciated and valued in a way I never felt as a teacher. I do work at a great school where staff are supportive and it fits in perfectly around my own DC while they're primary age. Due to my teaching experience the school staff do respect me and are very willing to discuss ideas for my key students, there's never a feeling of 'us v them' in the staff room which I have seen in other schools where teachers seemed to act a cut above TAs.

Staying in teaching would never have allowed for the amount of time I have with my kids. I can do all the school runs, never have to worry about meetings running over or finding childcare for doing late parents evenings, am not too exhausted to help them with homework and reading. I figure once they're older and if I want more challenge, I'll always have my teaching experience and can go back.

From what the HLTAs say, the tiny pay increase from TA isn't worth the extra work, so I personally wouldn't go for that role.

Could you maybe look to do a PPA cover role instead if you aren't ready to drop to TA? I have friends who are qualified teachers and do those roles part time and get a teachers wage. Some admin and bits of planning/marking, but no meetings/parents eves etc.

It really depends on the school my friend went from teacher to hlta. She does 4 days teaching in 4 different classes then 1 day 1:1. Planning is rarely done and she's responsible for marking.

My sister's done this for 4 or 5 years now and seems happy enough although I'd say it doesn't use her brain enough as she's forever signing up for OU courses. And she has at times been really patronised, bullied and exploited.

But I don't think she'd have survived the weekend and evening working and scrutiny of teaching, as she wasn't doing well with it when she trained and did her NQT.

Pay is a big drop but I get £1300 pm for 4 days a week.

It must vary massively. I know of TAs getting £8/900 a month for full time working.

Agreed-I think ta s at my school are stressed so want to canvas opinion on that as don’t want to swap like for like!

I don't know if it's due to being sen? I know I am lucky though

Interesting thanks-not been any redundancies at my school so hadn’t really considered.