To consider jacking in my career to be a TA?

[Hedgeblunder]

I'm considering quitting work to retrain as a teaching asst.
I'm currently working in finance and am just fed up of the hours, cut throat macho attitude, and I'm not really that financially motivated (obv I need some!I just don't want a mansion and ponies iyswim?)
DH and are want to TTC and I just don't think that that's who I want to be when I'm a mum.
I would have to start from the bottom and retrain and have a significant pay cut, although me and DH can manage fine.
am I mad for wanting to do it?

Yes, TA jobs are like gold dust and you will be very lucky to get one.
Also, if so many children don't have SN really (today's news) there will be even less TA jobs in the future.

Yes. Retrain, move sideways by all means. Use this as an opportunity to think about what YOU want to do. (sounds from OP that earning mega bucks yourself isn;t an issue)

I work full time, have done since dd was 5 months old. But not in mega stress, long hours environments. I have a "career" it could be said. You just have to pick your companies carefully

Sorry I didn't mean to imply a ta isn't a career- meant my current career!

TA's are considered not to be front line staff, hence cuts.

I know what you mean about long hours and a matcho culture - can you ask for part time hours? say to make it 3 or 4 days instead of 5?

Lol - I was about to start a massive rant about you joining the TA army variety, and then read your post...

I think that it would be great! You'd be able to have holidays off with your children and I know some very happy TAs. My advice is to get it out of the way asap as I found studying with a child very hard, but that could just be me.

Good luck with it!
Sarah x

I'm a TA.. by choice. I'm a graduate but wanted a job that fit with my family, that gave me time with my kids.... I love it and have never regretted not having a 'better' career.

However TA jobs are like rocking horse poo at the moment... hard to find. You don't need to retrain necessarily but what you do need to do is get your face known. Find your local school, or special school and offer some volunteer time! I'm not kidding when I ay that virtually every TA in my (special) school AND the joined mainstream school, started as a volunteer. That way your face is known and when jobs come up you have a MUCH better chance ..there are lots of applicants for every post!

I helped out with swimming at the special school as my son was there... then when a job came up in the mainstream school I applied and they gave me the job pretty much because the head knew my face (it's a joint site). Then when I decided to go for the special school job (better pay) they already knew me there too... :)

Go for it, but DO volunteer even an hour a week gets your face known..:)

I think that, sadly, TAs are likely to be first in line for redundancy when the education budget cuts kick in ( and the cynic in me believes that the Ofsted SEN announcement was government driven, to pave the way for huge cuts in provision ). So probably not great timing for this career change, tbh.

My dsis was SAHM for years, but now does Maths tutoring, at crammers, private schools etc. God money for not so many hours.

What about re-training as a child minder? Once your own child is older you would be able to have an etra child or two to care for and earn in your own home?

I did it (5 years ago), and have never been happier.

I could not work in an office any longer, just couldn't stand sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours per day.

It only takes a year (or 2, depending on qualifications) and is extremely worthwhile.

In most schools I know, TAs are attached only to specific Statemented children and so the job security for those TAs is as it ever was - as long as the child remains Statemented (and most do remain statemented if deemed severe enough to get one in the first place), the job remains.

The jobs that go are the general classroom assistant TA jobs and the non-specific small group work ones, not the SEN TA one iyswim.

It's a vital job! YANBU; YAB

Kidcatswine-thanks!I hadn't considered that, will get onto that asap!

Thanks very much for the honest and encouraging messages- very much appreciated!

I am thinking about this too, but I think the pay is very low?

For now I am a volunteer and really love doing it, but like some have mentioned, I don`t think it is the best time to look for TA job as they will make lots of cuts...

I was working as a ta last year on a two term contract, got asked to stay on for the third term, the headteacher then asked me to stay for this year. Then the budget cuts came and everyone on temporary contracts had to leave at the end of the summer. Now the school is on a recruitment freeze and even if someone leaves the headmaster is not allowed to take someone else on.

one of my closest friends gave up working in finance about 13yrs ago to become a TA.

She's never looked back.

Do it. Can you go p/t and volunteer in a school? My next door neighbour is a TA and she volunteered there for ages before being employed.

I'm on my second lot of maternity leave in a career job I hate. Going to be made redundant very soon. I'm in the process of applying to volunteer as a CAB advisor. You get full training and lots of legal knowledge. Long term plan is to try to get a permanent job with the CAB or maybe in an advisory role in another charity. CAB paid jobs are mostly part time so that's a real attraction for me.

BUT...are you burnt out, fed up and want a baby and a change? 12 months maternity leave at home, and you might feel differently. I did.