Calling all Teaching Assistants - please help me with course decision!

[Heartbrokenmum73]

Hi, posting here for traffic.

I'm looking into becoming a Teaching Assistant. My local college is only small and doesn't offer any courses and the Adult Ed courses are now full until next September, so I'm probably looking at distance learning. I want/need to get started ASAP because I'm signing on and the Job Centre are on my case.

However, looking at distance learning courses online throws up different qualifications and examining boards.

Are there any qualified/experienced TAs about who could guide me towards the most recognised qualification and/or which provider to consider studying with?

Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Hi molding

I'm going to have a chat with my son's school either today or tomorrow and see what they say, I think. I was under the impression that nowhere would even look at you if you didn't have at least a Level 2 qualification now.

I've been looking at Stonebridge College online (does anyone have any experience with them?) and they offer the Cache Level 3, which is what I was thinking of. I hope they're kosher!

Thanks for the help.

I did the same course Cache level 3 last year. really full course and we all got jobs.

as said above be careful with distance learning as schools do like you to have been assessed in the classroom by a tutor.

lots of TAs start by volunteering with reading, dinner supervisor etc and then get asked to do hours so you can so get course while you are paid.

that's how I did it.

I have done some volunteering previously, at my kids' old school and with my brother-in-law (he's a Year 6 teacher), but we're in a completely new part of the country now.

I'm just desperate to get started now. I've been thinking about doing this for awhile now, but after signing on today and being told I have to do some 'work experience' (although volunteering in school doesn't count, apparently , only the ones they have) I just want to get off the JSA.

I've been on it for a whole two months, I'm a single Mum (not by choice) and they're making me feel like a scrounging, work-shy tosser. Horrible.

I completed the Open University E111 'Supporting learning in primary schools' in 2009. Essay (approx 1,800 words) to hand in every 6 weeks or so. Project (not big) at the end. No exam. There may also have been some tutorials to attend but I can't remember as I did it while living abroad and wouldn't have been able to attend anyway. OU page details the qualification level. All study materials are supplied. You do need to have a place (can be volunteering) in school for minimum no of hours (think it was 5) to complete it though.

Sorry, can't comment on employability of qualification as I never worked as a paid TA as moved back to UK to retrain and now have an entirely different career! Good luck.

Thanks Dark

I've actually registered with the OU this afternoon, and was looking at that very course, and maybe a Foundation Degree.

Fingers crossed!

Are you aware that Gove is on a mission to get rid of TAs? My current TA job is only temporary I'm starting to consider whether I should do something else when it finishes

Hi there.

Any of these Awarding Bodies are acceptable - NCFE, CACHE, City & Guilds and EDEXCEL.

It used to be the case that schools would take on those without any experience and whilst this still does happen, it's quite rare. You could perhaps volunteer in another role (dinner lady etc) and move across to a TA if one becomes available.

Gove has said he won't get rid of TAs. However, the Department of Education has cut funding to Local Education Authorities and is trying to broaden the role of teachers to incorporate TA duties. It's really down to the LEA to decide whether they need TAs for their schools and many of them recognise the need for TAs. Ask any teacher and they'll tell you how important TA roles are (the trade union, UNISON, completed a survey end of last year which demonstrated why school leaders value TAs - read it here). Ultimately it really depends on the number of students that need help (statemented students) in a given area.

If you're unsure, contact your LEA and ask them what the requirements are for TAs. Usually they'll say Level 2 or Level 3 etc. There are no formal qualifications for TAs, but there are 'suitable' ones. You can see a list of the most popular ones here - TA course comparison

There are also SEN specific courses, which may help if you want to work in a special needs school(?)

If you do decide to pursue an online QCF (formerly NVQ) course, opt for the Certificate or Diploma, which will require a work placement (you can organise voluntary work in your local schools for this). If you can't arrange some form of work experience, the Award will suffice as this includes less units and doesn't require work experience. As others have said, work experience is key so I would only opt for the Award if the others are unattainable.

The courses will have different names, but it's the qualification at the end which is the important part. Again, check with your LEA about qualifications they'll accept.

Higher learning courses (Open University etc) are very good, too, and can certainly help improve your prospects.

If you have trouble funding your course, you may be able to receive a grant to pay for it. Have a look here (enter a few details to see which grants are available in your area) - grants-search.turn2us.org.uk

Best of luck and don't let the Job Centre get you down.

J

Teacher Training is something else I would love to do (I actually started at University, some 8 years ago now, but everything fell apart in my first half term), especially as my Mum is an ex-teacher and she thinks it's something I'd enjoy (I'm well aware of the workload!) and be good at, but there are no Uni's down here that offer it and it would take forever with the OU.

I wasn't aware of Gove's plans, but I can't say I'm that surprised - the man is an idiot of the highest degree.

My background is in FE, training adults in IT, but again, there's nothing available where I am.

I think after today, and also last week (when I was told I was expected to apply for any job I'm physically capable of doing, regardless of the hours the Job Centre have me down for), I'm increasingly concerned about my benefits being cut. It's not good when I already suffer from depression and anxiety, and have three children to worry about.

Thanks to everyone for their help and advice.

The job centre can often project a very negative attitude towards those that genuinely need help.

Do look at the grants link as they also help with bills, living expenses and other courses you may want to pursue. Many teaching assistants go on to become teachers (I heard a story recently that a ex-TA has recently become a head teacher).

I would start off by contacting your LEA to get a feel for TAs or even teachers (if that's what you want to do).

Look into training others online. You can make money by teaching students abroad online. I understand that you need to put food on the table, so look at ways to make money online by teaching. I'll see if I can find the link somewhere...

Haven't had a chance to look at this properly, but this gives some info on teaching online.
www.teachingeslonline.com/teach-english-online-get-started/

JJ

Thank you so much for your input on all this - I'm really starting to panic about what to do. I just want to sign off. I wouldn't mind if I was long-term unemployed, but it's been two months. While I was there today, they were calling up these 'work experience' places to see what I could do. None of them were part-time, so how can they expect me to just jump into this, when I have no before/after school care or money to pay for it - because you don't get paid for these placements, but you have to go!

I will have a look at the grants link you posted (had a briefly look and it gave me back some 500 possibilities!).

I was doing some online tutoring (IT) last year and am registered with the same company again, but they've filled their quota for IT Tutors, until at least the New Year. I've told the Job Centre this, and about my TA plans, but they just want me off the books. As do I!

UC hasn't been introduced down here yet.

I was under the impression that work experience was for long-term unemployed too. I'm feeling a bit picked-on, if I'm honest. I am looked really hard for work, searching the websites they've given me, the three local newspapers, the county website, and local colleges. I've had interviews that have come to nothing and I'm chasing jobs down left, right and centre.

I'm on their system as 16 hours per week for work, but as there's very little that fits that, I'm being offered other stuff, where hours are very full-time (without adding the travel either end) and now told I have to do work experience too.

Having seen the list if work experience today, I'm quite angry that one local place has four full-time 'work experience' places available - why are these not paid employment? I've been put forward for a Children's Centre vacancy - again, why is this not paid employment? Why am I being forced to follow these through, for my poxy £70 per week?

Sorry, off on a tangent, but I'm very upset and angry at the situation I'm in.

They offered me 'farmyard assistant', 'assistant in a charity shop' (that one had gone) and 'front of house' (which I think is jargon for receptionist) before we got to the 'children's center assistant' (which was 9-5, Monday to Friday, but we're enquiring about the hours). There was nothing part-time on the list, all full-time, but I have to show willing or they'll stop my money! My youngest child is 5.

I'm a qualified and experience NVQ Assessor/IT Trainer. I'm more than happy to take a job, but it needs to either a) fit in with school hours (which they agreed at my initial interview) or b) pay enough to help with out of school care costs. Or would WTFC cover that?

I worry that I'm going to get forced into taking a low-paid job, just to get me off their system, and that I'm not going to be able to live.

Exactly. As I said, one company near me has four positions available for work experience. Surely they'll just keep using unpaid labour rather than paying out an actual wage!

And as you say, how is a couple of weeks in a charity shop going to help me get work? I have plenty of customer service skills already. I wouldn't put work experience on my CV - I'm not 16. It also takes me away from time I could be spending actually looking for work.

My Mum's spitting nails about it - she says they're targeting the wrong people. And she's right - it's easy to threaten single parents with stopping their money because they have children to worry about, rather than just themselves.

My school only takes TAs on through a full advert/application/interview process, and for most jobs here it would require a level 3 TA qualification or equivalent.

The first thing you need is plenty of recent experience in the age range you are considering.

You are also going to need experience.

Do you have any sen schools around? The ones here are always desperate for midday meals. Get with the right school and there's usually lots of overtime if you show you are dedicated.

They don't advertise as such, more along the lines of we are always looking for midday meal supervisors or similar, contact us.

Also to get an idea of what is needed for your area, and how often ta jobs appear, have a look on jobsgopublic.