To ask any teaching assistants a question?

[Themoonthestars]

I'm sorry I am posting for traffic.

If you're a TA, how did you go about getting into that role?

I'm currently looking into level 2 courses, however they all require you to either be employed in a TA role, or to have a significant work placement. Minimum 2 full days. Which I can understand why.

There are lots of TA jobs being advertised but all require experience and qualifications.

So where do I start?

I know volunteering is probably a good way to go. My difficulty is I'm already employed in a well paid but non related career, I want a change but it seems I'd have to leave and undertake voluntary work for at least a year.

How do you go about getting a placement in a school?

[PoptartPoptart]

I think from memory each course cost about £450 but that was a few years ago now.

[IAdoreEfteling]

Thank you Poptart

[MumW]

I tried to get into it a few years and found it impossible despite having years of voluntary experience. Didn't even get one of 4 jobs in the school I'd been volunteering in as well as being a governor. Like you I looked at courses but it did seemed unlikely that it would make getting a job any easier and would have been quite expensive.

You might find a school willing to support you as a volunteer through a course but it will be at your own cost and no guarantees. I know a few people who have successfully done this, but not very recently.
Gaua
I concluded that my best option was teacher training but having seen the stress and pressure put on friends and family who teach decided I was a bit too old to start out. I think it is a hard thing to do even straight out of uni with youth and no commitments on your side, let alone doing it with children and a house to run.

[PoptartPoptart]

I did the NVQ Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools (level 2&3)

[IadoreEfteling]

PoptartPoptart Mon 06-Mar-17 12:54:38

Thank you which course did you do? Thanks.

This was posted over on primary may be of use op?

www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/dfe-drops-gcse-maths-and-english-requirement-early-years-educators

[MissHooliesclassmonitor]

My school asked for O'Levels/GCSEs (grade c and above) in English and Maths, no other experience. I think it is more about your attitude than qualifications and whether the children will feel they can talk to you

[Giddyaunt18]

I'm a TA of 9 years. Had no quals in this area, just O'levels in Maths and English at C or above(amongst others) but those were specified as being required as a minimum. I used to volunteer to hear children read at my DC's school then got asked to fill in for a TA who was ill for a couple of days. When a temporary vacancy came up I was approached and after that a full time vacancy came up. I have done NVQ level 2 in supporting teaching and learning on the job as it were. I no longer work at that school. Any relevant experience is considered at my school now. That could be helping at a nursery, scout group, child minding etc.and of course parental experience is great. Good luck.

[FloweringDeranger]

An introduction to the cash problems in schools can be found at www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-38993715 Although they focus on secondary, primary is bring hit too. All the public sector is in big trouble. The tories bleat on about they have raised funding or protected this... couldn't possibly be lying at all could they? What a thing to suggest.

[PoptartPoptart]

IadoreEfteling - if you have GCSE Maths and English then they accept you straight onto the course. If not, you have to complete a short basic maths & English test. I didn't do it but a few others on my course did and said it was really easy. It's not a GCSE level test, just basic multiple choice answers. It's just to ensure you know the basics in order to complete the course. Don't let it put you off!

[MrsHandles]

Teacher here, primary. Just a word of warning, the school I work at has had its budget slashed for the upcoming year and the head is actively encouraging and TAs near retirement to do so! He's also asked TAs to reduce their working hours and has had to not renew a TA who was on a year contract. We're ridiculously short staffed but the budget is just not allowing for precious resources such as TAs. Many schools in the area are in the same position.

*as an add on, he's also said about retirement/moving on to other posts to teachers as well...

[Themoonthestars]

Thanks again.

Appreciate all the honest opinions. Poptart that's fantastic.

I wasn't aware that schools were making cuts. Although my employer, also public sector is making massive cuts so I'm clinging to a sinking ship already.

[IadoreEfteling]

I want to try being ta as we but don't have maths gcse, should I do it or just start volunteering?? Or go for supply work?

[PoptartPoptart]

I was in exactly the same position as you 6 years ago OP.
I had a fairly well paid full time job which I hated and I had wanted to become a TA for some time. It look me awhile to make the decision but once I did there was no going back.
I reduced my hours in my job to three days a week so I could volunteer in a school for the other two days. Taking a pay cut wasn't easy at first but we managed. I attended the adult education college one night per week to do the course. There was quite a lot of work but I managed to do it in the evenings and at weekends when the DC were in bed.
After successfully passing my level 2 I signed up for another year to do the level 3. I had an absolutely brilliant tutor who knew my circumstances. She agreed to let me just carry on volunteering for two days per week (rather than three) so I could continue to work the other three days in my job. I actually found the level 3 easier than 2, maybe because a lot of it is repeated and I was able to use a lot of my assignments that I'd already written as a base and just added to them.
A few months before I was due to complete my level 3 the school I was volunteering at offered me a job, which of course I took, and I haven't looked back.
It was easily the best decision I ever made. I absolutely love my job and those couple of years where we struggled a bit financially were all worth it.
Please feel free to PM me if you want any more info.
Good luck!

[CremeEggThief]

I am sorry I can't link to it, but there's a website which shows how all schools are going to be affected by budget cuts and unfortunately, T.A.s will be the easiest option to target in the budget cuts. There will still be work around, but it will most likely be 1:1, temporary and part-time hours. I really wouldn't advise you to give up a well-paid job to pursue it.

[StripeyDeckchair]

To be honest given the state of school funding & the Govts plans for funding reform I wouldn't advise becoming a TA.
I work in education finance & every school I know is planning / has made redundancies to save money.

[Albatross26]

curbside I agree, most lessons are really fulfilling but there are those ones when I wonder whether the degree and masters were worth it to stand there and give out worksheets!

[SquidgeyMidgey]

Volunteering is a good way to get experience and that's very useful on your cv. I was a TA for 3 years but had previously been a teacher so didn't get asked to do a course.

[Catcheronthesly]

DH just signed up with a teaching agency and had to do a week (or maybe two) of work experience for free and then got almost constant temp jobs. After about 6 months he applied for a year long contract and got it. We do live in a city though - I'm not sure if there would be a lot of work in more rural places without initial experience.

[CurbsideProphet]

I was a "specialist" TA in a secondary school, but spent most of the week giving out pens/glue sticks and being verbally abused by teenage boys. A rewarding TA job really depends on the school. If you have flexible hours and a decent salary now, I would think really carefully about giving that up.

(Sorry to piss on your chips, but being a TA was the worst year of my working life!)

[QueenCuntyFlippers]

I volunteered in my daughters school, I then applied to a supply agency and I'm now doing 2 days a week in the Early Years as a TA.
I am starting a PGCE in September, so I didn't want anything permenant. It's worked out really well.

[timshortfforthalia]

if you are willing to work as s one-on-one TA, getting in is usually a bit easier. Often short term, part time roles, but give you an in to a school and experience. There are always loads being advertised near me (s London)

[Toysaurus]

Sorry, it wasn't until I had posted that I realised the hours things sounded a bit arsey when I didn't mean it to.

[Themoonthestars]

Thanks again. I'm not looking to do it because of the hours. I already have very good flexible hours and a decent salary, I just want to do something rewarding and hands on.

[Toysaurus]

I'm a TA. I have no TA qualifications and no previous education or school experience prior to applying for the job.

I did have a shit ton of experience working with children with Sen and a real passion for wanting to support children with additional needs within education.

There's a lot expected of TAs these days in terms of supporting education and learning. I know lots of parents are interested in it because of the hours, but certainly in the school I work in, though we don't do planning and teaching as such, the expectations are extremely high.

I do it because I love it and it utilises my strengths. I would never do it because of the school hours.

[Scabetty]

I retrained as a preschool assistant : placement plus college 2 days. Then took a early years degree and went into specialised TA work in primary.