To think most people have no idea how little HLTAs/Teaching Assistants earn?

[LorlieS]

Anybody want to hazard a guess at the average monthly income of a ft HLTA/TA?

It really is quite shocking!

Well, surely that depends on how many hours you work.

You probably work more hours than the majority of TAs so difficult to compare, but I do agree educators are underpaid.

IMO if you’re paying someone minimum wage you can’t expect them to have qualifications.

Ex TA here. At level 2 I came out with £1250 PCM after tax, at level 3 I came out with around £1400 PCM after tax.

Standard contracts = 32 hours. I worked 35 p/w contracted but in total was on site 42*+ plus unpaid twilights and unpaid staff meetings, unpaid extra curricula and unpaid early breakfast club.

Worth pointing out that TA's these days are expected to do all but plan lessons. Many still plan interventions and phonics session in own time. Many are considered HLTA's but sit on a 20% HLTA contract rate to save money vs 100% of which you'd earn around 30k pro rata. Most TA's teach half the class (in EYFS or Foundation Phase if in Wales) and are held just as accountable for teaching and learning, as teachers in many schools.

In short, it is a disgusting amount of money to take home. They blackmail you into doing it for the kids though, via manipulation tactics (not all schools but many) and some good old gaslighting from time to time.

regards all.

The only qualifications that are generally asked for on TA adverts near us are maths + English GCSE.

@Rhaenys Thing is, a lot of us do. I never put my letters behind my name as it's ridiculously pretentious, but I'm BSc Human Psychology (Hons), PGCE Primary, hopefully after my part-time return to uni from September I'll also be adding MSc CCYP!
I love my job; I don't love the pay or the ever-increasing expectations.

Not sure what you mean by this. By ‘I don’t work that much’ I mean I’m not contracted to a regular 9-5 and working in term time…

just worked out I take about £12ph after tax.

Not sure what you mean by this. By ‘I don’t work that much’ I mean I’m not contracted to a regular 9-5 and working in term time…

Before you explained it sounded like one of the TAs I used to work with! Rolled up late every day, shirked break and lunchtime duties and walked in the opposite direction if there was a poo accident, Out the door at 3.00 leaving others in the lurch etc.

@Lamaitresse sounds amazing! What country/region?

I can assure you that teachers do realise this, because teachers don’t get holiday pay either.

Yeah, no doubt. I was assuming that was the pro rata.

On a side note, I don't think it's just the hourly rate that matters, however. In many salaried jobs you don't have the option to choose to do paid O/T so your earnings are effectively capped. My mate makes about £15k a year extra as his O/T rate is double usual rate, bumping it to £54. That's something a lot of jobs don't offer.

Belgium 😆
We get paid through the holidays too!

I work in an inner city London primary school and take home £1600 per month. My hours are 8.30 to 4. We get paid 4 weeks holiday, the rest are unpaid.

That's ridiculous. How do people live on that wage? I'm a nurse, part time and my take home is double that!

You’re comparing a part time graduate profession with a part time job requiring no specific qualifications-there will be a big difference.

But what a pension it is.

It’s not unpaid as you are salary. It’s still shit money though. My daughter gets more waitressing.

Teaching Assistants in Cheshire are usually required to have a Level 3 Qualification and Classroom Assistants Level 2 although some schools will accept mature applicants without these qualifications or will train them at no cost .

Most TAs get paid 9-3 so 25 hours a week. Usually only term-time (38 weeks). Your salary is then spread out over 52 weeks. It doesn't include that schools expect TAs to be in for 8:45 or earlier and not leave until all the kids have left at about 15:15. It works out way below minimum wage.

How did I do?

HLTAs get paid more. However they often have to cover lessons and get paid extra for that which pushes them into a situation where they have to pay tax so they end up worse off.

Yes but that's full time. Factor in term time only and that drops to about 16k including holiday pay. 39 weeks pay plus 4.3 for holidays and bank holidays

I was surprised to read recently that nurses often get paid very well in the US. Sometimes over £100k. People were questioning it and American women were chipping in to confirm many make big $$$.

I realise that. It just feels like a ridiculously low wage, for what must be a fairly stressful role.

In East Yorkshire - a TA working full time school hours - 8.30 to 3.30, would earn about £15-17k. HLTAs earn from 22k-26k.
Pastoral staff have a worse deal as work longer hours and more stress for about 19k.
still not enough for any of the jobs.
these are already the pro rota rates.