Teaching assistant courses form home...can someone advise???

[mindermummy]

Want to do a teaching assistant course, but when i google it SO many come up!!

Is there a home one which is really popular and def recognised?
I dont want to apply for one and then its not recognised!!!!

Any tips/ideas.....thank you.

Are you currently working in a school? The reason I ask is because they will usually put you forward to do an NVQ in 'Supporting teaching and learning in schools'.

If you are not currently working in a school, you may find that the home course content is a bit rubbish, you are not getting any actual time with kids, just doing paper based learning, which although shows a willingness to learn, isn't what some schools may look for in a new TA.

I suggest that you phone up some schools and ask them outright what they would look for in prospective TA's. I'm almost 100% certain that the majority would look personailty and willingness to learn rather than something on paper.

You can then go to some interviews, show yourself and tell them that you want to do really well.

I have worked as a TA in two schools before I had any qualifications, and even then I got an NVQ in Children's Care, Learning and Development rather than as a teaching assistant.

Just do some background searching into the roles availiable, look on jobsite or fishforjobs and have a look at the TA posts on there and what is required.

Good Luck!

well i dont work in a school no.

I work with children in another sector....part time.

And have been going into my sons school once per week for a few hours helping out in a classroom.......this was to see how i felt with the TA side. I really like it, but some TA there told me they like you to have the TA course done.

I already have an NNEB.

What do you suggest now???
Thank you.xxx

I think that you could apply with an NNEB and experience in schools. Really you need to be on the ground to do a TA qualification because the home study courses aren't as well regarded and half the ones you find online have expired when you check them against the NDAQ.

The other distance learning option is to take some university level courses or the new Diploma (which would effectively be the same level as your NNEB though) and pick optional modules which focus specifically on supporting work in schools.

I agree with aupair101 though. Talk to the schools!

I think an NNEB is the equivalent of a TA3 qualification anyway, so you could apply for jobs up to that level now. (They usually ask for NVQ 2/3 or equivalent qualification.) You've got experience working with children through your job and experience working in a classroom setting through your volunteering. I certainly wouldn't bother with a TA qualification if I were you. Just get applying!

Depends how old the NNEB is whether schools will want a more recent NVQ3 focused on supporting teaching and learning in schools. The NNEB got replaced at least 10 years ago I think but many people still use the term to mean the qualification which replaced it.

That said I don't know whether the very specific NVQs are still being offered or whether they got the chop to make way for the new Diploma along with the DCE/BTEC/NVQ CCLD...

Either way you have a level 3, it's just a case of whether it would still be considered relevant by the individual school and whether it covered the whole target age range.