Advice about becoming a teachers assistant in the future.

[juliaemma]

I am currently a childminder and have been thinking about what i want to do in the future when my kids go to school. I would really love to be some kind of teachers assistant, or work in a school doing something.
I have an NNEB, so im not sure if thats enough to become a teachers assistant, ot do you need more training?
Does anyone know?
If there is more training how can it be done.ie at home?
Would really love some advice on this matter if anyone else has considered or done it themselves and knows whats involved. Thanks.xx

lady at our local pre-school started without a qualification (onlower pay) then when she gets qualified will have increase in pay & hours

if you mean teaching assistant in a primary, I think you have to have early years qualification, sorry don't know what it is called exaclty - you could call your local primary

HTH

if you look at job vacancies on your local council website then you will be able to read the current vacancies and they have detailed job descriptions and person specs

AFAIK you would be qualified already if you have your NNEB.

I was a teaching assistant for 10 years BEFORE becoming a childminder believe me childminding is a much better job. Why are you thinking of giving up just because your own children start school? I know a lot of people do but personally cannot see the logic in it. I earn a LOT more being a childminder than I ever did being a TA.

But surely babydales thats because childminders have to work triple the amount of hours a TA does with loads more responsibilty and paperwork as a cm, no? I ask because just like juliaemma i too would love to do a TA job so it would fit in better with ds' schooling and he can have me all to himself after school instead of having to share me with mindees.

I personally find childminding a lot easier than being a TA ever was. Its not a job I would reccommend to anyone at all and I was good at it too and thats not me saying that but the teachers I worked with.

Why would you not recommend it then?

I personally want to sop CM then, as the house getting messy drives me mad and would more when its not even my kids making it!! Also like nzshar, i would like to spend after scool alone with my children.

So do i need anything more than NNEB? what did all the TA have, as in qualifications?
Thanks.xx

no qualifications needed, experience with children would be good and a willing to take on training if need be. There are qualifications if you want them but they could be done, on the job,so to speak. What could be worse than sitting in a classroom with 30odd children all vying for attention,rather than being in your own house doing your own thing going out when you want, sitting in the garden watching children play.

Thinking of the other TA's I work with they all have a wide range of qualifications.I myself have nta levels 1,2 and 3 another lady has this plus the higher level above.A couple have no qualifications it varies from place to place.A lot of the training is on the job I am qualified in Makaton and have been promised additional speech and language training as the children I support have specific needs in this area.
For what its worth I was TA first then a childminder then I moved back to being a TA.Out of the 2 I love the TA job more as my time and my house are both my own and holidays are mine too-all 13 weeks of em!But its like everything else down to personal choice. You wont earn as much as TA that is certain but money isnt everything although it helps!

Your local colleges will most likely have ta training courses from september so now is the time to enquire- for anyone who might fancy.

You can also do distance learning courses - I am doing a BTEC TA course at the mo. But in my opinion, volunteering at your local school is the best way to get your foot in the door as you get to hear of possible vacancies.
I think it's more if your face fits at the time & experience rather than qualifications

in the school i work in, you don't need any formal qualifications but you do need lots of good, checkable refs.

I have been a nanny, a CM and now work as a LSA (learning support assistant.....working 1-2-1 with a special needs child).

I love working as an LSA in a primary school. The pay is pretty poor but the hours are lovely and there is no "sorry we are late to pick up our child" business.

With an NNEB you would be certainly qualified jobs will often ask for this or GNVQ equivalent. I work in a special schol and recently we took on a lady who had just stopped child minding who was a NNEB.
Often people do not need any type of qualification but you would be likely to get paid more with one. Good luck!

Thanks everyone. Very helpfull.
Someone i knew done the course at home, does anyone know of this one?

Just so i could consider it.

Is this the sort of thing you mean?

I thought about doing this course but then got a job as an L.S.A without it. My only experience was a part time job at the local playgroup and raising my own kids.

All schools are different but I agree with Whizz that the best thing to do is volunteer to help out at your local primary in September and then you'll hear if anything comes up

Yes that looks very much like the course I did.Sometimes the government have grants which cover most of the cost.It would be worth asking at your local community college setting.

Jay would your school consider paying for you to attend that course I know a few people where I work went on it and school partly funded it.

all of our LSWs who don't have a GNVQ or equvalent are encouraged to do so. The school supports them and pays for it.

The only training I've been offered is occasional "baker days" with the teachers. There is one L.S.A. at my school who has put herself through college one day a week for two years to gain the higher level teaching assistant qualification (not sure of its correct name) but although the school gave her the tine off she had to fund the course herself.

Our school doesn't seem to have much money set aside for training!

joanna4; if this is like the course you did, what does it involve? Essays etc???

When i did the course you had 2 hours classroom time per week then you had to write about 20 minutes worth of material based on specific questions around that weeks subject.

The next course up involved placements diaries assesment lengthy essays that kind of thing.
I came runner up for yorkshire mature student of the year for my coursework efforts.My tutor nominated me as i had caught glandular fever part way through then my dad died suddenley so i really struggled to get it all done but it was worth it as you have a much bigger concept of how everything works.

Jay that is bad personal development should be an ongoing thing, shame that money isnt there to facilitate it.

Oh, they spout on about personal development all the time but as long as we're doing what we're paid for they don't actually offer much in the way of training at all.

It's a shame because apart from this it is a lovely school to work in

Having an NNEB is certainly an advantage, especially if you are looking to maybe work in a reception class.
I am a TA & have done the job for years now. I am one of only two in our school that has the NNEB qualification & both myself & the other NNEB qualified TA have been put in the reception class next year, as OFSTED reccomended that the NNEB qualified TA's should be used for the reception class.
I have been on numerous courses since starting the job & now cover the teachers PPA time one afternoon a week, which earns me a little more money.
I love the fact the job fits in so well with the children & that I do not have the added pressure at the end of the day. It doesn't pay great money though.

Offering to help out in the schools first is a good way of getting your foot in the door. A few of our TA's started out this way & were later employed.