How much does a TA earn ?

[slyvia]

Does anyone know what a TA earns ? I am thinking of returning to work as a TA about 20 hours per week ? I have looked at various job adverts for TA's and the rates seem to differ a lot.

It depends on what band the post is on ie how much responsibility the position carries - but for the higher-rated positions you would need to have the appropriate qualifications ie NVQ3 or HLTA or equivalent experience.

You often only get paid term time only so 40 weeks of the year not 52.

In my London borough, the take home of a level 3 TA is about £850.00. 8.30am - 3pm.

I would say between £7 and £9 per hour as an average. I think this would equate to c.£7000 gross pa

My net take home pay is just below £600 a month.

I am a level 3 TA working 20 hours, 39 weeks a year. I get paid for 18.75 hours a week though as I get 15 minutes break a day, but this is unpaid.

I love working as a TA and it fits in so much better for me whilst my DD is still at primary school, but I do miss the teacher's pay cheque when I see mine come in each month, lol!

Not enough ;-) (I am a TA!)

When you look at the job ads, you need to work out whether the salary they quote is pro rata or not. For instance, I get paid every month, because my employer totals my annual hours and divides by 12, but I still only get paid for 40 weeks a year.

Yes I remember seeing pro rat - it makes a real difference to the take home then ! I think i saw one for about £18000 - so this pro rata would only be about £13500 then ? Gosh no where near as well paid as I thought. I have a friend who is one and she says she often takes the class and has to do stuff the teacher does (like lesson aims and objectives and assessing the work !) It seems its a bit like a teacher on the cheap or am i wrong !

I think it would be less than that. I think the salary is based on 35hr week/52 weeks a year although I may be wrong.
I get paid for 43 weeks - 39 working and 4 holiday.

I have a friend who is one and she says she often takes the class and has to do stuff the teacher does (like lesson aims and objectives and assessing the work !)

As a TA she should not be doing those activities. Depending on her level she may be expected to supervise the odd lesson, such as covering PPA, but shouldn't be planning and teaching or assessing.

£10,000 :)

as the others say, it's calculated on the 43 working weeks, then pro rata down from 37 or 39 hours pw. If it's advertised as a salary pa pro rata, then assume the actual pay will be about half of what it's advertised at for 20ish hours per week for the working weeks for the post.

It is confusing- not all schools pay pro rata but it can be a nasty shock!

I've worked in a mainstream for £12800 (pro rata, advertised as £14800, level 3 with quite alot of responsibility) and in special ed for just under £17000 (NOT pro rata, employed as level 2, although had level 3 and degree, less responibility)

How long does it take to become a TA ?- I was told that you have to do a college course but do your work experience training for free. I would find this hard as I have kids and would need childcare and could only pay for this if I had an income

slyvia - depends on what level. You don't need any qualifications to be a level 1 TA.

My friend did a level 3 TA course a while back (she has since qualified as a teacher actually) - was a year long OU course. She also had to be doing work experience as well t a local school (she ended up finding a paid position though as a level 1 TA) as you need to base your assignments on current practise and real life situations.

A HLTA is another course after that.

I did it different and din't need a TA qualfication as I have a teaching degree and QTS instead.

It's how long is a piece of string really - depends on whereabouts you are in the country and what the job situation is like there. Where I live, TA jobs are very hard to get and you are unlikely to get a full time job at first - even part time positions require at least some relevant experience such as voluntary work with the right age group. College courses are not cheap and few people can afford to do them on spec - often your employer will pay - once you get a job.
The situation in your part of the country may be quite different of course, but I would say that wherever you are you will need to be demonstrating evidence of a commitment to working with children in a school environment and some understanding of what the role involves, so voluntary experience as a classroom helper is pretty much essential.

Its a job that fits around childcare and I assume quite interesting to - if its a level 3 course - can you do this full time at college or is it likely to be part time and work experience !

You will need to be in a school in some form. My friend did the course PT via OU and worked PT in a school too.

You need to find out what your local college offers, but I should think it would be part time and work experience. You have to have a setting that you are working in, even if only on a voluntary basis, where your assessor can come and observe your practice.

have a look at my "this is madness" in Chat - there's a post with "actual" figures I've posted about.

or \link{http://www3.northamptonshire.gov.uk/ncc/Templates/content_applications.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRORIGINALURL=/Learning/Services/vacancies/ListVacancies.htm&NRNODEGUID={3A07F626-1197-4306-9F65-65269F94C448}&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest\as I've just been looking at it}

there's a range of posts on here with salaries.