I have been thinking of going into primary teaching (KS2) for a while and have now just been made redundant so it seems like the ideal opportunity.
Looking at PGCE courses etc., it looks extremely unlikely that I'd get on a course for Autumn 2013 so am aiming for Autumn 2014. In the meantime I'm looking to see if I can do some LSA work in local schools and would welcome any advice as to how to go about it.
I've volunteered a bit at DD's school doing reading and cooking but it's been quite limited because I've had to work. There seems to be a fair bit of agency work advertised but they say you need a minimum of six weeks' experience and an NVQ Level 3. I also know LSA jobs are like hen's teeth because so many parents want them and now graduates are doing them in order to get onto teacher training.
Should I do an NVQ and start volunteering full-time at DD's school while I can afford it? Any other approaches that you know might work?