Online TA courses

[Glitteranddirt21]

During lock down I really enjoyed the homeschooling experience. I found watching my dd progress rewarding and a huge sense of achievement. I changed jobs and have worked PT since having dd1 7 years ago to a job I don't hate but get no sense of adcievement from but worked well for us as a family, with ds due to start play school this September and school the following have decided I need to get back in the saddle and do something for me. I would like to become a TA but with current job and dc a full time college isn't a option. When looking online for a course there seem to be so many ranging in price and different qualifications but all claim to give you 'The qualifications you need to become a TA'. Has anyone done a TA course online or know by working in the sector of any online courses that when applying for a job a school will recognise as a qualification?. TIA

Look for level 3 certificate or diploma in supporting teaching in schools. NCFE or Cache awarding body. It depends where you live but most colleges offer evening classes or on line

Look online first at jobs advertised by schools, what opportunities there are, what the requirements are etc.

Even better would be to actually volunteer in a school for a while.

I have friends that are TA's without any specific courses, online or otherwise.

Excellent thank you. I didn't know which of the two was accepted am I correct on saying both are they are just different awarding bodies.

They are the same just different awarding bodies. The certificate has 11 mandatory units whereas the diploma has additional optional units so if you want to specialise in for example SEN you may be better with the diploma. If is general TA then the certificate is fine

Or get a student loan and go back to train to become a teacher?

If the course doesn’t require you to volunteer in a placement then it’s unlikely to be accepted as a qualification. But as others have said, you don’t always need a qualification to start as a TA. Depends on the role and what they are looking for. Volunteering in a school can give you a head start if you apply for a role that doesn’t require a qualification.

Yes as pp said definitely go for one that includes practice hours ina school setting. Remember you will also need enhanced dbs

Thank you all for taking the time to reply has given me a clearer idea of what I need to do and I will definitely look in to the volunteering side of it @ObviousNameChage thank you. @PotteringAlong I would love to become a teacher but I don't think I have what it takes that's why I'm taking the support option as think this would be more suitable for me. I will spend the weekend researching all that has been suggested.

No school would look twice at someone who's done an online course but has no school experience. The experience will be way more important than the qualification.

@Glitteranddirt21

Thank you all for taking the time to reply has given me a clearer idea of what I need to do and I will definitely look in to the volunteering side of it *@ObviousNameChage thank you. @PotteringAlong* I would love to become a teacher but I don't think I have what it takes that's why I'm taking the support option as think this would be more suitable for me. I will spend the weekend researching all that has been suggested.

It's a bit tricky at the moment with Covid, but you could start with just going in for an hour to read with children. Most schools are happy to have an extra adult to support ,especially if there's no pay involved. You can ask at your children's school . It will also give you an idea of what a classroom environment is like, the expectations,policies, what the job entails etc.

If you do it for a while you can also use the teacher/head as a reference when you start applying for jobs.

Working in a school is nothing like working with your own child at home.
You need experience above and beyond anything else. Lots of volunteering. When i trained , i was doing three full days a week in a school plus a day in college.
And while volunteering gives you a idea of the job, it is only working as a full member of staff that gives you the experience you need. Expect to have a very steep learning curve when you start working.

In the meantime, why not do a paediatric first aid course? Read up on safeguarding etc?