Teaching assistant qualifications

[PenelopePlant]

NCFE/CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning
I'm considering doing this course. Has anyone else done it and why have you gone into work wise as a result?

I want to be a TA, in a primary school.

I am mid thirties, haven't worked in 10 years as have been a home maker. I'm ready to retrain and want some guidance on the best way into becoming a teaching assistant.

Thank you

I completed the level three course a couple of years ago, volunteering in school for a few hours each week and attending college one morning a week. Once I'd completed my voluntary hours I registered with a supply agency and have been inundated with work since. I've also just managed to secure a full time permanent position.

I'd highly recommend joining an agency (find out which ones your local schools use) you'll get lots of experience and make you more attractive when it comes to applying for roles. Good luck!

I can't advise on that particular course but it would be a good idea to get some experience as a volunteer in school to get an idea of what the job entails. It might also give you an edge in getting on the course.

Quite a few of the TAs at my school started as volunteers when their children were in school and got their qualifications 'on the job'.

(Retired teacher)

The pay for TA's is awful, but I know of a few people who've done this and are very happy as it fits in around family life.

If it's the hours you're after, rather than the role. I applied for better paid full time jobs and then asked for school hours, tto. Eventually someone said yes. I've had much better pay and progression than if I'd have gone in to a TA role.

That's great. Thank you!

That's really helpful, thank you

Thank you. I know the pay is poor, but I want to work with children and this is a good way in as works around my children, and will give me good experience whilst I figure out what I want to do next.

Some LAs do their own specialised course, it's cheaper and there's more chance of a job after.

Do you know how I'd go about this?

Hi, I did this course you need to be working or volunteering in a school at the same time to get the observation/practical side signed off. Make sure the course you choose leads to an recognised qualification. Even though mine is recognised the LA and government would not accept it to pay me the level 3 money when I became a childminder and offered the funding hours.

Great advice, thank you. I'll try and talk to a few schools and see if I can get some guidance.

How do you find being a childminder? As that's another thing I'd considered..

Childminding worked well when my own children were small. The hours were long, funding hours payment very poor in my area £1 below what I charged and was one of the reasons I left childminding. I would think long and hard about childminding and how it will affect your whole house hold and especially with the government plans to bring in funding from 9 months old. You will be self employed but all main income will come from your local authority with out any employment perks like holiday, sick pay, pension etc.

Yes I have done this qualification. I didn't find it taxing at all and I learned some really interesting things about child development and the theories surrounding it.
I was already working as a TA when I completed it so it didn't make a difference in terms of applying for jobs.

I'm now looking at moving away from being a TA after 3 years, it isn't so much that the pay is low, it's that it's low for what we actually have to do. We are often utilised as 1:1s for children with severe behavioural needs, without training or even any preparation for this. Daily instances of being bitten, kicked, punched and spat at, in addition to having to follow the child round the school at their whim as they couldn't stay in class and it wasn't appropriate to restrain them.

What will you be applying for next? And I feel for you, you sound like you're talking about my son. His TA is a saint

I want to stay in education as I'm passionate about it, I'm thinking maybe admin related to admissions or attendance or something. I might start a thread!

I hope you don't take my comments personally btw, my anger and disappointment were never aimed at the child, I was fully aware their behaviour was not their fault, they could be absolutely lovely and I knew how much they were struggling to keep at an even keel. I just feel it was an untenable situation, in an ideal world these children need specialist support that just isn't available in many cases.

I did this course through De Montfort , I volunteered momentarily but got a job I applied for whilst doing the course.
Was online and had 12 months to complete but did it in far less.
If you need any help feel free to PM

TA pay is better per hour than teacher pay, many TAs are ex teachers. The best thing, OP, would be get some experience get a job and then ask your employers support getting qualified.. Some jobs offer training and qualifications.

A few years ago you would not have got a look in as a TA, as they were the most sought after jibs by ex teachers, so most people applying had PGCEs, but according to mumsnet posts I have read, that has changed now

TA pay is better per hour than teacher pay

Only when you take into account many teachers work 50/60 hour weeks. Most TAs at my school only survive because their husbands earn good money/they’ve long paid off their mortgage or they are still living at home with their parents. The pay can be shocking. A friend of mine left teaching to go and be a TA-she said she took home less full time than she was earning teaching as part of a 2-day jobshare.

There's a massive shortage of TAs just now so it may well be worthwhile looking through your local authority job adverts and applying for a few. Go along telling them that you're inexperienced but enthusiastic, energetic, have plenty of common sense and are willing to learn and go on a course that they suggest.

I'd be surprised if you weren't snapped up pretty quickly in today's climate.

Thank you drunk peacock!

Hi Daisy03 I am thinking of training with de Montfort online collage is that who you used and are they any good I am looking for an online course for level 2 TA course and don’t want to pay and then turns in to a scam
thanks 😊

I did my level 2 and level 3 through adult education classes.
Each level needed 200 hours in schools so I worked a day and a half each week.
I also learnt sign language so was able to work with child with SEN which pays slightly higher.
TBH it wasn't for me (I was older than you) so I moved into an admin role in a school which suited me more and paid better.
I'm currently seeing lots of job adverts for TAs in my area.

Hi yes, the course is legit. I did the level 3 diploma, was given a year but did it in 9 months. There was tutor help available but I never had to use it. Course is completely certified.
there is a useful Facebook page for help with the course

Thank you for getting back to me Daisy I’ve been looking the last few days and worried if I am doing the right thing but glad I have seen your comment you have put my mind at ease thanks again 😊

What I did was work for an agency and get some experience first, agencies normally give you a few free basic courses. Safeguarding, behaviour management.

I decided I preferred comp so got myself a permanent position, and I realised pretty quickly that I needed to understand how to support my children better so I’m doing the level 3 course and find it incredibly useful and important.

I’m also doing it through De Montfort btw.