For teachers/TA's

[SunnyDays06]

I am seriously thinking of becoming a TA in a Primary School. I have many differnt routes into this but, can you please tell me the best way, what I will need to do to achieve this? Will the courses out there really help me or am I best in volunteering initially?! Many thanks!

Do you have any qualifications? If not you should look at appropriate courses.Some schools employ unqualified staff (often parents who have helped out voluntarily)

teaching assistant forum

I wouldn't volunteer in your kid's school...

I had a parent volunteer who looked through other kids books (whilst we were doing PE), poked about my desk and cupboard(!!!!), listened at doorways and earwigged in the staffroom.

She never did get the paid position she was after and was no longer interested when her kids moved on to the next school.

SO don't that.

Most TAs at my school started as volunteer parents. There has been the odd issue but in the main, this has been a positive experience for the school. Management have a much better idea about the characters of their employees than just blind interviews. I would volunteer in your child's school, you never know where it will lead.

I should add it depends where you live in my area you would need at least a level 2 preferably level 3 to be considered

Most of th TAs where I work are working at level 3, so need to be qualified as Level 3 or above.

We do have some level 1 TAs too who don't have any formal qualifications.

However ALL had some experience in schools before getting their jobs.

What is the exact level 3 qualification they hold?

Our TA is NNEB qualified other support staff are level 4 qualified we don't employ anyone below level 3

Not sure TBH. Some NVQ TA related course as far as i know. I have a teaching degree so didn't need to go that route.

I would vounteer first in a school see if you like it then go and look at collages where you would do some work in collage and some on placement or an NVQ training centre which you would (voluntry) or if lucky paid work on the job and do work at home.

Sometimes there are courses for people wanting to be TAs, a local secondary near me runs one a couple of times a year.

I would ask about doing some voluntary work with a view for becoming a TA, just to make sure you do know what its all about.

I would do some research into the "expectations" schools have in your area regarding qualifications or you could be wasting time and money. If like Hulababy's school they employ unqualified TAs you could learn on the job. Personally I wouldn't even shortlist anyone for interview who had completed the course mummytime mentioned ...so you can see there is a huge difference in what is required.

I would hold off doing any training at the moment. With the latest news that TA jobs will be slashed horribly there will be great competition for the jobs that are out there. Don't pay to do any training at the moment as it could be a waste of money.

I worked on secondary but virtually none of our TAs were qualified when they started. They all did the training through the school.

Interesting, our TAs are mainly level 1 and our borough simply pays level one regardless! This is despite a few having level 2 and one level 3. We have taken nearly all our TAs from local colleges, they volunteer for a year in school as part of the course then providing they're decent we'll either keep them on or recommend them to other local schools. The only two who haven't got the job through this route previously worked in our infant school.

Do volunteer in a school first though before doing the course. I personally think it's a demanding job for very little money so do check it out first as you need to enjoy it a lot to put up with the workload and pay! Also check how much the school takes the piss! Our school has level one TAs covering PPA in pairs and having half the lunch time of other staff, they are very put upon. This often leads to upset as teachers are put upon too and both feel the other person is not doing as much (when in reality it's a management issue and they are both worked to the bone).

Lovely, thanks for your input!

I started as a volunteer helper four years ago and applied for a paid job when it came up. I was told that I would have to take the adult numeracy & literacy equivalency tests at level 2 (even though I had GCSE?s at grade A to C). Since then I have studied for a certificate in Supporting Learning at Primary Schools with the Open University and have gained HLTA status. Most TA?s at my school have a level 2 or 3 NVQ for teaching assistants. The Open University course I did now forms part of a new foundation degree in teaching & learning.