Question for TAs

[IAmRubyLennox]

How important is it to you which age group you work in?

Does your school routinely rotate the TAs around year groups, or do you stick in one place?

I work in KS2, I love my job and I feel like what I do makes some difference, educationally and emotionally. However, it's only p/t. I've been offered f/t hours in the same school, but in foundation stage.

Inevitably, I'll take it because I want / need full time, and full time TA jobs are as scarce as hen's teeth, but I'm really worried I won't like it and then I'll struggle ever to get back into KS2 because all my recent experience will be EYFS.

WWYD?

Can you get a couple of days experience down in foundation before you make a decision?

I'm also a TA in upper KS2 but I covered for our reception TA for a day or two and it's a totally different world there! I didn't enjoy it and couldn't ever see myself working with that age group. I loved the children but it didn't suit my working style.

I did student placements in foundation when I was training. I did like it, but I like KS2 so much more.

Also, (and I say this with truly the utmost respect to nursery assistants), I don't really want a nursery assistant type job, which is what I fear I might end up with. I've got a TA's vocational qualification equivalent to NVQ4, but I'm also a graduate, and in my current role I do things like planning and delivering literacy extension work for more able children, plus an amount of assessment.

Not a TA, but a teacher here. All of our LSAs in the FS seem to hate it and are desperate to get out and into KS1 or KS2. They mainly hate writing endless observations and standing out in the cold all day all year round. I think they are much happier on days like today though!

In answer to your question, our LSAs are asked in May/June which year group they would like to be in the following year and the head does his best to accommodate their wishes.Unfortunately, the FS staff seem to sent on a lot of courses specifically relating to the early years, so he is reluctant to move them out and have to send their replacements on the courses all over again! Our LSAs tend to remain within a key stage but move year groups fairly regularly.

I hated FS and would try anything to avoid it. The DC are lovely, but the job isn't that of a TA, it's more a paint pot washer and jigsaw replacer. Year 1 and 2 was fine, but I do prefer KS2 (or even secondary.) If you can avoid FS it might be worth it for the permanent status.

Oh crap, I was really hoping you were all going to tell me I was BU and would love it when I got into it. Feel really really bad about it too because the FS teacher is lovely and I would love to work with her f/t.... if she taught Y3! And she asked for me specifically.

I don't mind writing observations, but I'm not one for playing.

but I'm not one for playing.

erm...I don't think it's the place for you then! Does the FS teacher who has asked you to work with her know all this?

i think foundation stage is like Marmite you either love it or hate it and with the utmost respect to you ... purely based on what you you have been posted I wouldn't want you as my TA if I were the reception teacher.
A good EY TA is absolutely essential as it's a much more demanding/challenging role than working anywhere else in the school.

No offence taken, mrz, if I thought I was the woman for the job, I wouldn't be posting this!

She asked for me because I did do a good job in there when I was a student, plus having worked for several years in a different role within the EY sector, I know quite a lot about EYFS, I'm good with parents, etc. Also, I'm now the most highly qualified TA on the staff (I appreciate that qualifications don't trump experience, and I also appreciate that qualifications don't make you good at the job). And I wouldn't say I hated Early Years, I just think I'm a hell of a lot better suited to KS2.

Well qualifications do matter in EYFS as there is a requirement for support staff to be at least a level 3

I am a HLTA p/t and TA (lev 3) rest of time.
I work in Y1 and have done since I started there 3 years ago. The HT reserves the right to move us around (we're only an infant school) but tries to keep us within KS1 or EYFS, as they are often different skill sets and our experiences vary lots between the two.

I much prefer KS1 tbh. However, I am due to start doing PPA cover for a EYFS class as of next half term so I am in transition at the moment, getting to know the children, the way it works etc. It's only for a couple of hours a so a week, but it really is very different ime. But I am getting there :)

I'm following the children I support up through school. They're in year 2 now and I'm nervous about going into ks2. Despite completing my teacher training, the oldest age group I've worked with are year 3. I'd love to go back down to reception, but can't leave the kids I support.

Just gone from Reception to Yr 2 - and I'm finding the transition weird - different weird. But then I loved Reception.
I think if you can't see how you could add to the age group's development and learning, probably not the best move for you.