Honest opinions on becoming a TA

[MurryFuff]

Hey all..

I am childcare qualified ( over 22 years) currently working on the other side of the fence delivering level 3 childcare apprenticeships.

I have a desire to become a TA. Is this wise ?

I have been reading so many negative things on people's experiences lately of being a TA that it has got me concerned.

I would love to work in a school. I would love to work with reception age ideally and I think I would be a great asset.

However, at the moment, I work from home, my hours are flexible and I get paid well.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.

TAs are not very well paid for the work done and you won't always get to choose the class / age group you work with. Some schools will encourage and support you with further training but that will be dependant on the school you work in. Also bear in mind, you may be working across two classes. However, working with kids is amazing and lots of fun and there are a lot of jobs around. My advice would be to be very picky about the school you choose as it makes all the difference.

I love my job as a TA but as @chickadeee has said, it’s very poorly paid. It can also be very stressful as increasingly, we have have children joining us who have a variety of issues and funding help for them takes for ever. In the meantime, you have to manage. You can end up covering fora teacher at the drop of a hat and can be suddenly rushed off to another class at short notice. My feet don’t really touch the ground from the minute I arrive at school. I wouldn’t change my job but you need to think about whether this would be right for you. 🤔

I worked as a TA for several years. I loved it - busy, interesting days and I really felt I was making a difference. But it could be stressful. I covered classes a lot (I was a HLTA) and the pay was beyond appalling. I just couldn’t make it work finance wise after a while.

I would think very carefully before giving up your flexible, well paid job to go into this.

Thank you all for your replies.

I am also thinking about going into a part time role initially and whether this would work. That way I can see what it entails without jumping in full time straight away.

I am gutted as well that we can't volunteer at my children's school due to Covid. I am wondering whether they'll lift the restrictions for this at some point- I would be prepared to take a PCR test for this.

@MurryFuff , you should check the hourly rate by looking at current jobs being advertised, as others have said it's very poorly paid compared to the amount of work and responsibility.

The poster who said to choose your school wisely is spot on.

I worked as a TA in a lovely school and it was a perfect job. Not well-paid but so great that I'd perk up towards the end of the weekend and holidays at the thought of returning to the classroom.

In other schools, I'm not sure I'd have loved it so much.

But the wonderful bit is working closely with children.

Good luck finding somewhere wonderful.

I agree with the above and would also add in that you may find it difficult to find work. Sadly with budget cuts, schools have hugely cut the amount of TAs in schools. The only TAs we have are 1-1s with high needs children which is a very different job to being a class TA. Some schools have nursery nurses in their Reception classes too so make sure you research your local schools before making a decision.

I love my job but the pay is rubbish. Factor in that you'll only be paid for 9 months of the year (divided into 12 installments) and it's going to be a bit of a shock to the system if you're used to decent money.

My school still has a TA in every class but the vast majority are there as a 1:1 for a particular child. In some schools if your 1:1 child leaves (either to another primary school or because of the transition to secondary) then your contract will also end.

We don't really get a say in which year group we work with. We're matched up with a particular child based on their needs and our particular skillset.

I know our HT is hoping to have volunteers back in school as soon as possible. That could be as early as September/October depending on the situation at that time.

There’s a lot to consider.
The wage is terrible.
You are often treated like a bit of a dogsbody.
You may be expected to work late. I’ve known TA’s be expected to stay 30-60 mins after they’ve stopped being paid on at least a weekly basis because the teacher is staying behind and needs help setting something up.
Also, there is no flexibility. If your child has a nativity play or sports day, it’s unlikely you’ll be permitted the time off to attend.
Perhaps you could volunteer for a while and get a better idea of the job and if it suits you.

Sorry it’s such a negative response. I was a TA for 6 years before and during my degree and it’s not something I’d go back to now I’ve had a taste of being my own boss.

Thank you for your honest responses.

It's a lot to think about.

Be careful before moving out of a secure, well-paid job.
Redundancies are rife in the sector with the result TAs stretched beyond thin.
And yes, expect to be one-to-one with children with significant support needs rather than a class TA.

Your current job is far better than a TA job.

@DinkyDaisy

Be careful before moving out of a secure, well-paid job. Redundancies are rife in the sector with the result TAs stretched beyond thin. And yes, expect to be one-to-one with children with significant support needs rather than a class TA.

Another good point! Many of my friends still working in schools are frequently having to reapply for their jobs at the end of the year.

I am thinking that it might be good to resume
with volunteering first, if and when that's allowed.

I really hope so.