Teacher becoming TA

[dietstartsagaintomorrow]

Does anyone have any experience of leaving teaching to become a TA / HLTA?

I currently work 0.5 in a job share class but after a difficult start to the year out of school and increasing pressures at work I am considering becoming a TA.

I have 12 years teaching experience and can't imagine not working in a school but feel that me and my family (and colleagues) would be better off if I took on a different role.
My children will both be in school full time from September and if I took on a full time position it would only be a slight drop in pay from my 0.5 wage.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of this? How were you treated at interview? Did you stay in the same school or move? Were there any issues with teachers you worked with / for?

I haven't spoke to my headteacher yet although my PM leader knows I am considering a change. There are no roles currently available at my school but that may change in the next month.

Someone else did a thread about this not that long ago - worth looking back through in search of it? Appreciate it's hard to find stuff especially if it's been put in Chat or AIBU due to some people not being arsed to look for the right Topic before they start posting

I think the biggest difficulty would be if you found yourself working with a teacher who, perhaps due to inexperience, did not do things the way you would.

Doing it in the same school could have its pros and cons. The children still seeing you as a teacher could be helpful but your presence might make other teachers uncomfortable. It also may be perceived by parents that you did this cos you are unable to cope and there may be a loss of respect?... Some people don't appreciate the importance of TAs and see it (wrongly) as less of a job.
It is quite a different role as you know. Make sure you feel you would be happy with your change in status. You would have less say in how things were done.

I returned to teaching after kids via a hlta post and loved it! I have found ft teaching too much since returning, and come September will be doing supply instead. If a hlta post came up nearby, i'd have no problem applying for it! I am looking and looking for pt posts, but they are so rare. I did 8 to 3 as a hlta ( although in practise it was till half 3) and actually saw my family and had weekends. The drop in pay is massive though, and beware of being used as cheap ppa cover.

I did it and with young children it was the best thing I did! For my kids, my relationships, my sanity and my love of the job. Ok so the salary was a sacrifice but we were able to accommodate this and the lack of stress and angst far outweighs the cons. I say go for it! xx

Thank you everyone :-)
I think the hardest part would be if things weren't done the way I would have done them , but working in a job share class for 4 years I have been used to stepping back sometimes.
I don't mind a longer day than the children are in eg 8 -4 , what I am finding difficult is the hours and hours in the evenings , weekends and school holidays when my children need me. I am more than happy to take a pay cut for the benefits I think my family would feel.
Only 4 weeks til half term and the deadline for handing in my notice so I will be watching the job adverts closely.

I think the school would be thrilled and the children very lucky and as you say the benefits to your home life could be enormous, but do you understand just how much of a pay cut it will be? I think I would find it hard to take, knowing that I was effectively doing a higher skilled job but being paid approx. 1/3 of the going rate for a teacher?

I think the drop from part time would be less of a shock, but tbh, even as a HLTA the pay is crud. Think £900pcm full time. That said, my hourly rate as a teacher probably works out about the same. I've still got a couple of hours worth to do this evening, and dd was reduced to tears by "shouty mum". I am so keen to get them in bed so I can finish working and that's wrong. As a HLTA I never worried.

Supply looks lovely to me now.

Consider the supply route too....I've gone back as a TA which is great as it doesn't impact on the kids (and as it's at their school I don't have any childcare to pay!) but it is a bit limiting too, and can be frustrating. I'm lucky that my teacher is brilliant and values my input too, but another teacher may be hard to work with. I do 23 hours and take home £725 which isn't great if you think I could earn that doing supply two days a week......which is what I am thinking about for Sept.

Thanks again for your input.
My husband I have discussed the drop in pay and feel the benefits would outweigh the loss in income, and our joint earnings would still be enough for the things we feel are important.
'Shouty mummy' sounds exactly like our house when I have marking/planning/number crunching to do and boys who want to play :-(
I have considered supply but I would miss forming a relationship with the same group of children / watching them progress.

I feel the same. I'm counting down the weeks till the end of term. I'm still sat here now geting to grips with the start of reports. I only see the kids briefly betwen 5 and 7. I use one day a weekend working. I miss them!

I would go back to being a HLTA like a shot if a chance came up. As it is, i'm aiming for 3 days a week supply. And my life back! And my kids back! And no more weeping or working all weekend. Imagine, watching TV of an evening. Sheer joy.