What is involved in being a TA?

[Purplerainbow]

There's a job at one of my children's school, 16 hours which I need. What exactly is involved please? I'm a qualified childcare practitioner but worked at preschool age and this is in year 3. Please could someone tell me roughly what's involved/expected please?

Increasingly, being a Teacher for a third of the money.

^^ this, unfortunately

Even though I wouldn't be a HLTA? I didn't think a TA could 'teach' without a teacher there?

You can cover the class, you just are not supposed to do the planning. You can plan for small group/ intervention work.

It depends a bit whether it's classroom TA or 1:1 work.

It says classroom aswell as helping small groups but that hours were dependant on ppa.... does that indicate I would be in control of the class?

I'm a lvl3 childcare practioner and used to work in nurseries and I too started as a TA at my childrens school.

It is VERY convienient in my own childcare. That said, although I'm only meant to work three days I am often required to cover more because of teachers being out on moderating meetings or sports events. I often have to run the class and sometimes there is nothing planned for me.

You need to be able to think on your feet, control behaviour and multi task! I find it quite lonely compared to working in a Nursery. Although Im with a teacher, it's not the same as working within a group of keyworkers and I personally miss that.

I started TA training and gave it up due to what PP have mentioned. I didn't think it was fair for the children or myself. Shame

working with small groups, doing intervention work-both planning for it, preparing materials and marking the work. art projects. displays. 1:1 stuff
attending meetings, safeguarding stuff, being an ear to listen to upsets/worries.
supervising the class-sometimes covering.
a million things.
everyday is different, every day is busy-like super busy-like getting a wee at some point is a treat.

sherlock how do you compare the workload from a practioner to ta? I was run ragged and responsible for so much. We were under paid teachers!! So I'm presuming ta would be the same? Any less stressful?

Yes, if you are doing PPA cover you would be teaching the class that afternoon/ part of the morning. You may also cover the class if the Teacher is off sick/ out at a meeting etc.

Our TAs are performance managed through observations and the impact of their interventions are analysed- they are held to account for pupil progress in their groups in the same way as teachers, so yes, there is likely to be pressure.

Erm thats a great question. As a nursery practitioner i felt like I was doing a really high calibre job for minimum wage, alongside students that often frustrated me as they didnt seem to understand the value of early years.

As a TA I am run ragged. Far more than when I worked in the nursery, within a nursery I was in control of my own key children, I planned for their needs and interests myself and I interacted with the parents.

As a TA I am governed by the teachers plans, I am not driving the childrens development as I used to, more helping those that need additional support. I get very little scope to build relationships with parents compared to what I was used to.

I am far busier than I used to be, every down time moment is filled with laminating, sticking in books, photocopying for the next day and Im never done. There is always something left rolling over into the next week.

Just posted the below on another thread. I genuinely love being a TA.

Currently a TA in y4. A normal day looks like

Taking line in from playground
Doing lunch register / taking payments / reminding kids to check their bags for lunch money, trip slips etc
Lining kids up and taking them into assembly

Use 20mins of assembly to photocopy / get books and resources on desks for first lesson
Check each tables pots have sharp pencils / rubbers / whiteboards

During lesson i support lowest ability table, plus generally keeping an eye on class behaviour etc. I mark my tables books during the last 10 mins when they do a carpet activity. Plus mark times tables / arithmetic papers / spellings etc if they have been done.

Playtime = duty 3 days a week. Either playground / toilets / first aid room.

2 nd lesson same as above, but i also have a half hour intervention group before lunch. So one day it's handwriting, one day maths / sulp / reading / etc.

Plus the constant behaviour management / water bottle dramas / general admin / weekly certificates / Updating iep files / logging test scores / handing out letters / messages to/from office / etc etc

Im not team teach trained so dont deal with that.

I bloody love my job!

I think it does make a difference if you are with a good teacher though. The teacher i work with is fab and really sees us as a team. We get on great and i will be sad to leave her! (Moving up with my kids in sept).

I have worked with teachers in the past who are very much 'i am the teacher and you are below me' and tbh it was bloody awful working with / for them.

Can you ask for a job description / speak to another TA at the school or the teacher you'd be working with / go in as a volunteer and see what the TAs are doing?

Iv seen the job description.basically says supporting children's learning by working. With them in class and small groups along with other responsibilities to support the class teacher.

copper are you left in charge of the class? That worries me a little as the classes are 30 kids. Yes my qualifications cover me up to age 18 but the thought of being in charge of 30 kids worries me a little.... being responsible for key children at pre school, although a big responsibility, you always had other practitioners around? Although I don't miss the bitching, changing nappies etc of a pre school...

I am a TA in secondary, I never HAVE to take a lesson, I have done so twice this last year in genuine medical emergencies - teachers being taken away in ambulances. I have been asked to take others, and have said no, and that has been fine, as it isn't in my job description.

To me, being a TA means working with children with short hours, low pay and no stress or pressure.

I've done it in several schools, two were brilliant jobs, great fun where I was part of a team and felt effective and valuable

In my current school the behaviour and management is unbelievably bad, and the teachers and I generally spend lessons after lesson on the recieving end of constant abuse from a bunch of lazy entitled snowflakes who refuse to work, then have their parents complain about the teacher when they get nothing in exams. I hate it, and I a leaving. The convenient hours and having no work to take home do not make up for the feeling of never actually being in a position where I can make any sort of valuable contribution to anyone. Less than a quarter of my time is useful, and that includes the hours I spend writing statements in support of teachers who are the subject of unfair complaints, even fabricated accusations of assault. In fact, this sort of task is probably the most useful thing I have done all year.

Sorry to hear that user. I wouldn't TA at secondary, in fact I wouldn't in upper years of primary as my maths isn't great! This is for year 3... I need to work in education due to home issues. So it's either a school or pre school....

I was on minimum wage at pre school so low wage just goes hand in hand and I wouldn't get bogged down on that.. the job description mentions ppa .. which says to me to cover the whole class. Maybe I'll apply and see....

good luck, it can be a fantastic job. Hope you get it and hope its good

Thank you.

What does PPA stand for? I know what it is but don't know what it stands for?

Never in charge of whole class unless teacher pops out for a few minutes. Small group work in class with teacher present, targeted interventions across KS2 ( linked to Pupil Premium, planned by teachers). Admin, displays. Set number of hours as a 1:1 for complex additional needs and cover for this if job share partner absent.
Termly appraisals and CPD identifying training needs, welcome to approach SLT at any time if I feel there is an area requiring training.
Full role in behaviour management i.e. not having to check with teacher if I feel a child needs to move up a step on the behaviour plan. Comprehensive training given in this from the start - it is felt that all paid adults in school need to be able to apply it fairly and consistently and without there being a two tier system of authority, although Red Level is always referred to SLT by everyone.
As a general rule PPA would be covered by a Level 3 at the lowest and we are paid as this if we are asked to do it, provided we are qualified to that level.

Thanks saucery. It doesn't mention qualifications etc. I'm qualified level 2 not 3 though...

It's a bit confusing as it mentions hours dependent on PPA but that it involves work in class and small group work. Can you clarify that with someone? The HLTAs at our school who cover PPA get planning time too.
Covering a class of 30 isn't that difficult if behaviour is generally good and you can apply the behaviour policy as the teacher would. - you'll know the school better than me to gauge that.

I've been a TA for 11 years.

It really depends on the school you are in as to how it goes for you.

I was 10 years in one school and I'm quitting after a year at this school.
2 weeks on Friday and counting.

5 playground duties
5 lunchtime duties
15 minutes of unpaid lunch break
Teaching phonics without planning time
Interventions without planning time
Jumping into teach the class whenever the actual teacher decides to go for a chat around school.

Absolutely appalling. If it wasn't for the fact the children are a delight I would have picked up my coat and walked in October.

Dire.

PPA= planning, preparation and assessment time