Day in the life of a TA

[makemepretty17]

Hi All,
Apologies if I've posted this in the wrong place.

I am considering the idea of, over the next few years, becoming a TA or finding work in the education sector. I'd love to hear what 'a day in the life' of a TA is like, so I can fully understand the demands of the job, and work out whether I'd be suitable for it. Or, if there are anyother jobs within education that aren't necessarily as front line as teaching.

At the moment, I work part time on a freelance basis in publishing, so it would be a big career change for me. I've always had an interest in teaching and child development, and did some teacher training alongside my English degree many years ago. I prepared lessons and resources for secondary level, and helped small groups of children 1-2-1.
What qualifications are required? I'll be (hopefully starting to volunteer in a school next year), but not sure what else would be approporate for me to look into.

I'm hoping to furture proof my working life for some years by moving away from a career that's based in London, to something that has the potential to be more local, ideally term-time only (as I have a 3 year old DS), and something that gives me a bit more sense of community.

I'd love to hear your experiences of it as a job, and possible routes for me to explore.

Thanks in advance.

Hi, I'm a TA at primary and currently work mornings only. My time is mostly spent working with groups of children either in class if they need support or outside the classroom so they can have more targeted interventions in reading / grammar or whatever is required. In addition to this there is some routine admin, doing display boards, labelling books and so on. I support the teacher with behaviour management which is key this year as the class is a challenging one!

This is my second year as a TA following a career spent doing something else, and I find it challenging, frustrating at times but very rewarding. Every day brings something new and I don't regret the move at all! I didn't have any specific qualifications but do have a degree and had volunteered in my children's school. Good luck!

Train as a teacher. Even if you choose to work as a TA after, you'll be qualified to teach.

TAs are paid appallingly for what is now expected of them.

Hi,

I'm a TA in a Reception class and our timetable looks like this.

Start at 8.30am (school starts at 8:40am) I am usually in earlier though to stock up on snack and set some things up for the day.
Register
Carpet Time/Adult led activity
Choose (during which i will carry out a small group activity each day with 5-6 children on either SALT, PSHE, Phonics or Numbers boosters)
Snack
Choose (during which i will read with one group of children. All children read with once per week with myself or the teacher.)
Tidy
Carpet Time - Word aware/story/news share
Toilet
Wash Hands
Lunch/Play time

Phonics (i lead one group, teacher leads another)
Choose (another small group activity)
Milk
Choose (my SALT intervention children group)
Tidy
Story
Home

Throughout the day I will be taking observations of children and uploading these to their profiles to ensure that they are achieving what they need to by the end of EYFS and if not then we can put those interventions in place to provide support so that they achieve as much as they can.

After school ends (I work until 4:30pm) I set up for the next day including cutting paper, replenishing stock, laminating. Setting up outside with paint etc.

I realise that Reception is a lot more hands on in terms of prep work though. When i worked in Y3 i did a lot more precision teach/booster work and helping out those children in the class who needed support.
More photocopying and doing board displays too.

I enjoy my job but it is extremely hard work for not much money (though not having to pay for holiday care is handy and worth it for me).

Do you have QTS? (It’s not clear from your OP)
If so, I would teach rather than be a TA. TA pay is appallingly low. Having said that, the job works really well if, for example, you have young children, you want a job where you literally work just school hours and don’t have all the pressure of teaching. The best TAs I’ve come across are the ones who embrace the role as suiting a particular period of their life... don’t do it if the low pay is going to grind you down.

A typical day for me working with year six.

Start work at 8.15: support small group of lowers in English; break (quick coffee); support group of lowers in maths; children go to French - I pull out those needing extra support with English or maths and work with them; lunch (grab a bite then usually catch up on emails/admin or run a lunchtime club); registration, then children have PE - I pull out those needing extra support with English or maths and work with them; 2.30 - finish for the day.

Terrible pay but I wouldn't do any other job.

I'm a TA of 6 years working with 11-18s in secondary. I rarely work with over 14s as our time is directed to those in the lower years and lower sets, although I will occasionally scribe for an older pupil in a test.

I work in class 7 periods a day across many subjects but with a greater focus on numeracy and literacy classes. Very few of the pupils have physical disabilities, but many of them have educational and behavioural issues and function academically at a much younger age than they are.

Most days I am on duty at either the break club or the lunch club which involves supervising and interacting with some of the more vulnerable children who don't cope so well with the social demands in the dining hall.

I don't like the pay, but I love the variety of my job. I've come from a nursing/FE background and have never enjoyed any previous role as much as I do this one.

I am TA in nursery. We have a nursery nurse too so 3 of us for 26 children.
I start at 8 but run breakfast club til 8.50. So no pre-work setting up for me.
8.55 children arrive, welcome them and chat to any parents who need/want.
9.05-9.20 carpet for group activity
9.20-10 choice of activities inside and out. Supervise these and do any small/key group work required.
10.00-10.45 children snack then all out in main playground while we take turns to grab coffee.
10.45-11 sign language once a week
11-11.15 play
11.20-11.30 tidy up
11.30-40 group singing/game
11.40 prepare for lunch
11.45 to lunch
12.15-1 lunch play
I have lunch at 1 for half an hour
1.30-2 once a week I take 10-12 children to music with specialist teacher (others go at other times)
2.00 snack
2.15 to special play area with climbing/construction/fun things to play on!
2.45 in to prepare for Home
3 children leave
Tidy up, prepare for tomorrow. Officially finish at 3.30. Often leave nearer 3.45

I am also expected to help/cover in reception classes if necessary. The EYFS is quite a tight team and we share ourselves around!
I adore my job. I am completely knackered though!
Early years involves a lot of nurturing and settling into school but that is really what I love. If a child feels secure and comfortable in school then learning will follow more easily.

Qualifications - a level 3 in teaching and learning (if you already have a degree, do a PGCE instead). Plus lots of volunteer work.

You mention career - TA jobs are constantly at the mercy of funding cuts, it's not a stable career. Plus the pay is very low - I am on 8k for 26 hours. And if you have to pay before / after school care (most do), then it's financially very hard. I love my job, but the reality is I have no idea how long it will last for - 6 months? A year?

I'm Secondary on £13500 for 35 hours a week - it's not great but there are bonuses in terms of lifestyle. Morning is Intervention followed by 5 periods where I follow certain classes around and support. I don't always 'do' very much - some classes I sit down for half the lesson and just check behaviour. In 'doing' mode I am keeping kids on task, making sure they understand instructions, assisting with work if needs be, stretching their thinking where possible.

I get a couple of PPAs and stay 45 mins after school. I don't do a lot of resource prep but we do have do a fair bit of data stuff.

I have a teaching background so I think I find it less stressful than some who don't - I really like it and find it pretty easy. It varies though, I do Key Stage 3 so I don't need to do as much joint planning as the TAs doing GCSE classes. It'd be worth going into Primary and Secondary to see which one you're better suited to.

I’m a qualified secondary teacher. I returned to the classroom as a primary TA when my youngest started school last year. I’m in year 6 at minute.

School follows a strict timetable that is mimicked across school. So my days are:

8.30-9 classroom prep / door duty
9-9.30 guided reading support follow up activity
9.30-10.30 maths small group teaching/ float class
10.30-10.45 “stop and fix” 1:1 work to correct errors in understanding
10.45-11 break (on duty 3 days a week). Should get a break but barely end up having time to go to loo, usually covering class teacher and indoor break club.
11-12 English
12-12.30 after Christmas intervention group for spelling
I only work 2 afternoons but monday’s are in class SATS prep and other is 1:1 interventions
4/4.30 finish

Expected to mark the books of groups I have taught. Also need to do displays and class preparation

You mention career - TA jobs are constantly at the mercy of funding cuts, it's not a stable career.

I agree with this. Some schools in my LEA have got rid of all of their TAs.

I have been a TA for over 6 years, working in every single school week in that time in a mix of temp contracts and supply. Last summer, after spending 15 months in a school and being reassured that I was coming back after the summer, I was told 2 days before the end of term that they didn't have the funding to have me back as 3 staff on long-term sick leave had stated that they were coming back to work after the holidays.

I had to get my union involved and provide evidence of my work history and payslips and I expected to have a fight on my hands. I was fortunate in that the LA didn't argue and I was given a choice of vacant posts and a permanent contract,

but for more than 5 years I had no job security at all and was 'bumped' several times as I was the TA with the weakest employment status.

I am a teacher who works as a TA. schools in England are currently in the process of having to make huge cuts. Support staff are being vastly reduced in many schools, not being replaced when they leave.
It's not exactly an up and coming career move OP.