Teaching assistant qualifications help

[MaryBoBary]

I’m looking to start a teaching assistant course in the new year and just hoping for some experienced teachers to answer a couple of questions.

The qualification will be given by ABC, are they a decent organisation for this?

Also I’m looking at doing a Level 2 Teaching Assistant course - I can choose from a “certificate” or and “award”. What is the difference and which is more desirable for a school? Can’t seem to find these answers online.

Thanks in advance!

I don’t know about ABC, there’s a government site somewhere that you can check the course on.

Go for the certificate, it will take longer, but it requires you to evidence that you can do parts of the job through practical experience which the award doesn’t.

If schools know the qualifications then they will go for certificate over award.

Can you link it? I hire TAs for my job and could tell you if we would class it as a qualification.

There are lots of pointless qualifications that are great for CPD purposes but don't actually mean anything.

Don't bother with a Level 2, do the Level 3.
Schools aren't interested in Level 2 staff as they can't be left with the children and don't have the same level of responsibility.