Applying for support staff roles as a QTS

[PensionPuzzle]

Hi all
Thinking ahead to my return to work next September after redundancy/maternity leave and I really don't think I will want to be taking up a QTS role, for various reasons. I do however love working in schools and with young people, have plenty of experience and so I am wondering about applying for support staff roles. I don't necessarily need it to be 8.30-3.30 195 days only but I don't want the huge workload of being a teacher either, not with two small kids and a partner in a demanding job, anyway.

Apart from the guilt of 'taking up a job' when I should be doing what I'm qualified for, what should I be thinking about? I'm hopefully going to be in a position where salary isn't massively important, I want to work because I enjoy it and I don't want to drop out of the workforce completely. I think I would probably get the itch to take up a QTS post again in time when my own kids are older primary age.

I am secondary trained so am looking at cover supervisor (I know this can go either way...) Or level 3 TA, maybe pastoral roles? I have the normal basic admin and customer service skills you'd expect but nothing snazzy, and I couldn't do the exam job!

What should I be thinking about to prepare for applying for those sorts of roles? Am I in cloud cuckoo land thinking along these lines? I've ruled out supply as I'd rather have a lower but regular income than the stress of agency work, plus I like a routine so wouldn't cope well with the early morning 'where am I today?'

I'll have a little bit of time and cash to do some CPD while I'm off but not sure what to focus on really.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't easily get the roles you've mentioned. Go for it.

I used to work as a TA with QTS before I officially got into teaching (long story but I’m overseas qualified and non native and schools wouldn’t trust me to teach their dear children for a couple of years.) I had to lie and omit my Masters and my QTS to get the support role as everyone thought I was overqualified. It might be different after maternity but I think you will need to make it very clear that this is a deliberate career move as most people will be scared to have a well qualified member of staff on their team.

Most of our TA (HLTA) roles, are filled by various career stage QTS. I can’t see why anyone would have to ‘hide’ it.

It was 10 years ago, maybe things have changed x

Thanks all for your thoughts, glad nobody is saying I'm mad! I think I'll have to do a very careful covering letter when the time comes but hopefully 'i really enjoy working in school but I just can't do all that marking at the moment in my life' is a fair summary.

If the workload was only planning I'd be fine. I love planning, and teaching. I don't even dislike marking tests and exams!

No you are not mad in the slightest.

I have two TA friends who have QTS. One is kept busy by a secondary MFL dept as she can teach French and Spanish so they love having her in their lessons. And another is a primary teacher who didn't want the hassle outside of lessons and so she has spent the past 8 years supporting other primary teachers.

You're not mad in the slightest. I know a few people have done the same move. Have you considered a Head of Year role?

I know quite a few teachers in higher level TA roles - they're a bargain for the school especially if they can attach you to a department.
I wouldn't be a cover supervisor - once people know you're a qualified teacher they'll never set you any proper work, and the kids won't consider you a 'real' teacher and that comes with it's challenges.

That's a good point about cover supervisor, I know in some schools I've worked in they are definitely treated as cannon fodder!

I like the idea of being an attached HLTA- I'm science so the idea of doing a mix of some support, some intervention, helping the technicians if there ever was a gap in the student work, and the odd bit of subject specific cover would be really good!

However I do also really enjoy the form tutor job so maybe Head of Year would be a good fit too- I've done some family support during the school 'closures' and enjoyed that far more than I was expecting to, it's very different to ringing about a specific lesson.

Lots of ideas to explore!

Two of our three HLTAs are qualified teachers. I’m the unqualified one (although I have two degrees and an HLTA qualification). We all do some cover and have our own specialist areas of work. It’s quite usual, these days.

Have you considered a science technician role?

To be honest @teaandtonic I don't think my practical skills are up to it, as a biologist I'm good at sharpening crayons and making microscope slides but that's about it 😂 I think I might enjoy it but I'd have to find a school with a patient technician colleague that's good at chemistry as I'd need a bit of upskilling. I know the difference a great technician makes and also the impact of a less good one so I'd be worried about cocking up someone's solutions I think....I'll definitely look into it though, thank you.