Change of career to lsa

[youcantakethegirloutthevalleys]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help… I have been a Social Worker (adults) for the last 15 years with the same local authority. I want to take a step away from the responsibility and increasing demands of the job which I’m finding more and more stressful and am thinking of working in a school. How easy would it be to change tack completely and work as a learning/classroom assistant (infants/primary level). I did complete a PGCE (modern languages) and worked very briefly as a teacher, but that was over 20 years ago. I then spent time bringing up children before retraining as a Social Worker. Not sure how I would word my application - would the fact that I left teaching once be seen as odd (it was because I didn’t feel confident in my area of teaching more than anything). Should I not mention my PGCE at all as it was so long ago? Any thoughts welcome thanks.

Lots of LSAs have done teacher training but decided not to teach.

I think your CV will lend itself very well to getting interviews for LSA posts, I would certainly see you just based on what you've put here!

Round here, they would snap you up immediately. We're really struggling to recruit and your skillset is fab. Definitely put in your PGCE. Did you do your NQT? Leaving teaching is not an obstacle. We have ex teachers and those trying to get an NQT place amongst our TAs.

I'm a TA after being a teacher. I love it. There's always jobs in different specialisms coming up in the school.

You do know how rubbish the pay is, don't you? If I leave, that will be the reason.

Oh thanks so much both for your quick responses!! I feel a lot better for reading what you’ve written thanks! … yes the rubbish pay is definitely a consideration but to be honest my mental health would probably benefit to compensate for the pay drop. Cheers both .