Teaching assistant - leaving after 2 terms

[Peanut888]

I'm having to start to look for another job as financially things have changed for me and I really can't afford to stay. I feel dreadful as I've only been there 2 terms and the teacher I'm working for is highly, highly stressed as it is (breaking into tears at least once most weeks). I'm a people pleaser by nature and feel racked with guilt. Do I let HR know in advance that financially it isn't working? I feel really embarrassed having taken the job and am now leaving (id previously worked at another school for 4 years so they didn't need to train me).

Any advice on how not to feel too guilty?

@Teachymummy I previously worked in an office so am looking for similar roles. At a minimum I'll earn double what I currently am with better pension. It's a lovely job but I really can't see the money getting better anytime soon. I'm valued by the people I work with but ultimately they don't set my pay.

@WallaceinAnderland part of the reason for the low pay is because I finished at 3.15 (while teachers work at least until 5.30) but ultimately the pay is low for what is it.

We work with the hardest children on a daily basis, delivery interventions which includes having to make some adaptions, it's our responsibility to familiarise ourselves with provision and EHCPs, take notes and observations on interventions and track progress. You have to be a team player and good at taking direction from teachers who are overworked.

Most of our TAs are mornings only (15h) or those few left that are full time, do about 5.5 hours a day, so not 38 hours.

TA pay is very poor. The job is involved and can be difficult. Some TAs are treated like teachers but without having adequate pay for the role they are actually doing. They have the most complex children to work with - the ones with additional needs and that is a difficult job and very tiring.
I think it is appalling how TAs are treated.

Do not feel guilty. If you can't afford to live on the wage you are receiving then of course you need to do something else.
If the very stressed teacher decides to quit she won't give you a second thought. And when you resign they will find someone else to be the TA in her class.

Oh

Well that would be why it doesn't pay enough to live off!!!

How many hours a week are you contracted for OP?

And they only work 39 weeks a year so even with 4 weeks holiday pay, that's still 9 weeks unpaid leave.

It’s a part time job, that is term time only, which requires few qualifications. Obviously that is not to say lots of TAs don’t actually have many skills or qualifications, but many of the roles advertised will require a basic level of maths and English but not much more. It is also virtually minimum wage.

Most of the TAs I know who have left the job have gone into retail and earn more, purely because they work more hours, the hourly rate isn’t necessarily much better.

Why would you feel guilty .

You're allowed to leave.

People leave jobs all the time.