Best way to get a Teaching Assistant role?

[Hellopickle]

Hi everyone, both my kids are now in school and I've been thinking about changing from my weekend retail job to working in a school. I know the pay is bad and it isn't an easy job but it would work well with family life and it would open up better avenues than retail.
When I have been looking online for TA roles they are either apprentiships or they want formal qualifications or previous experience in a school. Can anyone who is working as a teaching assistant please advise on how you got your role and how I can go about finding one myself. I think I have the skills and patience for it but just not on paper. Thanks in advance

Do you have any experience in school as volunteer or working with children? Or volunteering? Helping at brownies etc? I would advise offering to help out at school, to firstly get a taste of what being a TA actually entails and also to get some recent experience on your CV. So much depends on the culture of the school, but it is hard work, rewarding, badly paid and you need to have amazingly bladder control plus a tough immune system. Hope that is of some help.

We can't find TA’s, more leaving than joining ( if the jobs still exist). It is a really tough, undervalued role.

Apply! You are a parent. They may have very few applicants.

Otherwise -
some LA’s offer introductory courses
volunteer in a school or another organisation with children
apply for a midday supervisory (MSA) role (we can't find those either) and work hard to be full of initiative, offering to cover if there is an absence.
apply for before/after school (WRAC) club roles. These are rapidly increasing with current government funding. My LA has 20% of the approved WRAC not able to open because schools cannot find staff. Again, offer more (see above regarding the MSA role).

DS did several weeks volunteering in different schools before getting a TA role.

I only have the experience of having my own children but I have helped out with the PTA fundraisers and school trips but that's about it. I think I'll try get some voluntary work in a school if I can't find anything soon. I think my immune system should cope alright after the past few years of nursery bugs and colds. Thanks for the help

This is really helpful thank you, I did see a job advertised for a lunchtime supervisor so that might be worth applying for. Do you think contacting schools directly would be a good idea or not?

To volunteer yes.

Otherwise LA websites will advertise the jobs. There are strict rules around safer recruitment. (safeguarding - see Keeping Children Safe in Education).

The other option is contacting a supply agency. They may use you as a TA with your parenting experience. It will build up your experience ready for jobs becoming available.