Teaching Assistants.... some advice please?

[pucca]

I have been to college today and i am starting the level 2 TA course in Sept, i have my placement all set up, will be doing 4 hours voluntary work in a local primary school.

Probably a daft question, but does it normally happen that you get offered a job at your placement? foot in the door type aspect?

Also i get the feeling most people who become, or want to be a TA want to work with the youngest children (infant classes) is this the case do you think? i will be helping ages 7/8 yr olds in my placement, as i think i would prob prefer working with older children anyway. I would quite like to be a TA in secondary in the future maybe, do you think there are more jobs around for TAs to help with older children?

Also looking ahead, what does the level 3 course cover?

Thankyou

Places in primary are more sought after IME. I'd say you'd be up against more people for a primary job - maybe TAs with experience or maybe parents with kids at the school.
IME you get fewer applications for TAs in secondary (I am one!) - but I think it's because people don't generally a) know that they have them & b) don't really understand what we do or perhaps c) get scared by big kids!!

I did a Level 2 course by distance learning so haven't done L3 - can't help there, sorry!

Thanks Whizzz, my dd actually starts at my placement school in Sept too lol, she also went to the pre-school there, infact it is the same school i went to as a child

If a job came up for a TA once i have qualified, are they more likely to offer it internally first do you think? i am kind of hoping it will be a foot in the door type situation, as in a couple of years my ds will most prob go there too, and it is such a lovely school.

Well the primary DS goes to got in a bit of bother with the LEA for not advertising TA jobs & appointing 'friends of friends' etc & to be honest I think a lot of primary schools earmark people for jobs even if they are advertised. I guess you will have to go all out & prove what a mega-TA you are

Personally I don't think I'd want to work at my sons school as I think I'd be too distracted by what he was up to.

I am currently doing the level 3. It involves answering lots of knowledge based questions about different aspects of the job. Plus you have to have direct observations so you are seen carrying out the knowledge you say you have when answering the questions. Its an 18 month course but is usually completed much sooner. You also have to be in the work placement for a minimum of X hours, I don't know how many.

Its not always a case of being offered a job at your placement. Of course if you are already there and a job becomes available then you stand a good chance of getting it.
But the job does have to be advertised.

I don't know if people prefer younger kids, I personally go for the middle to top age range as thats where the most support with the work can be offered. The younger ones do more playing which I just don't enjoy. I currently work with 8-9 year olds and love it.

I do work in my DCs school and it isn't nice. It can be but when things start to go wrong, its hard to separate work from personal circumstances. I am hoping it will get easier this year though as I won't be working closely with either of my DC.