Any primary school teaching assistants/teachers can offer me some advice?

[GeorgeyGal]

I would love to get into this field, I have always wanted to work with children and this ticks all the boxes: teaching assistant, SEN assistant, I have had a look online and found a couple of training courses I could do online as LO is so young I couldnt volunteer or start work part time for a while yet, would it be worth doing these qualifications - NCFE equivalent to NVQ level 3?

https://www.teachingassistantcentre.com/teaching-assistant/why-people-enrol/

The site says I can apply for jobs after completion, also I am quite interested in SEN.

https://www.inst.org/special-educational-needs-courses/fees.htm

Also there are apprenticeships.

Any advice much appreciated x

 

[tinkerbelle93]

I want to go into teaching too

I'm not entirely sure what you need to become a teaching assistant. Perhaps look around online or go on a forum like thestudentroom which has a lot of stuff about studies/qualifications on it.

To become a teacher the best route is to gain an undergraduate degree in a particular subject that would be relevant to primary teaching (english, history, anything really) which takes three years full-time then to do a postgraduate course in teaching training. I'm planning to do an online OU course in English Literature for three years with my LO being young then go to a real college to do a postgraduate teacher training course. xx

 

[GeorgeyGal]

wooo ive found some great websites, apprenticeships look rather appealing to me! https://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/Be-An-Apprentice/Applying.aspx

I found this website extremely useful!

https://www.tda.gov.uk/support-staff.aspx

 

[sarajane]

Hi,

I´m a teaching assistant at a British School in Spain. They gave me a job just based on the fact that I have experience with children. I see that a lot of TA jobs want you to have NVQs now but I think if you have experience with children they will look on it well..

If any of you are wanting to get in to teaching, look up the Graduate Teacher Programme. I am planning on doing that next year. As doing a PGCE with a baby is going to be a bit difficult if I'm not earning money. GTP pays you roughly 15k as an unqualified teacher and they train you, like an apprenticeship, and it's perfect for people looking for a career change and also there's no costs!

Hope this helps!

 

[GeorgeyGal]

I think Ill start by volunteering or an apprenticeship and then Open University Foundation Degree as I do not have a degree at present. I have a 4 month old son, does that count as experience with children!

 

[louise1302]

i am a TA for children with special needs, i have no qualifications but i worked as a lunchtime lady, got to know the students then when i ta job came up i applied

most of the ta's that go direct into it have the nvq up to TA level 3 which im going to look into doing part time, ust to advance myself really

good luck i love my job. i love the fact i have weekends off, im home by 4 30 and get 13 weeks a year off

 

[Mummyjessie]

I work as a Teaching Assistant too. I got my BTEC when I was 18, but I also did a refresher course when my DD was at nursery. Try to get a few hours volunteering each week in a school or nursery, this will really help when a FT position comes up. Take any free courses that you can as it all helps you to get the job you really want! GOOD LUCK x

 

[Cattia]

Definitely get some voluntary work and the qualifications if possible, I am not sure about Primary level but at secondary level TA jobs have become very competative. We had about 30 people apply for the last one at our place, most of them were graduates so they are far more likely to give it to someone who has a foot in the door and they know is good.
I did the GTP when it first started up ten years ago. It is a great way to train and it has improved a lot since I did it, when it first started a lot of schools used it as a cheap way to get unqualified teachers and you would get put on a heavy timetable from day one, but I think it is better regulated now. Again they will definitely be looking for work experience before you apply. Good luck and PM me if i dan be any more help.