Becoming a Teaching Assistant information
If you are interested in a Teaching Assistant post there are a number of routes which you may consider. The one which is right for you can depend on your current situation.
Training and Qualifications
There are a variety of qualifications available at different levels all of which are applicable to those who are considering becoming a Teaching Assistant but as yet there is no single mandatory qualification that you must have before you apply for a teaching assistant post.
It is currently a matter for individual employers/schools to specify any particular skills, experience and/or qualifications that they require for the various posts.
There are courses run by York College at Level 2 and 3. Again you might like to contact the college for further details or access the website www.yorkcollege.ac.uk.
York St John University offer Foundation Degrees in Supporting Learning and Working with Children and Young People. One of the conditions of applying however is that applicants are employed for at least the equivalent of a half time post (or the equivalent in a voluntary capacity). To find out more about both courses, the application process, fees etc you can visit the website www.yorksj.ac.uk.
Job Vacancies
You can look at the current vacancies on the City of York Council website on www.york.gov.uk/jobs click on “all council vacancies”. Some of the adverts will give you an idea of the kind of experience/skills the post requires. You can also view them on the yor-ok website. Other vacancies within the children’s workforce can also be viewed here.
Volunteering
Depending on your circumstances you may like to offer your services to a school as a volunteer helper. If you are able to do this it does give you the opportunity to experience the role of Teaching Assistant first hand and to see the kind of roles which a Teaching Assistant carries out. Schools are usually very pleased to accept help and your local school may be one that you could approach to offer your services. For details of your nearest school, please visit the council website.
National information relating to support staff in schools can be found on the following websites:
