Classroom Assistant Wages

[Cait]

Hi, my daughter is considering training to be a classroom assistant, but before she starts she's like a rough idea of what her salary is likely to be. Could any of you kind people give me some sort of 'ballpark' figure? She's currently on 18,000 so it would need to be at least that, she says. Any hope at all?

[Guest]

There is little or no hope of reaching that area where wages are concerned for a classroom assistant!!!!!

 

TA's pay depends on what level they are, and many of the jobs in school are level one which is paid a pittance (I believe!!)

Lots of classroom assistant work is paid to support a specific child or children and that pay too is not great.

 

Foundation stage often employs level three qualified staff but they ought to have a level three in child development rather than a level three classroom assistant ie NNEB or similar.

 

I am a level 4 and have staff that I manage, and HLTAs (higher level teaching assistnats) are also level 4. I work fulltime in school hours and am paid for 32.5 hours per week and my wages are not at the level you say your daughter will need.

 

Many of us who work with children love our jobs but not the pay!!!

I think my pay is good considering the holidays and the hours etc, but I do have a degree and the job takes up a lot of my own personal time!!

 

I would suggest she looks at jobs being advertised on local authority sites to gage an actual wage.

[Cait]

Yes that's what I thought too.

[mundia]

Nope!

 

What you have to remember is that usually salaries are pro rata taking into account that it is term time only working, so salary quoted is rarely actually what you get when divide up over the year. (Some LAs already do this, so worth checking where she might be looking)

 

Of course it will depend on the LA, and the salary scale point offered for the specific job, but to be honest she would be doing really well if she started on £11-13000.

 

Im happy to be corrected, but Ive a friend who has just started as a TA, Im not sure hoe 'typical' her starting salary is.

[Cait]

right, I'll tell her, she's going to be gutted I think ;(

[Marion]

In my area classroom assistants are salaried and earn somewhere in that region depending on qualifications and experience

 

Grade 2 - Salary Scale Point 14-19 £15,725 - £17,802

[Guest]

I think the other thing to be aware of is that those wages are probably full time wages ie 37.5 hours per week and many classroom assistants jobs are part time or full time school hours of 25 hours per week.

[HoneyPancakes]

In my boy's school, many of the TA jobs tend to be taken by teachers who have their own children and want to reduce their hours but keep their hand in until the kids get older.

 

It has to be said though, that I think the job must be terrifically rewarding, without all the extra time and stress of planning that goes with teaching. Could always make up the extra money by doing holiday clubs, cleaning houses (I did), children's parties....etc. And having the holidays free is a real bonus when you have your own children.

 

Whatever she does, I hope it's right.

 

Honey

[Cait]

Thanks Honey. It would be really nice for her to carry on the family tradition - by her own choice - my maternal Grandmother had her own Nursery, and so did my Mother, and now I have my Preschool. Interestingly the males are all engineers! (and railway enthusiasts). She's tried a few jobs, Hotel Receptionist which led to Manager, Nanny, Restaurant Manager and now she's Practice Manager for a vet. She says she really enjoys working with children - doesn't really want my job as she can see the unpaid hours and paperwork. She doesn't live close by - I'd employ her like a shot - she's fantastic with children and they love her

[mundia]

It sounds like she has some serious thinking to do, to see if she could manage financially on a lower starting salary but being happier in the job she does. Is it possible to do the training and still keep her current job?

 

Ive worked with fab TAs over the years, some who have only ever done that job, and wouldn't change anything. But Ive also known TAs who don't have a partner bringing in a salary too, who have second and third jobs just to make ends meet.

 

There are further options for her later if she she wants to become a HLTA, where she could earn more, and some TAs also do things like NVQ assessing or similar, which can bring in a little extra.

 

let us know what she decides, Cait.

[Marion]

I think the other thing to be aware of is that those wages are probably full time wages ie 37.5 hours per week and many classroom assistants jobs are part time or full time school hours of 25 hours per week.

 

 

In my LA support staff aren't paid by the hour (although that may change) so that is the annual salary they receive before tax.