NVQ teaching assistant courses

Welsh_Money_Saver

Hi All

Does anyone know the best place to find a NVQ course for teaching assistants? The online courses range from £290 to £1,300. I would like to find a reasonably priced course but with a reputable company, and I don;t know where to start. I have googled NVQ for my local area but can't find any colleges doing the courses - are they only with postal/online companies??

I would love some feedback from anyone who has recently done a course.

Many Thanks

MrsManda

I don't know much about this but I think some LEAs run courses on the job as you don't actually need a qualification to get a teaching assistant role.
You may find the information on these websites useful
How to become a TA
TeacherNet: TA

Oldernotwiser

Welsh_Money_Saver wrote: »

Hi All

Does anyone know the best place to find a NVQ course for teaching assistants? The online courses range from £290 to £1,300. I would like to find a reasonably priced course but with a reputable company, and I don;t know where to start. I have googled NVQ for my local area but can't find any colleges doing the courses - are they only with postal/online companies??

I would love some feedback from anyone who has recently done a course.

Many Thanks

I've never heard of anyone doing an NVQ in this online or paying a private company. Contact your local college and I'm sure you'll find a variety of courses offered and, if it's your first course at this level you won't have to pay fees.

Edit: Have just had a quick look and seen that the college in Cardiff offers the CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Learning in Schools which seems to have replaced the TA course.

Obviously I don't know where you are but if you look at the various colleges' own websites rather than a general search you'll find other courses like this with different titles.

angela110660

You might also look at CACHE courses - I just googled them and there seemed to be quite a few places in Wales that did them. I did this course to become an LSA.

surfsister

Usuallu nvqs are done on the job with maybe some college, the nvq overseer generally comes into the school to run the nvq with the school. There is a Btec at local colleges which is recognised. Are you a TA or hoping to be one?

Welsh_Money_Saver

Thanks for the help so far,

I am hoping to become a TA. I have just finished my degree with the OU and got accepte on PGCE course but couldn't fit the workload in around my 3 children, so have put this on back burner for a few years, but though I could be a TA in the meantime. All the posts seem to ask for NVQ level 2 or 3 so I was looking for a course to get qualified so I couls apply. I.m going to check out the CACHE website mentioned.

Thanks

soon2be_student_wife

hi welsh money saver, where in wales are you? my husbands just finished a level 3 in childcare and education which trains him to a TA in primary schools and some secondary as well as a host of others. if you already have a degree, you may be able to go into a TA job straight away as its a Level 4 qualification, especially if you have some experience.

otherwise, my husband studied in newport, in a fe college and as a mature student, 21 when he started, his fees were free and he was in a reduced hours class so would be in college 3 days a week half 9 til 2 then on placements the rest of the week. oh and he studied CACHE level 3 diploma. people normally only studied NVQ's if they were already in the post and wanted to study it in the evenings or part time.

good luck.

alwaysonthego_2

soon2be_student_wife wrote: »

. if you already have a degree, you may be able to go into a TA job straight away as its a Level 4 qualification, especially if you have some experience.



good luck.

If she has a full degree then it is a level 6 qualification.

Welsh_Money_Saver

I am near Llanelli, my degree is a Bsc open (Hons) mainly in environmental science so I don't know if this is relevant for a TA role.
Perhaps I'll ring my local educatiuon authority and see if I can apply for any advertised posts. Fingers crossed I'll get a job, its the closest I can get to teaching for now.

Oldernotwiser

alwaysonthego wrote: »

If she has a full degree then it is a level 6 qualification.

That's true on the NQF framework but most people don't use it in this way.

soon2be_student_wife

sorry i get confused with these levels, my husband tries to explain but i glaze over as i did the traditional route, gcses, a levels and now degrees. thanks for clarification