Teaching Assistant Jobs?

[smiler]

I am currently looking after our son who is 18 months old and I would really like to train towards a NVQ as a Teaching Assistant or maybe a Playgroup Assistant. I worked voluntary in a playgrpup setting about 6 years ago for 18 months or so and really enjoyed it, unfortunatley the playgroup leader no longer wanted to run the playgroup and so I had no where to work. I have thought about this and I would like to do this as a career but have no idea where I should start or how to go about this. Do I contact my local college or schools/playgroups? I assume I will have to re-do my English and Maths at college because I didn't get that good grades at school(D grade in both)although I am good at maths now and English but I just messed about at school and could have done better really. What is my first step to be able to train in this area. I know the job is rewarding as I experienced at the playgroup. I have a up to date CRB aswell. Please any help would be greatful.
I have just phoned Wolverhampton City College and for the Maths and English GCSE courses they aint starting till Sept and the teaching assistant is the same except to get on that I have to be in a placement at least one day a week. I get some money off the course fee because I have a low income but its not till Sept and I kinda wanted to get stuck in somewhere before that. Any other ideas what I should do.

[Sensible]

CRB is not transferable.
Ask for the nearest uni with a creche that way you can be on site and learn what you need to.
On a lighter note:
You walk into the classroom and say good morning...
When they say good morning back very slowly it's a primary school. When they say nothing and grunt it's secondary modern.
When they put their cosmopolitan down and open their books, it's an all girls boarding school.
When they look up so they can see the instructor over the tops of the newspapers, it's a boys one.
When they put their feet up on the desks and keep reading, it's the local college.
When they write it down, it's graduate students.

[ootmaheid]

Apply for jobs in schools and local playgroups. LEA playgroups often sponsor the assistants to go on in FE. The schools will also do that. Probably the best way in would be to apply to one of the schools that have an intake of handicapped kids....that way you would be on a one 2one and it would give you some experience. It may be worth sending a spec letter with your CV to some of the local schools. Better still why not approach a school personally and ask if they need any unpaid helpers while you look for something permanent? This will give you experience and show your willingness. Hope that this helps.

[??????]

Contact your local college, CRB's are not transferable so you may have to get another done! If you do an NVQ you may not have to do Maths or English again, they might be part of the course!! Good Luck xx