NEARLY 20 mums from Branchton, Braeside and Larkfield are set to qualify as classroom assistants in June. Today, we catch up with some of them to find out why they decided to go back to school - especially when many of them didn"t enjoy lessons as kids themselves. ELAINE BOWERS reports...

WITH young mum Amanda McCabe"s wee daughter due to start primary one next year she decided to beat her through the school gates.

Amanda signed up for a nine-month-long course at Branchton Community Resource and Family Centre and is now set to become a fully-fledged classroom assistant.

Amanda 21, who lives in Braeside, Greenock, said: 'With Abigail starting school next year, I decided I wanted to go on the course and it has been really good and it is fun.' As well as attending the community centre on a Wednesday, Amanda has been doing placements at St Mary"s Primary in Greenock on a Tuesday to gain experience.

She said: 'I did playground duties with the kids and photocopying for the teachers and you have to supervise the class if the teacher is called away.' Amanda currently works in a takeaway shop and feels working in a school will be handy as the hours will fit in with her daughter"s term times and holidays.

She said: 'I didn"t like being at school, so I was nervous about going back. When I was at school I thought it was awfully boring, but once I got going it was great and it didn"t feel like school. My placement was in St Mary"s and all the teachers were really nice.' The course has not only prepared Amanda for a job as a classroom assistant but inspired her to consider further study.

Mum-of-four Marion A"Hara was looking for a change from her daily routine as a housewife. She was placed at Moorfoot Primary in Gourock to gain experience and loved every minute of it.

She said: 'It was brilliant. I have finished my placement but I am going to keep working as an assistant voluntarily until the end of term.' Marion"s placement involved working with school kids of all ages but it was the primary twos she took most to her heart.

She said: 'They are the ones who need more help. The primary ones are learning, but by primary two they are at the maths and reading stage and I helped them with their reading and numbers.' Cheryl Smith, 24, lives in Port Glasgow and previously studied business IT and languages. She said: 'I have a degree but couldn"t get a job - it"s a change of career.' Cheryl"s placement was at St Stephen"s High, where she assisted students with learning difficulties.

Mum-of-three Caroline McPherson, who lives in Larkfield, joined the course because it was "something new".

Meanwhile, Heather Watt of Braeside has been inspired to consider other career options.

She said: 'I had a great placement at St Gabriel"s. Now I am thinking of going on a course to train as a teacher. The primary ones were hilarious. When they were told to sing louder it was a case of seeing who could shout the loudest.' Jackie Davies, of Branchton, is looking for a job as a classroom assistant. She said: 'I have been doing bar work at night and I am wanting to get back into work during the day and this fits round childcare.' Gran-of-two Alison McCabe lives in Braeside and decided to sign up for the classroom assistant course because her daughter, Amanda, was doing it. She is now looking for a job as a classroom assistant. She said: 'I didn"t like school but it is different. You don"t stay in the one classroom now and they pick up on special needs. My placement was at Inverkip with the P1s. When the teacher had some kids reading, I helped the others with their colouring and corrected stuff in their books.' THE classroom assistants course has proved to be one of the most popular ever hosted at Branchton Community Resource and Family Centre.

A total of 18 women - many of them young mums - signed up for the course last October and every single one is on track to qualify with a personal development award in the summer.

Monica Watson, a community learning and development outreach worker, said: 'Some of them came along asking for a women"s group or confidence-building, and some girls decided to do health for life and food hygiene. Others came from the Choices for Women project.

'We then asked them what they would like to do and there was a lot of interest in working with children and they put their names forward for the classroom assistants" course.

'James Watt College came to Branchton to do the course. Now some of the women are going to do HNCs at college. The majority of them are going to college in August and others are looking for employment.' The course has been running every Wednesday between 9.30am and 2.30pm since October, with the students also taking part in placements in schools on Tuesdays.

It involved organising projects for five to 12-years-olds and means the students will be able to work with children in other jobs and at youth clubs.

The students" animal project will go on display in the creche, while their work on Scotland and the war is going in the computer room where a homework club is held.

The students come from all over Inverclyde, with most living in Braeside, Larkfield or Branchton.

Monica said: 'The course has done a lot for their confidence. I notice a big difference.' Centre co-ordinator Kevin Rodgers added: 'The course has been a huge success.

'We have asked James Watt College to bring it here a few times but we have never got it because they have had a full complement elsewhere.

'Myself and Monica fought hard to say it would be worthwhile because there was a high demand for the course here.

'It took a lot of persuading to get the college to deliver the course here, but they agreed and this shows it has been a positive thing for the college, us and local people. If there was future demand for another course, we would look at putting another on because all our courses are demand-led.'