Teaching Assistant

What is the work like?

As a teaching assistant you would support teachers with their everyday work in the classroom, so that they can concentrate on teaching. You could have another job title such as classroom assistant or learning support assistant.

Your exact duties would vary depending on the school and the age of the children, but would typically include:

• getting the classroom ready for lessons
• listening to children read, reading to them, or telling them stories
• helping children who need extra support to complete tasks
• helping teachers to plan learning activities and complete records
• supervising group activities and displaying work
• looking after children who are upset or have had accidents
• playing educational games with children
• encouraging younger children to learn through play
• helping with outings and sports events
• carrying out routine administrative tasks.

You would also support children with particular individual needs, working one-to-one or in small groups. With experience, you may lead some classes.

In some schools you could have a specialism, such as literacy, numeracy, Special Educational Needs or music. Bilingual teaching assistants are often employed in schools with a lot of children whose first language is not English.

Higher Level Teaching Assistant
As a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) you would have more responsibility, which could include:

• working alongside teachers to support learning activities
• helping to plan lessons and prepare teaching materials
• acting as a specialist assistant for particular subjects
• leading some classes under the direction of the teacher
• supervising other support staff.

You would also assess, record and report on the progress of children you work with.

What qualifications and experience will employers look for?

It is up to local education authorities and individual schools to decide what qualifications or experience they expect you to have when you apply for a teaching assistant job. You can get an idea of what you are likely to need by looking at jobs advertised locally or checking with your local education authority.

Nursery nursing, childcare, playwork or youth work qualifications could be useful, but are not essential – if you have enough experience of working with children, you may be able to start work without qualifications and complete teaching assistant qualifications on the job.

If you do not have any relevant experience or qualifications, a useful starting point is to volunteer to help in a local school for a few hours a week.

Before you can begin either paid work or volunteering you will need CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) clearance.

To begin teaching assistant qualifications, you would usually need to be working or volunteering in a school for a set number of hours a week. Relevant qualifications include:

• NVQ Level 2 in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
• Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.

You should check with colleges for their entry requirements – you may need GCSEs or the equivalent, in English and maths.

See the further training and development section below for details of higher level qualifications.

You may be able to get into this job through an Apprenticeship scheme. The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. To find out more about Apprenticeships, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk.

For more information on careers and qualifications visit Skills4Schools.

What further training and development can I do?

Once you are working as a teaching assistant you would normally complete a short, nationally-approved induction training programme. Some local education authorities also offer a range of in-house training, some leading to qualifications.

The teaching assistant qualifications you can complete include:

• NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools
• Level 2 and 3 Certificate in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.

These qualifications involve being assessed in work situations, so your job would need to include responsibilities appropriate for the qualification you wish to complete – level 2 is suitable if you are new to the job or have limited responsibilities, level 3 is for experienced teaching assistants with more responsibilities.

As an experienced teaching assistant, you may be able to study for a foundation degree. These are available at a number of colleges and universities, and have various titles, such as Teaching Assistants and Teaching and Learning Support. To search for foundation degrees see the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service website.

Higher Level Teaching Assistant
With experience, you may also be able to take on more responsibility by applying for training and assessment for Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) status. You would need the support of your head teacher or school manager before you could be considered for this. For details visit the Trainining Development Agency for Schools website.

For more information on careers and qualifications see Skills4Schools.

Where can I go for more information?