Course overview

Teaching Assistants work in Primary, Special and Secondary education across all age ranges encompassing special educational needs and emotional vulnerabilities. The primary role of the Teaching Assistant is to support the class teacher to enhance pupils’ learning either in groups or individually, ensuring pupils understand the work set, know their learning objectives and stay on task in order to make progress. Promoting self-belief, social inclusion and a high self-esteem play an integral part to pupils’ well-being; ensuring pupils thrive in a positive, nurturing, safe environment.

It is an active role supporting the learner to access the curriculum. They are good role models, act with honesty and integrity, take part in team meetings; contribute to planning and class activities. Promoting Fundamental British Values through spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and positive behaviours are crucial in contributing to improved pupil progress and development.

Modules and Skills within this course are as follows:

Developing strategies for support:
• Develop strategies to support and encourage pupils to move towards independent learning.
• Use appropriately varied vocabulary to ensure pupils’ understanding.
• Embed effective behaviour management strategies using discipline appropriately and fairly in line with the school’s policy.
• Deliver interventions in accordance with training given (RAG rating).
• Foster and encourage positive, effective, nurturing and safe learning environments inspiring pupils to take pride in and learn from their individual achievements.
• Recognise, adapt and respond to all pupils encompassing SEN/emotional vulnerabilities, for example, use Makaton, visual timetables.

Communication and team work:
• Work closely with teachers to ensure own contribution aligns with the teaching.
• Ensure regular communication with teachers to provide clarity and consistency of role within lessons.
• Deliver/lead small group teaching within clearly defined/planned parameters using initiative, sensitivity and understanding.
• Build appropriate relationships with colleagues, pupils, parents, adults and stakeholders.
• Comply with policy and procedures for sharing confidential information and know when and where to seek advice.
• Implement current statutory guidance including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’
Part 1, safeguarding policies, Prevent Strategy.
• Undertake safeguarding training every 3 years.
• Support pupils’ well-being whilst embedding the importance of online safety.

Working with teachers to accurately assess:
• Contribute to a range of assessment processes and use information effectively for example: written records.
• Use specific feedback to help pupils make progress.
• Apply good subject knowledge to support accurate assessment.

Using technology:
• Use school computer systems, including specialist software eg: online registration, intervention programmes and management information systems.

• Use relevant technology competently and effectively to improve learning.
• Ensure pupils use technology safely.

Problem solving/ability to motivate pupils:
• Use a range of strategies including scaffolding and open questioning skills to enable pupils to access and engage in learning.
• Recognise the difference between pastoral and academic issues and model good behaviour
for learning.

Knowledge:

Understanding how pupils learn and develop:
• Understand the need to provide feedback to support and facilitate an appropriate level of independence.
• Comprehend appropriate levels of learning resources to identify and help address weakness, consolidate strengths and develop individualised expectations.
• Recognise different stages of child development through school, eg. transition between key stages.

Technology:
• Recognise the importance of using appropriate technology to support learning.

Working with teachers to understand and support assessment for learning:
• Understand the need to accurately observe, record and report on pupil’s participation, conceptual understanding and progress to improve practice and assessment for different groups of pupils.
• Understand the school’s assessment procedures for benchmarking against targets set by the class teacher.
• Be familiar with assessment materials.
Curriculum
• An appropriate knowledge of the curriculum and context you are working in.


Keeping Children Safe in Education:
• Understand current statutory guidance including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ Part 1, safeguarding policies, Prevent Strategy.
• Understand the importance of sharing relevant information, in a timely manner with the designated Safeguarding lead. Understand the importance of first aid procedures, recording/ reporting incidents and a broad knowledge of Health & Safety Policy.


Additional Information:
- This full time apprenticeship requires 1 day per week at college
- Fees: £5,000 or £250 Employer Contribution or up to 100% Government Funding and Additional Incentives may be available

Entry requirements

Working at Level 2 Maths and English.
Some employers may set their own entry requirements.
Apprentices without English and Maths at Level 2 must achieve these prior to taking the End Point Assessment.

How will I be assessed?

The End Point Assessment (EPA) can only be triggered after 12 months of starting the apprenticeship and is dependent on when the employer and training provider decide the apprentice is ready. EPA is typically expected to conclude within 3 months. The employer has the final decision to progress the apprentice to EPA. The apprentice and training provider should feel confident the learning outcomes have been achieved.

The EPA consists of three elements, all of which may be completed online. All assessment methods need to be passed. Each assessment method should directly assess the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the Standard. The assessor has the final decision.

What can I do next

This Level 3 apprenticeship supports career development within the Education sector.