Teaching assistant (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
A teaching assistant or educational assistant (often abbreviated to TA or EA; sometimes classroom assistant) in school
s in England and Wales
is a person who supports a teacher
in the classroom. Duties can differ dramatically from school to school, though the underlying tasks often remain the same.
or numeracy
. This can also include work with children with special educational needs
(SEN), which the teacher cannot always accommodate in a normal class.
They are also mostly responsible for listening to children read, and reporting back to the teacher if any issues arise. Helping teachers prepare for lessons by photocopying resources, or putting out equipment at the start of a lesson is another main role of the teaching assistant, and one which is becoming increasingly common, due to the National Workforce Agreement (see below).
Teaching assistants are not qualified teachers, and as such, are led and guided by teachers. The DfES (Department for Education and Skills) stated in the Consultation of 2002 that:
The occupation is constantly changing and evolving with the rest of the education workforce in the country. Teaching assistants are being given more and more roles within schools, and it remains to be seen how this "remodelling of the workforce" will alter the occupation.
This agreement created a "new breed" of teaching assistants: HLTAs (or Higher Level Teaching Assistants). Their role is to support the teacher further by taking some lessons, and being more closely involved in children's learning.
Giving teachers time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) was also raised in this agreement. By September 2005, all teachers must be given 10% teaching time away from the classroom to plan, prepare, and assess. Classes will be covered by normal teaching assistants, not just HLTAs, as originally planned. This has led to some concerns being raised.
In addition there is no HLTA status in Scotland and Classroom Assistants do not cover classes.
Those that want to become a teaching assistant often come from nursery
backgrounds, and have qualifications in childcare
. These are seen as good starting points for those new to the occupation.
and DfES gives an outline of who usually takes the role of the teaching assistant.
50.4% in secondary school
s are aged 35 to 48.
34.2% in secondary schools have no qualifications.
Whereas the number of teachers only went up by around 10,000 over a period of five years (1998 to 2002), the number of teaching assistants went up by around 60,000.
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
is a person who supports a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in the classroom. Duties can differ dramatically from school to school, though the underlying tasks often remain the same.
Role
Teaching assistants are often used to take small groups of children out of a class that need extra support in an area, such as literacyLiteracy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
or numeracy
Numeracy
Numeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life...
. This can also include work with children with special educational needs
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
(SEN), which the teacher cannot always accommodate in a normal class.
They are also mostly responsible for listening to children read, and reporting back to the teacher if any issues arise. Helping teachers prepare for lessons by photocopying resources, or putting out equipment at the start of a lesson is another main role of the teaching assistant, and one which is becoming increasingly common, due to the National Workforce Agreement (see below).
Teaching assistants are not qualified teachers, and as such, are led and guided by teachers. The DfES (Department for Education and Skills) stated in the Consultation of 2002 that:
- Most teaching requires the expertise and skills of a qualified teacher; but some teaching activity can be undertaken by suitably trained staff without QTS [qualified teacher status], provided they are working within a clear system of leadership and supervision provided by a qualified teacher. Qualified teachers must have overall responsibility for effective teaching and learning. --DfES, 2002, p.5
The occupation is constantly changing and evolving with the rest of the education workforce in the country. Teaching assistants are being given more and more roles within schools, and it remains to be seen how this "remodelling of the workforce" will alter the occupation.
HLTAs and the National Workforce Agreement
On 15 January 2003, unions and the DfES signed the National Workforce Agreement, which began a reform of raising school standards and tackling workloads.This agreement created a "new breed" of teaching assistants: HLTAs (or Higher Level Teaching Assistants). Their role is to support the teacher further by taking some lessons, and being more closely involved in children's learning.
Giving teachers time for planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) was also raised in this agreement. By September 2005, all teachers must be given 10% teaching time away from the classroom to plan, prepare, and assess. Classes will be covered by normal teaching assistants, not just HLTAs, as originally planned. This has led to some concerns being raised.
Professional development
There are nationally recognised qualifications for teaching assistants.- NCFE Initial Training for Classroom Assistants, Stages 1 and 2
- City and Guilds award for Teaching Assistants (7327) (also Certificate and Advanced Certificate in Learning Support (7321))
- NVQNational Vocational QualificationNational Vocational Qualifications are work based awards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that are achieved through assessment and training. In Scotland they are known as Scottish Vocational Qualification ....
Teaching Assistants Level 2 and 3 - CACHECacheIn computer engineering, a cache is a component that transparently stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster. The data that is stored within a cache might be values that have been computed earlier or duplicates of original values that are stored elsewhere...
Level 2 and 3 Certificates in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools - BTECBusiness And Technology Education Council (BTEC)The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
Level 2 and 3 Certificates for Teaching Assistants - Open UniversityOpen UniversityThe Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
Specialist Teacher Assistant Certificate - CACHE Specialist Teacher Assistant (STA) Award
- Foundation Degree (usually in EducationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
Studies, but shaped to meet the needs of the teaching assistant) - HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) status
Scotland
In Scotland the term teaching Assistant is not used. Staff who work alongside teachers to support the learning of children are referred to as classroom assistants or pupil support workers. In addition to the above list of qualifications classroom assistants in Scotland may also earn:- City and Guilds award for Classroom Assistants in Scotland (7328)
- Professional Development Award in Early Years Care and Education, for classroom assistants in Scotland
In addition there is no HLTA status in Scotland and Classroom Assistants do not cover classes.
Common progression routes
Despite the many qualifications available for teaching assistants, many do not have any formal training, and instead build up experience over many years. Those that do study often choose the NVQ Level 2 and/or 3 qualification, as it is the most widely studied in the profession.Those that want to become a teaching assistant often come from nursery
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
backgrounds, and have qualifications in childcare
Childcare
Child care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
. These are seen as good starting points for those new to the occupation.
Professional publications
Learning Support, a professional magazine for primary school teaching assistants, is published six times a year.University of Plymouth and the DfES, 2002
A survey carried out by the University of PlymouthUniversity of Plymouth
Plymouth University is the largest university in the South West of England, with over 30,000 students and is 9th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students . It has almost 3,000 staff...
and DfES gives an outline of who usually takes the role of the teaching assistant.
Age
59.8% in primary schools are aged 35 to 48.50.4% in secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s are aged 35 to 48.
Qualifications
39.4% in primary schools have no qualifications.34.2% in secondary schools have no qualifications.
DfES, 2002
In a separate survey, the DfES found that in January 2002, there were 216,000 full-time equivalent support staff in schools. This is an increase of over 50% since 1997.Whereas the number of teachers only went up by around 10,000 over a period of five years (1998 to 2002), the number of teaching assistants went up by around 60,000.
- You will not be allowed in a school until you have been CRB checked.